DailyHebrew.com

The University of Memphis‘ Otto J. Schaden has launched a dedicated website for the KV-63 Tomb discovery. It is still under construction, but there are several photos from the media event at the tomb site in the Valley of Kings (from the newly updated AncientNearEast.net weblog).

Other related posts: Egyptian Tomb Found in Valley of Kings (photos)

If you are searching for the best price on a book, here are a few discounts from which to choose:

• Books-a-Million has a $5 off $40 coupon use the code BP36MAR6 at checkout (use before 3/21).

• Borders in the Chicago area has a printable 10% off coupon (.pdf).

Also, a good portal that lists and compares the prices from several online retailers is BestBookBuys.com.

Happy Shopping!

וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַיָּ֣שָׁב ׀ אֶל־יֶ֣תֶר חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אֵ֣לְכָה נָּ֗א וְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־אַחַ֣י אֲשֶׁר־בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶרְאֶ֖ה הַעוֹדָ֣ם חַיִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִתְר֛וֹ לְמֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵ֥ךְ לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ 19 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּמִדְיָ֔ן לֵ֖ךְ שֻׁ֣ב מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־מֵ֙תוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ 20 וַיִּקַּ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֗יו וַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙ עַֽל־הַחֲמֹ֔ר וַיָּ֖שָׁב אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדֽוֹ׃

Vocabulary

Verse 18

            יתר  name: “Jethro”

            חותן  noun (with 3ms suffix): “father-in-law” (BDB, 368)

            עוד  adverb: “still, yet”

            חי  adjective: “living, alive”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The verbs אֵ֣לְכָה and אָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ and אֶרְאֶ֖ה are cohortatives.
• The name of Moses’ father-in-law is typically spelled with a final holem-waw (Exodus 3:1; 4:18; 18:1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12); however the first occurrence in this verse the final vowel is not extant (possibly because of apocopation).

Vocabulary

Verse 19

            מדין  name (of place): “Midian”

            בקשׁ  verb (Piel participle mpl): “seek”

Verse 20

            רכב  verb (Hiphil imperfect 3ms with 3mpl suffix): “caused to mount”

            חמר  “donkey”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 19

• The participle, הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים, is a substantive in attributive position functioning as an adjective: “all the men who were seeking.”

Verse 20

• The phrase, אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם, is a construct form that is definite, “the land of Egypt,” because the second noun is a proper noun (proper nouns have implied definiteness).
• The phrase, מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים, is a construct form that is definite, “the staff of God,” because the second noun is definite (the article is present).

 וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב שְׁמוּאֵל֙ עַד־הַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־דַּלְת֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָ֑ה וּשְׁמוּאֵ֣ל יָרֵ֔א מֵהַגִּ֥יד אֶת־הַמַּרְאָ֖ה אֶל־עֵלִֽי׃ 16 וַיִּקְרָ֤א עֵלִי֙ אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל בְּנִ֑י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ 17 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־נָ֥א תְכַחֵ֖ד מִמֶּ֑נִּי כֹּ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֤ אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף אִם־תְּכַחֵ֤ד מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר מִכָּל־הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ 18 וַיַּגֶּד־ל֤וֹ שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א כִחֵ֖ד מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וַיֹּאמַ֕ר יְהוָ֣ה ה֔וּא הַטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינָ֖ו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 15

            שׁכב  verb: “lie down”

            פתה  verb: “open”

            דלת  “doors”

            מראה  noun: “vision”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

•  Fear to do something (infinitive) is expressed using ירא +  מִן.

Vocabulary   

Verse 17

            כחד  verb (Piel jussive): “hold back, hide” (BDB, 470)

Verse 18

            כחד  verb (Piel jussive): “hold back, hide” (BDB, 470)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 16

• Compare the last statement with the call of God to Samuel.

Verse 17

• The phrase, כֹּ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֤ אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף, is used to bind another under an oath.

Verse 18

• The clause, יְהוָ֣ה ה֔וּא, is a verbless clause.
• The adjective, הַטּ֥וֹב, is used as a substantive (i.e. nominal).

The information surge in the blogosphere on the heels of the Tel-Zayit announcement last fall and the Egyptian Tomb discovery (photos) earlier this month demonstrates how the Internet (in particular blogs) has replaced the traditional method of information dissemination. Not so long ago, archeological find results were presented to a scholarly journal to be published quarterly (or at best bi-monthly). Now, dig resources and updates are available to all in “real time” being placed on official dig websites (e.g. Zayit) or blogs.

One such blog is the (Un)Official Blog of the Gath project. I would recommend highly keeping up with this wonderful project that is now supported in part by National Geographic. Also, About.com is listing it in their "archeology guide." Check it out (hat tip to Jim West)!