Isaiah 41:15, מוֹרַג MORAG

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Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Isaiah 41:15, מוֹרַג MORAG

Post by Isaac Fried »

We have read there today
הִנֵּה שַׂמְתִּיךְ לְמוֹרַג חָרוּץ חָדָשׁ בַּעַל פִּיפִיּוֹת תָּדוּשׁ הָרִים וְתָדֹק וּגְבָעוֹת כַּמֹּץ תָּשִׂים
NIV: “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff"
with מוֹרג = מ-הוּא-רג, 'thrasher, crusher, crumbler', engendered out of the root מרג MRG, a member of good standing of the root family
מרג, מרח, מרך (רכך), מרק (רקק)
characterized by the embedded constituent uni-literal root ר R of plurality, and the fraction רך RAK, 'soft, pliable, supple, extendable, spreadable, dispersible'.
We encounter מרח, 'smear, spread', in Isaiah 38:21
יִשְׂאוּ דְּבֶלֶת תְּאֵנִים וְיִמְרְחוּ עַל הַשְּׁחִין וְיֶחִי
KJV: "Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover"
In Lev. 26:36 we encounter מֹרֶךְ, 'softness, enfeeblement'
וְהֵבֵאתִי מֹרֶךְ בִּלְבָבָם
KJV: "I will send a faintness into their hearts"
In Lev. 6:21(28) we encounter מרק, 'rub, scrub, scrape, scour, mince'
וְאִם בִּכְלִי נְחֹשֶׁת בֻּשָּׁלָה וּמֹרַק וְשֻׁטַּף בַּמָּיִם
KJV: "and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water"

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: Isaiah 41:15, מוֹרַג MORAG

Post by Isaac Fried »

We are also aware of the presence of the fraction רח, רך, 'soft, stretchable, extendable', in the words:
ארוֹך AROK, 'long'
רחב RAXAB, 'wide'
רחוֹק RAXOQ, 'far'
ערוּך ARUK, 'ordered'
Also
קרוֹב QAROB (so close to חרוֹב XAROB, 'broken, collapsed, crumpled'), 'near, together'

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: Isaiah 41:15, מוֹרַג MORAG

Post by Isaac Fried »

By the fraction רג, רח, רך, רק, or (מוֹרַג = מוֹרַח = מוֹרַך = מוֹרַק), we have the name of another winnowing or scattering implement; the
רַחַת = רח-את RAXAT, of Isaiah 30:24
בְּלִיל חָמִיץ יֹאכֵלוּ אֲשֶׁר זֹרֶה בָרַחַת וּבַמִּזְרֶה
KJV: "shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan"
NIV: "will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel"

The doublet רח, 'soft', is also the essence of:
רוּחַ = ר-הוּא-ח RUAX, 'wind, spirit'
רֶוַח REWAX, 'gap, space'
רֵיחַ = ר-היא-ח REAX, 'smell, odor, fragrance'
רֵחַיִם = רח-הם REXAYIM, 'millstones'

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: Isaiah 41:15, מוֹרַג MORAG

Post by Isaac Fried »

Add:
רגע, 'smooth, calm, sooth, rest', as in Jer. 31:1
הָלוֹךְ לְהַרְגִּיעוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל
KJV: "when I went to cause him to rest"
רקע, 'stretch, flatten, spread out, squash out, beat down' as in Isaiah 40:19
הַפֶּסֶל נָסַךְ חָרָשׁ וְצֹרֵף בַּזָּהָב יְרַקְּעֶנּוּ
KJV: "The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold"

Isaac Fried, Boston University
Isaac Fried
Posts: 1783
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:32 pm

Re: Isaiah 41:15, מוֹרַג MORAG

Post by Isaac Fried »

Also by the fraction רג, רח, רך, רק of pliability
ארג, 'weave', ארח, 'stay, sojourn', ארך, 'elongate, prolong'
ערג, 'linger, remain, longing', ערך, 'order' ערק, 'draw out, lengthen, stretch out.'
Of which the עוֹרֵק OREK, 'vein, artery, sinew, tendon, muscle', of Job 30:17
לַיְלָה עֲצָמַי נִקַּר מֵעָלָי וְעֹרְקַי לֹא יִשְׁכָּבוּן
KJV: "My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest"

Isaac Fried, Boston University
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