Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Michael:

On Wed, Oct 10, 2012 at 8:56 AM, Michael Abernathy <mabernathy AT conwaycorp.net> wrote:

Karl,

Halot gives the following meanings for עקב: uneven bumpy terrain (cognates suggests hilly, or precipitous), deceitful, sly, difficult, insidious, tough or crafty.  It looks like the last two were suggested in reference to Jeremiah 17:9.

Who is Halot that I should listen to his voice? </joking> Seriously, having done lexicography myself, I need to see the reasons he gives the definitions he gives, I no longer can accept him as an authority whose results I can accept without question. I need to see how he came to his results and why.

I suspect the reason he gives a different definition is the result of a difference in methodology.

 

As far as I can tell this is the only time that spelling is associated with אָנוּשׁ. The rest of the time they decided to translate it as man.

Even אנוש )NW$ the majority of the times it is found refers to “man”.

 

So what would you suggest as the meaning of the text? Something like, "The heart is more crooked than anything else, and it is man, who can understand it?"

This is harder, as the word order is so not English.

There is a possibility that there is a copyist error here, and it should read “…and it is incurable, who knows it?”

Possibly the second part has an independent theme, “…and a man, who knows him?” This fits in with the next verse where it’s God who knows all.

I’ll come right out and admit that I don’t understand everything, and this is one of the verses.

Sincerely,
Michael Abernathy

Karl W. Randolph.