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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Job chapter 28

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  • From: Jonathan Mohler <jonathan.mohler AT gmail.com>
  • To: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • Cc: B-Hebrew Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Job chapter 28
  • Date: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 18:45:06 -0500

Well, at first reading of the verse, my mind goes to volcanic activity.  Are you suggesting the rift valley?

Jonathan Mohler
On Jun 23, 2013, at 2:19 PM, Isaac Fried wrote:

How do you understand Job 28:5? 

כי יש לכסף מוצא ומקום לזהב יזקו
ברזל מעפר יקח ואבן יצוק נחושה
קץ שם לחשך ולכל תכלית הוא חוקר אבן אפל וצלמות
פרץ נחל מעם גר הנשכחים מני רגל דלו מאנוש נעו
ארץ ממנה יצא-לחם ותחתיה נהפך כמו אש
מקום-ספיר אבניה ועפרת זהב לו
נתיב, לא ידעו עיט ולא שזפתו עין איה
לא הדריכוהו בני שחץ לא עדה עליו שחל
בחלמיש שלח ידו הפך משרש הרים
בצורות יארים בקע וכל יקר ראתה עינו
מבכי נהרות חבש ותעלמה יצא אור


Isaac Fried, Boston University


On Jun 23, 2013, at 1:49 PM, Jonathan Mohler wrote:

Thanks Isaac,

Do you mean other hints besides these I have mentioned?

Jonathan Mohler
On Jun 23, 2013, at 10:17 AM, Isaac Fried wrote:

I see hints in the story of Job that it takes place in East Africa, lending support to the termite theory (kudos to the other math professor.)

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jun 23, 2013, at 12:01 AM, Jonathan Mohler wrote:

To me the circumstantial evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of a termite.

1)in v.19 the subject is a Mud House: 
-anyone one who has live around mud houses knows that termites devour the inside wood of the structure inside about three years.
2)in v.20  "Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces" and 
- mud houses often collapse in the middle of the night on unsuspecting victims. a common occurrence even today.
v.21 "Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them" parallels the imagery of a collapsing mud house.

3) the termites' bite is like fire, thus the probable origin of the name.

Jonathan Mohler




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