Introduction

The Hebrew text of Ps. 40:8 reads as follows:

אָ֣ז אָ֭מַרְתִּי הִנֵּה־בָ֑אתִי בִּמְגִלַּת־סֵ֝֗פֶר כָּת֥וּב עָלָֽי׃

There are multiple questions with the verse's final two phrases (בִּמְגִלַּת־סֵ֝֗פֶר and כָּת֥וּב עָלָֽי). The difficulty of the second half of Ps 40:8, led the translators of the NEB to omit it as a later scribal insertion.

However, most translations either interpret מְגִלַּת־סֵ֝֗פֶר as a reference to an unspecified book or the Torah.

Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: (ESV; cf., NIV, NASB, NET, Luther 2017)
And so I answered, “Here I am; your instructions for me are in the book of the Law. (GNT; cf., HFA, NGÜ, GNB)

The verse's last two words (כָּת֥וּב עָלָֽי) are also understood differently.

Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-- it is written about me in the scroll. (NIV; cf., NLT, ESV, NRSV)
and so I answered, “Here I am; your instructions for me are in the book of the Law. (GNT; cf., NFC, PDV)

Argument Maps

The Scroll of the Book


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The Book of the Law


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About Me


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Instructions for Me


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Conclusion

Research

Translations

Omits Ps 40:8b

I would have said, “Here I am” (NEB)

Follows the LXX

Entonces dije: He aqui, vengo! En la cabecilla del rollo esta escrito acerca de mi: (S21)

Scroll of the Book

Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-- it is written about me in the scroll. (NIV)
Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: (ESV)
Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. (NASB)
Then I say, "Look! I come! What is written in the scroll pertains to me. (NET)
Then I said, “Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. (NRSV)
Then I said,“See, I will bring a scroll recounting what befell me.” (JPS 1985)
Da sprach ich: Siehe, ich komme; im Buch ist von mir geschrieben: (Luther 2017)
Da sprach ich: Siehe, ich komme; in der Rolle des Buches steht über mich geschrieben. (ELB)
Da habe ich gesagt: Siehe, ich komme. In der Buchrolle steht es über mich geschrieben. (EÜ)
Da sprach ich: Sieh, ich bin gekommen, in der Schriftrolle steht geschrieben, was für mich gilt. (ZÜR)
Alors j'ai dit : Je viens avec le livre-rouleau écrit pour moi. (NBS)
Alors je dis : Voici je viens Avec le rouleau du livre écrit pour moi (NVSR)
Alors j’ai dit : Voici, je viens, dans le rouleau du livre, il est question de moi. (BDS)
Alors j’ai dit : « Me voici, je viens à toi. Dans le rouleau d’un livre , je trouve écrit ce que je dois faire. » (PDV)
Alors j'ai dit : « Je viens moi-même à toi. Dans le livre je trouve écrit ce que je dois faire. » (NFC)
Alors j’ai dit: «Me voici, je viens – dans le rouleau du livre il est écrit à mon sujet – (S21)
Entonces dije: «He aquí, vengo; en el rollo del libro está escrito de mí; (RVR)
Por eso dije: «Aquí me tienes —como el libro dice de mí—. (NVI)
Por eso he dicho: Aquí estoy, tal como el libro dice de mí. (DHH)

Book of the Law

Then I said, "Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: (NLT)
And so I answered, “Here I am; your instructions for me are in the book of the Law. (GNT)
Da habe ich gesagt: »Hier bin ich! Im Buch des Gesetzes ist von mir die Rede. (NGÜ)
Darum sage ich: Mein Gott, ich bin bereit, zu tun, was du von mir erwartest, so wie es für mich aufgeschrieben ist im Buch des Gesetzes. (GNB)

