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Judges 5:30

One interpretation says: http://biblehub.com/esv/judges/5.htm

‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?— A womb or two for every man;

The word Strong's #7361 ra·ḥă·mā·ṯa·yim means damsel The word "two" is used instead. I understand the word before Strong's #7361 ra·ḥă·mā·ṯa·yim IS Strongs #7356 ra-ḥam and can mean damsel or womb as well.

Why is ra·ḥă·mā·ṯa·yim translated as two? Wouldn't the word for "two" be used if that what was meant?

Thank you Kate

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    You are dealing with the Hebrew dual. For more information on the dual, please click here. The reference to the Hebrew dual is on page 117 of this reference, and indicates that the dual can be translated as "two" or better "a pair of."
    – Joseph
    Jan 17, 2014 at 3:11
  • Thank you very much for that link. Quick question. Strongs # 7356 רַ֤חַם for "womb". Shouldn't there be another (letter?) indicating "a" or "the" womb? Sorry, I am really very new. ... oh... maybe it doesn't need it because it's plural -- "wombs" so it doesn't need "a" or "the".
    – Kate
    Jan 18, 2014 at 2:23

1 Answer 1

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The word raḥamatayim is the dual form of the word reḥem. This root literally means “womb” but can also mean “woman” for obvious reasons.

So Sisera’s mother is comforting herself, saying the delay is because the soldiers are collecting slave girls: “A womb or a pair-of-wombs for every man.” But in English, this reads more naturally as “A womb or two for every man,” so that’s how the translators rendered it.

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