Exegetical Issue—Hunter

Introduction

The Hebrew text of Ps. 19:4 reads as follows:

אֵֽין־אֹ֭מֶר וְאֵ֣ין דְּבָרִ֑ים

בְּ֝לִ֗י נִשְׁמָ֥ע קוֹלָֽם׃

Consider the following two translations of this verse:

• They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. (NIV)
• There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. (ESV)

There are two ways to understand the syntax of v. 4b:

1. as an independent clause
2. as a relative clause

Argument Maps

Independent Clause

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    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Independent]: Verse 4b is an independent clause.
 + <name of argument>: argument here
  + <evidence for argument>: E.g. Pss

Relative Clause

===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Main point title]: Main point.
 + <Supporting argument title>: Type supporting argument here (Author Date:Page :C:).
  + <Supporting statement title>: Type supporting statement here (Author Date:Page :G:).
   + [Supporting evidence title]: List supporting evidence here.
  <_ <Undercutting statement title>:Type undercutting statement here (Author Date:Page :C:).#dispreferred
  - <Refuting statement title>:Type refuting statement here (Author Date:Page :C:; Author Date:Page :A:).#dispreferred

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: οὐκ εἰσὶν λαλιαὶ οὐδὲ λόγοι, ὧν οὐχὶ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναὶ αὐτῶν
  • "There are no conversations, nor are there words, the articulations of which are not heard."
• Aquila: οὐκ ἔστι λόγος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι ῥήματα, οὗ μὴ ἀκουσθῇ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ
• Symmachus: οὐ ῥήσεσιν, οὐδὲ λόγοις, ὧν οὐκ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναί
• Jerome (iuxta Hebr.): non est sermo et non sunt verba quibus non audiatur vox eorum
• Targum: לית מימר דתורעמתא ולית מילי דשגושא דלא משתמע קלהון
  • "There is no word of commotion, nor are there words of confusion, and their voice is not heard."
• Peshitta: ܠܝܬ ܡܐܡܪܐ ܐܦ ܠܐ ܡ̈ܠܐ܂ ܕܠܐ ܢܫܬܡܥ ܒܩܠܗܘܢ
  • "There is no speech or words, for their voice is not heard."

Modern

v. 4b as independent clause

• They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. (NIV)
• They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.(NLT)
• They don't speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. (CEV)
• No speech or words are used, no sound is heard; (GNT)
• There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. (NET)
• and this without speech or language or sound of any voice. (REB)
• There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; (NRSV)
• No utterance at all, no speech, not a sound to be heard, (NJB)
• ohne Sprache und ohne Worte; unhörbar ist ihre Stimme. (LUT)
• Dies alles geschieht ohne Worte, ohne einen vernehmlichen Laut. (HFA)
• Sie tun es ohne Worte, kein Laut und keine Stimme ist zu hören. (NGÜ)
• ohne Rede und ohne Worte, mit unhörbarer Stimme. (ELB)
• ohne Rede und ohne Worte, ungehört bleibt ihre Stimme. (EÜ)
• Kein Wort wird gesprochen, kein Laut ist zu hören (GNB)
• ohne Sprache, ohne Worte, mit unhörbarer Stimme. (ZÜR)
• Ce n'est pas un récit, il n'y a pas de mots, leur voix ne s'entend pas. (TOB)
• Ce n'est pas un langage, ce ne sont pas des paroles, on n'entend pas leur voix. (NBS)
• Ce n'est pas un langage, ce ne sont pas des paroles, Leur voix n'est pas entendue. (NVS78P)
• Ce ne sont pas des paroles, ╵ce ne sont pas des discours, ni des voix qu’on peut entendre. (BDS)
• Ce n’est pas un discours, il n’y a pas de paroles, aucun son ne se fait entendre. (PDV2017)
• Ce n'est pas un discours, ce ne sont pas des mots, l'oreille n'entend aucun son. (NFC)
• Ce n’est pas un langage, ce ne sont pas des paroles, on n’entend pas leur son. (S21)
• No hay lenguaje ni palabras ni es oída su voz. (RVR95)
• Sin palabras, sin lenguaje, sin una voz perceptible, (NVI)
• Aunque no se escuchan palabras ni se oye voz alguna, (DHH94I)
• Donde no hay lenguaje ni idioma, La voz de Ellos no es para ser oída, (BTX4)

v. 4b as relative clause

• There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. (ESV)
• There is no utterance, there are no words, whose sound goes unheard. (JPS85)