To Irit we can only reiterate, there is much more to say. There are multiple and intersecting lines of evidence and argument that provide warrant for the conclusion that this difference is a semantic development through time rather than co-existing styles or dialects. And that a general chronology can be inferred from such developments in Biblical Hebrew. In our column we can only gesture - 'al regel 'ahat - at the complexity of the underlying linguistic, textual, and historical issues. Which is why we wrote the book.
Our thanks to Robert for catching our scribal error in the last sentence - (Exodus) 9:17 for 9:16. Reminiscence of (Romans) 9:17 is a plausible motive. (Isn't textual criticism fun?) We look forward to his extended critique as part of the scholarly conversation.
To Irit we can only reiterate, there is much more to say. There are multiple and intersecting lines of evidence and argument that provide warrant for the conclusion that this difference is a semantic development through time rather than co-existing styles or dialects. And that a general chronology can be inferred from such developments in Biblical Hebrew. In our column we can only gesture - 'al regel 'ahat - at the complexity of the underlying linguistic, textual, and historical issues. Which is why we wrote the book.
Our thanks to Robert for catching our scribal error in the last sentence - (Exodus) 9:17 for 9:16. Reminiscence of (Romans) 9:17 is a plausible motive. (Isn't textual criticism fun?) We look forward to his extended critique as part of the scholarly conversation.