Property: Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
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P
'''v. 49''' – In this verse, only the sequence עֶבְרָ֣ה וָזַ֣עַם וְצָרָ֑ה, i.e., the second poetic line of the verse, contains the waw conjunction (apart from one medieval manuscript, reading ומשלחת for the beginning of the third line; see VTH vol 4., 375). It is possible that the prosodic pause between poetic lines was sufficient to distinguish this list of nominals, though the asyndesis (lack of conjunction) may also be interpreted as elaboration/explication, as the CSB's "He sent his burning anger against them: fury, indignation, and calamity— a band of deadly messengers," (cf. CEB, TOB) or TgPs's דמשתלחן בעידן בידיהון דאזגדין בישין "which was sent by the hands of evil messengers" (Stec 2004, 153); a comitative relationship, such as the RVC's "'''con''' un ejército de ángeles destructores" or one of means, as the KJV's "He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, '''by''' sending evil angels among them," the DHH's "'''como''' mensajeros de calamidades," and the NET's "His raging anger lashed out against them. He sent fury, rage, and trouble '''as''' messengers who bring disaster." It seems plausible, then, that the first asyndesis indicates elaboration/explication, while the second communicates the means by which God's "fury and indignation and trouble" was manifested. +
'''v. 49''' – For the construct relationship מַלְאֲכֵ֥י רָעִֽים as '''entity-characteristic''', see the grammar notes. +
'''v. 51''' – For the construct רֵאשִׁית אוֹנ- see also Gen 49:3, Deut 21:17, and the looser genitival relationship, רֵ֝אשִׁ֗ית לְכָל־אוֹנָֽם, in Ps 105:36. The construct relationship is one of '''characteristic-specification'''. +
'''v. 52''' – Regarding the article on both כַּצֹּ֣אן and כַּ֝עֵ֗דֶר, "It has long been noted that the article seems to be vocalized in the Masoretic Text much more frequently than might be expected in these %5Bבְּ, כְּ, and לְ proclitic%5D phrases" (Bekins, forthcoming §4.2; cf. Lambert 1898, 208). Similarly, Waltke & O'Connor claim that "the Masoretes tended to regularize articular use where they could, that is, with the monographic prepositions" (IBHS §13.7a). See, e.g., the complete lack of independent article in the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15), yet according to the Tiberian vocalization it appears eight times in one-word prepositional phrases (בַיָּֽם, בָּֽאֵלִם֙, בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ, etc.).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' Indeed, concerning one of our phrases in question, כַּצֹּ֣אן, the term כַּצֹּ֤אן׀ in Ps 49:15 is attested in the Secunda as χα'''σ'''ων (https://septuaginta.uni-goettingen.de/hexapla/), lacking the gemination we would expect if read with the definite article. Contrast בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה (Ps 89:44), transcribed as βα'''μμ'''αλαμα (with gemination) reflecting the definite ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ in the LXX. Thus, the indefinite ὡς πρόβατα (and similar phrases among the Greek revisers) both in Ps 49:15 and 78:52 may lend grammatical support to the anarthrous reading here if reflecting a pronunciation as that of the Secunda. In short, an indefinite rendering is both contextually and grammatically appropriate, despite the Masoretic vocalization. +
'''v. 53''' – The prepositional phrase לָ֭בֶטַח is one of a qualitative relationship (BHRG §39.11.6.b; cf. Jenni 2000, 280), i.e., ''in security >> securely'' (cf. the phrase with ישׁב in 1 Kgs 5:5, היה in Ezek 34:27 and הלך in Prov 3:23, among others). +
'''v. 54''' גְּב֣וּל קָדְשׁ֑וֹ – For construction in which "a pronominal suffix can be attached to the nomen rectum where such a pronoun relates to the entire construct phrase" see Joüon-Muraoka (§129kb). Thus, ''the territory of his holiness >> his holy territory''. +
'''v. 54''' – For the function of זֶה in הַר־זֶ֝֗ה, see the exegetical issue. +
'''v. 55''' – We prefer to read the suffix on וַֽ֭יַּפִּילֵם as the nations of the previous clause, creating consistency also with בְּ֝אָהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם in the following clause (see the participant analysis note). Therefore, the valency of ''hiphil'' נפל with the pronominal suffix leaves room for the object complement "allot X as Y." That leaves only the constituent בְּחֶ֣בֶל "by portion," of which we read בְּ as instrumental (cf. "by the measuring line" HALOT; ). Alternatively, a number of commentators have understood the בְּ as ''bet essentiae'' (see the grammar notes), which would be most appropriate if חֶבֶל נַחֲלָה was read as a construct chain (cf. Deut 32:9; Ps 105:11 and 1 Chr 16:18). +
