Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Jason Hare <jaihare AT gmail.com>]

Karl and Steve,

Are we then against the idea that the MSS could be correct with its
"ka'ari"? There are basically three sections of this verse. It seems that
the first two establish the meaning, and we don't need a verb for the third:

כִּי סְבָבוּנִי כְּלָבִים עֲדַת מְרֵעִים הִקִּיפוּנִי כָּאֲרִי יָדַי
וְרַגְלָי׃

"For dogs have surrounded me;
a community of evil-doers has encircled me,
like a lion [at] my hands and my feet."

If a lion stands before you, ready to attack, you are completely frozen.
You're afraid that if you move your hand to the left or take a step to the
right, he will pounce. You are completely unable to move. David was
expressing that he felt pinned in, that he was surrounded and unable to move
at all.

What is so difficult about the MS reading that you feel it needs to be
changed or that the DSS makes better sense?

Thanks,
Jason A. Hare

Rehovot, Israel