That is good advise, but could you take it one step further? I do know that single letters can have meaning.
In Hebrew, a single letter has no meaning unless it's connected with another letter. In English we have the word "a" and the word "I," but even in our language single-letter semanthemes are very rare. In Hebrew, nearly all semanthemes are three letters long. Affixes (tense formatives, objective and genitive suffixes, plural and/or feminine markers, articles and a few prepositions [namely, "like/as," "from," "in/with" and "to/for"]) are added to semanthemes to create relationships.
We do not have single-letter semanthemes in Hebrew at all, and the words נח (Noach [defective]) and אלה (eloah [defective]) have nothing at all in common — not a single consonant. So, if they have NOTHING in common, what in the world do you expect me to comment on?! Are you concerned with the fact that each has a holem and a patach gnuva? I don't know how that makes them similar. We may as well throw in זרוע zroa for good measure, since it also has a holem and patach gnuva. Does it matter than nothing else in the word is common with the other two? Apparently not to you.
In Hebrew, a single letter has no meaning unless it's connected with another letter. In English we have the word "a" and the word "I," but even in our language single-letter semanthemes are very rare. In Hebrew, nearly all semanthemes are three letters long. Affixes (tense formatives, objective and genitive suffixes, plural and/or feminine markers, articles and a few prepositions [namely, "like/as," "from," "in/with" and "to/for"]) are added to semanthemes to create relationships.
We do not have single-letter semanthemes in Hebrew at all, and the words נח (Noach [defective]) and אלה (eloah [defective]) have nothing at all in common — not a single consonant. So, if they have NOTHING in common, what in the world do you expect me to comment on?! Are you concerned with the fact that each has a holem and a patach gnuva? I don't know how that makes them similar. We may as well throw in זרוע zroa for good measure, since it also has a holem and patach gnuva. Does it matter than nothing else in the word is common with the other two? Apparently not to you.
Later on this evening I'm going to take a look at ancient Hebrew and single letters as a consideration.
34 of 38 people found the following review helpful: An unfortunate result of non-scholarship, May 10, 2008
By Paul Stevenson "Linguist" (Silver Spring, Maryland, USA)
I had started to write a much harsher review of this book when I decided to find out what I could about the author. It turns out that he is an engineer who became fascinated with Hebrew. I now been moved by pity more than outrage to write a general statement about this book and others of its ilk.
Mr. Benner states on his website that he has no formal training in Hebrew, though lots of self study. I must recognize that his motives in preparing his many books on the subject are sincere, but his utter lack of familiarity with the scholarly literature and sound research methodology leaves him unprepared for writing even the most basic sort of book on Hebrew.
The example cited by another reviewer of *bara'* "create" is a perfect case in point. Consultation of the standard Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon shows that the root refers to "shaping by cutting," for example, cutting a reed to shape it for a particular use. It looks like Mr. Benner took a lone use of a homophonous root in a reflexive form in 1 Samuel 2:29 (meaning "to fatten oneself") and tried to generalize this to all uses of the root. This is hardly a legitimate procedure unless he can prove, by investigation of cognates in Akkadian, Ugaritic, Aramaic, Arabic, Ethiopic and other Semitic languages that there is evidence of a shared cognate with these two widely divergent uses, and that neither use of this cognate in fact derives from a loan from another language, such as Sumerian, from which Semitic languages borrowed many words. In fact, BDB cites cognates of *br'* "create, shape by cutting" from Arabic, Phoenician, Akkadian, Sabean and Aramaic. For the homophonous *br'* meaning "be fat," BDB refers the reader to the root *mr'* (b and m are both bilabial and variation between them in cognate languages is not unusual, a fact that a person with adequate linguistic training would recognize). We learn that this root is the usual form of the root meaning "be fat," as attested by cognates in Akkadian and Arabic. Hebrew has a number of words derived from it, such as *mri'* "fatling". Thus, we see that Mr. Benner has used a superficial correspondence, inadequately researched, to devise a creative but entirely unwarranted bogus etymology. He has served his readers very poorly.
However, self-taught amateurs such as Mr. Benner are rarely aware of the necessity for such careful research, nor do they tend to have the reference works necessary for such in-depth research.