'''v. 56''' – For the serial verb construction וַיְנַסּ֣וּ וַ֭יַּמְרוּ, see the grammar notes. +
'''v. 59''' – For the בְּ–flagging of the stimulus argument with מאס, see also Lev 26:15, 43; Num 14:31; Judg 9:38; Isa 7:15-16; 30:12; 33:15; Jer 2:37; 4:30; Ps 106:24; Job 19:18, among others. See the discussion of ''figurative contact'' in BHRG (§39.6.1.b.ii) and ''social contact'' in Jenni (1992, 256; cf. v. 67; see also Num 14:31; Judg 9:38; 2 Kgs 17:20; Isa 7:15, 16; 30:12; 33:15; Jer 4:30; 6:19, 30; 31:37; Ps 106:24; Job 19:18). Both מאס and בחר can be considered verbs belonging to "interaction events," which are prime candidates for בְּ–flagging (Sjörs forthcoming, ''Prepositional Complements''). +
'''v. 61''' – Regarding the article on לַשְּׁבִ֣י, see the discussion under v. 52 above. The Masoretes vocalize שְׁבִי as articular if at all possible, even when no anaphora or concrete reference is in view (cf. בַּשֶּֽׁבִי as the first mention of "captivity" in Deut 28:41—in this case, the Samaritan Pentateuch attests an anarthrous pronunciation, ''afšēbi'', according to Ben-Ḥayyim %5B1977, 547%5D; see also Isa 46:2, Jer 15:2; 20:6; 22:22; 30:16; 43:11; 48:46; Ezek 12:11; 30:17, 18; Amos 9:4; Nahum 3:10; Lam 1:18; Dan 11:8; Ezra 9:7). Indeed, everywhere a proclitic preposition is present, the word is vocalized as definite (the only apparent exception being the instrumental בְּ in Dan 11:13). Other instances, with the orthographic ה (e.g., מֵהַשְּׁבִ֣י %5BEzra 3:8; 8:35%5D; מִן־הַשֶּׁ֖בִי %5BNeh 1:2, 3; 8:17%5D), refer to the Babylonian exile after the fact. +
'''v. 62''' – For the בְּ constituent following verbs of anger (''hithpael'' עבר), malefactive בְּ see BHRG (§39.6.1.b.ii) and Jenni (1992, 265; cf. Deut 3:26). +
'''v. 65''' – For the possible readings of מִן in מִיָּֽיִן as either detachment or cause, see the lexical notes on מִתְרוֹנֵ֥ן. +
'''v. 66''' – For discussion of the collocation וַיַּךְ ... אָחוֹר see the lexical notes. Further support for the movement adverbial reading, however, is found in other instances of ''hiphil'' נכה as "strike down" with directional movement (see, e.g., עַד in Josh 10:10, 41; 1 Sam 7:11; מִן plus allative ''he'' in 1 Sam 14:31; בְּ plus "wall" in the textually contested אַכֶּ֥ה בְדָוִ֖ד וּבַקִּ֑יר in 1 Sam 18:11 and 19:10; similarly וּבָאָ֙רֶץ֙ in 1 Sam 26:8; allative he with אַכֶּ֙כָּה֙ אַ֔רְצָה in 2 Sam 2:22; 18:11; 2 Kgs 13:18). On the other hand, if אָחוֹר is to be read as "back%5Bside%5D," see also the אֵל locatives in 2 Sam 4:6, בֵּין in 1 Kgs 22:34, עַל in Jon 4:8; Mic 4:14; but most significantly, the bare nominals חֹמֶשׁ "stomach" and לְחִי "cheek" in 2 Sam 3:27 and Ps 3:8 (וַיַּכֵּ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ הַחֹ֔מֶשׁ and כִּֽי־הִכִּ֣יתָ אֶת־כָּל־אֹיְבַ֣י לֶ֑חִי, respectively). +
'''v. 67''' – The "tent of Joseph" is unique in the Bible and refers either (1) simply to its dwelling place—as synonymous with Ephraim (see, e.g., 2 Sam 19:21; 1 Kgs 11:28; Ezek 37:16; Zech 10:6) and used previously in vv. 51, 55 (so argues Kugler 2020, 129); or (2), our preference, the tabernacle at Shiloh. The latter fits with the previous discourse (vv. 60-64; cf. also v. 9), since Shiloh belonged geographically to Ephraim/Joseph and the tabernacle there was described as the "tent of meeting" (Josh 18:1; 19:51; 1 Sam 2:22) and explicitly "tent" in v. 60 of our psalm. As Campbell notes, "It is the Israel of Shiloh that is rejected, and it is the Israel of Davidic Jerusalem upon which Yahweh's election has been conferred" (1979, 61). +
'''v. 68''' – The construct chain אֶת־הַר צִיּוֹן is one of '''entity-name'''. +
'''vv. 67-68, 70''' – v. 67's second line reads וּֽבְשֵׁ֥בֶט אֶ֝פְרַ֗יִם לֹ֣א בָחָֽר, immediately followed by וַ֭יִּבְחַר אֶת־שֵׁ֣בֶט יְהוּדָ֑ה in v. 68a.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' Unfortunately, the verb בחר takes a בְּ complement about as often as אֵת, such that "a clear distinction of the two types of use is not possible."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' Nevertheless, it may be that בְּ constructions involve a more complete process of observation, scrutiny and examination (Bekins 2014, 146), such that the rejection of Ephraim and selection of David (vv. 67, 70) were not taken lightly, whereas the use of אֵת in v. 68 indicates the simple choice based on YHWH's love for Zion (v. 68b). +
