Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

David and Matt:

On Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 6:30 AM, Nir cohen - Prof. Mat. 
<nir AT ccet.ufrn.br>wrote:

>
> > /eKaR (????) "(digger =>) farmer" from KaRaH (???) "to dig."
> > Cordially,
> > David Kolinsky
> > Monterey CA
>
> i am not aware of the etymology "digger" for IKAR, and KRH is never used in
> BH
> with agricultural connotations, as far as i remember.
>

כרה KRH does not mean ‘to dig’ in Biblical Hebrew. Rather it means ‘ to
furnish as in to provide Pr 16:27’ . What may make people think that it
means to dig is that often KRH is used for those who provide a well by means
of digging.

There might be a connection between כרה KRH and אכר )KR, but that’s really
pushing the envelop of speculation, beyond where I care to go unless someone
can give a good connection based on recorded, extant, ancient writings.

>
> actually, i believe that "KAR,KUR" had a rather generic meaning in
> akkadian:
>
>                 field, meadow, mountain, mountain pass, turn pike,
>                 ore mine, border, distant military post,...
>
> and both IKAR and KARAH probably derived from there. now, the origin of
> KAR,KUR is not known to me but may have IE parallels (greek agora, latin
> agriculture, russian gora=mountain etc etc) and maybe even hebrew HAR.
>
> best
> nir cohen
>
>
> Karl W. Randolph.