Crying Gate Bars and Fleeing Refugees: The Polysemy of bryḥh in Isaiah 15

Crying Gate Bars and Fleeing Refugees The Polysemy of בריחה in Isaiah 15

As recognized among the textual witnesses, the first word in Isa 15:5aβ, [inline-graphic 01i], has multiple meanings. The form can mean "her gate bars," which coheres with the preceding verses concerning Moab’s destroyed cities (Isa 15:1-5a), or "her refugees," which coheres with...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Hunt, Michelle D. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Catholic Biblical Association of America 2024
In: The catholic biblical quarterly
Year: 2024, Volume: 86, Issue: 2, Pages: 268-281
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Bible. Jesaja 15 / Hebrew language / Textual criticism / Restriction
IxTheo Classification:HB Old Testament
TB Antiquity
VB Hermeneutics; Philosophy
Further subjects:B Textual Criticism
B city lament
B unit delimitation criticism
B Polysemy
B Moab
B Isaiah 15–16
B Ambiguity
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Summary:As recognized among the textual witnesses, the first word in Isa 15:5aβ, [inline-graphic 01i], has multiple meanings. The form can mean "her gate bars," which coheres with the preceding verses concerning Moab’s destroyed cities (Isa 15:1-5a), or "her refugees," which coheres with verses concerning the flight of Moab’s refugees (Isa 15:5b-9). Despite the polysemy evinced among the textual witnesses, [inline-graphic 01i] is generally translated as "her refugees" in modern scholarship. Moreover, some scholars have observed a unit division between vv. 4 and 5, further distancing the possibility of reading [inline-graphic 01i] in the context of vv. 1-4 and thus appreciating the polysemy of the word. Through the use of delimitation criticism, I argue that the ancient witnesses did not observe a unit division between vv. 4 and 5. Moreover, the double meanings of [inline-graphic 01i] hinge the chapter together, both reflecting on Moab’s destroyed cities (vv. 1-4) and anticipating the flight of her refugees (vv. 5-9).
ISSN:2163-2529
Contains:Enthalten in: The catholic biblical quarterly
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1353/cbq.2024.a924365