Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Yitzhak Sapir" <yitzhaksapir AT gmail.com>]

On Mon, Aug 11, 2008 at 6:10 AM, Yaakov Stein wrote:
> The word WTHYNW is unusual.
> >From grammatical considerations the N is part of the root.
> Two lines later, a similar expression has the more understandable WTZDW.
>
> The Onkelos Aramaic translation sidesteps the issue
> (and interestingly translates the second expression in a completely 
> different way).
> Rashi explains that this is a verb form of HNNW = "here we are"
> and most of the other classical commentaries go along.
> Another says that there is another option - HYN, but does not elaborate.
>
> I was wondering if anyone has alternative ideas about this.

HALOT on root HWN, writes:
Arb hwn - to be light, IV with /nafsa/ to take one's life in one's own hands.
hif. imp. wthynw: to regard as eassy, elliptical expression - to risk.  Dt 
1:41,
(Singer, Journal of the Palestine Oriental Society 21:160f); cf Job 30:24 for
lhn read *lhɔhin > *lɔhin.

Yitzhak Sapir