The language of ivrit ( עברית ) Exodus 8, Post #2
Welcome to my Hebrew reading & language series.
Exodus 8:4-6
The plagues are starting to get on the nerves of our antagonist, Far'oh (Pharaoh), as we get deeper into the eighth chapter of Exodus. There is also much disparity of verse numbering between the English and Hebrew. Verses 1-3 in Hebrew turned out to be 1-7 in English last week and this phenomenon continues today.
As I said, someone called Far'oh is now learning how small he is in the grand scheme of things as we continue the story. He implores Moshe (Moses) to pray to YHVH, yes he knew the name of Moses' God, to take the frogs from his home, his land, and promises to let the people go to sacrifice to YHVH.
The English says, "Be pleased to command me (as to) when I am to plead for you..." but the Hebrew says, "Glorify yourself over me (as to) when I am to plead for you..." Teeferet is the word for 'glory' or 'beauty' and I hear a bit of taunting in the voice of Moshe when he asks him when he is to pray about this. You have to think about the most powerful ruler calling on a man who is of slave blood for help and salvation from something that is clearly out of his majesty's control. It is beyond the power of Far'oh.
So the ruler requests a morning prayer and Moshe replies "as you said" and includes the reason that he agreed to plead Far'oh's case before the King of the Universe: "So that you may know that there is none like YHVH our God."
Back to the verse numbering. This week our Hebrew verses go from 4 to 6 and yet the English equivalent for the same sentences are in verses 8 to 10. I have not seen this much of a difference in any of the previous chapters that we have read since the first chapter of Beresheet (Genesis).
Wait until we get to Daniel in this series. Seventy five percent of the words and structures are radically different from the rest of the scriptures. I can easily read and pronounce every word, but it is like learning an entirely different vocabulary in Hebrew.
Today's reading
English
8 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, "Plead with YHVH to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to YHVH." 9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile." 10 And he said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like YHVH our God.
Hebrew
Next week, Moshe prays for no more frogs...
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