About Me

Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-- it is written about me in the scroll. (NIV)
Then I said, "Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: (NLT)
Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: (ESV)
Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. (NASB)
Then I said, “Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. (NRSV)
Then I said,“See, I will bring a scroll recounting what befell me.” (JPS 1985)
Da sprach ich: Siehe, ich komme; im Buch ist von mir geschrieben: (Luther2017)
Da habe ich gesagt: »Hier bin ich! Im Buch des Gesetzes ist von mir die Rede. (NGÜ)
Da sprach ich: Siehe, ich komme; in der Rolle des Buches steht über mich geschrieben. (ELB)
Da habe ich gesagt: Siehe, ich komme. In der Buchrolle steht es über mich geschrieben. (EÜ)
Da sprach ich: Sieh, ich bin gekommen, in der Schriftrolle steht geschrieben, was für mich gilt. (ZÜR)
Alors j'ai dit : Je viens avec le livre-rouleau écrit pour moi. (NBS)
Alors je dis : Voici je viens Avec le rouleau du livre écrit pour moi (NVSR)
Alors j’ai dit : Voici, je viens, dans le rouleau du livre, il est question de moi. (BDS)
Alors j’ai dit: «Me voici, je viens – dans le rouleau du livre il est écrit à mon sujet – (S21)
Entonces dije: «He aquí, vengo; en el rollo del libro está escrito de mí; (RVR)
Por eso dije: «Aquí me tienes —como el libro dice de mí—. (NVI)
Por eso he dicho: Aquí estoy, tal como el libro dice de mí. (DHH)
Entonces dije: He aqui, vengo! En la cabecilla del rollo esta escrito acerca de mi: (S21)

Instructions for Me

Then I say, "Look! I come! What is written in the scroll pertains to me. (NET)
And so I answered, “Here I am; your instructions for me are in the book of the Law. (GNT)
Deshalb antworte ich: »Herr, hier bin ich! Was im Buch des Gesetzes steht, das gilt mir. (HFA)
Darum sage ich: Mein Gott, ich bin bereit, zu tun, was du von mir erwartest, so wie es für mich aufgeschrieben ist im Buch des Gesetzes. (GNB)
Alors j’ai dit : « Me voici, je viens à toi. Dans le rouleau d’un livre , je trouve écrit ce que je dois faire. » (PDV)
Alors j'ai dit : « Je viens moi-même à toi. Dans le livre je trouve écrit ce que je dois faire. » (NFC)

Ancient

LXX: τότε εἶπον Ἰδοὺ ἥκω, ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ,^[1]
- "Then I said, 'Look! I have come; in a scroll of a book it is written of me.'"^[2]
Aquila: ἐν εἰλήματι βιβλίου^[3]
Symmachus: ἐν τῷ τεύχει τοῦ ὁρισμοῦ σου^[4]
Quinta: ἐν τόμῳ βιβλίου^[5]
Peshitta: ܗܝܕܝܢ ܐܡܪܬ ܕܗܐ ܐܬܝܬ܂ ܕܒܪܝܫ ܟܬ̈ܒܐ ܟܬܝܒ ܥܠܝ܂^[6]
- "Then I said, ‘Look, I have come. In the beginning of the books it is written concerning me.'" ^[7]
Jerome (iuxta LXX): tunc dixi ecce venio in capite libri scriptum est de me
Jerome (iuxta Hebr.): tunc dixi ecce venio in volumine libre scriptum est de me
Targum:הידין אמרית הא עלית לחיי עלמא כד אעסוק במגילת סיפרא אוריתא דאכתיב אמטולתי׃ ^[8]
- "Then I said, 'Behold, I have entered eternal life when I am occupied with the scroll of the book of the Lw, which was written for my sake.'"^[9]

Modern

Secondary Literature

References

40:8

[1] Rahlfs 1931.

[2] NETS

[3] Göttingen Hexapla Database.

[4] Göttingen Hexapla Database.

[5] Göttingen Hexapla Database.

[6] CAL.

[7] Taylor 2020, 155.

[8] CAL.

[9] Stec 2004, 85.

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The Meaning of Psalm 40:8

Introduction

Argument Maps

The Scroll of the Book

The Book of the Law

About Me

Instructions for Me

Conclusion

Research

Translations

Omits Ps 40:8b

Follows the LXX

Scroll of the Book

Book of the Law

About Me

Instructions for Me

Ancient

Modern

Secondary Literature

References

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