Hebrew homonyms?

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Seamus_Sully

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I know that the following is hard to understand, but that is the best that I can ask those questions.

From Origen’s book on the Song of Songs pp. 25-26
“The thing we want to demonstrate about these things is that the Divine Scriptures make use of homonyms; that is to say, they use identical terms for describing different things. And they even go so far as to call the members of the outer man by same names as the parts and dispositions of the inner man; and not only are the same terms employed, but the things themselves are compared with one another.”

If Origen is correct, how often does does this happen?

Concerning the plagues in Egypt: frogs, gnats, blood, are these homonyms? And if they are (any of the plagues) what are the other options for translation?

Also, if different vowels are used, could there be other translations?

Also, from a biblical point of view, what was the nature of the slavery in Egypt? The reason I ask, the Jewish slaves owned cattle and other things.

Well, if there are some answers out there, thanks!
 
I don’t think this is the use of homonyms exactly but it is really interesting.

Pharaoh is punished, his nation put under judgment, for failing to respect the rights of God’s first-born son.

Pharaoh makes the big mistake of mocking the power of the Moses’ God (see Exodus 5:2). In the ten plagues God visits upon him, He both punishes punishes Pharaoh and executes judgment on the Egyptians’ many gods (see Exodus 12:12; Numbers 33:4):
  • The Egyptian Nile god, Hapi, is rebuked by the plague of blood on the Nile (see Exodus 7:14-25).
  • Heket, the frog goddess, is mocked by the plague of frogs (see Exodus 8:1-15).
  • The bull god, Apis, and the cow goddess Hathor, are reviled by the plague on the livestock (see Exodus 9:1-7).
  • And the plague of darkness is a rebuke to the sun god, Re (see Exodus 10:21-23).
Scholars believe that each of the plagues can be linked to specific Egyptian deities. Even the final plague that strikes the first-born of Egypt can also be seen as an attack on the political gods of Egypt, because Pharaoh was worshipped as divine and his sons were “divinized” in special ceremonies.

By these divine actions, worked through Moses, God was demonstrating His power - establishing that Israel’s God is “a deity great beyond any other” (see Exodus 18:11; 9:16; 11:9).

salvationhistory.com/online/intermediate/class1_lesson4_1.cfm#c.%20Plaguing%20Pharaoh
 
Seamus_Sully said:
From Origen’s book on the Song of Songs pp. 25-26
“The thing we want to demonstrate about these things is that the Divine Scriptures make use of homonyms; that is to say, they use identical terms for describing different things. And they even go so far as to call the members of the outer man by same names as the parts and dispositions of the inner man; and not only are the same terms employed, but the things themselves are compared with one another.”

If Origen is correct, how often does does this happen?

Concerning the plagues in Egypt: frogs, gnats, blood, are these homonyms? And if they are (any of the plagues) what are the other options for translation?

Also, if different vowels are used, could there be other translations?

Also, from a biblical point of view, what was the nature of the slavery in Egypt? The reason I ask, the Jewish slaves owned cattle and other things.
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Seamus, there’s quite a disconnect between Exodus and the Song of Songs. Homonym is certainly a literary device that the writers would have made use of, but I don’t really see the logic of you jumping from one book to the other.
 
I think Origen was talking more along the lines of using the word “heart” to refer to the human will, etc. No need to read too much into things.
 
Spirithound, thank you!

In simple terms: Are there homonyms in Hebrew?

If there are: Are there lists?

Again, thanks!
 
dacoobob

I want to thank you for your help.

I am not a scholar.

I have read a great deal of Origen.

From what I am able to discern, he sees the physical parts of man as being named after or from the interior of man.

Some examples: hear, see, touch smell and eat and drink.

Jesus says: “My food is to do the WILL of My FATHER.” I think Origen would say, we eat and drink His food when we love. He gives His food to us in the form of His love.

I do not have any books with me, therefore I cannot quote Origen.

Again, I am not a scholar. I realize that I could be incorrect.

Again, thanks!
 
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