Radak’s Awareness of the Use of Ambiguous Expressions in the Bible

The assertion that a strategy of equivocation is employed in the Bible has long been acknowledged in scholarly circles. This paper is concerned with ascertaining the extent to which R. David Kimhi (Radak, 1160–1235) was cognizant of this technique. The accepted view holds that the biblical exegetes of the medieval era lacked a broad awareness of the intentional use of ambiguity as a literary device. However, a thorough examination of all of Radak’s biblical commentaries reveals numerous instances in which he identifies the deliberate use of ambiguous expressions.