• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ad Fontes

  • About Ad Fontes
  • Why Study the Hebrew Bible?
  • The Minister and his Greek Testament

1 Kings 17:6 a Masoretic issue

It would seem that most (if not all) translators follow the ‘Ktiv Menuqad’ of the ‘Masoretic’ text when attempting to render 1 kings 17:6 into English. In doing so translators have either knowingly or unwittingly accepted the Masoretes’ interpretation of scripture. The text that lay before the Masoretes was probably the ambiguous והערבים . Without, the Neqqudot the word could be read either as ‘ravens’ or ‘Arabs’ depending on its literary context or on the interpreter’s decision. However, the Masoretes who added the Neqqudot had to decide whether to point the word with the ‘patach’ vowel under the letter ‘Ayin’ or a ‘Holam’ above the letter ‘Ayin’. A simple change of even a single vowel point can radically alter the meaning of a word in classical Hebrew and that actually is the only difference between the reading ‘ravens’ or ‘Arabs’. Examine the image below carefully. The vowel points are in red to make it easier to spot the difference between these two readings/vocalizations/interpretations:

https://web.archive.org/web/20190210085506if_/https://adfontes.mitchellbk.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/16a743b84c462aab.png

What’s your opinion or take on the above?  In the over all context of the narrative how do you think the word under consideration should be rendered and why?

Reader Interactions

Don't be shy leave a reply! Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

SEARCH

Categories

Recent Posts

  • The Gospel of John read with a modern Greek accent
  • Greek Quote of the week #1
  • Are Ancient Languages Necessary? or Should Greek and Latin be requirements?
  • Which Bible?
  • Thoughts on the translation of Genesis 1:1

Recent Comments

  • Brian K. Mitchell on Are Ancient Languages Necessary? or Should Greek and Latin be requirements?
  • Brian K. Mitchell on Which Bible?
  • Peter Humphrys on Which Bible?
  • Peter Humphrys on Are Ancient Languages Necessary? or Should Greek and Latin be requirements?
  • Brian K. Mitchell on Thoughts on the translation of Genesis 1:1

Subscribe to AD FONTES via Email

subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5 other subscribers

Copyright © 2023 · eleven40 Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in