The language in which the Jewish Scriptures (Tanakh) -- or the "Old Testament" in Christian Bibles -- were written.
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1answer
68 views
Do the modern translations use God's proper name?
Does the original Hebrew text read "I am" or "YHWH" where Moses is asking G_d who to say sent him in Exodus 3:14?
3
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1answer
52 views
Why עשה instead of ברא in Genesis 1:7?
Genesis 1:7
ויעש אלהים את־הרקיע ויבדל בין המים אשר מתחת לרקיע ובין המים אשר מעל לרקיע ויהי־כן׃
And God made the firmament, and divided between the waters which were under the firmament and ...
-2
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0answers
73 views
What does זֶ֗רַע in Genesis 1:29 mean?
In Genesis 1:29 we are told:
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed (זֶ֗רַע), which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree ...
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1answer
22 views
In Proverbs 1:8 is it “mother's law” or “mother's instruction”?
Could the word ‘torah’ be more universal in use as law/teaching/instruction or could this use in proverbs mean that the mother also taught the Law?
I guess what I am trying to ascertain is whether ...
5
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2answers
84 views
Does Genesis 22:13 speak of a “single ram”, “another ram”, or “a ram behind”?
Genesis 22:13 (MT) reads:
וַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּה־אַ֔יִל אַחַ֕ר נֶאֱחַ֥ז בַּסְּבַ֖ךְ בְּקַרְנָ֑יו וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אַבְרָהָם֙ וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָאַ֔יִל וַיַּעֲלֵ֥הוּ לְעֹלָ֖ה ...
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1answer
51 views
In Psalm 22:16, is “pierced” or “like a lion” correct? [duplicate]
King James Bible For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the
wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet
JPS Tanakh 1917 For dogs have encompassed me; A company of evil-doers
...
1
vote
2answers
52 views
In Isaiah 29:6 should פָּקַד be translated as “visited” or “inspected”?
Can the word translated as "visited" in Isaiah 29:6 be more accurately translated as "inspected" as it is translated in the Youngs Literal Translation?:
YLT Isa 29:6 By Jehovah of Hosts thou art ...
4
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2answers
69 views
Genesis 1:6 Why בין מים למים instead of בין מים ובין מים
Genesis 1:6 ויאמר אלהים יהי רקיע בתוך המים ויהי מבדיל בין מים למים׃
(KJV) And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
(...
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2answers
62 views
Were Rahab (Joshua 2) and the two women with the dead baby (1 Kings 3:16) really prostitutes or just inn keepers?
According to the "Treasury of Scripture" the word for "prostitute" and the word for "inn keeper" are the same word:
harlots The word {zanoth}, rendered {harlots}, is here translated by
the ...
-1
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1answer
45 views
What is the meaning and function of הַהִוא֒ in Exodus 3:8?
I'm translating Exodus 3:8, but I'm a bit stumped on the meaning and function of the following word:
הַהִוא֒
וָאֵרֵ֞ד לְהַצִּיל֣וֹ ׀ מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרַ֗יִם וּֽלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ֮ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִוא֒ אֶל־...
2
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3answers
80 views
How do you translate מִפְּנֵ֣י נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו in Exodus 3:7?
I'm having some trouble translating the phrase מִפְּנֵ֣י נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר
בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־צַעֲקָתָ֤ם שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י ...
1
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1answer
26 views
In Psalm 40:12: is he surrounded by “evils” or by “iniquities”?
Psalm 40:12 (KJV) " For innumerable evils have compassed me about:
mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to
look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore ...
1
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1answer
40 views
Does 'evening and morning' in Genesis 1:5 indicate that 'Day' brackets (or includes) 'Night'?
'Evening' in Hebrew is ereb which has four homonyms translated in the KJV as follows -
1) den, once
2) evening/even/eventide/night 124 times
3) mingled people 5 times
4) mixed multitude/woof/mixed 11 ...
4
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3answers
126 views
Help parsing (וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙) in Genesis 2:2
I'm working through the 'Graded Reader of Biblical Hebrew' by Van Pelt & Pratico. In the second exercise, Genesis 2:1-3, I parsed (וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙) as Piel imperfect 3ms WC, however, the book ...
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3answers
129 views
Genesis 1:5 How can God call the light “Day” when light and day are two different concepts?
(Genesis 1:5) ויקרא אלהים ׀ לאור יום ולחשך קרא לילה ויהי־ערב ויהי־בקר יום אחד׃ פ
(My translation of the bold part) And God called to the light, "Day"
Just to make it clear, I understand that ...
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vote
2answers
75 views
Genesis 1:4 - “divide” or “cause to be separate”?
Genesis 1:4 וירא אלהים את־האור כי־טוב ויבדל אלהים בין האור ובין החשך׃
(How KJV translates the verse) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
(...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
Why do translations of Psalm 75:6 vary so widely?
Comparing the NKJV:
For exaltation (comes) neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south.
To the NIV:
No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves.
To ...
