Surely that doesn't preclude the reason for אִם sometimes having this meaning being that it is shorthand?kwrandolph wrote:I looked up in my dictionary, “sometimes used as a negation, that something will not happen again 1S 3:14”.
It’s not shorthand for a longer statement.
1 Sam 3:14 - question on the word אִם
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Andrew Chapman
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Re: 1 Sam 3:14 - question on the word אִם
Andrew Chapman
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ducky
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Re: 1 Sam 3:14 - question on the word אִם
It IS a short style of the swearing way.kwrandolph wrote:I looked up in my dictionary, “sometimes used as a negation, that something will not happen again 1S 3:14”.
It’s not shorthand for a longer statement.
Karl W. Randolph.
The word אם doesn't have a definition of "Not".
If your dictionary says so, it is because of this short style.
That if I'd want to translate this short sentence, there is no problem to use "not" - but not as a definition, but only because this short sentence allows me to do so to clear things up.
**
The swearing style is known - and it comes with a condition and with a result.
up to cases when only the body of the swearing alone stays.
***
That is why that when there is a negative swearing - it uses אם (if).
And when there is a positive swearing - it uses אם לא (if not).
because the swearing always comes with the idea of "so would happen to me..."
and so:
Negative:
1. I swear I will not go =
So will happen to me IF I go
Positive:
2. I swear I will go =
so will happen to me IF I DON'T go
David Hunter