Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ishnian" <ishinan AT comcast.net>]

Philip Engmann wrote:

Dear Listees, Deut 32:41 reads,  אָשִׁיב נָקָם לְצָרָי, וְלִמְשַׂנְאַי אֲשַׁלֵּם
This may not be new to many, but I find it interesting that see the last word in the stitch, i.e.  אֲשַׁלֵּם , root, שלם so often used to denote peace is being used here in totally non-peaceful terms as: “to requite/ revenge, repay”? What are you thoughts on this please?

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Ishinan: Like in any language, there exists "homonyms". Hebrew, a Semitic language is no exception.   

 

Incidentally, I posted a similar response on the very same subject (in August 2009) which I am reproducing below:

 

"The following are Hebrew scholars, who wrote extensively on the topic of Hebrew homonyms:

 

AARON BEN MOSES BEN ASHER who compiled a list of eighty homonyms, "Shemonim Zugim," which was afterward incorporated in the "Masora Finalis," s.v. ?, and in the "Oklah we-Oklah" . Aaron ben Moses may be regarded as the connecting link between the Masorites and the grammarians.

 

DAPIERA, SOLOMON BEN MESHULLAM (Neo-Hebraic poet of North Spain; died after 1417) compiled a comprehensive dictionary of rimes in three parts, two of which dealt with homonyms and synonyms

IBN BAL'AM, ABU ZAKARYA YAHYA (R. JUDAH)  (Hebrew grammarian of Toledo, Spain, about 1070-90.) "Ta'lif fi al-Mu?abi? wal-Mujanis" (in Hebrew, "Sefer ha-Tagnis"), on Hebrew homonyms, still unpublished. Only a fragment of the original Arabic has been preserved (see Poznanski in "R. E. J." xxxvi. 298).

HEILPRIN, JEHIEL BEN SOLOMON: (Lithuanian rabbi, cabalist, and chronicler; born about 1660; died at Minsk about 1746). Of Heilprin's numerous works, mentioned in the "Seder ha-Dorot," the only one which has been published is "'Erke ha-Kinnuyim," a dictionary of synonyms and homonyms occurring in the Bible, Talmud, and other works, chiefly cabalistic (Dyhernfurth, 1806).

MOSES BEN MAIMON  (Talmudist, philosopher, astronomer, and physician; born at Cordova March 30, 1135; died at Cairo Dec. 13."

 

 

Arabic, a sister language, displays a similar situation. While Salam (slAm) means peace and recociliation, it has a "homonym" which means: destroying someone  ('Aslamahu lil halkah). Further, the (pre-Islamic) Classical Arabic language displays an array of unrelated meanings such as:

 

Salam:  Safe and secure, escaped from evils, or trials and afflictions; Salam: Salutaions; Salam: Peace and reconciliation.

 

sullam: Ladder.

 

Sulamiy: Southerly

 

Sulmiy: The leaves of  Theban palm.

 

Sulamiy: Bones in the camel's foot; Sulamiyah:  Any of the fingers.

 

Sullmu: A name of a famous Arabian stallion.

 

Salam: He made him captive.

 

Tasliym: conceding, 'Istislam: Surrender.

 

Aslam: Leaving behind.

 

Aslam: Acknowledging the truth.

 

Salimah: A stone.

 

Salm: The biting of a snake.

 

'Aslam:  A sale, paying in advance; receiving namely a thing delivered.

 

 All of these are cases of "homonyms" in Arabic. The same applies to Hebrew.

 

Best regards,

Ishinan Ishibashi