Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

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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