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From Psalms: Layer by Layer
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Furthermore, in v. 3c, the MT has '''בְּלֵב יַמִּים''' ("in the heart of... ", singular), but the LXX has ἐν καρδίαις θαλασσῶν (“in hearts of seas”). This could be a case of harmonization with the plural form of "seas." The plural יַמִּים is taken here as amplified, i.e., representing an extremely deep sea.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' Note also that v. 4 uses 3ms suffixes in relation to the seas (“its”; i.e., “its waters,” “its swelling”). +
In our translation, v. 4 is rendered as "Though its waters foam in rage. Though mountains quake at its surging." In v. 4a, the two verbs '''יהמו יחמרו''' are taken as a serial verb construction, i.e., “a sequence of verbs which act together as a single predicate. Serial verbs are always monoclausal and are pronounced as a single verb would be. The components of a serial verb construction share tense, aspect, modality, reality status, evidentiality, mood, and also polarity values. A serial verb construction typically refers to what can be conceptualized as one event, and one recognizable event type, in terms of cultural stereotypes available to the speakers. Serial verbs tend to share at least one argument. An overwhelming majority of serial verbs have a single overall argument structure, with the subjects, objects and obliques belonging to the whole construction.”'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' These verbal forms (and clauses) are then taken as a semantic continuation of the events of the infinitival clauses in v. 3.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' +
'''v. 3''' – For the alternative emendation כָּלוּ "they were consumed" in place of the MT's בָּלוּ "they wasted away," see the numerous manuscripts listed both in VTH (330) and de-Rossi (vol. 4, 23), perhaps influenced by Ps 31:11 (see the phrase-level note). +
'''v. 3''' – The initial כִּי in these verses, preceding the main clause, indicates the presupposition of its content ➞ "since, when," (cf. Gen 3:14). Note the same grammaticalization in English "since," developing a causal sense from the temporal sense. Similarly, "In some contexts %5Bof כִּי%5D it is not clear whether a temporal or causal relation is involved" (BHRG 434, n. 66). +
'''v. 4''' – The כִּי at the beginning of this verse grounds the entire content of v. 3 (see, e.g. the intentional choices in Targum Psalms, Jerome, and Symmachus).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"' +
'''v. 4''' – For the alternative emendation כְּ "like" in place of the MT's בְּ "in, by," see Symmachus, Sexta, Targum Psalms, and the Peshitta. While the sense of the clause requires a comparison (as would be communicated by כְּ), often either בְּ or כְּ are employed to fulfill the role of both (cf. Ps 95:8), and there is no textual evidence for כְּ in any Hebrew manuscripts. +
'''v. 4''' – Due to the paucity of לָשָׁד in the Bible (appearing only here and Num 11:8), the majority of the ancient versions (see the LXX—cf. Vulgate, Origen's ''Quinta'', CPA Psalms—Jerome's ''Iuxta Hebraeos'', Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion) understand the ל to be an independent preposition followed by the noun שֹׁד "destruction, wretchedness," and provide a first-person verb. This interpretation involves the common construction נהפך ל "to become" (see, e.g., Exod 7:15, 17, 20; Lev 13:16, 17; 1 Sam 10:16; Isa 34:9; 63:10; Jer 30:6; Joel 3:4; Job 30:21; 41:20; Lam 5:15). Nevertheless, in this case, the MT's ''qatal'' נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ would need to be revocalized to a participle נֶהְפָּךְ in order to accommodate the first-person verb (as indicated in the alternative diagram above). Further, as pointed out by Barthélemy (2005, 186), the difficulty to account for the suffix