Biblical Archaeology Review is the flagship publication of the Biblical Archaeology Society. For more than 40 years it has been making the world of archaeology in the lands of the Bible come alive for the interested layperson. Full of vivid images and articles written by leading scholars, this is a must read for anyone interested in the archaeology of the ancient Near East.
Donkeys get little to no respect. They are the popular embodiment of stubbornness and stupidity, and people of many languages invoke them as an insult. Its alternative appellation, ass, can hardly be helpful in improving the donkey’s image.
We’ve all heard the expression “apple of his eye,” but few people know that the phrase is actually from the Bible. Well, sort of.
The idiom comes from the 1611 King James translation of the Hebrew Bible, where it appears four times. The problem is that in none of these four instances in the KJV is the Hebrew word for “apple” ever used. Instead, two words for “pupil” are used, which if you think about it makes far more sense.
The question of whether Hebrew has vowels is a tricky one because it requires a distinction between spoken and written language. All spoken languages are composed of sounds generated in part by breathing, and linguists designate unrestricted air flowing over the vocal tract resulting in audible sounds as vowels. Thus, all spoken languages have vowels. But vowels weren’t always represented in ancient writing.
So the question is: Did Hebrew have vowels in its written alphabet?
