Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Fred:

On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 8:10 AM, fred burlingame <tensorpath AT gmail.com>wrote:

> Hello all:
>
> 1. In the 5th century, western language manuscript, translation of numbers
> 33:52, we have the operative verb "destroy."
>
> 2. In the 10th century, original language manuscript, transmission of
> numbers 33:52, we have the verb "drive out."
>
> …
>
> 7. All of this effort and energy directed at the little word  ירש ; and yet
> we know not whether it means to eject or to exterminate? ... A significant
> difference indeed between the two meanings.
>
> regards,
>
> fred burlingame
>

This is a problem when a secondary meaning is used to translate a passage.
Literally, ירש means “ to expropriate, as in to transfer ownership from one
(person, nation, people) to another ⇒ to inherit” and if the owners object,
then to drive them out or exterminate them to achieve the transfer of
ownership. The secondary meaning is understood, and unfortunately translated
instead of the primary meaning, by the action indicated by the verb.

Karl W. Randolph.