Aside for the example of this one word, statements such as "This is the first Biblical Hebrew lexicon that defines each Hebrew word within its original Ancient Hebrew cultural meaning" make Mr. Benner's ignorance of the relevant literature glaringly obvious. If he had bothered to become familiar with the standard scholarly lexicons and the vast scholarly literature, he would see that a great deal has in fact been done to help us understand Hebrew words in the context of Hebrew culture. It is a shame that he has invested so much work in such an ill-informed effort. If he were to undertake serious studies at the graduate level, his considerable zeal and interest could be channeled into truly useful works for the interested public. As is, he is producing a string of very poorly informed books that simply add to the great pile of low-quality popular literature on Hebrew which propounds a great deal more myth than fact. It grieves me to see many people interested in this area so ill served by so many well-intentioned but utterly unprepared authors.
P.S. I just discovered the image of p. 54 of this dictionary, which is displayed on this site. Having looked it over, I am appalled! This is far worse than the BARA entry. Mr. Benner gives the pictographic Proto-Canaanite forms of letters used to write Hebrew and then tries to link the pictures to general semantic concepts associated with roots. This is just ludicrous. It shows abject ignorance of the nature of alphabetic writing systems, to say nothing of the fact that speech came to exist millennia before writing systems. It looks as if Mr. Benner could have borrowed some of the wilder ideas of Athanasius Kircher (a 17th century Jesuit scholar and very creative interpreter of Egyptian hieroglyphs), but Mr. Benner's scholarship is so shallow that I would be astonished to learn that he had done enough research to have even com across Kircher's name. No, I suspect that Mr. Benner has simply re-invented this particular wheel of ignorance bordering on superstition.
22 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Totally silly!, July 29, 2007
By Vazhapa Spitman "Vazhapa Spitman" (USA)
Did you know that ancient people invented writing first, then started creating concepts and spoken words accordingly-?? Mind though, I'm not talking about Grammatology of Jacque Derrida but the postmodern "Ancient Hebrew Lexicon .."
Seriously:
Don't let the misleading title of the book or any positive (hoaxed?) reviews fool you. I could not believe my own eyes when I first paged through this so called "Lexicon". In short, this book is written by an unknown genius whom scholars may cruelly describe as a "crack pot". To see the point, let me give you an outline of the dictionary. The author has written the bulk of Biblical Hebrew words in his own version of Phoenician script; then like medieval magicians (who thought Egyptian hieroglyphic writing was series of encoded pictographs) has deciphered his home-made pictographic lexicon. In this regard, the author acts like an ancient Greek oracle: His etymological methodology is under sever influence of a phantasmagoric volcanic fume rising out of his own imagination.
If you are not allergic, let me invite you to inhale a sample of this laughing gas:
(1)The Hebrew word "KB" means `star'. Let's see how the author has discovered the root of this word: He starts with the interpretation of his own pictographic version of "KB" (written with a picture of a hand and a house). The result is what you may call delusional etymology: The first pictograph "is a picture of the palm of hand and represents a covering; the [second sign] is a picture of a tent. Combined these mean `covering of the tent'." -SO WHAT? You may ask, WHAT IS IT GOT TO DO WITH `STAR'?? The answer is so easy if you are patient enough and let the oracle continue: "The black goat hair fabric used for the roof of the tent allows some light through giving the appearance of stars overhead." (p.144)
CAN YOU BELIEVE that 611 pages of this deluxe lexicon are based on such jargons?
(2) second example: the Hebrew word K ='chastise', is written in this lexicon with two pictographs: the first "is a picture of the palm of hand" again, the second is "a picture of a wall. Combined these mean `palm wall'." Now please find the etymological connection between the concept of `chastising' and `hand-wall' ! Here, even our author's imagination may not help-- (I could have thought of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and the chastisement of its protagonist!). But, wait! Here is the author's resolution: "To correct or chastise with a firm hand." (p 145).
Order this book if you need a real fun! Otherwise I recommend the following excellent book:
George Fohrer's "Hebrew and Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament"
__________________ "For my Torah observant gentile friends: In Tractate Avoda Zara 3b, our sages tell us of the END OF DAYS. 2,000 years ago our rabbis explained that near the end of days many non-Jews will start keeping commandments like Jews. They will even call themselves part of the nation of Israel. BUT, when things get tough and the world turns on Israel-they cast off of the commandments and join the world against Israel. Hmm.." Jeremy Gimpel
Psalm 103
17. But the Lord's kindness is from everlasting to everlasting, and His charity to sons of sons. 18 To those who keep His covenant and to those who remember His commandments to perform them.
Is He true to His Word? He's either faithful and true to those who fear and obey Him, or you know what you call Him.
