Property: Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
"Text" is a predefined property that represents text of arbitrary length and is provided by Semantic MediaWiki. This property is pre-deployed (also known as special property) and comes with additional administrative privileges but can be used just like any other user-defined property.
P
'''v. 4''' – The prepositional phrase בְּחַרְבֹ֖נֵי קַ֣יִץ introduces a temporal frame (BHRG §39.6(2)), as made explicit by the construct dependent "summer" (קַ֣יִץ). Compare the בְּ preposition in בימי קיץ (Ben Sira (B) 50:8).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' As occurs elsewhere in terse Biblical Hebrew poetry, either בְּ or כְּ can stand in for the sense of both prepositions (though this is typically only observed for overt כְּ requiring the local sense of בְּ—JM §133h; cf. Ps 95:8), such that בְּחַרְבֹ֖נֵי קַ֣יִץ introduces a simile "as in the summer drought" (JPS; cf. most modern translations). Alternatively, the בְּ could be interpreted as causal, as the ESV's "as by the heat of summer." +
'''v. 8''' – As other instances of the preposition בְּ as "figurative contact by means of mental process" (BHRG §39.6.1.b.ii), hiphil ירה can also be interpreted as "cause to pay attention to" when accompanied by בְּ,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' rather than being accompanied by a direct object. See also 1 Sam 12:23; Ps 25:8, 12; Job 27:11, in contrast, for example, to ה֘וֹרֵ֤נִי יְהוָ֨ה׀ דַּרְכֶּ֗ךָ (Ps 86:11). +
'''v. 6''' – Both לְ prepositional phrases in this verse are temporal. The first phrase (לְעֵ֪ת מְ֫צֹ֥א), indicates the time specifications with limited intervals (see %5B%5BThe meaning of מְצֹא in Ps 32:6%5D%5D),'"`UNIQ--ref-000000F5-QINU`"' and the second phrase (לְ֭שֵׁטֶף מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֑ים) indicates the time determination based on events.'"`UNIQ--ref-000000F6-QINU`"' +
'''v. 7''' – The construct chain רָנֵּ֥י פַלֵּ֑ט communicates an activity and its cause/reason: '''joyful shouts caused by deliverance'''. The construct dependent could also constitute the content of the shouts, i.e., shouts of "deliverance," in the sense "shouts of ' ''you have delivered'' '!"'"`UNIQ--ref-0000001B-QINU`"' +
'''v. 5''' – For the function of אמר as "decide" see also Jer 48:8; Joel 3:5 (Eng. 2:32); 1 Chr 23:27, though typically such a construction of will or intention is accompanied by a לְ infinitive construct (see Ps 119:57 and the notes there). Compare, especially, Ruth 4:4: "So I thought (אָמַ֜רְתִּי) I would tell you" (ESV) ➞ "I decided to tell you." +
* Normally in the Bible, the word אֲדֹנָי is a proper noun, "the Lord," and the ''yod'' ending (ָי), although originally a first-person suffix, has lost its value as a suffix and become part of the noun itself. In this context, however, it makes the most sense to interpret the ''yod'' as a first-person suffix: '''my Lord''' (parallel with "my good" %5Bטוֹבָתִי%5D in the next line).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' This is how most translations, ancient and modern, have understood the phrase.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"'
+
* The כִּי in v. 8 is usually interpreted and translated as a causal conjunction: '''because''' (כִּי) he is at my right hand" (ESV, KJV, NRSVue, CSB, NET, cf. NIV, NLT, CEB).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' One issue with this interpretation is that it results in the somewhat unusual situation of a verbless clause without an explicit subject: "because %5Bhe is%5D at my right hand." We would normally expect a subject, e.g., *כִּי הוּא מִימִינִי*, or a copula, e.g., *כִּי יִהְיֶה מִימִינִי*. Nevertheless, as Jöuon and Muraoka note, in nominal clauses, "the pronoun is sometimes only implied" (§154b; cf. GKC §116s).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' A good example is the כִּי clause in 2 Chr 16:10: "for he was in a rage with him (כִּי־בְזַעַף עִמֹּו) because of this."
+
* This verse is notoriously difficult to interpret. See %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:3%5D%5D for a detailed discussion of the issues. In short, we prefer to follow the reading of the Masoretic Text (cf. Barthélemy et al. 2005, 62–71), and we interpret it as follows: "They are on the side of (lit.: for) the holy ones who are in the earth, and %5Bthey are on the side of%5D the 'all-my-delight-is-in-them' mighty ones." Our interpretation involves the following claims:
#The ''lamed'' prepositional phrase ("on the side of the holy ones," לִקְדוֹשִׁים) introduces the predicate complement of a verbless clause, with the pronoun "they" (הֵמָּה) as the subject (cf. Exod 32:26; Josh 5:13; Ps 120:7).
#The words "holy ones" (קְדוֹשִׁים) and "mighty ones" (אַדִּירֵי) refer to divine beings, i.e., gods other than YHWH (see lexical note).
