Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Yaakov Stein" <yaakov_s AT rad.com>]

Karl

For some reason I missed a reply here ...

> On the other hand, Isaiah 19:7 has the same spelling not in the
possessive use

According to the traditional vocalization, this is not ervat but arot,
i.e. the plural of some unknown word, probably meaning moss.

> ... Habakkuk 3:13 is more problematic.

Once again here it is vocalized arot, but the meaning is clearly
the infinitive of "to destroy" as in (RU of Psalms 137.


> In other words, you are suggesting that this is more of an idiomatic 
> use instead of according to strict dictionary meaning. That makes
sense.

I think it is a natural extension of the meaning (what is called in
Hebrew "behashala").


> That could be more than just fortifications, e.g. the land could have 
> been depopulated from disease so that the fortifications could not be
manned, or other "bareness", 
> i.e. weakness, that would induce an enemy to attack.

I agree completely.


Yaakov (J) Stein