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Amateur's textual criticism of Hebrew Bible quotes

Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2015 11:08 am
by Kenneth Greifer
I like to self-publish my own textual criticism of confusing and controversial Hebrew Bible quotes. My books are not really religious or anti-religious, and I usually disagree with Judaism, Christianity, and Bible scholarship, so they should be hated equally by everybody. If you want to look at an amateur's peculiar ideas about many quotes, you can look at my site where two books can be read for free:
http://www.hebrewbiblequotes.com/

Kenneth Greifer

Re: Amateur's textual criticism of Hebrew Bible quotes

Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 12:43 am
by kwrandolph
Kenneth Greifer wrote:I like to self-publish my own textual criticism…
I looked up at what you wrote there, or rather just some of it: you used the wrong term above.

“Textual criticism” is analyzing texts to try to get back to the original text, if at all possible.

We do this when looking at a confusing text, we then compare the MT to the DSS to the LXX and whatever other texts we can find that can possibly give clues to the original text.

What I read on your site is not textual criticism, rather a philosophical treatise as to what to make of these words that we find? Orthodox Jews have one interpretation, Bible-believing Christians another, and so forth, and because these are interpretations, they have been considered off limits on this discussion board (to avoid flame wars).

Because it is a philosophical treatise and not a linguistic one, I can’t say more about it on this list.

Karl W. Randolph.

Re: Amateur's textual criticism of Hebrew Bible quotes

Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2015 7:40 pm
by Isaac Fried
The relationship between the words עֶלֶם ELEM, עלמה ALM-AH, עוֹלָם O-LAM, and תַּעֲלֻמָה TA-ALUM-AH is a good example to the fundamental tenet of Hebrew etymology, to wit, that there need be no "horizontal" connection whatsoever between the meaning of words derived from a common root.
The root here is עלם, 'tall and full', and by implication 'pile up, cover, conceal'.
Job 6:16
הַקֹּדְרִים מִנִּי קָרַח עָלֵימוֹ יִתְעַלֶּם שָׁלֶג
NIV: "when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow." Indeed, יִתְעַלֶּם is close in meaning to יִתְעַרֶם.

ELEM and ALMAH, are young adults. OLAM is the cascade of evolving and expanding events flowing on to mark time and space, and
תַּעֲלֻמָה = אתה-ל-הוּא-מ-היא TA-ALUM-AH is a mystery, a covered and hidden thing, tucked away from sight (compare German verbergen).
Job 28:10-11
בַּצּוּרוֹת יְאֹרִים בִּקֵּעַ וְכָל יְקָר רָאֲתָה עֵינוֹ
מִבְּכִי נְהָרוֹת חִבֵּשׁ וְתַעֲלֻמָהּ יֹצִא אוֹר

NIV: "They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures. They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light."

Isaac Fried, Boston University

Re: Amateur's textual criticism of Hebrew Bible quotes

Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 12:54 am
by Kenneth Greifer
Karl,

I don't want you to discuss a philosophical treatise either. You should probably report my posting to the moderators by clicking on the little exclamation point. Hopefully, they will delete it because I can't delete it on my own.

Although I am surprised about what you said, I don't need to know exactly what you looked at to come to your conclusion. I am sure you looked enough to make your decision fairly. Like they say, you learn something new every day. Thanks for helping me understand the error of my ways.

Kenneth Greifer

Re: Amateur's textual criticism of Hebrew Bible quotes

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2015 10:37 am
by Kenneth Greifer
Karl,

I changed my mind. My work is textual criticism and not a philosophical treatise, whatever that is. I understand that most of the people here are very religious and can't even consider anything that disagrees with their beliefs, and I accept that. It is too bad that people can't discuss different opinions and ideas anyway. I think the state of the Hebrew Bible today is tragic, but the mistakes and misunderstandings that people like are the backbones of their religions, so they have to continue. I am also surprised by the lack of imagination by Bible scholars. I don't know why they have overlooked so much about the Bible, but that might be because it takes an incredible memory to become a Bible scholar and not an incredible imagination, so only certain kinds of people can become Bible scholars, not necessarily, the ones who can solve the problems.

Kenneth Greifer
http://www.hebrewbiblequotes.com/