The Meaning of לְהָרַע in Ps 15:4c

From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Jump to: navigation, search

Introduction

Psalm 15:4c, לְ֝הָרַ֗ע is difficult to translate, particularly because, as Dahood notes, "the more common Biblical Hebrew usage would require the phrase to be translated More common biblical Hebrew usage would require that the phrase... be translated "he swore to do wrong, and he did not retract" (302). This translation would be problematic given that the subject in this verse is presented in the Psalm as the individual (or group) who is the answer to the questions of the first verse: “O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? This individual walks with integrity, works righteousness and speaks truth in his heart (v. 2), and in verse 3 is said to not do “evil (רָעָ֑ה) to his fellow". This individual, then, would not be expected to swear to ‘do wrong and not retreat’. Both text critical and semantic issues concerning the phrase לְ֝הָרַ֗ע, 'to do wrong', require consideration when addressing this issue.

Argument Map(s)

Text Critical Question: Should לְ֝הָרַ֗ע, 'to do wrong/harm', be retained as per the MT or emended to לְהַרֵעָ, 'neighbour/friend'? 

 
===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        rankdir: LR
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[to harm (לְ֝הָרַ֗ע)]: Masoretic vocalizations should be retained and the word should be interpreted as "to harm" (without textual emendation): "he swears (even) to (his own) hurt/harm/evil and does not change".
 + <Modern Versions>: (NIV, ESV, NET, CEV, JPS/1985, NLT, GNT, NRSV, NEB/REB, NJB?) Dictionaries and commentaries also support this reading (Author Date:Page :C:).
  + [Lectio difficilior]: More difficult reading often preferred.
  - [Some modern translations emend]:Douay-Rheims (Author Date:Page :C:; Author Date:Page :A:).#dispreferred
 + <Ancient Support>: Aq, Rashi, Kimchi, NJPS, Jer "swears to his detriment" (Author Date:Page :C:).
  - [Ancient counter]: LXX, Sym, Jer, Syr (Author Date:Page :C:; Author Date:Page :A:).#dispreferred
   - [Scholarly support]: Briggs and Alter (Author Date:Page :C:).#dispreferred
 + <Context>:
  + [Background of Lev. 5:4]: Lev. 5:4, potentially a background for Psalm 15:4c, translates 'לְ֝הָרַ֗ע' as to harm'
  + [Community behavior theme]: a reading of the MT says that oath keeping is important for members of the community, even if costly
   - [Emended reading focuses on community behavior]: the emended reading 'to a neighbor' more explicitly reinforces the HB and ANE emphasis on the importance of oath keeping in community.#dispreferred
 - <Emend to 'neighbour'>: 'he swears to his friend and does not change’ (Author Date:Page :G:).#dispreferred
  + [Context with v.3]: fulfilling an oath to his neighbor does not contradict the earlier portrayals, including that ‘he does no harm/evil to his neighbor’ (v. 3).#dispreferred 
   - [Semantic readings of לְ֝הָרַ֗ע]: some semantic readings of לְ֝הָרַ֗ע also do not contradict v.3 or the rest of the psalm.


Argument Mapn0to harm (לְ֝הָרַ֗ע)Masoretic vocalizations should be retained and the word should be interpreted as "to harm" (without textual emendation): "he swears (even) to (his own) hurt/harm/evil and does not change".n1Lectio difficiliorMore difficult reading often preferred.n10Modern Versions(NIV, ESV, NET, CEV, JPS/1985, NLT, GNT, NRSV, NEB/REB, NJB?) Dictionaries and commentaries also support this reading (Author Date:Page 🄲).n1->n10n2Some modern translations emendDouay-Rheims (Author Date:Page 🄲; Author Date:Page 🄰).n2->n10n3Ancient counterLXX, Sym, Jer, Syr (Author Date:Page 🄲; Author Date:Page 🄰).n11Ancient SupportAq, Rashi, Kimchi, NJPS, Jer "swears to his detriment" (Author Date:Page 🄲).n3->n11n4Scholarly supportBriggs and Alter (Author Date:Page 🄲).n4->n3n5Background of Lev. 5:4Lev. 5:4, potentially a background for Psalm 15:4c, translates 'לְ֝הָרַ֗ע' as to harm'n12Contextn5->n12n6Community behavior themea reading of the MT says that oath keeping is important for members of the community, even if costlyn6->n12n7Emended reading focuses on community behaviorthe emended reading 'to a neighbor' more explicitly reinforces the HB and ANE emphasis on the importance of oath keeping in community.n7->n6n8Context with v.3fulfilling an oath to his neighbor does not contradict the earlier portrayals, including that ‘he does no harm/evil to his neighbor’ (v. 3).n13Emend to 'neighbour''he swears to his friend and does not change’ (Author Date:Page 🄶).n8->n13n9Semantic readings of לְ֝הָרַ֗עsome semantic readings of לְ֝הָרַ֗ע also do not contradict v.3 or the rest of the psalm.n9->n8n10->n0n11->n0n12->n0n13->n0


Semantic Question: how should the word לְ֝הָרַ֗ע be read in the context of Psalm 15?

