Kidneys and the re'em was Re: Character Discussion: Ron/Fred and George

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 126480


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Hans Andréa 
<ibotsjfvxfst at y...> wrote:

> Hans now:
> Thanks for that interesting point, Geoff. I took the liberty of 
changing "reins" into "kidneys" as I didn't think
many members of HPfGU would know that word. Renes is the 
Latin word for kidneys and we can see how we get the words 
"adrenals" from that (ad = to).
> 
> I also notice that many Bible translations omit the word 
"unicorn" and substitute "buffalo". If there's a
Biblical scholar amongst us I'd be interested to know how such 
important (to me) differences can arise.
> 

Pippin:
I don't claim to be a Biblical scholar but maybe I can shed a little 
light on this. According to a note  in Tanakh, the English 
translation of the Hebrew scripture prepared by the Jewish 
Publication Society, the literal meaning of the phrase in Psalm 
26 is "kidneys and heart" . The text uses "heart and mind." I could 
add that 'kidney" has also been used figuratively in English to 
mean temperament or nature, as "a gentleman of that kidney."

As for the unicorn, in seven different places, the Hebrew 
scripture refers to an animal called the re'em. Even in ancient 
times, no one was sure what it was, though from its description 
it was large, fierce, and horned. The Greek translation 
known as the Septuagint  used the term monoceros, later 
Latinized as unicorn. Modern scholars think the re'em was some 
kind of buffalo that was already extinct when the Bible was first 
translated. Of course we know better, since FBAWTFT tells us 
that the re'em are actually giant oxen with golden hides.

Pippin, pleased to have found a canon point to hang this 
explanation on.