Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] )BL Mistranslated at I Samuel 6: 18
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:09:42 +1100
Jim,
I think you'd better look into the pursuit of textual criticism.
The English translators have not arbitrarily translated )BL as "stone" rather
than "meadow". There is text critical support for this reading. The Greek
translators of this passage seem to have read a text that had )BN ('stone,
rock') rather than )BL ('meadow, field') as in the MT. There is further
support for this reading from the Targums and even some Latin manuscripts.
Please get yourself a BHS and check the text critical data so that you're not
building a linguistic theory and alternative geography on air. This is
standard methodology in biblical studies. You'd do well to follow it.
So, over to you now to spin this one your way yet again...
Regards,
GEORGE ATHAS
Moore Theological College (Sydney, Australia)
www.moore.edu.au