Suggested Etymology of Š-B-R
Meaning to Purchase Grain or Ration Grain
By
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Examples of this root are Gn 4714; Gn 423; Gn 4157 422.5 Is
551b. It is found both as a noun and verb.
According to HALOT the verb
is derived from the noun and “originally referring to breaking off a piece of
silver to make a purchase.” i.e. it is derived from the common root SH-B-R.
Regarding the noun HALOT
states
“the etymology of the sbst. is uncertain; according to its form it is more likely to be
derived from a verb than to be taken as a primary noun”. It’s first meaning
is given as “grain, including its function as an item of trade”
I
wonder whether anyone had considered that the root might be a shaphel form based on the noun bar = grain i.e.
literally “to make grain”. In fact, as noted in HALOT, it is once used with bar
(Gn 42:3). As
a shafel it would closely compare with the root ‘kl
|
‘okhel
= food |
bar = grain |
|
|
šeber = marketed grain |
|
Verb in qal = eat |
Verb in qal = buy grain |
|
Verb in hiphil = feed
another person |
Verb in hiphil = to offer grain for sale |