how can we complain that they weren't used?
I see your argument, and it is valid. However it has some flaws, mainly that there are other words that sphere in the Bible that properly relay a spherical object, ball is a perfect example. So for some reason God chose not to use ball/sphere when referring to the earth. But this is no prob, as the definition that we have evidence for is actually still more comprehensive than 1000's of years of science to come, namely a rounded earth (anything other than flat, to bre precise), an arched earth, a half cicle, the part we live in. Not the full globe, or the part of the earth we don't see.
The point is that if there aren't words in the lexicon at that time,
Well it is all a matter of if sphere or ball was used when the lexicon was written, we know for a fact that ball was used. Sphere maybe not. But The Bible doesn't refer to a spherical earth in the technical definition, it refers to a round earth , a dome earth or canopy. One on which God sits. It can be interpreted as sphere but this is a slight stretch, a ball, well okay. But ball in hebrew is a different word than the word used. For more info on the arch, dome that God sat see my previous posts regarding this.
Is, or was? My sources report that there was NO word for ball in the Hebrew Scriptures, and that the first recorded use of the term "sphere" was 1250-1300 AD.
so I already told you "ball" was in the Bible, but here you go. Just so you know you can typically trust lexicons and dictionaries. If a word is missing in some manuscripts it is generally known and will be mentioned. But "ball-כַּדּוּר "as in isaiah 22:18 is not missing, in fact here is the actual hebrew bible, two different versions:
try to locate the hebrew word for ball=כַּדּוּר
צָנוֹף יִצְנָפְךָ צְנֵפָה
כַּדּוּר אֶל־אֶרֶץ רַחֲבַת יָדָיִם שָׁמָּה תָמוּת
The Hebrew Bible: Andersen-Forbes Analyzed Text. 2008 (Is 22:18). Logos Bible Software.
[/BIBLE]
here is another one just so you don't criticise the sole source:
צָנ֤וֹף יִצְנָפְךָ֙ צְנֵפָ֔ה
כַּדּ֕וּר אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ רַחֲבַ֣ת יָדָ֑יִם שָׁ֣מָּה תָמ֗וּת
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: With Werkgroep Informatica, Vrije Universiteit Morphology; Bible. O.T. Hebrew. Werkgroep Informatica, Vrije Universiteit. 2006 (Is 22:18). Logos Bible Software.[/BIBLE]
heck I will give you update 3.5 of the Hebraica Stuttgartensia:
צָנֹ֤וף יִצְנָפְךָ֙ צְנֵפָה
כַּדּ֕וּר אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ רַחֲבַ֣ת יָדָ֑יִם שָׁ֣מָּה תָמ֗וּת
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: With Westminster Hebrew Morphology. 2001 (electronic ed.) (Is 22:18). Stuttgart; Glenside PA: German Bible Society; Westminster Seminary.[/BIBLE]
now you can verify that that is the genuine hebrew text for ball just by copy and pasting to google. here is one :
כַּדּוּר ב××[bless and do not curse]גלית
Is that enough proof for you? (if you want I can search the septuigant version as well)
heck here is a picture of the dead sea scrolls, see if you can find it in this paragraph:
http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/isaiah#22:18
If you mentioned the word "ball" to an acient Greek in 500 AD he would have no idea what you were describing.
how so? The greeks invented the olypic games! Here is more info from wikipedia: Ancient Greeks
Among the Greeks games with balls (σφαῖραι

were regarded as a useful subsidiary to the more violent athletic exercises, as a means of keeping the body supple, and rendering it graceful, but were generally left to boys and girls. Of regular rules for the playing of ball games, little trace remains, if there were any such. The names in Greek for various forms, which have come down to us in such works as the Ὀνομαστικόν of Julius Pollux, imply little or nothing of such; thus, ἀπόρραξις (aporraxis) only means the putting of the ball on the ground with the open hand, οὐρανία (ourania), the flinging of the ball in the air to be caught by two or more players; φαινίνδα (phaininda) would seem to be a game of catch played by two or more, where feinting is used as a test of quickness and skill. Pollux (i. x. 104) mentions a game called episkyros (ἐπίσκυρος

, which has often been looked on as the origin of football. It seems to have been played by two sides, arranged in lines; how far there was any form of "goal" seems uncertain.[3]
Ancient Romans
Among the Romans, ball games were looked upon as an adjunct to the bath, and were graduated to the age and health of the bathers, and usually a place (sphaeristerium) was set apart for them in the baths (thermae). There appear to have been three types or sizes of ball, the pila, or small ball, used in catching games, the paganica, a heavy ball stuffed with feathers, and the follis, a leather ball filled with air, the largest of the three. This was struck from player to player, who wore a kind of gauntlet on the arm. There was a game known as trigon, played by three players standing in the form of a triangle, and played with the follis, and also one known as harpastum, which seems to imply a "scrimmage" among several players for the ball. These games are known to us through the Romans, though the names are Greek.[3]
The sphere post came first. I pointed out that the word didn't come about until much later. Then I was told they had a word for "ball." In looking for that, I found out they had none.
well now you know
Wouldn't the presence of anachronistic words in a manuscript negate its validity?
how is ball anachronistic?
Reference?
see above
My point was that the internet scientists are using modern language to criticize something that was written thousands of years ago before the words they prefer were invented. It's all about small people trying to discredit the Bible and mock the Creator of the universe. It's why they continue to repeat the "flat earth" lie.
I see your point, however as I said in my last post. the Word for circle of the earth in the verse in question, actually means a dome or half circle, not a flat circle.
Actually, I think it's a pretty apt description. Their arguments are infantile and childish. Their assertions are based in ignorance and their hatred for all things religious is very evident. Take away the personal attacks and their posts are reduced by half.
I actually agree with you on this point, but remember to check your sources on everything else you said.
thanks for the post