Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Translation theory and NP$

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: James Read <J.Read-2 AT sms.ed.ac.uk>
  • To: K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Translation theory and NP$
  • Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:44:57 +0100


Ecclesiastes tells us that there is no work or play in $)WL.

All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in She´ol, the place to which you are going. (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

The idea, to me, seems to be a place of complete inactivity. A common grave/resting place for all mankind.

James Christian

Quoting K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>:

Rolf and Bryant:
This is getting into theology, but looking at the meanings of words then
draw one’s own conclusions one finds:

NP$ as far as I can tell is expresses the idea of breath, life force. As a
verb, it has the idea of “to take a breather” i.e. to stop to catch one’s
breath, a stop to rest and regain strength. As a noun, it refers to those
who have breath, often used alone as a synonym for a living person.

In both verbal and noun usages, it is used close to 700 times in Tanakh.

Ps 16:10, 30:4 seem to indicate that the life force still exists even after
death and can be in the place of the dead, namely $)WL.


Other references apart from the word NP$ indicate that $)WL is the place of
the dead where they yet live, similar to BWR when used as a euphemism for
the place of the dead, though occasionally the terms $)WL and BWR are used
in a manner as “hell” where the just don’t go, not even after death, e.g. Ps
86:13, Pr 23:14. This is in contrast to QBR where bodies are laid.

While the theology of the immortal soul is not well developed as in later
Christian theology, it appears that the seeds thereof are discernible in a
few verses in Tanakh.

Just my 2¢.

Karl W. Randolph.
_______________________________________________
b-hebrew mailing list
b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew




--
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page