Biblical Hebrew Forum

["K Randolph" <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Jim:

On Thu, Dec 11, 2008 at 11:47 AM, <JimStinehart AT aol.com> wrote:

>
> Karl:
>
> 1.  I do not see how your translation of Genesis 49: 3 makes sense.


There are two words that are questioned as to their meaning.

YTR which in every other use has the concept of excess, and

%)T which in the majority of its uses indicates a "lifting up" of the skin,
i.e. swelling.

If this is used idiomatically in this verse, as is a synonym in Habakkuk 2:4
for what we call in English as "a swollen head", the possibility is even
more damaging to your latest theorie-du-jour. To catch the flavor of what
Jacob said, an accurate yet free and idiomatic translation could be "Your
head is too swollen and you are too pushy."

You have shown no indication that you know Biblical Hebrew, therefore when
you push a certain reading simply because it fits your extra-Biblical
theory, it raises all sorts of red flags among scholars.

It all makes sense, once one realizes that Biblical Hebrew is the language
> of
> Bronze Age rural Canaan, where "rope" was a wondrous technological
> innovation that was synonymous with "natural superiority" and "excellence".
>
> Do you really think that Abraham was the first to use ropes to hold up his
tents? That idea is so far out there I'm having trouble wrapping my mind
around it.


> Jim Stinehart
> Evanston, Illinois
>

Karl W. Randolph.