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.
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* '''Refuge''' ('"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"'מָעֹוז): "large fortification; for the defense of a town; built of stone; could consist of one extra strong building or of a complex of buildings surrounded by its own strong wall; ≈ associated with protection and security and often used as an epithet for God."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000005-QINU`"' In the OT, Yahweh is often identified as the refuge (מָעֹוז) of his people.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000006-QINU`"'
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*'''Save!''' (הֹושִׁיעָה). Having experienced God's salvation for himself, the psalmist now prays that God would save his people. The psalmist's "request is for the Lord to deliver the nation from all its enemies and troubles, as he did him."'"`UNIQ--ref-0000012C-QINU`"'
*'''Possession''' (נַחֲלָה) %3D "a nation or people that is in a covenantal relationship with YHWH and therefore regarded as YHWH's possession -- heritage; one's own people" (SDBH).'"`UNIQ--ref-0000012D-QINU`"' The people of Israel were God's inalienable inheritance, and whom he protected.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000012E-QINU`"' "One’s 'inheritance' (naḥalah) is that property acquired during a lifetime that cannot be taken away but remains to be passed on to one’s descendants. Israel is God’s 'inheritance' in the sense that they are his possession, and no one else can lay any claim on her."'"`UNIQ--ref-0000012F-QINU`"' In addition to "inheritance,"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000130-QINU`"' modern translations have translated נַחֲלָה (in Ps 28:9) as "special possession,"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000131-QINU`"' "heritage,"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000132-QINU`"' and "nation that belongs to you %5BYHWH%5D."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000133-QINU`"'
*'''To shepherd''' (רעה): "causative action by which humans lead domestic animals to places where they can feed on grass and other edible materials in the field, ≈ often extended to denote the way a king cares for his subjects or the way God cares for his people -- to pasture; to feed; to shepherd."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000134-QINU`"' A shepherd's professional duties include leading, feeding, sheltering, and protecting the sheep.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000135-QINU`"' Hence, the psalmist asks YHWH to shepherd his (YHWH) people.
*In this verse, the root נשׂא means '''to carry''' "%3D action by which humans provide help and support to other humans -- to care for; to assist; to help; to support."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000136-QINU`"' The root נשא occurs in vv. 2b and 9c. In the beginning of the psalm David "lifts up" (נשא) his hands in prayer, and in the end he asks YHWH to "carry" (נשא) his people, meaning "to lift up" the people out of their afflictions and "carry" them to safety forever! In sum, the psalmist asks YHWH to carry (נשׂא) Israel, that is, to care for Israel forever. GNT's translation reflects this meaning, "Be their shepherd, and take care of them forever."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000137-QINU`"'
*Indefinite duration >> '''forever''' (עַד־הָעֹולָם): The term עֹולָם refers to an indefinite duration of time.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000138-QINU`"' In the context of Ps 28, it means "forever" as the psalmist prays that God's care for his people would be never-ending.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000139-QINU`"'
* The articular case in עַד־'''הָ'''עוֹלָֽם ('''forever''') is a 'unique reference' (the eternity – there is only one eternity). Considering העולם and עולם, Bodine noted that "the presence or absence of the article makes no difference."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"'
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'''v. 4''' – For the text and meaning of the construction *לֹא־נָשָׂ֣א לַשָּׁ֣וְא *נַפְשׁוֹ, see the exegetical issue, %5B%5BThe Text and Meaning of Ps 24:4b%5D%5D. In short, we prefer the emendation of Codex Leningrad's נַפְשִׁ֑י "my soul" to נַפְשׁוֹ "his soul" and interpret the construction לָשֵׂאת נֶפֶשׁ לְ/אֶל as "to desire." +
'''v. 6''' – For the alternative readings of the syntax of this verse, see below. The merits of each position are discussed in the exegetical issue, %5B%5BThe Text, Grammar, and_Meaning of Ps. 24:6%5D%5D. Our preferred reading involves Vertical Grammar, such that "Jacob" in the second line modifies "generation" in the first line and the entire verse reads
''This is the generation of Jacob,''
''those who seek him''
''those who seek your face.'' (Tsumura 2023, 22)
Regarding the alternative diagrams:
# The first represents the interpolation of the word "god of" to ease the understanding of the verse (see, e.g., the Peshitta, LXX).
#The second diagram reads "Jacob" as a vocative: "... those seeking your face, Jacob."
#The third diagram reads "Jacob" in apposition to "those seeking your face."
