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Statement of belief: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word
is truth.” (John 17:17 KJV)
Updated 5928± 08 07 2024 [2007-10-20]
שׁנתים -
"Two years"
What does it mean?
- "Two full years" (as usually
translated)
OR
"one year plus" or “second year” - as
required for the passages to compute correctly
OR
plural of שׁנת "sleep?"
________________________
These are all (7) the biblical text passages:
1.
Gen
Gen
2.
Gen 41:1
ויהי
מקץ שׁנתים
ימים ופרעה
חלם והנה עמד
על־היאר׃
Gen 41:1 And it came to pass1961 at the end4480, 7093 of two full years,8141, 3117 that Pharaoh6547 dreamed:2492 and,
behold,2009 he
stood5975 by5921 the
river.2975
3.
Gen 45:6
כי־זה
שׁנתים הרעב
בקרב הארץ
ועוד חמשׁ
שׁנים אשׁר
אין־חרישׁ
וקציר׃
Gen 45:6 For3588 these2088 two years8141 hath the
famine7458 been in7130 the land:776 and yet5750 there are five2568 years,8141 in the which834 there shall neither369 be earing2758 nor
harvest.7105
4.
2Sa
2Sa
5.
Jer 28:3
בעוד
שׁנתים ימים אני
משׁיב
אל־המקום הזה
את־כל־כלי
בית יהוה אשׁר
לקח
נבוכדנאצר
מלך־בבל
מן־המקום הזה
ויביאם בבל׃
Jer 28:3 Within5750 two full years8141, 3117 will I589 bring again7725 into413 this2008
place4725 (853) all3605 the vessels3627 of
the LORD's3068
house,1004 that834
Nebuchadnezzar5019 king4428 of Babylon894 took
away3947 from4480 this2008 place,4725 and
carried935 them
to
6.
Jer 28:11
ויאמר
חנניה לעיני
כל־העם לאמר
כה אמר יהוה ככה
אשׁבר את־על
נבכדנאצר
מלך־בבל בעוד
שׁנתים ימים מעל־צואר
כל־הגוים וילך
ירמיה הנביא
לדרכו׃
Jer 28:11 And Hananiah2608 spoke559 in
the presence5869 of
all3605 the people,5971 saying,559 Thus3541 saith559 the
LORD;3068 Even so3602 will I break7665 (853) the yoke5923 of Nebuchadnezzar5019 king4428 of
Babylon894 from4480, 5921 the neck6677 of all3605
nations1471 within
the space of5750 two
full years.8141, 3117 And
the prophet5030
Jeremiah3414 went1980 his way.1870
7.
Amo 1:1 דברי
עמוס
אשׁר־היה
בנקדים מתקוע
אשׁר חזה על־ישׂראל
בימי עזיה
מלך־יהודה
ובימי ירבעם בן־יואשׁ
מלך ישׂראל שׁנתים
לפני הרעשׁ׃
Amo 1:1 The words1697 of
Amos,5986 who834 was1961 among the herdsmen5349 of Tekoa,4480, 8620
which834 he saw2372 concerning5921
Israel3478 in the days3117 of Uzziah5818 king4428 of Judah,3063 and
in the days3117 of Jeroboam3379 the son1121 of
Joash3101 king4428 of
Israel,3478 two
years8141
before6440 the
earthquake.7494
___________
Shilo Pocket
Dictionary
definitions:
שׁנית: for
the second time; again
שׁנימ: two
שׁתימ: two
שׁנת: sleep
שׁנת: notch
שׁנתי: yearly, annual
___________
Strong's Dictionary:
H8141
שׁנה
שׁנה
shâneh shânâh
shaw-neh', shaw-naw'
(The
first form being in plural only, the second form being feminine); from H8138; a year (as a
revolution of time): -
+ whole age, X long, + old, year (X -ly).
H8138
שׁנה
shânâh
shaw-naw'
A primitive root; to fold, that is, duplicate
(literally or figuratively (); by implication to transmute (transitively
or intransitively): - do (speak, strike) again, alter, double, (be given to)
change, disguise, (be) diverse, pervert, prefer, repeat, return, do the second
time.
H8150
שׁנן
shânan
shaw-nan'
A primitive root; to point (transitively
or intransitively); intensively to pierce;
figuratively to inculcate: - prick, sharp (-en), teach diligently, whet.
H8145
שׁני
shênîy
shay-nee'
From
H8138; properly double,
that is, second;
also adverbially again: - again, either [of them], (an-) other, second
(time).