2
votes
2answers
86 views
Can Adam in Genesis 2 be interpreted as referring to “humanity” rather than a specific man?
In the Minnesota Public Radio News story "Female faith leaders preach #SilenceIsNotSpiritual", guest speaker Lisa Sharon Harper went on a tangent while discussing attitudes towards women in church ...
1
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0answers
59 views
Historical present in Genesis 1:2
Genesis 1:2 והארץ היתה תהו ובהו וחשך על־פני תהום ורוח אלהים מרחפת על־פני המים׃
(My translation of the bolded part) And darkness is on the face of the deep
My question regards the bolded section ...
2
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3answers
131 views
In Genesis 1:1 why בראשית instead of בראש?
Genesis 1:1 בראשית ברא אלהים את השמים ואת הארץ׃
Question: Why did the Author of Genesis choose the word בראשית instead of בראש?
I am pretty sure that the word ראשית is derived from ראש, but I am not ...
9
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2answers
78 views
The confusing order of Laban's tent raids in Genesis 31:33
In Genesis 31:33 we read of Laban's search of the tents of Jacob's party:
וַיָּבֹא לָבָן בְּאֹהֶל יַעֲקֹב וּבְאֹהֶל לֵאָה וּבְאֹהֶל שְׁתֵּי
הָאֲמָהֹת וְלֹא מָצָא וַיֵּצֵא מֵאֹהֶל לֵאָה וַיָּבֹא ...
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1answer
62 views
If the sinners in Luke 15:2 are the Pharisee's am haarets, how does this affect applying Ezra and Nehemiah to Christians? [closed]
Here is a reference to relating the use of the term ἁμαρτωλοὺς (sinners) by the Pharisees to mean עַמֵּ֖י הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת translated (peoples of the land by the ESV):
Some take “sinners” here to mean ...
4
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0answers
56 views
The use of הָאֵ֑לֶּה and הָהֵ֔ם in Zechariah 8
In Zechariah 8 we read (KJV):
[9] Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these (הָאֵ֑לֶּה) days these (הָאֵ֑לֶּה) words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in ...
2
votes
2answers
85 views
In Zechariah 12:10 what is the effect of אֵת (in conjunction with “to me”)? [duplicate]
KJV Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they ...
9
votes
3answers
145 views
Is the verb in Joshua 2:1 meant to indicate that the spies were clients of Rahab's harlotry?
Joshua 2:1 recounts the journey of the Israelite spies in Jericho:
וַיֵּ֨לְכוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ בֵּית־אִשָּׁ֥ה זוֹנָה וּשְׁמָהּ רָחָב וַיִּשְׁכְּבוּ־שָמָּה
And they went and came into the house of a ...
2
votes
3answers
96 views
According Genesis 11:7 'God נבל man's language'. Is it correct to translate the Hebrew verbal form נבל with the verb 'to confound'?
The majority of Bible translations choose to render the MT verbal form נבל as 'to confound'. Now - according the context - the 'confounded' language was, clearly, the unique language mentioned in 11:1....
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8answers
129 views
Which resources are essential for self-study of Biblical Hebrew? [closed]
I am a fairly new student of Biblical Hebrew. For various reasons, I am going to do this on my own, from my home. Please suggest which books I need for serious study in this area.
I have Logos plus ...
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2answers
75 views
According to Genesis 10:5, at the Tower of Babel, did God divide the new languages by family group?
5 By these have the isles of the nations been parted in their lands,
each by his tongue, by their families, in their nations. (YLT)
This verse (also verse 20 and 31) seems to suggest that God ...
5
votes
1answer
61 views
What is the significance to writing “the-light” as האור or לאור?
Hebrew lacks a definite article and "the" is indicated by prefixing a letter:
And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1:4 ESV)
וירא אלהים ...
6
votes
3answers
121 views
In Genesis 11:1, what is the difference in Hebrew between the word “language” and the word “speech”?
Genesis 11:1 (KJV):
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
The English translation seems to be redundant here, ie language and speech.
In doing some prelim research into ...
0
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0answers
79 views
In Jeremiah 23:6 what does “the LORD Our Righteousness” mean?
I noticed that the English translations of Jeremiah 23:6 vary greatly (http://biblehub.com/jeremiah/23-6.htm).
What is the proper rendering of the verse?
Is it about YHVH being righteous? Or making ...
4
votes
3answers
137 views
Is Leviticus 21:4 about a “chief”, “husband” or a “close relative”?
The Hebrew reads,
לֹא יִטַּמָּא בַּעַל בְּעַמָּיו לְהֵחַלּוֹ
There is disagreement between the translations as to how exactly we should translate this passage. The NET and KJV translations ...
1
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2answers
57 views
How best to translate the Hebrew of Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 13:26?
I am wondering how to understand the Hebrew text of Sirach 13:26, which, according to this page, is (the second line):
לב אנוש ישנא פניו אם לטוב ואם לרע׃
עקבת לב טוב פנים אורים ושיג ישיח מחשבת ...
1
vote
2answers
40 views
In Ruth 1:2 what is the meaning of אפרתים (commonly translated “Efrathites”)?
