[Carry_Okie]

The following is just my opinion, and you can take it for what it is worth: In Genesis 16, the angel of the Lord promises to make Ishmael great. Look at the Hebrew carefully: The root normally translated as "hand" in this verse is yud-dalet (one of the few two letter roots of which I am aware, commonly (and in this case most appropriately) called a "seed"). Yud-dalet is also the same root as for all those "begats" in the genealogies (see "features" (pani), which is a more precise translation of the word "face"). It would be entirely reasonable to translate v16:12 as 'he will be a wild ass of a man and his penis will be in all and all in him and his features will be in every man and he will live in all of their tents...' which of course fits with the thinking of the pastoralists that wrote the Torah but not exactly with the priests who interpreted it later. Wild asses breed indiscriminately and hide from the light in the noon day sun (see the name of Irad in Cain's genealogy in Genesis 4).

Now, which angel of the Lord would allow a human to name him God? Hmmm? The interesting thing is the symmetry of these verses with the blessings G_d gave to Abraham. There, I've said enough to get myself in big trouble! ;-)

[Biggirl]

That passage from Genesis 16 also refers to “hand” or “hands” as well.

[GladesGuru]

For FReepers not familiar with Carry_Okie, his analysis of Hebrew and the Torah/Talmud was sufficient to cause substantial re-examination of what the words in Leviticus & Deuteronomy actually contain in terms of hard data. Turns out those words actually describe what happens when the Laws are/are not followed. Yes, they are applicable to social decision making regarding life in dry areas then and now.

In the specific issue of this thread, Carry’s taxonomic question should stimulate an array of responses. I have to beat feet to the Everglades ASAP, but I will be back on this one tonight. Should be interesting - - - ;-)