B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

One thing I noticed about reading Biblical Hebrew, especially concerning that which was written prior to the Babylonian Exile, is that the text is often sparing, and expects the reader to fill in the blanks. Here is an example: Jacob called his wives to a conference in the field. Why there? Is it not because he wanted privacy? To make sure that there was nobody to overhear and betray his plans to Laban? What picture does this give of how Laban and his sons considered Jacob at that time?

Poetry especially is hard to read because of this practice.

Have you all noticed this practice as well?

Karl W. Randolph.

kwrandolph wrote:One thing I noticed about reading Biblical Hebrew, especially concerning that which was written prior to the Babylonian Exile, is that the text is often sparing, and expects the reader to fill in the blanks...Have you all noticed this practice as well?

In Gen 22:6, the text says that Abraham put the עֲצֵי הָעֹלָה upon his son, but that Abraham himself took in his own hand the הָאֵשׁ and the הַמַּאֲכֶלֶת.