H8147
שׁתּים שׁנים
shenayim shettayim
shen-ah'-yim, shet-tah'-yim
(The
first form being dual of H8145; the second form being feminine); two; also (as ordinal) twofold: - both, couple, double,
second, twain, + twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
H8127
שׁן
shên
shane'
From
H8150; a tooth (as sharp);
specifically (for H8143) ivory; figuratively a cliff: - crag,
X forefront, ivory, X sharp, tooth.
H8128
שׁן
shên
shane
(Chaldee);
corresponding to H8127; a tooth: - tooth.
H8129
שׁן
shên
shane
The
same as H8127; crag; Shen,
a palce in Palestine: - Shen.
H8130
שׂנא
śânê'
saw-nay'
A
primitive root; to hate
(personally): - enemy, foe, (be) hate (-ful, -r), odious, X utterly.
H8131
שׂנא
śenê'
sen-ay'
(Chaldee);
corresponding to H8130: - hate.
________
Compare
these words:
H8139
שׁנה
shenâh
shen-aw'
(Chaldee);
corresponding to H8142: - sleep.
H8140
שׁנה
shenâh
shen-aw'
(Chaldee);
corresponding to H8141: - year.
H8141
שׁנה
שׁנה
shâneh shânâh
shaw-neh', shaw-naw'
(The first
form being in plural only, the second form being feminine); from H8138; a year (as a revolution of time):
- + whole age, X long, + old, year (X
-ly).
H8142
שׁנא
שׁנה
shênâh shênâ'
shay-naw', shay-naw'
(The
second form used in Psa_127:2); from
H3462; sleep: - sleep.
H8153
שׁנת
shenâth
shen-awth'
From
H3462; sleep: - sleep.
H3462
ישׁן
yâshên
yaw-shane'
A
primitive root; properly to be slack or languid,
that is, (by implication) sleep (figuratively to die);
also to grow old, stale or inveterate: - old
(store), remain long, (make to) sleep.
H3463
ישׁן
yâshên
yaw-shane'
From
H3462; sleepy: - asleep,
(one out of) sleep (-eth, -ing), slept.
H3465
ישׁן
yâshân
yaw-shawn'
From
H3462; old: - old.
___________
What's
the common denominator in all these Hebrew words?
Isn't
it שׁן, tooth?
What
does a tooth do? How about:
-Divide
in two?
-Duplicate?
-
-Fold?
-Reduplicate?
-Revolution
in time?
Thus "two" is inherent in the word, is
it not?
What does sleep do?
Does it not divide one day from another?
What is a year if not a reduplication of seasons?
But, perhaps more importantly, does the dividing
of a period of time necessarily divide it into two complete entities, or may a
division occur before both periods of time have come to completion? I.e. do I
have to wait until the last, current, or second year has come to its completion
before I identify it in terms separating it from its predecessor, i.e. from the
prior year(s).
Similarly perhaps, do I have to completely
separate myself from my beloved family members before I may identify myself as
one, as unique, as me, myself, or I?
I.e. what is the meaning of the word "hate?"
___________
Let's look at some computations associated
with the word שׁנתים!
1.
Was Arphaxad born...
a) two full years after the end of the flood?
b) two full years after the beginning of the flood?
c) more than one full year after the end
of the flood?
d) in the second year after the end of the flood?
e) more than one full year after the beginning
of the flood?
f) in the second year after the beginning
of the flood?
Can it be determined which of the above, a-f, is
the one and only correct numerical translation, and with it, which is the only
one and the necessary meaning of the Hebrew word שׁנתים?
Gen 5:32 And Noah5146 was1961 five2568 hundred3967 years8141 old:1121 and
Noah5146 begot3205 (853) Shem,8035 (853) Ham,2526 and Japheth.3315
Gen 7:6 And Noah5146 was six8337 hundred3967 years8141 old1121 when
the flood3999 of
waters4325 was1961 upon5921 the
earth.776
Gen 11:10 These428 are the generations8435 of Shem:8035 Shem8035 was a hundred3967
years8141 old,1121 and begot3205 (853) Arphaxad775 two years8141 after310 the flood:3999
If Shem was "a hundred years old" one
hundred years after "Noah was five hundred years old..." when he,
Noah, "begot Shem," then Noah was six hundred years old when Shem was
one hundred years old, wasn't he?!
But then "Shem was a hundred years old"
while at the same time "Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of
waters was upon the earth," wasn't he?
It follows from the above that the event
described by the words "Shem... begot3205 (853) Arphaxad775 two years8141 after310 the flood"
is simultaneous with the event described: "when
the flood of waters was upon the earth," does it not?
Isn't this translation inconsistent with itself?
It is, isn't it!? Or else, how can Shem have been “a hundred years old… two
years after the flood?”
