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 is slightly ambiguous, but seems to understand the relative particle to modify the immediately-preceding 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."
 + <Participle יֹרֵד>: The second instance of the participle יֹרֵד most naturally possesses the same antecedent as the previous יֹרֵד as 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 Aaron's beard, as possibly reflected in the KJV's "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'. #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 repetition'" (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. Exod 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

The antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד is probably the oil, as most translations, ancient and modern, have recognized. The comparison with 'oil' (v. 2), parallel to the comparison of 'dew' (v. 3) is more salient in the context than the passing reference to 'Aaron's beard' and is, therefore, the most likely antecedent of שֶׁיֹּרֵד. The idea that anointing oil was not supposed to touch the garments is unfounded (cf. Exod 29:21; Lev 8:30).

It is also possible, however, that the ambiguity of the antecedent is intentional, and that the audience is meant to think of both the oil flowing down and the beard flowing down.

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

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.

'Oil' as antecedent

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

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.

Fisher, Loren R. 1972. Ras Shamra Parallels: The Texts from Ugarit and the Hebrew Bible. Analecta Orientalia 49. Pontificium institutum biblicum.

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

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

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.

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

Leow, Wen-Pin. 2017. “A Cognitive Reading of the Metaphors of Psalm 133.” Tyndale Bulletin 68 (2): 185–202.

Stocks, Simon P. 2012. The Form and Function of the Tricolon in the Psalms of Ascents; Introducing a New Paradigm for Hebrew Poetic Line-Form. Eugene: Pickwick.

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