ִי on the MT's לְשַׁדִּ֑י is highly problematic for this reading (see, e.g., Jerome's attempt with ''versatus sum in miseria mea'' "I was transformed in my misery"),'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' as is the questionable function of a predicative participle נֶהְפָּךְ following YHWH as the agent of the previous clause—minimally we would expect a personal pronoun "I" to accompany such a predicative participle. Targum Psalms retains the MT's syntax,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' whose difficulty is more lexical than grammatical (see the lexical notes for full discussion). +
'''v. 4''' – For the alternative emendation "when a thorn pierced me," see the LXX, which has read קוֹץ "thorn" for the MT's קַיִץ and, judging by the consonantal text, understood חר׳׳ב as a verb relating to a sword (though ἐμπήγνυμι most typically translates טבע—see Pss 9:16; 68:3, 15; Lam 2:9), such as found in Jer 50:21, 27. +
'''v. 4''' – For the alternative emendation "when a thorn pierced me," see the LXX, which has read קוֹץ "thorn" for the MT's קַיִץ and, judging by the consonantal text, understood חר׳׳ב as a verb relating to a sword (though ἐμπήγνυμι most typically translates טבע—see Pss 9:16; 68:3, 15; Lam 2:9), such as found in Jer 50:21, 27. +
'''v. 5''' – The revocalization of עֲלֵ֣י פְ֭שָׁעַי "concerning my sin" to עָלַי פְ֭שָׁעַי "against me my sin" reflects the LXX's κατʼ ἐμοῦ τὴν ἀνομίαν μου,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' which results in פְ֭שָׁעַי being read as the direct object: "I will declare to the Lord, against myself, my lawlessness," NETS). +
'''v. 5''' – The LXX, Jerome, and Aquila provide a singular noun for the MT's פְ֭שָׁעַי "my transgressions," reflected in the revocalization פִשְׁעִי. +
'''v. 7''' – The incorporation of מִצַּ֪ר into the first phrase, with תִּ֫צְּרֵ֥נִי modifying it as an asyndetic relative clause, reflects the LXX (cf. Symmachus).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' Nevertheless, the negative use of נצ׳׳ר as "watch" (maliciously) is not well attested, if at all, while צַר is masculine, so should not occur with the (presumably) third-person feminine verb תִּ֫צְּרֵ֥נִי. Thus, this reading is dispreferred.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"' Our preferred clausal division is also supported by the added conjunction in the Peshitta "You have sheltered me '''and''' you have protected me from my enemies" (ܐܢܬ ܣܬܪܝܢܝ '''ܘ'''ܡܢ ܒ̈ܥܠܕܒܒܝ ܢܛܪܝܢܝ). +
'''v. 7''' – For the interpretation of the MT's רָנֵּ֥י "songs/shouts of" as the vocative רָנִי "my joy," see the LXX's τὸ ἀγαλλίαμά μου (supported by Origen and ''Quinta'') and Aquila's "my praise" (αἴνεσίς μου). Similarly, Symmachus reads the fragment as a verbless clause: "you are my praise" (εὐφημία μου σύ). In the case of the LXX, this results in the interpretation of the following פַלֵּ֑ט as an imperative (instead of the MT's infinitive) with the object "save %5Bme%5D" implied. Further, תְּס֖וֹבְבֵ֣נִי belonging in a headless relative clause, literally "save me from those who surround me." It is difficult to reconstruct the apparent Hebrew text the LXX translated from, though just one consontantal emendation would result in the third-singular יְסוֹבְבֵנִי, perhaps read as a collective group in the LXX's "those who surround me." See, however, the second-person singular in Aquila, Symmachus, and the ''Secunda''. +
'''v. 8''' – For the alternative plural עֵינַי "my eyes" in place of the MT's singular עֵינִֽי "my eye," see the LXX, Origen and Quinta. +
'''v. 8''' – We prefer to read the final two words of this verse עָלֶ֣יךָ עֵינִֽי as a predicative adjunct ("circumstantial clause," GKC §156c) on the matrix verb אִֽיעֲצָ֖ה (see the preferred diagram above and the majority of modern translations). The alternative verbless clause "my eye is upon you" is found in the JPS (cf. the ELB, EÜ, ZÜR).
