To: "Biblical Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: Qoheleth
Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 02:29:54 -0700
Bryan,
Dating Qoheleth based on two possible Persian loan words, pardes and pitgam,
seems weak, especially since we are not sure of the language development
which lead to the Persian-Indian development of these words. Archer's idea
of a cosmopolitan commercial empire under Solomon could easily explain the
entrance of these words into the author's writings. The language of
Qoheleth is unlike any other Hebrew. It seems to me it can be explained as
unusual Hebrew written by someone with strong economic and philosophical
interests beyond the borders of Israel. Solomon was the only King of Israel
with this kind of broad background. At least that's a possible explanation!