However, considering the further details given in
the text, i.e.:
Gen 7:11 In the six8337 hundredth3967 year8141 of Noah's5146 life,2416 in the second8145
month,2320 the seventeenth7651, 6240 day3117 of
the month,2320 the
same2320 day3117 were
all3605 the fountains4599 of the great7227 deep8415 broken up,1234 and
the windows699 of
heaven8064 were opened.6605
We notice that Noah was not yet 600 years old,
but 599 years old when the flood began. Likewise Shem was at that time not 100,
but 99 years old. The year following that one began when Noah became 600 years
old and Shem became 100 years old and "when
the flood of waters was upon the earth," did it not?
This same latter year is not "two
years8141
after310 the
flood" began or ended then, is it?
The question then remaining is:
Re (Gen. 7:6:)
i) Is it true that “the
flood of waters was upon the earth” more than one full year after
the beginning of the flood? (I.e. after
the 17th day of the 2nd month in the year following the
calendar year within which the flood began?)
OR,
ii) is it true that “the flood of waters was upon the earth” in the second year
after the beginning of the flood? (I.e. in Noah’s 602nd year of
life?)
OR ELSE,
iii) is it
true the “the flood of waters was upon the earth” in that year which
began upon the completion of the calendar year during which the flood
began? (I.e. that year which began within the
Seventh Month?)
Gen 7:11 In the six8337
hundredth3967 year8141 of Noah's5146
life,2416 in the second8145 month,2320 the seventeenth7651, 6240 day3117 of the month,2320 the
same2320 day3117 were
all3605 the fountains4599 of the great7227 deep8415 broken up,1234 and
the windows699 of
heaven8064 were opened.6605
Gen 8:13 And it
came to pass1961 in the six8337 hundredth3967 and first259 year,8141 in the first7223 month, the first259 day of the month,2320 the waters4325 were dried up2717 from off4480, 5921 the earth:776 and Noah5146
removed5493 (853) the covering4372 of the ark,8392 and
looked,7200 and,
behold,2009 the face6440 of the ground127 was dry.2717
Gen 8:14 And in the second8145 month,2320 on the seven7651 and twentieth6242 day3117 of
the month,2320 was the earth776 dried.3001
I find that the last options i) and ii) above are
false, whereas option iii) holds true! Thus our question above is resolved, and
the only viable answer is:
Arphaxad was born...
f) in the second year after the beginning
of the flood! (I.e. in that calendar year which
began upon the completion of the calendar year within which the flood began.)
In fact, because it is not really true that “the flood of waters was upon
the earth” (Gen 7:6) in the 1st month of the 601st year
while the same statement is true for the
7th month in the 600th year, it seems Gen 8:3-4, 13
may be evidence that Noah’s years were counted starting with (or within!) the 7th month, not with the 1st
month, doesn’t it?:
Gen 8:3 And the waters4325 returned7725 from
off4480, 5921 the earth776 continually:1980, 7725 and
after the end4480, 7097 of
the hundred3967 and
fifty2572 days3117 the
waters4325 were abated.2637
Gen 8:4 And the ark8392 rested5117 in the seventh7637 month,2320 on the seventeenth7651, 6240 day3117 of the month,2320 upon5921 the mountains2022 of Ararat.780
Gen 8:5 And the waters4325 decreased2637
continually1961, 1980
until5704 the tenth6224 month:2320 in
the tenth6224 month, on the first259 day of the month,2320 were
the tops7218 of
the mountains2022
seen.7200
Gen 8:13 And it came to pass1961 in the six8337 hundredth3967 and first259 year,8141 in the first7223 month, the first259 day of the month,2320 the waters4325 were dried up2717 from off4480, 5921 the earth:776 and Noah5146
removed5493 (853) the covering4372 of
the ark,8392 and
looked,7200 and,
behold,2009 the
face6440 of the ground127 was dry.2717
[A spin off study re the length of the year:
Consider Gen. 8:5, 6, 10, 12, and 13! Then add these time periods one by one: 10
months + 40 days + 1 day of action + 7 days + 1 day of action + 7 days =
completion of the year and the beginning of the 1st month of the
next year! But 40+1+7+1+7=56 and 56 days / 2 = 28 days. This is evidence for
the length of the month at that time being exactly 28 days (Notice: Exactly 4 x
7 days for each lunar month! Not as now when the lunar month is 29.5 days
long.) and at least that particular year of the flood being counted as 12
months long. It is important to recognize that the length of the months thus
recorded as 28 days long pertains to the situation after the flood, not
necessarily before or during the flood, and that the situation could have
changed during the flood in consequence of whatever the mechanism instrumental
in causing the flood. In fact, this detail of the story may represent a most
important record to take notice of! Additionally, I notice that the one sign of
the spring mentioned in the text is the olive leaf plucked off by the dove. How
does this sign correlate to the ripening of the aviv as a sign preceding the
beginning of the First Moon of the year per the instructions given us by Mose?]
