Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard3 AT earthlink.net>]

Steve,

A few additional thoughts follow.
> [Steve Miller] Thanks Harold. The meaning of the Biblical Hebrew words is determined by 
> how they are used in the Bible. When a word is used only 2 times without a specific 
> meaning required from the context that is not reason enough to question the translation 
> of that word? So what would be sufficient reason? If it was used only once? Neither LXX 
> nor Lamsa translated it as "clothing" here. Lamsa translated it
> as "clothing" in Prov 7:10 though.


HH: Is Lamsa like the LXX in Ps 73:6? The reason I ask is that the LXX 
influenced the Syriac Peshitta considerably. Here is a quote from Ernst 
Würthwein's book, The Text of the Old Testament._

_On the whole, different forms of the text were in competition in Syria 
for centuries. Besides the revised text [Würthwein means one revised 
according to the Targum] there were not only the archaic traditions, but 
also the Septuagint and the Syro-Hexaplar with readings of the late 
Greek versions in their margins, and even the Masoretic text (although 
to a lesser extent because Hebrew was little known), all of which were 
familiar and exercised their influence. The Septuagint was the most 
influential. This should be noted particularly when evaluating the 
Peshitta for textual criticism. Agreement with the Septuagint can be 
explained by the later intrusion of the Septuagint readings. In such 
instances the two witnesses are reduced in effect to one._
_
>  
>   
>
> > > Could the meaning of the 2nd ½ of Ps 73:6 be, "Thorns of violence cover them" or 
> > > "a thorny covering of violence is to them"? As thorns are a fallen self-defense, the 
> > > meaning then would be -- if anyone tries to reprove them,they violently attack him.
> > >       


HH: This does not seem likely. There is no word about a reproof, and if 
they had a thorny covering of violence, they would be like a porcupine, 
whose quills are defensive, not offensive. Or if they were compared to a 
plant, like a rose, again nothing particularly offensive would be implied.
> >     
> > > If so, then Prov 7:10 could be translated, "and behold a woman to meet him, a thorny harlot 
> > > and subtle of heart." "Thorny" means she speaks verbal barbs.
> > >       



HH: Harlots try to allure men by their words, not put them off. And the 
phrase "thorny harlot" really means little in itself, as it is an 
incongruous pairing of words.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard