Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

Steve,

I am sorry but I am afraid you entirely misunderstood what I said,  
possibly too tersely. KRANOT is just the plural of KEREN, 'horn'.

This is what I think, in plain English, is being described in  
Zechariah 2:1-4:
1. The prophet is seeing four battering rams---the ultimate war  
machine of his time---the epitome of mechanical evil. The machine  
consisted (methinks) of some sort of a wooden structure (covered, on  
wheels and with a platform for archers?) on which was mounted a  
horizontal heavy beam (this is how I would have constructed it had I  
been the chief military engineer of the Assyrian army), end fitted  
with a strong metal horn or beak, and used to slam into walls to rock  
them loose and crack them open. Namely, a kind of an ancient man- 
powered bulldozer or tank. The number 4 has possibly some symbolic  
value, but it eludes me now.
2. Then the prophet asks (VA-OMAR) What are these? (namely the  
KRANOT), and the angel replies "those are the KRANOT that caused the  
dispersion of the Jews" (and are ready for a repeat).
3. Then God shows him (VA-YARENI) four workmen, expert in wood or  
metal cutting (XARASHIM).
4. Then the prophet asks (VA-OMAR) what are these (XARASHIM) coming  
to do? (MAH ELEH BAIM LAASOT?). The prophet is confirmed in his  
suspicion on the nefarious purpose of the KRANOT, but he wants to be  
reassured on the hopeful intent of the workmen.
5. Then God says (VA-YOMER): "Those are (indeed) the KRANOT that  
caused the dispersion of the Jews, (but) they (HA-XARASHIM) are here  
(VA-YABOU ELEH) to rock them (namely the KRANOT) loose (LeHAXARID),  
then (or comma) to cast (LeYADOT) them (namely the KRANOT) away" so  
as to render the tormentors of Israel impotent.

Notice that I translate LeHAXARID as 'to rock loose', relying on the  
essential meaning of the root XRD, rather then as 'frighten', which  
is but a transferred  meaning (see for instance Isaiah 10:29 XARDAH  
HA-RAMAH, GIBAT SHAUL NASAH.)

The root XRD is a member of the close-knit clan XRZ, XRT, XRS (HRS),  
XRC, XR$ (XARASHIM, MAXRESHAH, XORSHAH?), all of great affinity to  
GRD, ZRD, TRD, (CRD), PRD, XRK, XRQ, XRB, XRG, and more.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Apr 13, 2007, at 10:06 PM, Steve Miller wrote:

> Isaac,
> Can you explain what is a KRANOT? Can you tell me another place  
> where it
> acts as an "and".  Thanks.
>
> -Steve Miller
> Detroit
> www.voiceInWilderness.info