Hello Gary;***
The question in my humble opinion, equals:
a. not whether we're dealing with rocket science or building a simple room
air conditioner;
b. but, whether the english translation can happen at all, at least beyond
rough approximation.
The insusceptibility of biblical hebrew to english translation reveals
itself all across the masoretc text. Witness a few verses down in numbers
31:19, 20, the hitpael form תתחטאו . This verb ordinarily and primarily
means to sin or miss the mark. The intensive forms of the verb however,
cause the verb meaning to reverse course and indicate "purification." No
single english word carries the double and opposite meanings of both "to
sin" and "purification from sin." Translation of such a hebrew word into
english becomes not rocket science; and not akin to building a room air
conditioner; but rather represents impossibility.
regards,
fred burlingame
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