#The relative clause "which are in the earth" (אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָרֶץ) identifies the "holy ones" as underworld deities (see lexical note). It also implies that these divine beings are ''lower than'', or inferior to YHWH, who is in heaven (cf. v. 2: "there is no one above you").
#The pronoun "they" (הֵמָּה) either refers to the psalmist's enemies, implied by his request for protection in v. 1, or it refers generically to "others" (cf. the plural demonstrative pronoun אֵלֶּה in Ps 20:8).
#The phrase "all my pleasure is in them" (כָּל־חֶפְצִי־בָם) does not represent the psalmist's personal feelings towards the "mighty ones," but the general sentiment that other people have towards them. They are "the mighty ones, of whom people say: all my delight is in them" (Peels 2000, 247–248; cf. Ḥakham 1979, 68). The phrase חֶפְצִי־בָם might even be a fixed expression (cf. 2 Kgs 21:1; Isa 62:4; so Ridderbos 1972, 157).
+
* Many scholars conclude that the text of v. 3 is corrupt, and they propose various ways of "fixing" the text (conjectural emendation). The number and variety of proposed emendations is bewildering – we have catalogued some 18 different conjectural emendations for this verse. Needless to say, at least 17 of these proposals are incorrect, and, in all probability, all 18 are incorrect. Even if the text is "corrupt," the probability of recovering an earlier form of the text through conjectural emendation is extremely unlikely in this case (cf. Barthélemy 2012, 92–96). Therefore, it is best to try and make sense of the Masoretic Text, whose reading probably underlies all of the textual witnesses (cf. Barthélemy et al 2005, 62–71). Indeed, we argue that the Masoretic Text, although difficult, is grammatical and makes good sense. See the grammar note, and see %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:3%5D%5D for a detailed discussion of the issues. The alternative diagrams on this page will not deal with conjectural emendations – there are simply too many. Instead, the alternative diagrams here will focus on three alternative ways of reading the Masoretic Text.
+
* Many modern European translations analyze the grammar as it is presented in the v. 3 alternative 1 diagram. This grammatical analysis results in the following translation: "As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight" (ESV, cf. %5Bhttps://psalms.scriptura.org/w/The_Text_and_Grammar_of_Ps_16:3#Modern the many similar translations given on our exegetical issue page%5D). The biggest problem with this interpretation is that it does not account for the ''waw'' conjunction on וְאַדִּירֵי ("and the excellent ones"). Proponents of this view often argue (or assume) that the ''waw'' should be deleted. Another problem with this view is that it rests on the questionable claim that a ''lamed'' prepositional phrase can introduce a left-dislocated subject. See %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:3%5D%5D for a detailed discussion.
+
* Other modern translations analyze the grammar as reflected in the v. 3 alternative 2 diagram. This analysis results in the following translation: "The saints who are in the land, they and the mighty ones – all my delight is in them" (cf. e.g., NBS).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' The biggest problem with this translation is that וְאַדִּירֵי is a construct form and, therefore, cannot be separated from "all my delight is in them." The text should be interpreted as, "the majestic ones in whom is all %5Bmy%5D delight" (cf. GKC §130d). See %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:3%5D%5D for a detailed discussion of this verse.
+
* Barthélemy et al (2005, 71) propose analyzing the grammar of v. 3 as it is presented in v. 3 alternative diagram 3. This analysis results in the following translation: "(2) I said... (3) about the holy ones who are in the land, the mighty ones in whom I used to delight: (4) 'May the punishment of those who acquire a foreign god with gifts be multiplied; I will no longer pour out their blood libations...'" According to this interpretation, vv. 2–4 constitute one large syntactic unit. The ''lamed'' prepositional phrase that begins v. 3 (לִקְדוֹשִׁים) modifies the verb "I say" (אָמַרְתִּ) in v. 2; v. 3 introduces the topic of speech ("I say about the holy ones... and %5Babout%5D the mighty ones..."); and v. 4 introduces the actual content of the speech ("May the punishment... be multiplied..."). This interpretation is a noble attempt to make sense of the Masoretic Text, but it falls short at multiple points. In the first place, it requires that the construct chain כָּל־חֶפְצִי־בָם refer to the past – "in whom ''was'' all my delight" – which would be unusual (see also NET, CEB). Second, this interpretation requires analyzing "they" (הֵמָּה) as a retrospective subject pronoun within the relative clause ("who %5Bthey%5D are in the land"), which, as Driver notes, "is incorrect Hebrew... %5BT%5Dhe pronoun in such cases never stands at the end, except after a negative" (Driver 1915, 190; cf. JM §158g). Finally, this interpretation requires that v. 3 be an exceptionally long quotative frame, which, though not impossible, seems unusual. See %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:3%5D%5D for a detailed discussion of this verse.