2.
Next let's consider a second biblical usage of
the Hebrew word שׁנתים:
Gen 41:30 And there shall arise6965 after310 them
seven7651 years8141 of famine;7458 and
all3605 the plenty7647 shall be forgotten7911 in the land776 of
Egypt;4714 and the famine7458 shall consume3615 (853) the land;776
Gen 45:6 For3588 these2088 two years8141 hath the famine7458 been in7130 the
land:776 and yet5750 there are five2568 years,8141 in
the which834 there shall
neither369 be earing2758 nor
harvest.7105
Most people know that 2+5=7. Thus, we are left with three options:
a) These words by Joseph were spoken exactly at the beginning of the third year of
the years of famine, i.e. at sunset a few minutes before the New Moon crescent
was yet to be seen, if a Hebrew or Babylonian calendar was referenced by
Joseph, or else at sunrise of the Egyptian New Years day.
b) The above words by Joseph were spoken in
reference to the then current second
year of the famine.
Though option a) may be theoretically possible,
it is not likely, is it?
Option b), on the other hand, is perfectly
consistent with what is possible and likely in the real world, while also
consistent with the usage of the same word in Genesis chapters 5, 7, and 11
above, is it not? It is!
Thus, we have confirmation from within
Genesis itself that the Hebrew word שׁנתים, means not
"two full years" but "in the second year," or even more correctly,
in that calendar year that follows upon the completion of “the first year.”
____________
Consistent with the above, the passages
originally quoted above are probably more correctly translated as follows:
1.
Gen
Gen 11:10 These428 are the generations8435 of Shem:8035 Shem8035 was a
hundred3967
years8141 old,1121 and
begot3205 (853)
Arphaxad775 in the year following8141
after310 the beginning of the flood:3999
2.
Gen 41:1
ויהי
מקץ שׁנתים
ימים ופרעה
חלם והנה עמד
על־היאר׃
Gen 41:1 And it came to pass1961 following the tail end4480, 7093 of the completed first year,8141, 3117 that
Pharaoh6547
dreamed:2492 and,
behold,2009 he
stood5975 by5921 the
river.2975
3.
Gen 45:6
כי־זה
שׁנתים הרעב
בקרב הארץ
ועוד חמשׁ
שׁנים אשׁר
אין־חרישׁ
וקציר׃
Gen 45:6 For3588 this2088 second consecutive year8141 hath the
famine7458 been in7130 the land:776 and yet5750 there are five2568 years,8141 in the which834 there shall neither369 be earing2758 nor
harvest.7105
4.
2Sa
2Sa 14:28 So Absalom53
dwelt3427 until past
the completion of calendar year8141, 3117 in
5.
Jer 28:3
בעוד
שׁנתים ימים אני
משׁיב
אל־המקום הזה
את־כל־כלי
בית יהוה אשׁר
לקח
נבוכדנאצר
מלך־בבל
מן־המקום הזה
ויביאם בבל׃
Jer 28:3 Within5750 the next
calendar year8141, 3117 will
I589 bring again7725 into413 this2008 place4725 (853) all3605 the vessels3627 of the LORD's3068
house,1004 that834
Nebuchadnezzar5019 king4428 of Babylon894 took
away3947 from4480 this2008 place,4725 and
carried935 them
to
6.
Jer 28:11
ויאמר
חנניה לעיני
כל־העם לאמר
כה אמר יהוה ככה
אשׁבר את־על
נבכדנאצר מלך־בבל
בעוד שׁנתים
ימים מעל־צואר
כל־הגוים
וילך ירמיה
הנביא לדרכו׃
Jer 28:11 And Hananiah2608 spoke559 in
the presence5869 of
all3605 the people,5971 saying,559 Thus3541 saith559 the
LORD;3068 Even so3602 will I break7665 (853) the yoke5923 of Nebuchadnezzar5019 king4428 of
Babylon894 from4480, 5921 the neck6677 of all3605
nations1471 within5750 the next calendar year.8141, 3117 And the prophet5030 Jeremiah3414 went1980 his way.1870
7.
Amo 1:1 דברי
עמוס
אשׁר־היה
בנקדים מתקוע
אשׁר חזה על־ישׂראל
בימי עזיה
מלך־יהודה
ובימי ירבעם
בן־יואשׁ מלך
ישׂראל שׁנתים
לפני הרעשׁ׃
Amo 1:1 The words1697 of
Amos,5986 who834 was1961 among the herdsmen5349 of Tekoa,4480, 8620
which834 he saw2372 concerning5921
Israel3478 in the days3117 of Uzziah5818 king4428 of
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