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  • From: George Athas <George.Athas AT moore.edu.au>
  • To: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Words adopted into Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary
  • Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2011 12:04:20 +0000

Hi Chavoux!

Your wrote: "I just find it interesting that except for Nehemia, the only two
places in the Tanach where the word "pardes" occurs, is in two poetic books
ascribed to Solomon. Normally, the use of the same unusual words would at
least be considered as evidence (not proof) for them having the same author."

I can see a few things to point out here.

Firstly, Qohelet is not ascribed to Solomon. It is the combined work of
Qohelet and his epilogist.

Secondly, Song of Songs 1.1 does not necessarily mean it was written by
Solomon. And, in fact, when you consider where Solomon is actually mentioned
in the book, he is actually portrayed as a distant figure. And when you
consider the rhetoric of the poetry carefully, it is actually quite critical
of him. I don't think we can say Solomon wrote it.

Thirdly, there is an assumption in your reasoning that an unusual word is
most likely used by just one author, and that this is more likely than two
authors. I don't see how this logically follows. In any case, this is
confusing lexical statistics with idiolect (the particular way a person
speaks or writes). Idiolect is usually gleaned by a number of factors,
usually having to do with syntax and idiom. If you can show how the use of
פרדס in Qohelet and Song of Songs contributes in that way, I'll be willing to
concede the possibility of one author for both of them.

Nevertheless, this still does not get around the probability that the works
in question are from a period much later than Solomon. In other words, even
if you could demonstrate the likelihood, or even just the possibility of a
common author, you still haven't linked this to Solomon.


Cheers!

GEORGE ATHAS
Moore Theological College (Sydney, Australia)
www.moore.edu.au





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