Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Bruce:

No, I didn’t ignore this post, rather I wanted to give it some time to
answer. Further, this response is sort of a thinking out loud, or in
this case, thinking through my fingers on the keyboard.

On Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 5:58 PM, Bruce Prince<bruceprince AT bigpond.com> wrote:
> Folks
>
>
> In these verses, qashar and ataph are translated generally as "stronger" and
> "weaker". Although ataph could be close to the mark, I've got my doubts
> about the meaning given to qasher, because no other use of this word in the
> Hebrew Scriptures appears to support it.
>
>
>
> Could I impose upon you learned people to offer your comments and
> suggestions please?
>
>
>
> Bruce Prince
>
> Australia
>
Looking at the two words, neither are used only in this context.

(+p in its various forms, verbal and nominal, is found in 16 verses.
The basic meaning seems to be “to droop” or “to drape”, in other words
something without firmness, such as a piece of cloth. In Psalm 65:13
the hills are said picturesquely to be “draped” with grain. In this
context in Genesis, (+p is used as an antonym to Q$R, which would
indicate that Q$R would be something that is firm, hard, holding its
form.

Q$R in its various forms, verbal and nominal, is found in 53 verses.
Until you raised this question, I was willing to accept with
reservations the meaning I had been taught.

In verses such as Genesis 38:28, Joshua 2:18, 21, Jeremiah 51:63 it
appears that the Q$R refers to tying on, or is this merely the means
by which another action is accomplished?

Without carefully counting how it is used, the most common usage seems
to be political, namely fomenting rebellion against a ruler. This can
be an individual or a group, so a conspiracy involving multiple people
is not necessary.

Isaiah 49:18 and Jeremiah 2:32 in plural seem to indicate a wedding,
the time a bride does ??

Nehemiah 3:38 (4:6) seems to indicate firming up.

What action do all of these have in common? Do they have any action in common?

>From it being an antonym to infirmness, with it being used to making
firm a string on a hand, rope in a window, walls seems to fit that
pattern. As for a bride, making firm her commitment to her man through
the ceremony of a wedding. But how does fomenting a rebellion fit?
What actions am I missing?

Like I said, this is but preliminary speculation.

Karl W. Randolph.