Biblical Hebrew Forum

["K Randolph" <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Joel:

On 10/31/06, Dr. Joel M. Hoffman <joel AT exc.com> wrote:
> For example, the frequent repetition of MOT YUMAT seems to militate
> against an emphatic meaning.

How? How does "shall surely be put to death" argue against an emphatic 
meaning?

> ....  So does, e.g., the particular use in Gen
> 3:4:  "The serpant told the woman you will not die" is much more
> likely than the nearly nonsensical, "the serpant told the woman you
> will not die empatically/certainly/etc."
I don't see this as nonsensical, as what is said that the surely dying
is not true.

Probably "emphatic" is the wrong word here, as this refers not to
emphasis in the normal English meaning, rather towards assuredness, as
the sentence is surely to be carried out.

Karl W. Randolph.