Difference between revisions of "Dictionary:Multiple Meanings/0"
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As in every language, many words in Biblical Hebrew might have multiple meanings.  Sometimes, there is one usage which is prevalent and a second which is much less common.</div> | As in every language, many words in Biblical Hebrew might have multiple meanings.  Sometimes, there is one usage which is prevalent and a second which is much less common.</div> | ||
<category>Polysemous Words | <category>Polysemous Words | ||
| − | The following words regularly take more than one meaning: | + | <p>The following words regularly take more than one meaning:</p> |
</category> | </category> | ||
| − | <category>Opposite Meanings | + | <category>Opposite Meanings |
<p>Sometimes the same verb can be used to refer to both an action and its opposite. Ibn Kaspi (on Bereshit 41:34) explains the reasoning; a certain root might refer to a certain aspect of something which can be either inserted or removed</p> | <p>Sometimes the same verb can be used to refer to both an action and its opposite. Ibn Kaspi (on Bereshit 41:34) explains the reasoning; a certain root might refer to a certain aspect of something which can be either inserted or removed</p> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
| − | <category> | + | <category>Secondary Meanings |
| + | <subcategory>Verbs | ||
| + | </subcategory> | ||
| + | <subcategory>Nouns | ||
| + | <p><b>א-ל , א-להים, י-ה (1</b> – Though these words generally refer to Hashem (or a foreign god), they might also take on two secondary meanings:</p><ul> | ||
| + | <li><b>Judge or ruler</b> – See, for instance, the word's usage in Shemot 4:16, 7:1, 21:6, 22:7-8, and 22:27, Shemuel I 2:25, Tehillim 82:1</li> | ||
| + | <li><b>Might / greatness / intensifier</b> –  See <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit1-2" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit1-2" data-aht="source">Bereshit 1:2</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink> who notes that when Tanakh wants to amplify an object or action, it often adds  the name of Hashem.  As support he points to <a href="Yonah3-3" data-aht="source">Yonah 3:3</a>, <a href="Tehillim36-7" data-aht="source">Tehillim 36:7</a> (הַרְרֵי אֵל), <a href="Tehillim80-9-12" data-aht="source">Tehillim 80:11</a> (<b></b>אַרְזֵי אֵל), <a href="ShirHaShirim8-6" data-aht="source">Shir HaShirim 8:6</a> (שַׁלְהֶבֶתְיָה), Y.   See also the phrase  "לאל ידם" in Bereshit 31:29 and Mikhah 2:1 which means the power of their hands.</li> | ||
| + | </ul><p>There are several verses where the meaning of the word is ambiguous and commentators have debated which of the three definitions the verse takes. see:</p><ul> | ||
| + | <li>בני אלהים</li> | ||
| + | <li>קללת אלוהים תלוי</li> | ||
| + | <li>רוח אלהים</li> | ||
| + | <li> "כְּנִמְרֹד גִּבּוֹר צַיִד לִפְנֵי י"י"' (Bereshit 10:9) - Compare Radak, and see Nimrod for a discussion of how the various interpertion might influence one's evaluation of Nimrod's character.</li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | </subcategory> | ||
| + | <subcategory>Adjectives | ||
| + | </subcategory> | ||
| + | </category> | ||
| + | <category name="Opposite Meanings"> | ||
| + | Words with Opposite Meanings | ||
| + | </category> | ||
| + | <category>General and Individual | ||
| + | <p>Certain words can refer to both an entire category and to a specific item within the category:</p><ul> | ||
| + | <li>אח – This word can refer to relatives in general, and also specifically to a brother.</li> | ||
| + | <li>לחם</li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | </category> | ||
| + | <category name="Multiple Referents"> | ||
| + | Multiple Referents | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
</page> | </page> | ||
</aht-xml> | </aht-xml> | ||
Version as of 03:41, 13 August 2024
Multiple Meanings
Overview
As in every language, many words in Biblical Hebrew might have multiple meanings. Sometimes, there is one usage which is prevalent and a second which is much less common.Polysemous Words
The following words regularly take more than one meaning:
Opposite Meanings
Sometimes the same verb can be used to refer to both an action and its opposite. Ibn Kaspi (on Bereshit 41:34) explains the reasoning; a certain root might refer to a certain aspect of something which can be either inserted or removed
- דשן
- שרש
Secondary Meanings
Verbs
Nouns
א-ל , א-להים, י-ה (1 – Though these words generally refer to Hashem (or a foreign god), they might also take on two secondary meanings:
- Judge or ruler – See, for instance, the word's usage in Shemot 4:16, 7:1, 21:6, 22:7-8, and 22:27, Shemuel I 2:25, Tehillim 82:1
- Might / greatness / intensifier – See Radak who notes that when Tanakh wants to amplify an object or action, it often adds the name of Hashem. As support he points to Yonah 3:3, Tehillim 36:7 (הַרְרֵי אֵל), Tehillim 80:11 (אַרְזֵי אֵל), Shir HaShirim 8:6 (שַׁלְהֶבֶתְיָה), Y. See also the phrase "לאל ידם" in Bereshit 31:29 and Mikhah 2:1 which means the power of their hands.
There are several verses where the meaning of the word is ambiguous and commentators have debated which of the three definitions the verse takes. see:
- בני אלהים
- קללת אלוהים תלוי
- רוח אלהים
- "כְּנִמְרֹד גִּבּוֹר צַיִד לִפְנֵי י"י"' (Bereshit 10:9) - Compare Radak, and see Nimrod for a discussion of how the various interpertion might influence one's evaluation of Nimrod's character.
Adjectives
Words with Opposite Meanings
General and Individual
Certain words can refer to both an entire category and to a specific item within the category:
- אח – This word can refer to relatives in general, and also specifically to a brother.
- לחם
