Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Will Parsons <wbparsons AT alum.mit.edu>]

Hi Isaac,

On Sat, 1 Oct 2011 18:53:37 -0400, Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu> wrote:
> The ending -IYN may be a plural marking. She called her son BEN-ONIY, the
> son of my youth, and he called him BINYAMIYN, the son of my (many) days.

My impression is that -in as a plural marking is Aramaic, which surely would
not be likely in a Hebrew name at this early an age?

> I estimate that RAXEL was about 5 years old (proof: she was still single)
> when YAAQOB first set eyes on her.

I find that thought quite extraordinary - I realize that that in ancient times
people matured at an earler age than they do now, but I find the thought that
Jacob would be enraptured by a 5-year old, ... disconcerting to say the least.
And even then, would a 5-year old be entrusted with the task of taking care of
a flock of sheep on her own?

-- 
Will Parsons