To: "Biblical Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: 1 Samuel 1:9
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2001 00:08:19 +1000
James,
The word _heykal_ should strictly be translated as 'palace' -- that is, royal
residence or
spacious quarters. Whether a temple or pavilion is in mind is irrelevant. The
author is
simply drawing attention to the fact that Hannah was in Yahweh's royal
residence -- his
'heykal'. To translate this as 'temple' would, as you've picked up, lead to
some confusion
which is not there in the meaning of the word. The word for 'temple' is
_bayit_ ("house").