Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

Indeed, the uncertain, singular, word $ABLUL of Ps. 58:8-9 is so  
easily accepted to mean slug or snail (as in spoken Hebrew) precisely  
because the name appears to be so befitting. The word gives the  
impression of being composed of $AB or SAB, 'turn', and LUL, 'up- 
up' (as in the LULAAH, 'loop', of Ex. 26:5), namely, a spiral!
I think that the $AB is actually CAB, 'swollen, augmented'.
There is also this kindred Mishnaic word, in use today, DABLUL,  
'tassel, strand, filament'. The T in TBALUL, 'blemish, cataract?', of  
Lev. 21:20, is possibly not radical.
You are right in saying that the basic meaning of $L and $BL is  
'extend, elongate', as in $UL שול 'fringe' (Ex. 28:34), $OBEL  
שובל (Is. 47:2), $BIYL שביל 'path', and $IBOLET 'wave, stalk,  
stem', (Ps. 69:15, Job 24:24).
Speaking of $IBOLET, it seems to me that XIYTAH חיטה 'wheat', is  
related to XU+ חוט 'line', and XAD, 'pointed'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jun 3, 2011, at 1:16 PM, Nir cohen - Prof. Mat. wrote:

> you may be right, just like (B+Y+, i guess we have two possible  
> etymologies:
>
> 1) the root $BL meaning "wake, tail, track, rim" as in
> $BYL, $BLUL, $WBL, $YBWLT etc. the uniting element is "a line".
>
> 2) $B LUL, where LUL may mean spiral. just like the LULYM you quoted
> from 2 Kgs.
>
> these are the only ones i can think of.
>
> nir cohen
>
> On Fri, 3 Jun 2011 06:55:33 -0400, Isaac Fried wrote
> > Does $BIYL שביל 'path', "yield" $ABLUL שבלול 'snail'?
> >
> > Isaac Fried, Boston University
> >
> > On Jun 3, 2011, at 1:43 AM, Pere Porta wrote:
> >
> > > also $BYL=path --> $BLWL=snail.
>
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