The Antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד in Ps. 133:2

Back to Psalm 133

Introduction

The Masoretic Text of Psalm 133:2 reads as follows:

כַּשֶּׁ֤מֶן הַטּ֨וֹב ׀ עַל־הָרֹ֗אשׁ

יֹרֵ֗ד עַֽל־הַזָּקָ֥ן זְקַֽן־אַהֲרֹ֑ן

שֶׁ֝יֹּרֵ֗ד עַל־פִּ֥י מִדּוֹתָֽיו׃

The antecedent of שֶׁ in the third line has received different interpretations, as illustrated by the NET and KJV:

• "It is like fine oil poured on the head which flows down the beard—Aaron's beard, and then flows down his garments." (NET)
• "It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard that went down to the skirts of his garments." (KJV)

The NET reads the antecedent of שֶׁ as the oil (v. 3a), whereas the KJV seems to understand the relative particle to modify the immediately preceding phrase beard of Aaron (v. 3b). We survey these two possibilities below.

Argument Maps

Oil (preferred)

The relative particle שֶׁ in the third line of Ps 133:3 modifies the oil from the first line, as the NET's "It is like fine oil poured on the head which flows down the beard—Aaron's beard, and then flows down his garments" (NET).

 
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[Oil]: The antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד is "oil" (Goldingay 2006 :C:).
 + <Participle יֹרֵד>: The second instance of the participle יֹרֵד most naturally has the same antecedent as the same word יֹרֵד that occurs at the beginning of the previous line.
 + <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
 - <Oil for head only>: The anointing oil "must not flow down upon the holy garments, but was only intended for the hair, from that of the head to that of the long beard" (Hengstenberg 1860, 468 :C:). #dispreferred
  - <Oil for garments>: Sacred oil could touch the garments. Indeed, it was necessary to consecrate the garments (cf. Hupfeld 1871, 351-2 :C:).
   + [Oil for garments]: Lev 8:30; cf. Exod 29:21. 

Beard

The relative particle שֶׁ in the third line of Ps 133:3 modifies the phrase Aaron's beard, as possibly reflected in the KJV: "It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard that went down to the skirts of his garments" (KJV).

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[Beard]: The antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד is "beard" (Allen 2002, 277 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <11Q5>: The version of this psalm in the Qumran text 11Q5 has the consonants שירד for the word in question (qatal: "which came down"), whereas it has יורד ("coming down") and שיורד ("which is coming down") in vv. 2a and 3a, respectively. The different form in this instance (qatal instead of participle) suggests that the word funcions differently than in the previous instance; it has a different antecedent: "the beard of Aaron, which went down..." #dispreferred
  + [11Q5]: כשמן הטוב על הרואש יורד על הזקן זקן אהרון שירד על פי מדין #dispreferred
 + <Verse structure>: The poetic structure of the verse groups שֶׁיֹּרֵד together with 'Aaron's beard'. #dispreferred
  + <v. 2 structure>: Verse 2 is structured 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 2022 :A:); cf. LXX which, although not a tricolon, still maintains a line division between Ααρον and το καταβαινον.
 + <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:).
  <_ <Fictive motion>: Static objects have verbs of movement in their predicate in Biblical Hebrew, just as in many other languages. #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
 - <Unclear 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:; cf. Goldingay 2006, 566 :C:). 
 - <Liquids>: V. 3 also describes the descent of a liquid, such that the downward movement of liquid makes the best sense in v. 2.

Conclusion (A-)

The antecedent of שֶׁ in שֶׁיֹּרֵד of the third line in Ps 133:2 is best understood as the oil. The comparison with a liquid, such as oil (v. 2), makes more sense followed by the comparison of dew in v. 3 than the passing reference to Aaron's beard. This interpretation is also supported by ancient and modern versions with gender agreement disambiguate the antecedent, such that if possible in translation, such clarity should be likewise pursued.

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.
  • "It is like good oil on the head, going down onto the beard, the beard of Aaron, which goes down onto the mouth of his garments."
• Symmachus: ὡς τὸ μύρον τὸ κάλλιστον ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν καταρρέον ἐπὶ πώγωνα τὸν Ἀαρὼν τὸ καταρρεῦσαν ἐπὶ τὴν ὤαν τῶν περιμέτρων ἐνδυμάτων αὐτοῦ.
  • "It is like the best perfume on the head, flowing down onto the beard, that of Aaron, which flows upon the edge of the circumference of his garment."
• 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.
  • "Like good oil on the head which goes down onto the beard, the beard of Aron, which goes down over the edges of his garment."

Modern

Ambiguous antecedent

TOB: C'est comme "l'huile qui parfume la tete, 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.

Beard as antecedent

CEB: It is like expensive oil poured over the head, running down onto the beard—Aaron’s beard!—which extended over the collar of his robes. (CEB; cf. KJV, NJPS)

ELB: Wie das (neut.) edle Öl auf dem Haupt, das (neut.) herabfließt auf den Bart, auf den (masc.) Bart Aarons, der (masc.) herabfließt auf den Halssaum seiner Kleider. (cf. ZÜR)

Oil as antecedent

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

RVC: Es como el buen perfume que resbala por la cabeza de Aarón, y llega hasta su barba y hasta el borde de sus vestiduras.

Secondary Literature

Allen, Leslie. 2002. Psalms 101-150. Dallas: Word Incorporated.

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.

Goldingay, John. 2006. Psalms 90-150. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Hengstenberg, Ernst Wilhelm. 1863. Commentary on the Psalms. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark.

Hupfeld, Hermann. 1871. Die Psalmen. Vol. 4. Gotha: F.A. Perthes.

Tsumura, David. 1980. “Sorites in Psalm 133, 2-3a.” Biblica 61: 416–17.

Watson, W. G. E. 1979. “The Hidden Simile in Psalm 133.” Biblica 60: 108–9.

References

133:2