#Finally, the fourth diagram reads the second line of the verse as a verbless clause "those seeking your face are Jacob." Aside from providing "god of," these three interpretations are syntactically possible, though we prefer the Vertical Grammar reading. +
'''v. 6''' – For these alternative interpretations of the syntax of v. 6, see the exegetical issue, %5B%5BThe Text, Grammar, and_Meaning of Ps. 24:6%5D%5D. This diagram represents the interpolation of the word "god of" to ease the understanding of the verse. The reading attested in the Peshitta involves the vocative, "God of Jacob," and thus requires only the addition of אֱלֹהֵי to the text,'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"', whereas that attested by the LXX reads "who seek the face of the God of Jacob," so requires both the emendation of the MT's פָנֶ֖יךָ to פְנֵי, as well as the addition of אֱלֹהֵי.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' +
'''v. 8''' – There are three possible ways to read the syntax of מִ֥י זֶה֮ מֶ֤לֶךְ הַכָּ֫ב֥וֹד. Our preferred reading reflects right-dislocation of מֶ֤לֶךְ הַכָּ֫ב֥וֹד "the glorious king," following the demonstrative pronoun זֶה֮ "this." Though more popularly represented in modern translations, our reasons for rejecting the other two possible interpretations are discussed below. +
'''v. 8''' – The two alternative diagrams above represent two distinct readings of מִ֥י זֶה֮ מֶ֤לֶךְ הַכָּ֫ב֥וֹד.
The more plausible of the two is that זֶה֮ functions as a clitic following the interrogative מִ֥י, such that the clause reads "Who '''is''' the King of glory" (JPS). As formulated by BHRG: “Demonstrative pronouns combined with interrogative pronouns sometimes express the discontent of the speaker about a state of affairs in the form of a rhetorical question” (§36.2.2).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' Although the question could seem rhetorical (i.e., it is unlikely that the speaker did not know the answer), for the purposes of the psalm, the next clause provides the answer. More crucial, however, are the prosodic observations. Since both מִ֥י and זֶה֮ contain their own nuclear stress, זֶה֮ does not follow the definition of clitic here, which should be conjoined by a ''maqqef'' (cf. וּמִי־זֶ֣ה רֹעֶ֔ה in Jer 49:19 and מִי־זֶ֣ה הָ֭אִישׁ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה in Ps 25:12). Further, as seen in both Jer 49:19 and Ps 25:12, this cliticized phrase is typically conjoined to the following phrase with a conjunctive accent, whereas זֶה֮ carries a ''tsinnor'' accent—a significant disjunctive. Finally, the construction is extended to מִ֤י ה֣וּא זֶה֮ מֶ֤לֶךְ הַכָּ֫ב֥וֹד in v. 10. As discussed there, it is highly unlikely that both ה֣וּא and זֶה֮ can be considered enclitics, such that the same syntactic result should hold there as it does here.
On the other hand, the demonstrative זֶה֮ has been read as an attributive in a number of modern and ancient translations: "Who is '''this''' King of glory?" (NIV).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' Nevertheless, the phrase מֶ֤לֶךְ הַכָּ֫ב֥וֹד is grammatically definite, whereas the demonstrative is not. Exceptions to the expected pattern are limited to 1 Kgs 14:14, Ezek 40:45 and Ezra 3:12.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"' Garr (2022, 378) considers זֶ֤ה הַבַּ֙יִת֙ in Ezra 3:12 as cataphoric, i.e., "this one, the house," and, indeed, the phenomenon could elsewhere be considered apposition. The result is similar to our preferred reading above.
