The Antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד in Ps. 133:2

Introduction

The Hebrew text of Psalm 133:2 reads as follows:

כַּשֶּׁ֤מֶן הַטּ֨וֹב ׀ עַל־הָרֹ֗אשׁ

יֹרֵ֗ד עַֽל־הַזָּקָ֥ן זְקַֽן־אַהֲרֹ֑ן

שֶׁ֝יֹּרֵ֗ד עַל־פִּ֥י מִדּוֹתָֽיו׃

The ESV translates this verse as follows:

It is like the precious oil on the head,

running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron,

running down on the collar of his robes!

In the ESV, as in the Hebrew text, the antecedent of 'running down' (שֶׁיֹּרֵד) in the third line is ambiguous. It could refer either to

1. the oil (v. 3a) (cf. NLT, NET, CEV, GNT, NEB/REB, HFA, NGÜ, GNB, BDS, PDV2017, FNC, S21, RVR95, NVI, DHH, BTX4), or to
2. the beard of Aaron (v. 3b).

Argument Maps

Oil (preferred)

Most translations, ancient and modern, claim that the antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד is the 'oil'. The NLT, for example, says, "the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe" (cf. NET, CEV, GNT, NEB/REB, HFA, NGÜ, GNB, BDS, PDV2017, FNC, S21, RVR95, NVI, DHH, BTX4).

 
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[Oil]: The antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד is 'oil.'
 + <Comparative כְּ>: "The comparative particle כְּ, 'like'... emphasizes 'the oil'" (Zenger 2011:470 :C:).
  <_ <Ellipsis of comparative כְּ>: "'Aaron's beard' is also a simile corresponding to the other two similes, differing only in ellipsis of the comparative particle כְּ" (Watson 1979:108 :A:). #dispreferred
   + <Line structure of vv. 2-3a>: The line structure of vv. 2-3a suggests that the the comparative particle כְּ is elided before the phrase 'Aaron's beard' (Watson 1979:108 :A:). #dispreferred
    + [vv. 2-3a]: Like sweet oil on one's head / flowing down over one's beard. / (Like) Aaron's beard / flowing down over the collar of his robes. / (And) like the dew of Hermon / flowing down over Zion's mountains." (Watson 1979:108 :A:). #dispreferred
    + <Ellipsis and simile>: "Ellipsis, common enough in poetry, is particularly a feature of simile" (Watson 1979:108 :A:). #dispreferred
   - <Not liquid>: "The similes in 133:2a and 133:3a are both liquids whereas the additional simile that Watson proposes in 133:2b is not" (Leow 2017:190 :A:).
   - <Dew/Oil>: "Oil and dew are an established word-pair. The insertion of a simile involving a beard between the word-pair clashes with the cohesiveness of the word-pair" (Leow 2017:190 :A:; cf. Fisher 1972:I,189-191).
 + <Ancient versions>: The ancient versions understood 'oil' as the antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד.
  + [Ancient versions]: LXX: μύρον... τὸ καταβαῖνον; Aquila: ἔλαιον... τὸ καταβαῖνον; Symmachus: τὸ μύρον... τὸ καταρρεῦσαν; Jerome: unguentum... quod descendit

Beard

Some interpreters have argued that the antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד is 'Aaron's beard.' This view is not clearly reflected in any of the translations consulted.

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[Beard]: The antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד is 'beard' (Hupfeld 1871 :C:; Baethgen 1904 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Line structure>: The line structure groups שֶׁיֹּרֵד together with 'Aaron's beard' as a single line. #dispreferred
  + <v. 2 line division>: The lines in v. 2 should be divided as follows: כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ / יֹרֵד עַל הַזָּקָן / זְקַן אַהֲרֹן / שֶׁיֹרֵד עַל פִּי מִדּוֹתָיו (Watson 1979 :A:; Tsumura 1980 :A:). #dispreferred
  - <Tricolon>: The verse consists of three lines, the first (head) line beginning with כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב and the second and third lines beginning with יֹרֵד and שֶׁיֹּרֵד respectively.
   + [Tricolon]: MT accents (cf. de Hoop and Sanders 2023 :A:); Gallican Psalter; cf. LXX which, although not a tricolon, still maintains a line division between Ααρον and το καταβαινον.
   - <Unusual juxtaposition>: "The use of the phrase עַל הַזָּקָן זְקַן אַהֲרֹן would be a very unusual juxtaposition of synonymous noun phrases... The partial repetition does make sense when the phrase is split across two lines and the repetition can be identified both as a form of 'terrace-pattern parallelism' and as 'expanded repeition'" (Stocks 2012:171 :M:). #dispreferred
 + <Sequence>: The 'beard of Aaron' immediately precedes שֶׁיֹּרֵד. #dispreferred
  <_ [Accents]: The 'beard of Aaron'  and שֶׁיֹּרֵד are separated by the strongest disjunctive accent in the verse (athnach): זְקַֽן־אַהֲרֹ֑ן.
 - <Beard 'going down'?>: "It is a bit equivocal whether in Classical Hebrew it was possible to speak of a beard 'coming down'—without moving—on the collar of one's robes" (Booij 2002:259 :A:; cf. Zenger 2011:470 :C:).
  <_ <Static objects 'going down'>: Static objects can be said to 'go down' in Classical Hebrew. #dispreferred
   + [Josh. 15:10]: "And the boundary circles west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passes along to the northern shoulder of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), and goes down (וְיָרַד) to Beth-shemesh and passes along by Timnah" (Josh. 15:10, ESV). #dispreferred
 - <No function>: "A statement on Aaron's beard would have no function at all in the comparison of v. 2, even less so since a beard 'coming down' on the collar of one's clothes was nothing special" (Booij 2002:259 :A:). 
  - <Intermediary and means>: The 'beard' functions as "an intermediary between the head and the clothes and the means by which the oil is supplied also to them" (Hupfeld 1871:351-2 :C:). #dispreferred
   + <Oil on the clothes>: The clothes of the priests also needed oil on them in order to become consecrated. #dispreferred
    + [Oil on the clothes]: Lev. 8:30; cf. Ex. 29:21. #dispreferred
  - <Priestly beards>: Priests had distinctively long beards. #dispreferred
   + [Lev. 21:5]: "Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards (וּפְאַ֥ת זְקָנָ֖ם לֹ֣א יְגַלֵּ֑חוּ) or cut their bodies" (Lev. 21:5, NIV). #dispreferred