'''v. 71b-c''' – The presence of בְּ with רעה "to shepherd" may highlight the physical contact of leading them (so Jenni 1992, 238). In this case, such a construal would be less prominent in constructions without the preposition (e.g., Gen 30:31, 36; 36:24; 37:12; Exod 3:1; 1 Sam 17:15; 25:6; 2 Sam 5:2; 7:7; Isa 61:5; Jer 3:15; 23:2). For other instances with בְּ, see Gen 37:2; 1 Sam 16:11; 17:34. Although some examples seem quite interchangeable (e.g., Gen 37:2, 12), there may be a difference in construal in which רעה את involves a lighter touch, with the emphasis on feeding, while רעה ב, involves intentional and physical guiding (with the rod and staff; Ps 23:4). Alternatively, with אֵת and בְּ– alternation, full accusatives indicate higher transitivity, and thus fuller affectedness (Bekins 2014, 142), while בְּ– indicate lower affectedness, less likely to have undergone a change of state, which may be relevant if both "Jacob" and "Israel" were easily grafted into the Davidic kingship, rather than forcefully subdued (à la Ps 2). +
* '''יְהוָ֥ה רֹ֝עִ֗י''' ("YHWH is my shepherd"): The participle רֹעִי is commonly treated as a grammaticalized noun (cf. also Gen 46:32; Isa 38:12; 44:28; 63:11; etc.). In other words, this participle acts more like a noun than a typical participle with verbal function.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' For the Hebrew participle רֹעִי, which is functioning as a predicate noun, the LXX has a present active indicative verb (Κύριος ποιμαίνει με - The Lord shepherds me). The Peshitta (ܡܪܝܐ ܢܪܥܝܢܝ "The Lord will shepherd me") as well as Jerome's translations (Psalmi Iuxta Hebr.- Dominus pacit me - and Psalmi Iuxta LXX - Dominus reget me) follow the LXX in translating the Hebrew participle verb with an active verb. In other words, they probably interpreted the Hebrew participle רֹעִי with a verbal function instead of interpreting it as a noun (this rendering is represented %5Bin pink%5D in the diagram, and it is not reflected in any of the modern translations consulted).
+
* The noun '''מֵ֖י''' (waters >> water) in מֵ֖י מְנֻחֹ֣ות ("waters of resting places" >> "water where I can rest") is a ''plural of extension''; therefore, it can be rendered in English as a singular.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000000-QINU`"' Since מֵ֖י is in construct to מְנֻחֹ֣ות (rest, resting places), the plural of מֵ֖י probably led to the plural of מְנֻחֹ֣ות.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000001-QINU`"' The plural of מְנֻחֹ֣ות could also be understood as a ''plural of abstraction'' ("an abstract noun is quite often expressed by a plural . . . %5Bsuch as%5D בַּטֻּחוֹת security"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000002-QINU`"') or a ''plural of amplification'' ("the plural form is used to intensify the idea of the stem"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000003-QINU`"').
: The construct chain '''מֵ֖י מְנֻחֹ֣ות''' literally means "waters of restful/resting places;" i.e., "water by which the sheep may rest, the idea being parallel to that in v. 2a."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000004-QINU`"' REB represents this reading: "He leads me to water where I may find rest" (so JPS, 1985: "He leads me to water in places of repose"). As ''TDOT'' noted, "The OT notion of rest is associated not only with the ''land'' %5Be.g., Ps 95.11 where מְנוּחָה is the word for the 'rest' YHWH provided in the land%5D, the ''promise'' %5Be.g., Isa 32:18 promises that the people will abide in secure resting places%5D, and the ''temple'' %5BPs. 132: 8,14 describe the resting place of the ark of the covenant%5D but also with the ''guidance'' of Yahweh %5Bwhich%5D is clear from Ps 23:2: Yahweh leads the psalmist to 'waters of rest' (a pasture with water)."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000005-QINU`"' Alternatively, מְנוּחָה could be read as referring to the waters themselves being ''quiet'' (e.g., NIV) or ''still'' (e.g., ESV). This alternative interpretation may relate to the opinion that sheep prefer to drink water that is motionless.'"`UNIQ--ref-00000006-QINU`"' However, water that does not flow along a current can be unsafe to drink, so it is unlikely the psalmist envisaged motionless water. Nevertheless, since the water is found in a place of repose, it was more than likely calm rather than raging. Because the CBC represents the semantics of the Hebrew wherever possible, we retain the reading of מְנוּחָה as a resting place (so LXX: ἐπὶ ὕδατος ἀναπαύσεως %5B"by water of rest"'"`UNIQ--ref-00000007-QINU`"'%5D) while recognizing that the water was most likely calm.
:Through the imageries "in green pastures" and "to water of resting places," "the psalmist evokes in the reader's mind feelings of security as well as sustenance through the peaceful, rich imagery of animals grazing and resting in a verdant watered meadow, to which they have been safely led by their shepherd."'"`UNIQ--ref-00000008-QINU`"'