+
* Verse 4 is also difficult, and many of the proposals to interpret v. 3 involve v. 4 as well. (See e.g., the v. 3 alternative 3 diagram, which treats vv. 2–4 as one big syntactic unit.) We argue that v. 4 is syntactically independent from v. 3. Verse 4a consists of two independent clauses: "Their idols increase; they have acquired (lit: 'paid the bride price for') another one." See %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:4%5D%5D for a detailed discussion of this verse.
+
* We follow the Masoretic Text for v. 4. The ancient versions provide two alternative readings for v. 4. First, instead of a ''qal'' vocalization of ירבו ("they increase," יִרְבּוּ, so MT), the Targum assumes a ''hiphil'' vocalization ("they cause to increase," יַרְבּוּ). We prefer the ''qal'' vocalization both because it has the weight of tradition behind it (MT, LXX, Symmachus, Aquila, Theodotion, Jerome, Peshitta), and because is the more difficult reading. It is difficult, because it involves a gender disagreement between the subject (עַצְּבוֹתָם) and the verb (יִרְבּוּ - masculine). Nevertheless, this kind of gender disagreement is not unusual. See %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:4%5D%5D. The second variant vocalization is מִהֵרוּ ("hurry/rush") instead of מָהָרוּ (so MT). Most of the ancient translations appear to have vocalized the text in this way (see LXX, Theodotion, Targum; cf. Jerome, Peshitta, Symmachus). Nevertheless, we prefer the ''qal'' vocalization of MT, which, again, presents the more difficult reading and, when rightly understood, makes the most sense in the context. See %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:4%5D%5D.
+
* Many translations analyze the grammar as it is represented in the v. 4 alternative 1 diagram. This results in the following translation: "The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply" (ESV; cf. many of %5Bhttps://psalms.scriptura.org/w/The_Text_and_Grammar_of_Ps_16:4#Modern the modern translations listed on the exegetical issue page%5D). According to this interpretation, the second clause in v. 4a (אַחֵר מָהָרוּ) is a relative clause that modifies the 3mp pronominal suffix on עַצְּבוֹתָם (cf. JM §158a).
+
* Some translations analyze the grammar as it is represented in the v. 4 alternative 2 diagram. This results in the following translation: "Those who seek the favor of another god will only increase their torment" (cf. NFC).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"' This interpretation is similar to v. 4 alternative diagram 1 insofar as the second clause in v. 4a (אַחֵר מָהָרוּ) is interpreted as a relative clause that modifies the 3mp pronominal suffix on עַצְּבוֹתָם (cf. JM §158a). It differs from v. 4 alternative diagram 1 insofar as ירבו is vocalized as a ''hiphil'' (יַרְבּוּ), which changes the syntactic structure of the clause.
+
'''v. 2''' – For the sense of רוּחַ as 'mind,' see SDBH. In Ps 32, having one's sin forgiven (vv. 1, 5c) follows confessing one's sin (v. 5a–b), such that a mind that is not deceitful is one that confesses its sin. The implicature is that someone with deceit in their mind is someone who decides not to confess their sin (see vv. 3–4), either because they do not think there is anything to confess or because they consider themselves better off without confessing. These decisions are made in the '''mind''' (see further story behind). +
'''v. 9''' – For the phrasal glosses, see the grammar notes on the function of the impersonal infinitive, the verbal notes for the infinitive's modality of necessity (''one must''), and the exegetical issue https://psalms.scriptura.org/w/The_Syntax_and_Meaning_of_Ps_32:9c for the syntax and semantics of the בַּל phrase. +
* The psalm begins by addressing YHWH with the generic title '''God''' (אֵל) (cf. Ps 19:2). This title highlights YHWH's role as "the highest God, creator of heaven and earth" (SDBH; cf. Gen 14:18–22), the one who is supreme over all other gods (cf. Ps 82:1). The use of this title at the beginning of the psalm already anticipates the rejection of other, lesser gods in vv. 2b–4.
+
* The psalm begins with the verb '''protect''' (שׁמר): "causative action by which humans or deities make sure that an object is safe from harm; ◄ by observing the object and the surrounding area carefully and intervening when necessary" (SDBH). The second main part of the psalm (vv. 7–11) corresponds poetically to this word in v. 1 and further defines what it means. Based on the poetic structure, therefore, we can say that "protection" in this psalm includes, especially, giving guidance (vv. 7, 11a) amidst a perilous situation, so that the psalmist can escape death (v. 10) and choose the way that leads to life (v. 11a). One thinks, for example, of how YHWH guided, or "advised," David when he escaped from Saul at Keilah (1 Sam 23:1–13). YHWH "protected" David from death by showing him the way to life. One also thinks of Saul, who sought YHWH's guidance when the Philistines gathered against him for war (1 Sam 28:4–7). In this case, however, YHWH did ''not'' advise Saul, and so Saul turned to the world of the dead for guidance (cf. v. 3: "the holy ones who are in the earth").
+