שזף $ZP, Songs 1:6
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 7:32 pm
The enigmatic root שזף of Songs 1:6
אַל תִּרְאוּנִי שֶׁאֲנִי שְׁחַרְחֹרֶת שֶׁשְּׁזָפַתְנִי הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
KJV: "Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me"
NIV: "Do not stare at me because I am dark, because I am darkened by the sun"
ASV: "Look not upon me, because I am swarthy, Because the sun hath [a]scorched me."
is but a variant of the roots שדף, שזף, שטף, שסף, שצף hand hence שֶׁשְּׁזָפַתְנִי is but שֶׁשְּׁטָפַתְנִי, שֶׁשְּׁדָפַתְנִי, 'that rinsed me, that washed over me, that flowed over me, that slipped over me'.
Recall Lev. 15:11
וְיָדָיו לֹא שָׁטַף בַּמָּיִם
NIV: "without rinsing his hands with water"
Also Isaiah 8:7-8
וְלָכֵן הִנֵּה אֲדֹנָי מַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת מֵי הַנָּהָר הָעֲצוּמִים וְהָרַבִּים אֶת מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וְאֶת כָּל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְעָלָה עַל כָּל אֲפִיקָיו וְהָלַךְ עַל כָּל גְּדוֹתָיו וְחָלַף בִּיהוּדָה שָׁטַף וְעָבַר עַד צַוָּאר יַגִּיעַ
NIV: "therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria with all his pomp. It will overflow all its channels, run over all its banks
and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, passing through it and reaching up to the neck.
Also Gen. 41:23
וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע שִׁבֳּלִים צְנֻמוֹת דַּקּוֹת שְׁדֻפוֹת קָדִים צֹמְחוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶם
NIV: "After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind."
KJV: "And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them"
Also here, apparently, שְׁטֻפוֹת = שְׁדֻפוֹת
In spoken Hebrew 'plum' is שזיף, as it, indeed, appears שזוּף, 'tanned'.
Isaac Fried, Boston University
אַל תִּרְאוּנִי שֶׁאֲנִי שְׁחַרְחֹרֶת שֶׁשְּׁזָפַתְנִי הַשָּׁמֶשׁ
KJV: "Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me"
NIV: "Do not stare at me because I am dark, because I am darkened by the sun"
ASV: "Look not upon me, because I am swarthy, Because the sun hath [a]scorched me."
is but a variant of the roots שדף, שזף, שטף, שסף, שצף hand hence שֶׁשְּׁזָפַתְנִי is but שֶׁשְּׁטָפַתְנִי, שֶׁשְּׁדָפַתְנִי, 'that rinsed me, that washed over me, that flowed over me, that slipped over me'.
Recall Lev. 15:11
וְיָדָיו לֹא שָׁטַף בַּמָּיִם
NIV: "without rinsing his hands with water"
Also Isaiah 8:7-8
וְלָכֵן הִנֵּה אֲדֹנָי מַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת מֵי הַנָּהָר הָעֲצוּמִים וְהָרַבִּים אֶת מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וְאֶת כָּל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְעָלָה עַל כָּל אֲפִיקָיו וְהָלַךְ עַל כָּל גְּדוֹתָיו וְחָלַף בִּיהוּדָה שָׁטַף וְעָבַר עַד צַוָּאר יַגִּיעַ
NIV: "therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria with all his pomp. It will overflow all its channels, run over all its banks
and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, passing through it and reaching up to the neck.
Also Gen. 41:23
וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע שִׁבֳּלִים צְנֻמוֹת דַּקּוֹת שְׁדֻפוֹת קָדִים צֹמְחוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶם
NIV: "After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind."
KJV: "And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them"
Also here, apparently, שְׁטֻפוֹת = שְׁדֻפוֹת
In spoken Hebrew 'plum' is שזיף, as it, indeed, appears שזוּף, 'tanned'.
Isaac Fried, Boston University