Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Nir:

On Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 8:26 AM, Nir cohen - Prof. Mat. <nir AT ccet.ufrn.br> wrote:

karl,

1. here is the text in job 15 (trans: MM). it refers to "the wicked " [ rasha( ] in a long string of verbs in THIRD SINGULAR. for some reason you are not satisfied with v. 28 (whose translation below looks perfectly within context to me) and change the verb there to THIRD PLURAL.

There are two other verbs in verse 28 that are third plural, so within the context of the verse the first verb also being third plural fits. 

with this, and with the change of $KN to $KK, you are creating an isolated verse (28) not related thematically, nor syntactically, to the text before or after it  (and i still do not see how the noun "cities" and the intransitive verb "abate" can be joined in a meaningful way
in english, or in hebrew).

Think of the action, “abate” is going down and so a city bereft of its inhabitants goes down into ruin.

why go into all this trouble?

The question for me: what does the text say? “Trouble” has no meaning here. 

I was taught “first year lies” when I studied Hebrew formally that don’t hold up when I read for meaning. The first place I noticed “first year lies” was in vocabulary, hence I ended up writing a dictionary, a dictionary that I keep revising as I learn more. The next place was in grammar, in the meaning of verbal conjugations—that one for years I simply said I didn’t know. It is because of these “first year lies” that I now question everything, even question my own answers. For me that’s not trouble, but an attempt for understanding.

i presume that what has bothered you in the first place was lack of continuity between v. 27 and 28. but this problem is created not by v. 28, which is perfectly within context; it is created by v. 25-27, in which the poet makes a mocking digression on the futility of the wicked man's rebellion against god.

I don’t see those verses as a mocking digression, rather the context seems to indicate the wicked are like wearing various pieces of armor, the names of which were long ago forgotten, the only one widely remembered is the boss of the shield. Verses 25–7 show the forcefulness of that rebellion against God, but 28 and following show the end thereof. Yet the wicked person’s shaking his fist at Got won’t succeed.

I see verse 28 as a picture of failure that awaits the wicked. In other words, ruin. 

Out of curiosity, where did you get that translation that you included?

 

nir cohen

Karl W. Randolph. 

Ps. from the context, vs. 26 צואר appears to be shoulder to neck protection, גבי מגיו bosses of his shields. Vs. 27 חלב some sort of face protection worn in battle, while פימה a cuirass to protect his torso. These are things used by a warrior in battle.