Lamnaṣṣēaḥ

Introduction

The phrase לַמְנַצֵּחַ appears in 55 Psalms superscriptions, always in the initial position (with the exception of Ps 88). However, as early as the 2nd century BC, its sense seems to have been confused (Gentry 2021). The understanding of לַמְנַצֵּחַ has developed in two directions, as reflected in translation.

On the one hand, we have the understanding of the Masoretic Text followed by the vast majority of modern translations, that is, something along the lines of for the director. This is the position of the medieval exegetes Saadia Gaon, Menahem ben Solomon Meiri, Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and Radak, as well as John Calvin, and is possibly reflected in the Aramaic Targum Psalms (if לְשַׁבָּחָא is to be understood as for the praiser).

On the other hand, we have the Greek tradition, roughly followed by the Three revisers and Jerome. The LXX reads, εἰς τὸ τέλος, to the end(?), rendered by Jerome as in finem. However, when translating the Hebrew text, Jerome opts for victori or pro victoria, along the lines of Aquila’s τῷ νικοποιῷ, Symmachus’ ἐπινίκιος, Theodotion’s εἰς τὸ νῖκος, and possibly reflected in the Aramaic לְשַׁבָּחָא if understood as something like in glorification (HALOT). This ‘victor(y)’ reading provides not only a more precise understanding of εἰς τὸ τέλος not as temporal (for which εἰς τέλος would be much more natural), rather as the end result, culmination, glory, overcoming, victory, but also the polysemous sense of נֵצַח as glory and possibly (though with slimmer evidence for Biblical Hebrew) victory (see DCH for these two separate entries for נֵצַח). Indeed, it is easy to track the semantic extension of נצח as being a leader, director, supreme, superior to victor, as reflected by its use in Mishnaic Hebrew.

Unfortunately, while numerous Syriac manuscript traditions include headings in the Psalter, the MT superscriptions did not make their way into the Peshitta translation of the Bible

Text

The most natural underlying Hebrew text to arrive at the Greek phrase εἰς τὸ τέλος would be לָנֶצַח. However, in the Qumran fragment of 5/6 HevPs, being the oldest textual witness to the Hebrew, the five consonants of למנצח are clearly visible. Thus, in order to interpet this phrase as anything like to the end/victor(y) we would need to posit a semantically-unlikely use of the compound preposition לְמִן as communicating the idea of from … onward, “to indicate expressly the starting-point, as an exact terminus a quo (of place or time)” (GKC §119c n.2). A much simpler solution is the known use of the Piel participle with the מ prefix as used in numerous other passages of the Hebrew Bible (see below).

Surrounding co-text

In Bourguet’s (1981) study of the structure of the Psalms superscriptions, his model treats למנצח as constituting its own category, separate from the title of the Psalm. One implication of this finding is that it is not semantically or syntactically dependent on other elements of the superscription in which it is found. However, if there is a mention of musical direction in the superscription, למנצח is always present and always immediately precedes the musical instrument/melody, which would indicate its use as an integral part of the musical direction. On the other hand, when a liturgical note or historical circumstance is offered, the presence of למנצח is not necessary.

Thus while the alternative, לנצח and its derivatives, have adopted a more thematic sense of (often eschatological) end or victory, this does not fit the superscription co-text, nor, more often than not, does it reflect the contents of the psalms which it heads. Since למנצח is deemed, at least by Bourguet, to constitute a separate heading from the title of the psalm and refers to the musical director, the immediate presence of the musical terms, which remain little understood, loses its mystery. Although we might not fully understand עַלְמ֥וּת לַבֵּ֗ן (Ps 9:1) or עַל־אַיֶּ֥לֶת הַשַּׁ֗חַר (Ps 22:1), for example, it seems that המנצח would have - if he was indeed the specialist! Bourguet posits that for the Psalms whose superscriptions include למנצח in the absence of difficult musical terms, the latter are to be found within the text of the psalm itself.

Canonical Context

The use of לְנַצֵּחַ throughout the rest of the Hebrew Bible is consistent with both the earliest textual evidence and the superscription co-text in which לַמְנַצֵּחַ is found.