Deut. 30
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Shalom. My name is Jeff A. Benner (More about me and my family) and welcome to the "Ancient Hebrew Research Center." I am often asked why my definitions of Biblical Hebrew words differ from all other resources available such as Strong’s dictionary and why my translations of the Bible are unlike any other English translation. Most people believe that an English translation of the Bible is a fairly good representation of the original Hebrew text. But, have you ever heard the expression "lost in the translation?" Through my research I have found that the original meanings of Hebrew words are not only lost to us in the translations but have long been buried and hidden from our sight. I believe it is time that we read the Hebrew Bible from the perspective of its original authors rather than from our own modern perspective. I am also frequently asked for my "credentials" to teach Hebrew. Well, I guess I don't have any unless you count the thousands of hours I have spent in research and study. I have attempted to use as many resources as I could from the fields of history, linguistics, archeology, anthropology and theology in order to uncover the original Hebrew alphabet, language, thought and culture. In October, 2007, I did an interview with Dr Timothy Sakach of Lift up your voice where we discuss some of the unique aspects of the Hebrew language of the Bible, how I got started in my research into the Ancient Hebrew language and the origins of the Ancient Hebrew Research Center. Click Here to listen to the audio file. This is a 23 Mb file and runs for 33 minutes and 27 seconds.
__________________ "For my Torah observant gentile friends: In Tractate Avoda Zara 3b, our sages tell us of the END OF DAYS. 2,000 years ago our rabbis explained that near the end of days many non-Jews will start keeping commandments like Jews. They will even call themselves part of the nation of Israel. BUT, when things get tough and the world turns on Israel-they cast off of the commandments and join the world against Israel. Hmm.." Jeremy Gimpel
Psalm 103
17. But the Lord's kindness is from everlasting to everlasting, and His charity to sons of sons. 18 To those who keep His covenant and to those who remember His commandments to perform them.
Is He true to His Word? He's either faithful and true to those who fear and obey Him, or you know what you call Him.
Deut. 30
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Very informative indeed... and it shows where MTAA is getting his "research." That explains a lot about why he keeps talking about "Ancient Hebrew." This site is completely worthless.
Very informative indeed... and it shows where MTAA is getting his "research." That explains a lot about why he keeps talking about "Ancient Hebrew." This site is completely worthless.
Well even the most famous Hebrew scholars have been know to make mistakes. That was do to the discovery of the dead sea scrolls. But thanks for the warning. I see lots of criticism, but no forward motion on the subject at hand.
Well even the most famous Hebrew scholars have been know to make mistakes. That was do to the discovery of the dead sea scrolls. But thanks for the warning. I see lots of criticism, but no forward motion on the subject at hand.
You don't make "forward motion" on bad scholarship. You just abandon it and start looking in the right areas at the right ways of thinking. Rather than wasting your time in a website that's full of worthless claims based on one person's private wanderings, why not invest in yourself and learn how the language actually appeared in antiquity, understanding something about the structure and contents of the language? Spend a couple thousand bucks and get enrolled in a Biblical Hebrew course at a local college. It will be worth your time and will brush away a lot of the arrogant and unfounded notions you've gathered from reading the drivel that you've come across on the Internet.
You don't make "forward motion" on bad scholarship. You just abandon it and start looking in the right areas at the right ways of thinking. Rather than wasting your time in a website that's full of worthless claims based on one person's private wanderings, why not invest in yourself and learn how the language actually appeared in antiquity, understanding something about the structure and contents of the language? Spend a couple thousand bucks and get enrolled in a Biblical Hebrew course at a local college. It will be worth your time and will brush away a lot of the arrogant and unfounded notions you've gathered from reading the drivel that you've come across on the Internet.
__________________ "For my Torah observant gentile friends: In Tractate Avoda Zara 3b, our sages tell us of the END OF DAYS. 2,000 years ago our rabbis explained that near the end of days many non-Jews will start keeping commandments like Jews. They will even call themselves part of the nation of Israel. BUT, when things get tough and the world turns on Israel-they cast off of the commandments and join the world against Israel. Hmm.." Jeremy Gimpel
Psalm 103
17. But the Lord's kindness is from everlasting to everlasting, and His charity to sons of sons. 18 To those who keep His covenant and to those who remember His commandments to perform them.
Is He true to His Word? He's either faithful and true to those who fear and obey Him, or you know what you call Him.
Deut. 30
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
I have already picked out another name to use, but I'm not sure if I want to continue to stay on the Internet. I keep asking for you guys to speculate, and offer your opinions on the different word subjects, but things seem to take a different direction.
Linear Mode
