Comments on: The root and branch of Isai http://blog.one-in-all.org/index.php/2007/12/09/the-root-and-branch-of-isai/ Sun, 20 May 2012 20:34:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Wanderer http://blog.one-in-all.org/index.php/2007/12/09/the-root-and-branch-of-isai/#comment-5465 Wanderer Mon, 31 Dec 2007 11:00:21 +0000 http://blog.one-in-all.org/index.php/2007/12/09/the-root-and-branch-of-isai/#comment-5465 There are two additional strange words used in the book of Ruth. When Naomi instructs Ruth to go the threshing floor and lie down near Boaz. She states "va’yeradite" [go down] and "va’shekhbte" [lie down] each ending in the Hebrew text with a "yud" as the last letter. The usual reading of Ruth 3:3-4 is ‘Wash and anoint yourself, put on your finest clothes, and [you Ruth] go down [va’yeradit] to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, mark the place where he lies down and go and uncover the place of his feet and [you Ruth] lie down [va’shechbt] and he will tell you what to do.’ However.the "yud" in Hebrew usually means "I [Naomi] will go down" and "I [Naomi] will lie down". The letter ‘yud’ has been (although rarely) used as an antiquated (antiquated by the time text was written) form of 2nd person past tense; Prof. L Cheryl Exum (a world renown biblical historian) translates the verses ‘Wash and anoint yourself, pit on your finest dress, and I will go down [va’yeraditi – with a ‘yud’ at the end] to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, mark the place where he lies down and go and uncover the place of his feet and I will lie down [va’shechbti – with a ‘yud’ at the end] - and he will tell you what to do’ (1) The unvocalized text as written reads as if Naomi's words "va’yer’aditi" with an extra "yud" are saying that Naomi will go down to Boaz, and when it is written "va’shech’bti" with an extra "yud" it is saying that Naomi will lie down near Boaz. This despite the next verse word stating that ‘he will tell you [Ruth] what to do’. What can it mean that Naomi rather than Ruth will go to Boaz on the threshing floor? It appears as if there is a symbiosis between Naomi and Ruth. http://www.moshereiss.org/articles/21_ruth_naomi.htm There are two additional strange words used in the book of Ruth. When Naomi instructs Ruth to go the threshing floor and lie down near Boaz. She states “va’yeradite” [go down] and “va’shekhbte” [lie down] each ending in the Hebrew text with a “yud” as the last letter. The usual reading of Ruth 3:3-4 is ‘Wash and anoint yourself, put on your finest clothes, and [you Ruth] go down [va’yeradit] to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, mark the place where he lies down and go and uncover the place of his feet and [you Ruth] lie down [va’shechbt] and he will tell you what to do.’ However.the “yud” in Hebrew usually means “I [Naomi] will go down” and “I [Naomi] will lie down”.

The letter ‘yud’ has been (although rarely) used as an antiquated (antiquated by the time text was written) form of 2nd person past tense;

Prof. L Cheryl Exum (a world renown biblical historian) translates the verses ‘Wash and anoint yourself, pit on your finest dress, and I will go down [va’yeraditi – with a ‘yud’ at the end] to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, mark the place where he lies down and go and uncover the place of his feet and I will lie down [va’shechbti – with a ‘yud’ at the end] - and he will tell you what to do’ (1)

The unvocalized text as written reads as if Naomi’s words “va’yer’aditi” with an extra “yud” are saying that Naomi will go down to Boaz, and when it is written “va’shech’bti” with an extra “yud” it is saying that Naomi will lie down near Boaz. This despite the next verse word stating that ‘he will tell you [Ruth] what to do’. What can it mean that Naomi rather than Ruth will go to Boaz on the threshing floor? It appears as if there is a symbiosis between Naomi and Ruth.
http://www.moshereiss.org/articles/21_ruth_naomi.htm

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