Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Y(D

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: "Nir cohen - Prof. Mat." <nir AT ccet.ufrn.br>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Y(D
  • Date: Sun, 5 May 2013 11:04:34 -0400

You are right that today HIT-BONEN-UT is used (there is nowadays a vast pool of Hebrew speakers and writers of all degrees, kinds and sorts) for 'observation, looking attentively', but the hitpael form of this act means that it describes an act on the self, educating oneself, acquiring understanding. 

The English 'idea' is also from the Greek idein 'to see, to have a vision'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On May 3, 2013, at 2:25 PM, Nir cohen - Prof. Mat. wrote:


ג  יָדַע שׁוֹר קֹנֵהוּ, וַחֲמוֹר אֵבוּס בְּעָלָיו; יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יָדַע, עַמִּי לֹא הִתְבּוֹנָן. 3 The ox
knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel doth not know, My
people doth not consider. 

BN has to do with HBN=understand and BYNH = wisdom, consideration etc. but it
also has to do with vision, observation. nowadays it simply means "to observe,
to look at". so, there is a shift in meaning.

at the same time, even nowadays, HTBWNNUT as "reflexion, observation" has to
do with thought and not vision. so, today the two meanings have diverged and
are used at the same time for similar, but distinct, terms.

the same bifurcation process occurred in english, where SEE is used for the
same two meanings.

nir cohen




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page