  • harm to self
  • harm to others
  • moral evil
 
===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"}    
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        rankdir: LR
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2
=== 
[Self-harm (לְ֝הָרַ֗ע)]: "swears to do evil to his own detriment"
 + <Textual support>:  Dictionaries and commentaries also support this reading (Author Date:Page :C:).
  + [Modern versions]:(NIV, ESV, NET, CEV, JPS/1985, NLT, GNT, NRSV, NEB/REB, NJB?)
   <_ [Some modern versions disagree]: Kezler, Ibn Ezra (translates as self harm in this passage but as harm to another in Lev. 5:4.#dispreferred
  + [Ancient versions]: (Author Date:Page :C:; Author Date:Page :A:).
   <_ [Some ancient versions emend text]: (Author Date:Page :C:).#dispreferred
 + <Context of v.3>:
  + [Repeated roots read negatively]: vv.3-4 are embedded in a list of descriptors of who may dwell on the LORD's holy mountain. V.3 disqualifies someone who wrongs/harms a neighbour. V.4 uses the same root: it could contradict verse 3 to say that someone who takes an oath to wrong/harm another would still qualify to enter. Reading לְ֝הָרַ֗ע as referring to self-harm does not contradict v.3.
  - [Defense Harm]: Could be referring to harm of an enemy.#dispreferred
  - [Judicial Harm]: Could be referring to a punishment when it would be justice to harm one in the community.#dispreferred
    + [No contrast specified]: No contrasted situation or group of people is mentioned in relation to not harming neighbours.
 + <Lev. 5:4 parallel>: shared lexical and thematic features (Author Date:Page :G:).
  + [Harm/good]: Milgrom and Schenker view the merism as referring to harm/good rather than moral/immoral. Milgrom, along with Rashi and the Talmud, read לְ֝הָרַ֗ע in Lev. 5:4 as harm to self rather than harm to another.
   + [Asam offering]: Milgrom chooses this reading for Lev. 5:4, pointing out the topic of oaths that harm others is addressed later in the chapter in vv 21-26
   - [Ibn Ezra disagrees]: Ibn Ezra takes Lev. 5:4 as harm to another.#dispreferred
   - [All of Lev. 5:4 not necessarily the background]: Lev 5:4 is explicitly about rash oaths, which are not mentioned in Ps. 15:4. It is unclear how much of the Lev context informs Ps 15:4. #dispreferred
 - <Harm to others>: #dispreferred
  + [King's role to defend and judge]: In 1 Sam 8:19 the desired role of the king is to fight (and presumably harm) the enemies of the Lord, and Israel, and also to judge. 2 Sam 4:9-12 is an instance when King David, in a judicial role, makes and carries out an oath to punish (harm) the murderers of Ish-bosheth.#dispreferred
  + [Jephthah fulfills his oath]: In Judges 11 Jephthah keeps his oath, even though it causes harm
   - [Text neither condemns nor celebrates]: Jepthah's actions are not explicitly evaluated in the text.
  + [Ibn Ezra interpretation]: Lev. 5:4 refers to oath against another #dispreferred
   - [Milgrom chooses a different reading]: rather with Rashi, Talmud and others he reads לְ֝הָרַ֗ע as self-harm. Because harm to others is discussed later in the chapter, he assumes Lev.5:4 refers to a different kind of harm.
   - [Ibn Ezra reads Ps.15 as self-harm]
 - <Moral Evil>: 'sworn to do no wrong and does not falter' Dahood and Craigie #dispreferred 
  + [Lamed read in 'separative sense']: also in Ps. 40:11 and 84:12 Craigie p.150 #dispreferred
   + [Ugaritic texts]: 'A wider knowledge of Hebrew grammar, made possible by the Ugaritic texts, renders any textual change needless, for the ras shamra tablets provide clear examples of the preposition lamed "to" with the meaning "from".'
   - [Lamed read "to" a person]: Kottsieper "swears to the wicked and does not violate it" but even here the oath is not broken.
   - [Lamed read as a verbal adjunct (result)]: to do harm [to himself]
  + [Solves the question of v.3 repetition]: 'sworn to do no wrong'#dispreferred


