Hebrew Philological Notes (II)

Five separate studies are presented. 1) חפניו in Prov 30:4 is to be understood as both "his fists" and "his clothing," in line with the widespread use of wordplay in Hebrew poetry. 2) The presence of the Egyptian expression Int kkt "valley of darkness" in the Book of the Dead confirms the meaning "darkness" for צַלְמוֶת, especially in Ps 23:4 where the famous expression ניא צַלמות is indeed to be rendered "valley of darkness." 3) The unique feminine form תתֶמֶה "seal" in Gen 38:25 is a deliberate creation of the author, the word is intended to evoke the sounds of כתנת "robe" in Gen 37:32. 4) עַנו֗ת in Exod 32:18 refers to sexual intercourse, as always with the Piʿel of the root ענה, and not to song. 5) היו֗ם אַף-אָתָה in Prov 22:19 is to be emended to ימנמאפת Imn-m-Ipt "Amen-em-opet," the name of the author of the Egyptian "Thirty" referred to in Prov 22:20.