Conclusion

In going with the majority of scholars and ancient and modern translations, we believe the subject of 'shored' in v. 2c is the anointing oil, introduced at the beginning of the verse. Although word order suggests that the immediately preceding referent, Aaron's beard, should be the subject--as well as some scholars' argument that because of a text emendation, the beard should be considered the third simile or piece of imagery in this psalm--this is overcome by the psalm's main theme of liquids flowing downward.

However, as with many instances of ambiguity in Hebrew poetry, it's possible that this ambiguity is intentional, and that the audience is meant to think of BOTH the oil flowing down AND the beard flowing down, as well. Though liquids are in focus in this psalm, the double mention of the beard in such a short poem suggests that it also plays an important role in the psalm's imagery. And since a beard can, figuratively speaking, flow down, it's safe to include the beard in the flowing imagery. This possibly intentional ambiguity is probably why many modern translations have chosen to translate in such a way that the ambiguity is preserved.

"The text is ambiguous, perhaps intentionally so, for, whichever option is chosen, the effect is to enhance and reinforce the image of 'flowing'. This is the dominant image in the poem and is also present in the next verse" (Berlin 1984:144).

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: ὡς μύρον ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς τὸ καταβαῖνον ἐπὶ πώγωνα, τὸν πώγωνα τὸν Ααρων, τὸ καταβαῖνον ἐπὶ τὴν ᾤαν τοῦ ἐνδύματος αὐτοῦ
  • "It is like perfume on the head, which descends upon a beard, the beard of Aaron, which descends upon the fringe of his clothing"
• Aquila: ὡς ἔλαιον ἀγαθὸν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς καταβαῖνον ἐπὶ τὸν πώγωνα τὸν πώγωνα Ἀαρὼν τὸ καταβαῖνον ἐπὶ στόμα ἐνδυμάτων αὐτοῦ
• Symmachus: ὡς τὸ μύρον τὸ κάλλιστον ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν καταρρέον ἐπὶ πώγωνα τὸν Ἀαρὼν τὸ καταρρεῦσαν ἐπὶ τὴν ὤαν τῶν περιμέτρων ἐνδυμάτων αὐτοῦ
• Peshitta: ܐܝܟ ܡܫܚܐ ܕܢܚܬ ܥܠ ܪܝܫܐ ܘܥܠ ܕܩܢܐ܂ ܕܩܢܗ ܕܐܗܪܘܢ ܕܢܚܬ ܥܠ ܒܪ ܨܘܪܐ ܕܟܘܬܝܢܗ܂
  • "It is like the oil that was running down on the head and on the beard—the beard of Aaron—that was running down on the collar of his coat."
• Targum: כמשח טב דמתרק על רישא נחית על דיקנא דיקניה דאהרן דנחית על אימרא דלבושוי׃
  • "(It is) like fine oil that is poured upon the head, running down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, that runs down upon the skirt of his garments."
• Jerome: sicut unguentum optimum in capite quod descendit in barbam barbam Aaron quod descendit super oram vestimentorum eius

Modern

Subject of 'shored' left ambiguous: could be the oil, could be the beard

ESV: It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!

NIV: It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down on the collar of his robe.

NRSV: It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.

NJB: It is like a fine oil on the head, running down the beard, running down Aaron's beard, onto the collar of his robes.

