Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Dianne Burke <biblestudy.burke AT gmail.com>]

Dear Sirs,

this is my first time on this lists.  I am rather new to Hebrew and I am
only beginning to find out how useful some knowledge of the langauge and
grammar is to my studies.

I am recently in discussion with an individual on the topic of Samson and he
has introduced the most extra-ordinary and unbelievable points on Samson.
And before I discussed these things further with him, I wanted to get a more
professional opinion.

Samson was a Nazarite and part of the vow is to avoid touching dead bodies.

In this verse:
Jdg 14:19 The LORD's spirit empowered him. He went down to Ashkelon 
and*murdered
* thirty men. He took their clothes and gave them to the men who had solved
the riddle. He was furious as he went back home.

To me, it's clear from the text that the Hebrew word for "murdered" (נכה *
nakah)* is correctly translated.

However, my opponent makes the following point:

*By removing them before the men were dead. Death from a wound is rarely
instantaneous - a man may be terminally wounded but live on for some time.
Consider that Jesus was nailed to the wood to die, then his garments were
removed and divided among the soldiers (John 19:23); he actually died some
hours later.*

My oponent is arguing that the word "nakah" in this instance doesn't mean
that these men were completely dead.

I come to you to ask your opinion on the matter of the grammar and the
definition of the word "nakah" in it's proper context.

ALSO

It has been brought up that Samson in Judges 16:1, did not actually have
sexual intercourse with the harlot, yet from my understanding "he came on
unto her" is an idiom used for sexual intercourse.

Can I have your thoughts on this.

Much appreciated.

Deni


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