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The Hard "Sell" in Nah 3:4

"The standard meaning of מכר is incongruous in the context of Nah 3:4. It is suggested that the problematic המכרת in Nah 3:4 is the consequence of a מ/נ scribal confusion mitigated by similarity between מכר and נכר, as well as the מ in preceding כשפים. הנכרת has the sense of “she that acquires,” in accord with Hos 3:2. Such an approach would also help with understanding of 1Sam 23:7. It is also possible to construe הנכרת in the sense of “she that alienates,” though this grammatical form of נכר is not attested in the Hebrew Bible."

Author(s):  Pinker, Aron
Format:  Article
Date:  2004
Source:  The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures
Volume:  5