'''v. 10''' – Regarding the phrase מִ֤י ה֣וּא זֶה֮, see grammar notes above for v. 8. Although interrogative clitics are widely attested for the demonstrative זֶה (despite the prosodic indications that this is not the case in v. 8), this would be a unique attestation of an independent pronoun compounding onto מִי זֶה for the same effect, and even falling in between: מִ֤י '''ה֣וּא''' זֶה֮! Rather, this construction should be understood as a tripartite copular clause, with the so-called pronominal copula הוּא. Further, the conjunctive accents between these three constituents, yet disjunctive on the clause-final זֶה֮, supports this reading. Compare the pattern found in צַדִּ֥יק ה֛וּא יְהוָ֖ה "The Lord is righteous" (Lam 1:18, NIV).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' +
* The “holy ones” are described specifically as being in the '''earth'''" (בָּאָרֶץ). This description could mean that the "holy ones" are "those who are honoured in the land, in local sanctuaries," in contrast to those who are in heaven, surrounding YHWH's throne (Peels 2000, 247). Alternatively, the phrase "in the earth" could denote "the netherworld" (Spronk 1986, 336; cf. HALOT on אֶרֶץ as "underworld;" see esp. 1 Sam 28:13). According to this interpretation, the "holy ones" (קְדֹשִׁים) would refer to the "deified dead" (Spronk 1986, 336; cf. Isa 14:9–20; 1 Sam 28). Three considerations support seeing "the earth" in v. 3 as a reference to the underworld. First, it sufficiently explains why the (otherwise unnecessary) phrase "in the earth" would be used here. Second, there is a poetic connection between v. 3 and v. 10 (see Poetic Structure), and v. 10 explicitly mentions the underworld: "Sheol... the pit." Third, a reference to underworld deities in v. 3 is consistent with the reference to blood libations in v. 4b. In some ancient pagan religions, blood libations were associated with underworld deities (cf. McCarthy 1969; Verburg 2020). For example, in the Babylonian legend of Etana, we read: "Daily Etana beseeches Shamash: 'Thou hast eaten, O Shamash, the fat of my sheep, the netherworld has drunk the blood of my lambs; the gods I have honored, the ghosts I have revered'" (Marsh Tablet, lines 34–36, cited in McCarthy 1969, 171–172). Similarly, on the other side of the Mediterranean world, a passage in the Odyssey says, "I took the sheep and cut their throats over the pit, and the dark blood flowed. Then there gathered from out of Erebus the ghosts of those that are dead" (Odyssey 11.37–37; Murray and Dimock 1919, 403). Furthermore, various passages in the Old Testament suggest that "cults of the dead existed and flourished in ancient Palestine" (Lewis 1999, 230; see e.g., Deut 18:9–11; 26:14; 1 Sam 28; 2 Kgs 21:6; 23:24; Ps 106:28). One passage that bears striking resemblance to Psalm 16 and might allude to the cult of the dead is Isaiah 57:4b–6: “Are you not children of transgression… who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of (בְּחַלְּקֵי) the valley is your portion (חֶלְקֵךְ, cf. Ps 16:5); they, they, are your lot (גּוֹרָלֵךְ, cf. Ps 16:5); to them you have poured out a drink offering (נֶסֶךְ, cf. Ps 16:4)” (ESV). This passage appears to describe the worship of Molech (Motyer 1993, 472), “a netherworld deity to whom children were offered by fire for some divinatory purpose” (Heider 1999, 585; cf. Lev 20:2–6). It is also plausible, as some have argued, that the word translated “smooth stones” (חַלְּקֵי) in Isaiah 57:6 actually means “the dead” (so Irwin 1967, on the basis of the well-attested Ugaritic root חלק, “to perish;” cf. Olmo Lete and Sanmartín 2003, 388–389). Hence: “Among the dead of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering.” The similarities with Psalm 16:3–4 are striking and suggest that the "holy ones who are in the earth" (v. 3) are underworld deities.
* The word '''mighty ones''' (אַדִּירֵי), which is parallel to "holy ones," is also used to describe divine beings (cf. 1 Sam 4:8; see also the use of the Phoenician adjective אדר to describe gods in KAI 48.2; 58) and perhaps the deified dead in particular (see Spronk 1986, 210–211). There is a fourth-fifth century Phoenician inscription on a sarcophagus discovered in Byblos that warns anyone who would disturb the dead man’s resting place: "The mighty (האדר) Og will avenge me." Og, described here as “mighty” (האדר) was likely thought to be a netherworld deity (cf. Röllig 1974, 6).
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* The same two adjectives—"holy" and "mighty"—are parallel in a Ugaritic poem, the Kirta Epic: "Will the mountain of Ba'lu weep for you, father, Sapanu, the holy (''qdš'') citadel, Nannaya the mighty (''adr'') citadel" (COS 1.102, 339; KTU 1.16, I:7–8).
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* The phrase עַצְּבוֹתָם probably means '''their idols''' (see %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:4%5D%5D). This meaning makes good sense in the context, and it has the support of multiple ancient versions (Theodotion, Quinta, Jerome, Targum). Although the usual phrase for "their idols" is masculine (עֲצַבֵּיהֶם, lexical form: עָצָב), there are numerous examples of masculine nouns having alternative, feminine forms. We conclude that עַצְּבוֹתָם is a unique feminine form of this word (in lexical form: עֲצָבָה or עַצֶּ֫בֶת).
