Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

Guy:

On Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 11:28 AM, Guy Zed <atdgz AT hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> Can anyone enlighten it as to the different connotations of GD in the
> bible.
>
> In Jacob's blessing (Genesis 49:19) it is said, "Gad a troop shall tramp
> upon him, but he shall triumph at last." whereby the root GD is manipulated
> several times to mean, once "tramp" (ygdnu) and once as triumph (ygd), or so
> I understand.
>
> Can anyone elaborate on the two verb used in a play on the name Gad? What
> were they, how were they used and/or how common they are in ancient Hebrew
> or related languages?
>
> Gad (what else...)
>
> You need to sign your full name, as per the moderators.

This is a difficult verse, and I am not going to make it any easier. Jacob
is making a play on words that can be taken in more than one way.

GD GDWD YGWDNW WHW) YGD (QB

The first GD is his name.

GDWD from the idea of cutting out, used of a clump of earth that has been
cut out during plowing or digging, also of a squad of soldiers cut out from
the main army, or a group of people

YGWDNW is a verb found only in Habakkuk 3:16 and possibly Psalm 94:21,
meaning is questionable, seems to mean to despoil.

YGD could come from GDD to cut out, GWD to despoil or NGD to set before,
i.e. to tell. Which one do you think fits the context?

(QB crooked (used of dealing crookedly with someone, i.e. not honestly),
crooked place, heel of a foot (place of the foot permenantly crooked).

So which one do you think fits the context? That he cuts out a crooked
place, despoils a crooked place or reports crookedly?

So the reading of the verse: Gad, a squad will despoil him, and he will
dispoil a crooked place. ??

I always though this a difficult verse.

Karl W. Randolph.