Biblica - Vol 91 (2010) Rulmu, Callia, Between Ambition and Quietism: the Socio-political Background of 1 Thessalonians 4,9-12 (2010)

Assuming the Christian group of Thessalonica to be a professional voluntary association of hand-workers (probably leatherworkers), this paper argues that 1 Thessalonians in general, and especially the injunction to «keep quiet» (4,11), indicates Paul’s apprehension regarding how Roman rulers, city dwellers, and Greek oligarchies would perceive an association converted to an exclusive cult and eager to actively participate in the redistribution of the city resources. Paul, concerned about a definite practical situation rather than a philosophically or even theologically determined attitude, delivered precise counsel to the Thessalonians to take a stance of political quietism as a survival strategy.

Biblica - Vol 90 (2009) Reymond, E.D., The Hebrew Word hmmd and the Root d-m-m I ('To Be Silent') (2009)

The definition of the Hebrew word hmmd (found in Biblical as well as in Dead Sea Scrolls Hebrew) has been debated for many years. Recent dictionaries and studies of the word have proposed defining it as “sighing” or “whisper” and deriving it from the root d-m-m II associated with mourning and/or moaning. This study considers how the word is used in the Bible, in the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as how similar words are used in other post-biblical Hebrew and Aramaic texts; it concludes that the word hmmd is more likely to mean “silence, quiet” or the absence of loud sound and motion in both the Hebrew of the Bible and that of the Dead Sea Scrolls and should be derived from the root d-m-m I (“to be silent”).

Biblica - Vol 92 (2011) Loiseau, Anne-Françoise, Note sur la traduction araméenne de 1 R 19,12. (2011)

Why has the Aramaic translator rendered the mysterious «sound of subdued silence» (hqd hmmd lwq) in 1 Kgs 19:12 by «the sound of those (= the angels) praising quietly» (y#Oxb Nyxb#Omd lq)? It can be that, with the root Mmd «to be silent, quiet» in front of him, the meturguman has thought of the synonym I xb#O «to calm» and from there has «skipped» to the (mainly Aramaic) homonym II xb#O «to praise». This connection between Mmd and I xb#O + II xb#O would thus explain the Aramaic translation, which in its own peculiar way stays quite close to its Hebrew model.