Oath formulas in biblical Hebrew
By: Blane Conklin
Series: Linguistic studies in ancient West Semitic -- 5; Linguistic studies in ancient West Semitic -- 5.
Publisher: Eisenbrauns
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Winona Lake, Ind
Language: eng
Number of pages: 106
ISBN-13: 9781575062037
Subjects: Bible; Oaths in the Bible; Hebrew language; Syntax; Language, style; Morphology
Description: "The eponymous protagonist of the biblical story of Ruth, a Moabite widow, is so desperate to follow her widowed mother-in-law back to Israel that she swears an oath. Regardless of the translation one may choose, the sense is the same: Ruth{u2019}s promises to stick by Naomi{u2019}s side for at least as long as they both shall live. Ruth{u2019}s intention with respect to the two widows{u2019} proximity once they cross the final river is not unanimous in the translations, however. According to the NRVS, Ruth says: 1){u2019}May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!{u2019} The JPS is representative of many others translations with its rendering: 2){u2019}Thus and more may the Lord do to me if anything but death parts me from you.{u2019} The difference may seem trivial, but the contradiction between the italicized phrases is total. Either death will not ultimately separate them or it will, in Ruth{u2019}s view. The issue here is of a linguistic nature. What does the Hebrew phrase mean? The solution to the problem is fairly straightforward. The first step is to recognize that Ruth{u2019}s statement is an oath. Oaths often employ formulaic, elliptical phrases. Therefore, it is necessary to gather together in one place as many of these formulas as possible so that the patterns, tendencies, and divergences may be seen within a larger matrix. Conklin{u2019}s study intriguingly complies precisely these phrases and formulas in order to solve the mystery of interpreting Biblical Hebrew oath formulas." -- Back cover.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-102) and indexes.