The utterance from the east
The sense ofhwtin psalms 52:4, 9; 91:3
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4373467 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Meir Lubetski (Baruch College, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1990 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 217-232 |
| Publication date | 1990-07-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religion (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0048-721X • E-ISSN: 1096-1151 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1016/0048-721x(90)90166-4 |
| OpenAlex | W1990900778 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 8 |
The purpose of this paper is to present alternative renditions of the Biblical word hwt (hwwt) as it appears in Psalms 52:4, 52:9, 91:3. Modern dictionaries and commentators explain or translate the term variously as ‘threat’, ‘menace’, ‘ruin’, ‘destruction’ or ‘poisonous’. Some even try to emend the word(s) in order to make the verse more intelligible. Yet, contrary to the current explanation, a thorough linguistic analysis will show that hwt (sg)/hwwt (pl) in these verses, and in others as well, should be understood as ‘word(s)’ and in the derived meanings of ‘thought(s)’ or ‘incantations(s)’. Since many difficult or obscure Biblical words have, in many cases, been clarified via comparative Semitic evidence, an attempt is made to demonstrate how Biblical ‘hwt’ owes its origin to its sister vernaculars, Akkadian awatu and Ugaritic hwt. The same word, hwt, later surfaces in the Arabic with the identical meaning. Although Arabic was written long after the close of the Bible, its linguistically conservative nature makes it valuable for our comparative study. Accordingly, the paper advances a more exact meaning of hwt in Psalms based on the legacy of awatu/hwt/hwwt in Semitic languages and literature: Akkadian, Ugaritic, Qumran sectarian writings culminating with Arabic. The proposed rendition of Biblical hwt allows for a more accurate and coherent translation of the verses in the Psalms. Further, the implications of the above explanation are not limited to Psalms but rather shed light on all the verses in the Bible that contain this word
Linguistics · Sense (electronics) · Utterance · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Chemistry · Development, Ethics, and Society · Philosophy
| Highly cited | No |
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