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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: Yaakov Stein <yaakov_s AT rad.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] collecting myrrh and honey
  • Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:06:57 -0400

Yaakob,

It is my firm belief that the presence of the letter R in a Hebrew root implies that it describes a state of dispersion or aggregation. So MOR of Song of Songs 3:6 as well as 5:1 is a sap or a powder. It is related to RAR of Leviticus 15:3, RIR, 'saliva, pus' of Job 6:6 and 1 Samuel 21:14, and M-ROR-AH of Job 20:14. It is also related to MR), 'free floating' of Job 39:18, and (UR, 'alert' of Song of Songs 5:2. Also to (RH of Isaiah 32:15 and Genesis 24:20. Also to "Aramaic" )ARA(, 'occur'.
You are right in stating that MOR may be related to MAR, 'bitter', but it is unclear which comes from which. In fact, as far as I can recall MOR is never explicitly mentioned in the Hebrew bible having a sharp taste. Even the passover MA-ROR of Exodus 12:8 and Numbers 9:11 is 'bitter herbs' only by tradition, MI-PI HA-$MU(-AH, rather than by botanical certainty. Moreover, MAR as an emotional state may mean 'rattled' rather than the metaphoric 'bitter'. TA-MRUR of Jeremiah 6:26 may be 'scream', related to RU(A of Numbers 10:9, rather than "bitter".
ARR may refer to a coursing stream of imprecations [English 'curse' may also be related to 'course'], or it may refer to 'unsettle, disrupt, perturb, cause to become disarrayed'.
So )RH may well mean 'gather, draw, pour in or out, loosen, dislodge, extract, eject'. In this sense it is related to )OR, 'light'. The king gathered in his garden the delicacies of MOR and BOSEM.
In any event, "I came to my garden" of S of S 5:1 may not mean what it materially and superficially appears to mean [as correctly pointed out now by Karl Randolph for "nibble"]. Notice also the semi-explicit language of S of S 4:16 and 6:2.

Isaac Fried, Boston University


On Oct 16, 2007, at 2:14 AM, Yaakov Stein wrote:

In chapter 5 of the Song of Songs
we have a line about "gathering" myrrh with spice,
eating a honeycomb with honey and drinking wine with milk.

The word MWR = myrrh is related to MR referring to its bitter taste,
in contrast to honey which is sweet, although of similar color.

The root of the word for "gather" is )RH, which appears in this sense
only here (the other uses mean "to curse", and are apparently
unrelated).

The interpretation of )RH is apparently gathered from context.
Myrrh would not be eaten or drunk, so what else could ARH mean ?
Although myrrh globules are sometimes found on the ground
near the trees, myrrh is usually collected by cutting the surface
of the tree or bush and slowly collecting the golden sap as it exudes.

Collecting myrrh with "spice" would be an unusual practice,
but B&M here could possibly mean frankincense = LBWNH
which is collected in a similar manner.

Also note that honey may be similarly collected by waiting
for it to drip from the honeycomb = Y(R.

Although the other liquids mentioned are less viscous
they require intervention for their collection.
Wine juice is collected in a collection vat
after pressing of the grapes in the GT = winepress;
and milk is collected in a N)D or XMT by milking the animal.

So could )RH mean "collecting a dripping (viscous) liquid" ?

I was wondering if anyone knows of a cognate of )RH
in another Semitic language, to help understand its meaning.

(I have a reason for asking, but I don't want to explain yet
in order not to prejudice any possible answers.)

Yaakov (J) Stein
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