If we read עֵינִֽי as the direct object of the clause אִֽיעֲצָ֖ה עָלֶ֣יךָ עֵינִֽי, as reflected in the syntax of the LXX, it is not clear how one can "advise their eyes concerning someone."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' For the adverbial reading of עֵינִֽי "my eye," see Jerome's (Hebr.) ablative ''cogitabo de te oculo meo'' "I will consider concerning you with my eye" and Aquila and Symmachus' dative (τῷ) ὀφθαλμῷ μου (cf. Lutherbibel 2017's ''ich will dich mit meinen Augen leiten'' "I will guide you with my eyes"). +
'''v. 9''' – For the independent clause of the final three words, בַּ֝֗ל קְרֹ֣ב אֵלֶֽיךָ, see the JPS's suggestion: "far be it from you!" and the CEB's "Don’t be anything like that!" For a full discussion and our preferred reading, see the exegetical issue: https://psalms.scriptura.org/w/The_Syntax_and_Meaning_of_Ps_32:9c. +
'''v. 10''' – One could read רַבִּ֥ים מַכְאוֹבִ֗ים "many wounds" as the subject (since, as a modifier, רבים can either follow or precede its head noun—JM §141b), as indicated by the accents separating this phrase from the supposed predicate (in this case), לָרָ֫שָׁ֥ע. The result would be the predication that "many wounds belong to the wicked." Nevertheless, it is preferable to read רַבִּ֥ים as the predicate, highlighting the quantity of wounds, with מַכְאוֹבִ֗ים לָרָ֫שָׁ֥ע "the wounds of the wicked" as the subject, against the indication of the accents.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' Among modern versions, see the JPS's "Many are the torments of the wicked" and רבים המכאובים שיש לרשע in ''HaEdut'' (cf. the ESV, NASB, NIV, REB; but, alternatively, the CSB's "Many pains come to the wicked" and LUT 2017's "Der Gottlose hat viel Plage"). +
In v. 5, '''נהר''' is taken as a verbless clause with an elided יש, followed by an asyndetic relative clause (v. 5b), with a fronted subject (פלגיו ; cf. Deut 8:9; 29:17; Ps 26:10; 144:7-8, 11; Prov 2:14-15; Eccl 10:16-17). In terms of information packaging, v. 5a is a presentational clause, indicating the beginning of a new section (vv. 5–7). Alternatively, v. 5b can be taken as an independent clause, after a sentence fragment (e.g., "A river! Its streams cause rejoicing for the city of God..."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"', although this reading is not well-represented among modern translations. For the MT's 5a (נהר פלגיו), however, some versions use a different syntax, with the LXX and ''Pesh''. both having genitive constructions (τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὰ ὁρμήματα and ܬ̈ܦܐ ܕܢܗܪ̈ܘܬܐ respectively) as subjects of the verb "to gladden". Hence, the LXX: "The river’s strong currents make glad the city of God ...' (NETS); ''Pesh''.: "Streams of rivers will cause gladness in the city of our God ...".'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"' Some scholars have proposed to realign vv. 4-5. E.g., Briggs and Briggs connect נהר with v. 4 and the word “swelling” in it. Repositioned this way, נהר/"stream" becomes part of the sea in vv. 3-4 (cf. Pss 93:3) and פלגיו/'his brooks" are taken as God's (metaphoric) brooks of blessings.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000005-QINU`"' Such realignment is not reflected in ancient or modern translations. +
In v. 5c, the LXX diverges from the MT ('''קְדֹשׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵי עֶלְיוֹן'''; "the holy dwelling of the Most High"), containing ἡγίασεν τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ ὁ ὕψιστος ("the Most High sanctified his covert" %5BNETS%5D; cf. Vulg). It appears to presuppose a ''piel'' verb קִדֵּשׁ (“ to make holy/sanctify”) and understand the next form as “his %5BGod's%5D dwelling place” (singular). Presumably, the LXX reads the final ''yod'' of משכני as a ''waw''. Barthélemy sees both MT's קְדֹשׁ and מִשְׁכְּנֵי עֶלְיוֹן as "highly probable with a certain margin of doubt"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' and most modern translations follow the MT over and against the LXX.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' Intriguingly, Dahood realigned vv. 4-5, reading v. 5bc as "God brings happiness to his city, the Most High sanctifies his habitation."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' In his understanding, "the river and its channels" should be linked to the word סלה (v. 4), which he read in light of Exod 15:8. Thus, he took the whole collocation to mean "the river and its channel stand in a heap." This reading has no support among the versions and is not represented in any major translations. As to the LXX (cf. ''BHS''), it likely reflects the unusual nature of the construction in the MT (note that the plural form of משכן is usually משכנות %5Bcf. Pss. 43:3; 84:1; 132:5%5D). Notably, the LXX also adds the definite article to "city", which leads some to think that this collocation ("the city of God") refers to Jerusalem.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"' Here, the MT is taken as a preferred reading, understanding קְדֹשׁ as an adjective used substantivally (IBHS 14.3.3.b; for Ps 46:5, see n19; cf. Exod 15:16; Ps 65:5). +
In v. 7b, the MT has '''נתן בקולו''', which literally means "he gave with his voice". Per GK119q, the noun "voice" with the preposition ב is taken as an adverbial complement, "he thundered with his voice" (i.e. "mightily"; cf. IBHS 11.2.5d; cf. GNV; GNT; cf. ISV: "his voice boomed", etc.; plus, ANE theophanies featuring storm deities). In 2 MSS, קולו appears without the preposition ב; but נתן + ב + קול is well-attested in the Hebrew Bible (cf. Ps 68:33/34; Jer 12:8) and can be viewed as a variant of נתן + קול.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' +