Exegetical Issue—Hunter

Introduction

The Hebrew text of Ps. 19:4 reads as follows:

אֵֽין־אֹ֭מֶר וְאֵ֣ין דְּבָרִ֑ים

בְּ֝לִ֗י נִשְׁמָ֥ע קוֹלָֽם׃

Consider the following two translations of this verse:

• They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. (NIV)
• There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. (ESV)

There are two ways to understand the syntax of v. 4b:

1. as an independent clause (NET, NRSV, NLT, CEV, GNT)
2. as a relative clause (JPS85)

As seen in the above translations, these renderings produce essentially opposite meanings. As an independent clause, the "speech" and "words" are not heard (i.e. no one hears them). As a relative clause, the "speech" and "words" are heard (i.e. everyone hears them).

Argument Maps

Independent Clause

Most modern translations read בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם as an independent clause (i.e. their voice is not heard), resulting in three separate clauses in v. 4: there is no speech; and there are no words; their voice is not heard. According to this understanding, no one hears the heavenly witness.

The NRSV is representative of this view: There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard (c.f. NET, NLT, NIV, CEV, GNT).

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[Independent clause]: בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם is an independent clause (''their voice is not heard'').
 + <Clause constituents>: The co-occurrence of a negative particle, a predicative passive participle, and a noun functioning as the subject can represent an independent clause. #dispreferred
  + [Clause constituents]: 2 Sam 3:34: יָדֶךָ לֹא־אֲסֻרוֹת; Ezek 4:14: נַפְשִׁי לֹא מְטֻמָּאָה. #dispreferred
 - <Context>: The immediately preceding context (vv. 2-3) and following context (v. 5a) — which relate the speech and extent of the celestial witness — seem to contradict v. 4b (their voice is not heard).
  <_ <בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם a later insertion>: The discrepancy between v.4 and v. 5a, "should be explained by seeing v. 4 as a later reworking that denies the cosmic elements comprehensible speech and makes them inferior to Torah" (Klein 2013,139 :A:). #dispreferred
  <_ <Paradox of wordless speech>: Though the celestial realm speaks, their voice is not heard/perceived by humanity; their speech is ineffective. #dispreffered
 + <Syntax>: Regarding the relationship between אֵין־אֹמֶר וְאֵין דְּבָרִים and בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם, they each, "represent two asyndetically juxtaposed independent negated sentences, one nominal and the other verbal,  in which the אין in the two nominal clauses corresponds to בלי נשׁמע, while the nouns אמר and דברים correspond to קולם" (Knierim 1995,328 :M:). #dispreferred
  <_ <Possibility of unmarked relative>: אֵין־אֹמֶר וְאֵין דְּבָרִים and בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם may also be linked by an asyndetic/unmarked relative.

Relative Clause (preferred)

Several translations read בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם as an unmarked relative clause (i.e. whose voice is not heard), resulting in two separate clauses in v. 4: there is no speech; and there are no words whose voice is not heard. According to this understanding, everyone hears the heavenly witness.

The ESV is representative of this view: There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard (c.f. JPS85).

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[Relative clause]: בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם is an unmarked relative clause (whose voice is not heard).
 + <Ancient versions>: The LXX, Symmachus, and the Vulgate include a relative pronoun.
   + [Ancient versions]: LXX: ὧν οὐχὶ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναὶ αὐτῶν. Symmachus: ὧν οὐκ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναί. Vulgate: quibus non audiatur vox eorum.
 + <Clause constituents>: The co-occurrence of a negative particle and a passive participle can signal an unmarked relative clause. 
   + [Ez 22:24]: אַ֣תְּ אֶ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א מְטֹהָרָ֖ה הִ֑יא (ESV: You are a land that is not cleansed). (Miller-Naudé and Naudé 2015,189-190 :A:).
 - <לֹא>: Of the negative particles, only לֹא occurs within (un)marked relative clauses (Miller-Naudé and Naudé 2015,196 :A:) #dispreferred
 - <Absence of relative marker>:  בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם is not preceded by a relative marker (i.e. אשׁר, שׁ, ה, z series and m series; Holmstedt 2016,81 :M:). #dispreferred
 + <Unmarked relative clause>: Instead of being marked with a relative, in some relative clauses a "null ("zero") relative complementizer is used, and the head and relative clause appear to be simply juxtaposed" (Holmstedt 2016,81 :M:).
 + <Resumptive element>: The resumptive 3mp pronominal suffix (ם) refers back to its indefinite head noun (דְּבָרִים), tethering וְאֵין דְּבָרִים and בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם together. (Miller-Naudé and Naudé 2015,189-192 :A:; BHRG §36.1.5.2 :G:)
  <_ [Resumptive elements are uncommon]: "Hebrew zero-relatives may contain a resumptive pronoun...although this is not common" (Holmstedt 2013 :A:). #dispreffered

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have opted for understanding בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם as an unmarked relative clause (whose voice is not heard). The testimony of select ancient versions (LXX, Symmachus, and Vulgate), the presence of a resumptive element (ם) within the clause, and the surrounding context argue in favor of reading בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם as an unmarked relative clause. Although בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם can be understood as an independent clause (their voice is not heard) on grammatical and syntactical grounds, it is better understood — in keeping with the surrounding context — as a positive statement regarding the all-encompassing nature of the heavenly witness (i.e. their voice is heard by everyone).

