Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Paul Zellmer" <pzellmer AT sc.rr.com>]

What double negative?

"Less" is not a negating word, even in English.  And in the Hebrew, אף is
not a negative either.  Instead, it is frequently used (as in this case) to
present an a fortiori argument--"how much more" when following positive
statements and "how much less" when following negative ones.  (Cf. TWOT 142)
It is not a negative concept.

Nor, Steven, is it an interrogative marker, although the English syntax
allows a question (or an exclamation, as you noted from Chronicles) to
express the intensification of concept that the Hebrew text does convey.

Paul Zellmer

-----Original Message-----
From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of fred burlingame
Sent: Friday, December 24, 2010 9:56 AM
To: schmuel
Cc: b-hebrew-lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] 1 Kings 8:27 - how much less this house that I have
builded (interrogative)

Hello Steven:

You can change "how much less" to "furthermore;" and avoid double negative.

You can also make a new sentence to avoid the double negative. The hebrew
originally contained sentence punctuation, not.

regards,

fred burlingame