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* The word מָהָרוּ probably means '''acquire''' (lit.: "pay the bride-price for") (see %5B%5BThe Text and Grammar of Ps 16:4%5D%5D). This interpretation is consistent with the only other use of מָהַר (''qal'') in the Bible (Exod 22:16), and it makes sense in the context—both the syntactic context (object: אַחֵר) and the semantic context, which is about idolatry, which, in turn, is often described using marital language.
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* The word '''drink offering''' (נֶסֶךְ, here: נִסְכֵּיהֶם) refers to an "action by which humans pour out a liquid, such as wine, oil, or even blood before a deity ► as a sacrifice" (SDBH). Drink offerings consisting of wine were a regular part of Israelite worship (e.g., Lev 23:13; Num 28:7; for examples of illicit drink offerings to other gods, see Jer 7:18; 19:13; 32:29; Ezek 20:28). In this psalm, the drink offering consists, not of wine, but of "blood" (דָּם). As noted in connection with v. 3, drink offerings of blood were associated with the worship of underworld deities.
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* The language in vv. 5–6 evokes the scene of dividing up land to possess. Many of the words in these verses, including "possession" (חֵלֶק), "lot" (גּוֹרָל), "boundary lines" (חֲבָלִים), and "inheritance" (נַחֲלָה), belong to this contextual domain. E.g., "Be sure that the land is distributed (יֵחָלֵק) by lot (בְּגוֹרָל). What each group inherits (יִנְחָלוּ) will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. Each inheritance (נַחֲלָתוֹ) is to be distributed (תֵּחָלֵק) by lot (הַגּוֹרָל) among the larger and smaller groups” (Num 26:55–56, NIV); "The inheritance of (נַחֲלַת) the Simeonites was taken from the share (חֶבֶל, lit.: 'rope') of Judah, because Judah’s portion (חֵלֶק) was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah" (Josh 19:9, NIV). Some modern English translations make the reference to land explicit. E.g., "It is as if I have been given fertile fields or received a beautiful tract of land" (v. 6, NET; "Delightful country has fallen to my lot; lovely indeed is my estate" (v. 6, NJPS).
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* The word חֵלֶק, according to its most basic and most common meaning, describes "one part of an object (or range of objects) that has been divided into several portions" (SDBH), often referring to land in particular (e.g., Num 18:20; Deut 10:9; 12:12; 14:27, 29; 18:1; Josh 14:4; 15:13; 18:5–9; 19:9; Ezek 45:7; 48:8, 21). Here, where it refers to YHWH—"someone with whom one has a close, affectionate, and exclusive relationship ◄ as if it were a private possession" (SDBH)—it is glossed '''treasured possession''' (cf. Num 18:20).
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* The word '''lot''' (גּוֹרָל) refers to a "specially marked object, such as a pebble or piece of pottery, ► used in order to decide questions" (SDBH). Lots were used to divide property, especially land (see, e.g., Num 26:55; also clothing in Ps 22:19). The term "lot" can also refer figuratively to the "decision" indicated by the lot, the property ("allotment") which is acquired by the lot, or the "destiny" of an individual "described as an allotment from God" (SDBH). The last of these definitions seems most appropriate to Ps 16:5: "you hold my lot" >> "you control my destiny" (CEB; cf. NJPS).
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* The word '''cup''' (כּוֹס) is "often used figuratively to denote one's portion in life, received from God" (SDBH; cf. Pss 11:6; note also the similar sense of "cup" in the NT, e.g., John 11:18). In Psalm 16:5, YHWH not only gives the psalmist his cup (i.e., determines his destiny, YHWH himself ''is'' the psalmist's cup, his portion in life (cf. Ps 73:24–26).
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* "Ropes" (חֲבָלִים) are "made by twisting together palm fibres, linen, or reeds" (SDBH), and they have a variety of uses: "tying and keeping things together, climbing, measuring, drawing things to oneself, making traps, etc." (SDBH). In this context, the "ropes" are used to ''measure'' and demarcate the psalmist's allotment, as in a land survey. We see a similar use, for example, in Amos 7:17: "your land shall be divided up (תְּחֻלָּק) with a measuring line (בַּחֶבֶל )" (ESV; cf. Ps 78:55). Modern English translations render the term as "lines" (KJV, ESV), "boundary lines" (NIV, CSB), or "property lines" (CEB).
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