Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

James:

On Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 5:39 AM, James Spinti <jspinti AT eisenbrauns.com>wrote:

> Karl,
>
> Don't waste your precious time--or ours--by reading Blau. He believes that
> the cognate languages and linguistics have a place in describing Biblical
> Hebrew.


So do I.

But I also believe in the scientific method, and the advertisement
presented for his book so far indicates that he does not.


> He also has spent a lifetime reading Hebrew,


You don’t know how much time I have spent reading Hebrew. It could very
well be that I have spent more time reading Biblical Hebrew than he has.
Further, I don’t have to filter out distractions—e.g. patterns learned from
cognate languages such as Mishnaic Hebrew, Tiberian Hebrew, Modern Hebrew,
Aramaic, and made up languages like proto-Semitic—when reading Biblical
Hebrew.


> but don't expose yourself to him--he might be dangerous to your
> preconceptions.
>

Other than multiple but minor details and unprovable etymologies, what does
he have to present that is new, that I don’t already know?

>
> Personally, I think the fact that you won't look at his work is the best
> advertisement for the book I could possibly buy…thanks for marketing it for
> me :)
>

I am still waiting for a good reason to read it.

Your statement makes me question your taste in advertisements. After all, a
broken clock is right twice a day. Similarly my reasons may be the right
ones questioning the value of this book.  ;-)

>
> James
> ________________________________
> James Spinti
> Marketing Director, Book Sales Division
> Eisenbrauns, Good books for more than 35 years
> Specializing in Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Studies
> jspinti at eisenbrauns dot com
> Web: http://www.eisenbrauns.com
> Phone: 574-269-2011 ext 226
> Fax: 574-269-6788
>
> Karl W. Randolph.