That may be so, Harold, for an English text written by an English speaker. But the English Bible is a translation of a Hebrew text, so we also have to
consider what "olam" meant to the Hebrew writers of the text.
Thus, it matters whether the Hebrew writers had in mind "eternity" as Westernized English speakers understand it, or something else. And if in the Bible
it signifies "eternity" some times, did its Hebrew writers always use the
term "olam" of things "eternal"? And if not, what did "olam" mean in those
instances?
"I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever [l'olam]: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption,
O LORD my God." -- Jonah 2:6 KJV
In this occurrence, "forever" lasted for only three days.
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