Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Hedrick Gary <GaryH AT cjfm.org>]

I changed the subject line because we're straying from the original topic.

Please check the archives for previous discussions regarding the range of 
meaning of עולם

It can indeed mean forever in some contexts, like when it describes God 
himself (we can be relatively certain that El Olam doesn't mean "Temporary 
God"). In other contexts, though, it means a relatively long time (as in the 
case of a slave who commits to remain with his owner "forever"). In still 
other contexts, it connotes, very simply, indefinite duration.

Here's a link to one archived discussion thread:

https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/b-hebrew/2009-February/037249.html

Again, translation is a game of contexts—and also, to some extent, 
preconceptions.

Gary Hedrick
San Antonio, Texas USA