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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] barak (bless? curse?) in the Book of Job

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  • From: David Kummerow <farmerjoeblo AT hotmail.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] barak (bless? curse?) in the Book of Job
  • Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:38:20 +1100




>
> You grammarians make mountains out of molehills. There's no oath here, just
> simple action and consequence. Why not just take things at face value?
>

HH: Because it's a known usage of the phrase )M L), and it fits here,
and your idea really does not work because there is no specification of
wrong behavior with yours.
>


Exactly. Conklin has recently done an exhaustive analysis of all oath formula in the Hebrew Bible. These verses in Job are analysed and fit the pattern of oath formula where the curse half is suppressed (be it for politeness reasons, assumed cultural knowledge, etc.).

Conklin, Blane W. 2005. “Oath Formulae in Classical Hebrew and Other Semitic Languages.” PhD diss., University of Chicago.

From memory, I think the work is now published.

Regards,
David Kummerow.




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