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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] definite article in Isaiah 7:14
  • Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:54:36 -0400

Karl,

The key point is: Do you agree with me that Job 6:16: (ALEYMO YIT (ALEM $ELEG,

עָלֵימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם-שָׁלֶג

is "upon them snow will pile itself up" or "upon them snow will accumulate itself", or not?
Because if you do, then we know the basic meaning of the root (LM.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jun 13, 2007, at 3:08 PM, K Randolph wrote:

Dear Isaac:

On 6/12/07, Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu> wrote:
Karl,

I don't think that there is in the biblical sphere of thinking such a
thing as 'unknown' in the general sense.

This is the difference between you and I: you come to the study of
Hebrew starting with theories, I am too dumb for that. Just analyzing
what is there without concerning myself with etymologies and other
theories is already a bigger job than what I can finish in a life
time.

.... The concept is a modern
epistemological invention.

How do you know?

.... English does not even have a word for it
apart from the naive compound 'un-known'.

Is it not invalid to project the limitations of English upon Biblical Hebrew?

Job 6:16: (ALEYMO YIT(ALEM $ELEG, עָלֵימוֹ
יִתְעַלֶּם-שָׁלֶג, ...
I am sorry, but your explanation of (ELEM, עלם, and (ALMAH,
עלמה, as being yet "unknown" to the opposite sex appears to me
unnatural and not becoming of the graceful and sensible ancient
Hebrews. In my opinion (ELEM and (ALMAH mean just 'grown up' as
indicated by the presence of AL, 'up, on' in both names. This basic
sense of (LM is also inherent in the roots:

BLM to rein in
GLM to wrap
HLM to pound (with a mallet or hammer)
XLM to dream
QLM (not a root expressed in Biblical Hebrew)
CLM (not a root) shadow
$LM to make whole, to fulfill (curses, promises hence to give
settlement both pleasing and displeasing) hence to repay, pay back
TLM (not a root expressed in Biblical Hebrew).

How does the aggregate of the above examples support your theory?

There is an ex-biblical )ALAM, אלם, (said to be "borrowed" from
"Aramaic") in the sense of 'bully, brute, big-bodied, hulk', from
which the now commonly used word ALIMUT = AL-HI-M-HU-AT, 'violence,
strong-arm tactics', is derived.

Getting to the bottom of Biblical Hebrew is already a huge job,
therefore I don't bother with extra-Biblical studies. This root is
irrelevant.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

You wrote, "but it is too poetical to my practical taste."

I, too, am very practical, as a result I hate poetry. However, it is
impractical not to take the authors' literary styles into account when
analyzing their messages. Late pre-Exile Biblical authors especially
tended towards poetic style in their writings and Job especially
strikes me as a late pre-exile poem.

Karl W. Randolph.
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