JPS 1985: It is like fine oil on the head running down onto the beard, the beard of Aaron, that comes down over the collar of his robe;

Luther 2017: Es ist wie das feine Salböl auf dem Haupte Aarons, / das herabfließt in seinen Bart, das herabfließt zum Saum seines Kleides,

ELB: Wie das edle Öl auf dem Haupt, das herabfließt auf den Bart, auf den Bart Aarons, der[1] herabfließt auf den Halssaum seiner Kleider.

EÜ: Es ist wie köstliches Salböl auf dem Haupt, / das hinabfließt auf den Bart, den Bart des Aaron, das hinabfließt auf den Saum seines Gewandes.

ZUR: Wie das köstliche Öl auf dem Haupt, das herabrinnt in den Bart, in den Bart Aarons, der herabwallt auf den Saum seiner Gewänder.

TOB: C'est comme "l'huile qui parfume la tete , v : et descend sur la barbe, sur la barbe d'Aaron, qui descend sur le col de son vêtements.

NBS: C'est comme le parfum répandu sur la tête, qui descend sur la barbe, sur la barbe d'Aaron, qui descend sur le bord de ses vêtements.

NVSR: C'est comme l'huile la meilleure qui, (répandue) sur la tête, descend sur la barbe, sur la barbe d'Aaron, qui descend sur le bord de ses vêtements.

Subject of 'shored' is clearly marked as the oil

NET: It is like fine oil poured on the head which flows down the beard--Aaron's beard, and then flows down his garments.

CEV: It is as beautiful as olive oil poured on Aaron's head and running down his beard and the collar of his robe.

GNT: It is like the precious anointing oil running down from Aaron's head and beard, down to the collar of his robes.

NLT: For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.

NEB/REB: It is fragrant as oil poured upon the head and falling over the beard, Aaron's beard, when the oil runs down over the collar of his vestments.

HFA: Das ist so wohltuend wie das duftende Öl, mit dem der Priester Aaron gesalbt wurde und das vom Kopf herunterrann in seinen Bart, bis hin zum Halssaum seines Gewandes.

NGÜ: Es ist wie das kostbare Salböl, das über das Haupt gegossen wird und das sogar noch herabfließt auf den Bart[3], so wie das Öl herabrann auf den Bart des Hohenpriesters Aaron und hinunter auf den Halssaum seines Gewandes

GNB: Das ist wie das gute, duftende Öl, aufs Haar des Priesters Aaron gegossen, das hinunterrinnt in seinen Bart bis zum Halssaum seines Gewandes.

BDS: C’est comme l’huile parfumée répandue sur la tête, qui descend sur la barbe, la barbe d’Aaron, et coule jusqu’au bord de ses habits.

PDV: C’est comme l’huile parfumée sur la tête d’Aaron, qui descend jusqu’à sa barbe, jusqu’au bord de ses vêtements.

NFC: C'est comme le parfum de l'huile précieuse versée sur la tête du grand-prêtre Aaron ; elle descend sur sa barbe, puis jusqu'au col de son vêtement.

S21: C’est comme l’huile précieuse versée sur la tête qui descend sur la barbe, sur la barbe d’Aaron, et sur le col de ses vêtements.

NRV95:Es como el buen óleo sobre la cabeza, el cual desciende sobre la barba, la barba de Aarón, y baja hasta el borde de sus vestiduras;

NVI: Es como el buen aceite que, desde la cabeza, va descendiendo por la barba, por la barba de Aarón, hasta el borde de sus vestiduras.

DHH: Es como el buen perfume que corre por la cabeza de los sacerdotes y baja por su barba hasta el cuello de su ropaje.

BTX4: Es como el buen oleo sobre la cabeza, el cual desciende sobre la barba, la barba de Aaron, y baja hasta el borde de sus vestiduras.

Secondary Literature

Allen, Leslie. 1983. Psalms 101-150. Vol. 21. Word Biblical Commentary. Waco: Word Books.

Baethgen, Friedrich. 1904. Die Psalmen. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht.

Berlin, Adele. 1987. “On the Interpretation of Psalm 133.” In Directions in Biblical Hebrew Poetry, edited by Elaine R. Follis, 141ff. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. Supplement Series, 40. Sheffield, England: JSOT Press.

Booij, Thijs. 2002. “Psalm 133: ‘Behold, How Good and How Pleasant.’” Biblica 83 (2): 258–67.

Gunkel, Hermann. 1926. Die Psalmen. 4th ed. Göttinger Handkommentar Zum Alten Testament 2. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. 2011. Psalms 3: A Commentary on Psalms 101-150. Edited by Klaus Baltzer. Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress.

Keel, Othmar. 1976. “Kultische Brüderheit.” Freiburger Zeitschrift für Philosophie und Theologie 23: 68–80.

Ruah, Sigismund. 1907. “Hebräisches Familienrecht in Vorprophetischer Zeit.” Berlin: Friedrich Wilhelms Universität.

Theodoret, and Robert C. Hill. 2001. Commentary on the Psalms. The Fathers of the Church, a New Translation, v. 101-102. Washington, D.C: Catholic University of America Press.

References

133:2