In Ruth 1:2, Naomi, Elimelech, Machlon and Kilyon are referred to as אפרתים, or Efrathites. To me, the simplest understanding would be that they come from Efrat (see Genesis 35:19, 1 Samuel 17:12, ...
3
votes
3answers
89 views
In Isaiah 45:23 is God saying that all shall bow to God or to Cyrus?
NIV Isaiah 45:23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all
integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will
bow; by me every tongue will swear.
In the BibleHub ...
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votes
2answers
89 views
Did God begin creation by speaking the word light twice?
Creation begins by God speaking:
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3) [ESV]
ויאמר אלהים יהי אור ויהי-אור
The ESV translation shows God's spoken words are ...
3
votes
1answer
139 views
What is the meaning of “Let” in the phrase “Let there be light”?
Genesis 1:3 (KJV)
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
What's the meaning of the word "let"?
Is the meaning closer to:
cause/effect, i.e. physics-related; or
allow/permit (cf), ...
2
votes
1answer
68 views
Could the line of David be adopted?
There are several verses in which David is promised that his line will always be on the throne of Israel. I want to understand whether this could be extended to adopted children in some cases.
...
2
votes
1answer
53 views
What does Genesis 28:22 mean with the repeated word
Gen 28:22
And this H2063 stone, H68 which H834 I have set H7760 for a pillar, H4676 shall be H1961 God's H430 house: H1004 and of all H3605 that H834 thou shalt give H5414 me I will ...
2
votes
2answers
101 views
In Isaiah 44:6, who/what does the word “his” refer to?
Isaiah 44:6 Thus said Jehovah, king of Israel, And his Redeemer, Jehovah of
Hosts: `I [am] the first, and I the last, And besides Me there is no
God. (Young's Literal Translation)
In this verse, ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
Does “ivory tower” in Song of Songs refer to a color or a material?
(This question was inspired by a comment on a Worldbuilding question.)
In Song of Songs 7:4, we have the description "Your neck is like an ivory tower." (NIV) Does the word for "ivory" here refer to ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Difference between “surely die” between Genesis 2:17 and 1 Kings 2:42
I noticed that the phrase "surely die" in Genesis 2:17 is different from 1 Kings 2:42
Look at the hebrew letters in both of them (I found it kinda difficult to copy past them here):
http://biblehub....
5
votes
1answer
46 views
Possible English understandings of “ba’al nefesh” in Proverbs 23:2?
I'm wondering about how "ba’al nefesh" could resonably be understood in modern English (USA)? I note the renderings from various translations (https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Proverbs%2023:2) ...
2
votes
4answers
144 views
Is “ten commandments” the best translation of עשרת הדברים?
An overwhelming majority of the modern English translations render the words עשרת הדברים in Deuteronomy 4:13, 10:4 and Exodus 34:28 (biblehub links) as the "Ten Commandments". I believe that this is ...
4
votes
1answer
86 views
Dreaming a Dream vs. Dreaming
I have had this question sitting in MY for some time unanswered, despite repeated bounties, so I think I'll give it a try here.
Throughout the Bible, the root חלם, to dream, is used. Often, a dream ...
1
vote
0answers
33 views
what exactly does “land of my birth” mean in מֽוֹלַדְתִּי֒
In Gen. 24:7, Abraham said:
ז יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם, אֲשֶׁר לְקָחַנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי וּמֵאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתִּי, וַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר-לִי וַאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע-
לִי לֵאמֹר, לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת-הָאָרֶץ ...
6
votes
1answer
84 views
Why “A time to be born” (Ecclesiastes 3:2)
Why is the Hebrew עת ללדת translation as "A time to be born" generally accepted as the correct translation?
It clearly means "A time to give birth" and I have seen that translation in a number of ...
-1
votes
1answer
91 views
What was the probable original Hebrew statement spoken by Jesus in Jn 10:30? [closed]
I want to know the probable original Hebrew statement spoken by Jesus in Jn 10:30:
"I and the Father are one."
"Egō kai ho Patēr hen esmen."
Specifically, I want to know whether the probable ...
4
votes
2answers
90 views
The original Hebrew of Malachi 2:16
I pose a question about the original Hebrew hermeneutics of this passage. The MT of Malachi 2:16 reads:
כִּֽי־ שָׂנֵ֣א שַׁלַּ֗ח אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְכִסָּ֤ה חָמָס֙ עַל־לְבוּשׁ֔וֹ ...
7
votes
2answers
275 views
Why does the BHS suggest היום for האישׁ in Jeremiah 20:16?
The Masoretic text of Jeremiah 20:16 reads:
וְהָיָה הָאִישׁ הַהוּא כֶּֽעָרִים אֲשֶׁר־הָפַךְ יְהוָה וְלֹא נִחָם וְשָׁמַע זְעָקָה בַּבֹּקֶר וּתְרוּעָה בְּעֵת צָהֳרָֽיִם
Translated as (JSB):
Let ...
