Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

George:

I did not plan to respond to you, but there are a couple of points that can
be expanded upon.

On Thu, Aug 18, 2011 at 7:38 AM, George Athas 
<George.Athas AT moore.edu.au>wrote:

> >All I know is the language and text of Tanakh.
>
> And therein lies the problem. Your scope is too limited


That can be both a blessing and a curse.

A curse in that sometimes the answers to questions I have are found in
sources outside Biblical Hebrew, but because I don’t know those sources, I
can’t find them.

A blessing in that when I read the text, I am not distracted and misled by
meanings, grammatical structures, etc. that are found in cognate languages
such as Ugaritic, Aramaic, Mishnaic and later versions of Hebrew, Arabic,
etc. but not found in Biblical Hebrew or have different meanings than those
in Biblical Hebrew.

Winston Churchill had a statement that fits here: when he was in school, he
did so poorly that he studied only English, not the French and Latin that
the advanced students learned; so he ended up learning English well. So
similarly, my knowledge of Biblical Hebrew is at the level it is at because
I have studied only Biblical Hebrew, not the cognate languages that the
advanced students learn.


> and, therefore, your opinion largely uninformed. Add to that the selective
> approach to evidence that you take, and one cannot really interact with you
> in a meaningful way.
>
> And if you actually knew the Documentary Hypothesis, you'd realise that my
> comments could not be identified with it.


The theory has evolved over the last two centuries, with branches. How is
your statement, “But Genesis seems to come from a Persian milieu, or a
monarchic milieu at the earliest stretch.” not consistent with Documentary
Hypothesis, or at least a branch thereof? It is certainly not consistent
with orthodox Jewish or Christian beliefs.


> But you've shown your cards now.
>
> I have never hidden them, but have repeatedly laid them out so as to let
people know where I am coming from, the purpose of which to avoid confusion
in discussions.

>
>
> GEORGE ATHAS
> Director of Postgraduate Studies,
> Moore Theological College (moore.edu.au)
> Sydney, Australia
>
>
> Karl W. Randolph.