Pinker, «On the Meaning of wy+m in Habakkuk 3,14a», Vol. 86 (2005) 376-386
In Hab 3,14a the minimal emendation
of wy+mb “with his staffs” into yw+mb “into the
spun of” is suggested. Hab 3,14 is perceived as describing God on His chariot
chasing the enemy’s fleeing horsemen, piercing the spun or braids at the back of
their head. These horsemen have previously much enjoyed the chase and the loot
when they attacked Judah.
On the Meaning of wyfm in Habakkuk 3,14a 383
symbol but also the actual source of his power and strength, which he lost
when it was cut off by the Philistines. Biblical evidence regarding the ryzn
(“Nazirite, or consecratedâ€) seems to indicate that some ‘holiness’ was
attached to long hair (Num 6,18). Some commentators found in this an
explanation for the tendency among warriors to grow their hair long (Deut
32,42; Jud 5,2). Hair symbolized not only strength (Jud 6, 17. 22) and virility
but also devotion to a goal. Fishbane raises the possibility of people believing
that pleated or bound hair in some magic way tie a person to his vow (42).
With regard to the hair-do itself it should been noted that the long hair in
the back must have be controlled in some way. Freely flowing long hair could
obviously impede a cavalryman’s fast movement and handicap a warrior’s
orientation. The stylized hair-do, in the various reliefs that have been
unearthed, indeed suggests that the mane of hair in the back of the head was
braided or curled into locks, or woven into one. A closely knitted mass of hair
would obviously provide for the neck some protection from the sun and
arrows. The Assyrian pointed (or conical) helmet had also neck protection (43).
Yadin observes “The most vulnerable part of the soldier in battle was his
head. And so the search for protection by means of some form of helmet goes
back to early times. ... The only improvements in the Eastern helmet were the
armored neckband, which protected the gap between the original helmet and
the coat of mail, a collar made of scalesâ€(44). It is not inconceivable that this
collar made of scales appeared as if spun.
The suggested minor emendation wyfmb => ywfmb (a transposition of two
very similar letters) can be readily understood as resulting from a scribe’s
subconscious harmonization with the form of the following wyzrp. hwfm, which
occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible (Exod 35,25), appears to mean there
“what had been spun†and the root hwf is applied to various materials,
including hair (Exod 35,26) (45). Though the form ywfm (construct state) does
not occur in the Hebrew Bible, similar forms do occur: yywam (Ps 140,9) and
ywdm (Deut 7,15). Making the suggested emendation obviates the need for
changing çar into a plural, since çar ywfmb would mean “into the spun(s) of
the head†= “into the spun of each of the headsâ€. Finally, the meaning of hwfm
“what had been spun†would very well fit the context of the verse here. It may
refer to the braids at the back of the head, the locks of hair, or the armored
neckband attached to the helmet, a collar made of scales. Each of these is in
the warrior’s back where he is most vulnerable — and there he is pierced.
Since a warrior would not normally expose his vulnerable side to an enemy,
it must be assumed that he has been defeated and is fleeing.
*
**
Obviously, even a reasonable interpretation of Hab 3,14a would remain
inconclusive without some contextual links to the verse and the text in which
(42) FISHBANE, “r[câ€, 331-332.
(43) D.J. WISEMAN, “The Assyriansâ€, Warfare in the Ancient World (ed. J. HACKETT)
(New York 1989) 45.
(44) YADIN, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, 15.
(45) In Akkadian t≤âmû (t≤âvû) means “spinâ€. The Arabic ÈË© means “fold, windâ€.