Understanding בְּלִי נִשְׁמָע קוֹלָם as an unmarked relative clause allows vv. 2-5a to be of one voice: the celestial realm does indeed speak; and that speech is heard by all people. The effectiveness of the heavenly speech in the first half of the psalm (vv. 2-7) parallels the effectiveness of YHWH's speech in the second (vv. 8-12).

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: οὐκ εἰσὶν λαλιαὶ οὐδὲ λόγοι, ὧν οὐχὶ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναὶ αὐτῶν
  • "There are no conversations, nor are there words, the articulations of which are not heard."
• Aquila: οὐκ ἔστι λόγος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι ῥήματα, οὗ μὴ ἀκουσθῇ φωνὴ αὐτοῦ
• Symmachus: οὐ ῥήσεσιν, οὐδὲ λόγοις, ὧν οὐκ ἀκούονται αἱ φωναί
• Jerome (iuxta Hebr.): non est sermo et non sunt verba quibus non audiatur vox eorum
• Targum: לית מימר דתורעמתא ולית מילי דשגושא דלא משתמע קלהון
  • "There is no word of commotion, nor are there words of confusion, and their voice is not heard."
• Peshitta: ܠܝܬ ܡܐܡܪܐ ܐܦ ܠܐ ܡ̈ܠܐ܂ ܕܠܐ ܢܫܬܡܥ ܒܩܠܗܘܢ
  • "There is no speech or words, for their voice is not heard."

Modern

v. 4b as independent clause

• They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. (NIV)
• They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.(NLT)
• They don't speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. (CEV)
• No speech or words are used, no sound is heard; (GNT)
• There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. (NET)
• and this without speech or language or sound of any voice. (REB)
• There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; (NRSV)
• No utterance at all, no speech, not a sound to be heard, (NJB)
• ohne Sprache und ohne Worte; unhörbar ist ihre Stimme. (LUT)
• Dies alles geschieht ohne Worte, ohne einen vernehmlichen Laut. (HFA)
• Sie tun es ohne Worte, kein Laut und keine Stimme ist zu hören. (NGÜ)
• ohne Rede und ohne Worte, mit unhörbarer Stimme. (ELB)
• ohne Rede und ohne Worte, ungehört bleibt ihre Stimme. (EÜ)
• Kein Wort wird gesprochen, kein Laut ist zu hören (GNB)
• ohne Sprache, ohne Worte, mit unhörbarer Stimme. (ZÜR)
• Ce n'est pas un récit, il n'y a pas de mots, leur voix ne s'entend pas. (TOB)
• Ce n'est pas un langage, ce ne sont pas des paroles, on n'entend pas leur voix. (NBS)
• Ce n'est pas un langage, ce ne sont pas des paroles, Leur voix n'est pas entendue. (NVS78P)
• Ce ne sont pas des paroles, ╵ce ne sont pas des discours, ni des voix qu’on peut entendre. (BDS)
• Ce n’est pas un discours, il n’y a pas de paroles, aucun son ne se fait entendre. (PDV2017)
• Ce n'est pas un discours, ce ne sont pas des mots, l'oreille n'entend aucun son. (NFC)
• Ce n’est pas un langage, ce ne sont pas des paroles, on n’entend pas leur son. (S21)
• No hay lenguaje ni palabras ni es oída su voz. (RVR95)
• Sin palabras, sin lenguaje, sin una voz perceptible, (NVI)
• Aunque no se escuchan palabras ni se oye voz alguna, (DHH94I)
• Donde no hay lenguaje ni idioma, La voz de Ellos no es para ser oída, (BTX4)

v. 4b as relative clause

• There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. (ESV)
• There is no utterance, there are no words, whose sound goes unheard. (JPS85)

Secondary Literature

Holmstedt, Robert D. 2016. The Relative Clause in Biblical Hebrew. LSAWS 10. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns.

Holmstedt, Robert D. 2013. Relative Clause: Biblical Hebrew. Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics 3.

Knierim, Rolf P. 1995. The Task of Old Testament Theology: Substance, Method, and Cases. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.

Miller-Naudé, Cynthia L., and Jacobus A. Naudé. 2015. “The Participle and Negation in Biblical Hebrew.” KUSATU 19: 165–199.

Klein, Anja. 2013. "Half Way Between Psalm 119 and Ben Sira: Wisdom and Torah in Psalm 19." Pages 137-155 in Wisdom and Torah: The Reception of “Torah” in the Wisdom Literature of the Second Temple Period. Edited by Bernd Schipper and D. Andrew Teeter. Leiden: Brill.