Argument Mapn0Self-harm (לְ֝הָרַ֗ע)"swears to do evil to his own detriment"n1Modern versions(NIV, ESV, NET, CEV, JPS/1985, NLT, GNT, NRSV, NEB/REB, NJB?)n24Textual supportDictionaries and commentaries also support this reading (Author Date:Page 🄲).n1->n24n2Some modern versions disagreeKezler, Ibn Ezra (translates as self harm in this passage but as harm to another in Lev. 5:4.n2->n1n3Ancient versions(Author Date:Page 🄲; Author Date:Page 🄰).n3->n24n4Some ancient versions emend text(Author Date:Page 🄲).n4->n3n5Repeated roots read negativelyvv.3-4 are embedded in a list of descriptors of who may dwell on the LORD's holy mountain. V.3 disqualifies someone who wrongs/harms a neighbour. V.4 uses the same root: it could contradict verse 3 to say that someone who takes an oath to wrong/harm another would still qualify to enter. Reading לְ֝הָרַ֗ע as referring to self-harm does not contradict v.3.n25Context of v.3n5->n25n6Defense HarmCould be referring to harm of an enemy.n6->n25n7Judicial HarmCould be referring to a punishment when it would be justice to harm one in the community.n7->n25n8No contrast specifiedNo contrasted situation or group of people is mentioned in relation to not harming neighbours.n8->n7n9Harm/goodMilgrom and Schenker view the merism as referring to harm/good rather than moral/immoral. Milgrom, along with Rashi and the Talmud, read לְ֝הָרַ֗ע in Lev. 5:4 as harm to self rather than harm to another.n26Lev. 5:4 parallelshared lexical and thematic features (Author Date:Page 🄶).n9->n26n10Asam offeringMilgrom chooses this reading for Lev. 5:4, pointing out the topic of oaths that harm others is addressed later in the chapter in vv 21-26n10->n9n11Ibn Ezra disagreesIbn Ezra takes Lev. 5:4 as harm to another.n11->n9n12All of Lev. 5:4 not necessarily the backgroundLev 5:4 is explicitly about rash oaths, which are not mentioned in Ps. 15:4. It is unclear how much of the Lev context informs Ps 15:4. n12->n9n13King's role to defend and judgeIn 1 Sam 8:19 the desired role of the king is to fight (and presumably harm) the enemies of the Lord, and Israel, and also to judge. 2 Sam 4:9-12 is an instance when King David, in a judicial role, makes and carries out an oath to punish (harm) the murderers of Ish-bosheth.n27Harm to othersn13->n27n14Jephthah fulfills his oathIn Judges 11 Jephthah keeps his oath, even though it causes harmn14->n27n15Text neither condemns nor celebratesJepthah's actions are not explicitly evaluated in the text.n15->n14n16Ibn Ezra interpretationLev. 5:4 refers to oath against another n16->n27n17Milgrom chooses a different readingrather with Rashi, Talmud and others he reads לְ֝הָרַ֗ע as self-harm. Because harm to others is discussed later in the chapter, he assumes Lev.5:4 refers to a different kind of harm.n17->n16n18Ibn Ezra reads Ps.15 as self-harmn18->n16n19Lamed read in 'separative sense'also in Ps. 40:11 and 84:12 Craigie p.150 n28Moral Evil'sworn to do no wrong and does not falter' Dahood and Craigie n19->n28n20Ugaritic texts'A wider knowledge of Hebrew grammar, made possible by the Ugaritic texts, renders any textual change needless, for the ras shamra tablets provide clear examples of the preposition lamed "to" with the meaning "from".'n20->n19n21Lamed read "to" a personKottsieper "swears to the wicked and does not violate it" but even here the oath is not broken.n21->n19n22Lamed read as a verbal adjunct (result)to do harm n22->n19n23Solves the question of v.3 repetition'sworn to do no wrong'n23->n28n24->n0n25->n0n26->n0n27->n0n28->n0


Conclusion

Research

Translation

Ancient

  • LXX: ὁ ὀμνύων τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἀθετῶν·
    • "he who swears to his fellow and does not renege"
  • Aq.: τον κακώσαι...
    • "you hurt him"
  • Th.: τον κακώσαι...
    • "you hurt him"
  • Sym.: ό όμόσας εταίρος είναι, και μη άλλαγείς
    • "the same partner is and does not change"
  • Jer.: iurat ut se adfligat et non mutat
    • "he swears to afflict himself and does not change"
  • Jer. Jurat ad malefaciendum (in damnum suum), nec muta
    • "he swears to do evil (to his own dtriment), and does not change"
  • Jer. psalterium gall.: Qui jurat proximo suo, et non decipit
    • "he who swears to his neighbor, and does not deceive"
  • Jer. juxta hebraicum: urat[etiam]ad damnificandum et non mutat(!); argentum suum non commodat cum foenore et munus adversus innocentem non accipit
    • "he swears [also] to damage and does not change (does not accept interest and obligation against the innocent)
  • Syr.: ܝܡܐ ܠܚܒܪܗ ܘܠܐ ܡܕܓܠ
    • "he takes an oath with his friend and does not deceive" For MT לְ֝הָרַ֗ע to his harm P has to his friend (cf. LXX,τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ).

The difference is due to confusion with regard to vocalization of the Hebrew word. For MT לְ֝הָרַ֗ע to his harm the Greek and Syriac translators understood τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦto his friend Tg.: לאבאשא לגרמיה ולא משלחף/יפרג

    • "who will swear to do harm to himself and does not change"

Modern

Secondary Literature

References

15:4