Maintaining the לָנֶצַח reading is further complicated by the observation that its use is always in either negative or interrogative clauses (HALOT). On the other hand, we find לְנַצֵּחַ in the context of Levitical temple worship in 1 Chr. 21:15 (לְנַצֵּחַ), 1 Chr. 23:4 (לְנַצֵּחַ), 2 Chr. 2:1 (מְנַצְּחִים), 2 Chr. 2:17 (מְנַצְּחִים), 2 Chr. 34:12-13 (לְנַצֵּחַ, מְנַצְּחִים), Ezra 3:8-9 (לְנַצֵּחַ, לְנַצֵּחַ) and Habakkuk 3:19 (לַמְנַצֵּחַ). These are translated in LXX as τοῦ ἐνισχῦσαι (1 Chr. 21:15), ἐργοδιῶκται (1 Chr. 23:4), ἐπιστάται (2 Chr. 2:1), ἐργοδιώκτας (2 Chr. 2:17), ἐπισκοπεῖν (2 Chr. 34:12), and τοῦ νικῆσαι (Habakkuk 3:19). Evidently, the misunderstanding in the Psalms superscriptions also affected the translator’s understanding of the end of the hymn in Habakkuk 3:19. The lexeme is absent in Ezra 3:8 and 3:9, but should have been positioned within the ἔστη … ἐπὶ frame. It is also absent also in 2 Chr. 34:13, expected to be preceding the ἐπὶ.

In short, with the exception of to oversee (ἐπισκοπεῖν) in 2 Chr. 34:12, this phrase is consistently misunderstood in the LXX. In contrast, the basic sense of לְנַצֵּחַ as overseeing or supervising any sort of labour, but especially temple music direction, is consistently in view.

Argument Map

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[Main point]: The Piel participle of נצח is the preferred reading.
 + <Oldest Hebrew textual evidence>: Qumran superscriptions included the letters למנצח.
  + [5/6HevPs]: The fragment of the beginning of Ps 13 clearly reads למנצח מזמור לדוד.
  <_ <An alternative understanding of these five letters>:The word למנצח includes the compound preposition לְמִן to maintain the εἰς τὸ τέλος meaning. #dispreferred
   _ <The compound prepositional phrase>: The compound לְמִן is very unlikely to communicate plain duration: ''to the end''.
 + <The superscription co-text>: The phrase למנצח is found superscription-initially, outside any thematic title, and whenever difficult musical terms are found למנצח is always present, immediately preceding the instrument or melody in question (Bourguet 1981 :A:).
 + <Other uses of the Piel verb>: Anywhere else Piel נצח is uncontroversially used in the Hebrew Bible, it is always within the context of leading or overseeing a certain labour, overwhelmingly so in the context of musical temple worship.
  + [Other instances of לְנַצֵּחַ]: 1 Chr. 21:15, 23:3-4; 2 Chr. 2:1, 17, 34:12-13; Ezra 3:8-9; Hab. 3:19.
 <_ <The Greek and Latin titles>: The LXX, Three and Jerome do not recognise this reading. #dispreferred
  _ <Translations of לְנַצֵּחַ elsewhere>: These translations of other instances of the Piel verb are also misleading and do not seem to have been well understood even as early as the 2nd century BC (Gentry 2021 :A:).

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[Main point]: εἰς τὸ τέλος and its Greek and Latin derivatives retain the intended sense of למנצח. #dispreferred
 + <Ancient translations>: None of the ancient translations seem to unambiguously follow the ''overseer'' idea of the ''Piel'' participle of נצח. #dispreferred
  _ <The participle of נצח in general>: Their translations are mistaken in the cases of unambiguous instances of the ''Piel'' participle elsewhere.
  _ <The text>: εἰς τὸ τέλος and its derivatives make little sense of the five letters למנצח.
   - <The four letters>: The presence of the מ is mistaken and we should read לָנֶצַח. #dispreferred   
    _ <Syntax>: The prepositional phrase לָנֶצַח is always found in negative or interrogative clauses (HALOT :D:).
    _ <Semantics>: Even if לָנֶצַח is accepted on textual and syntactic grounds the telic/temporal understanding makes no sense of the contents of the psalms with למנצח in the superscription, and the ''victor'' sense of נצח was primarily a later development, with its evidence in Biblical Hebrew scant (see 1 Sam. 15:29, for example).

Conclusion

The development of the end or victory theme from לַמְנַצֵּחַ seems to have been an early misunderstanding and a later anachronism, while translating the phrase in relation to the direction of the lead musician in temple worship is faithful to the earliest textual evidence, the surrounding musical co-text of the superscriptions and the understanding of the Piel verb in its other instances in the Hebrew Bible.

It would seem that the presence of לַמְנַצֵּחַ in a Psalm's superscription would indicate its original function in First Temple musical liturgy, in which the professional director or conductor was expected to oversee the music. This fits well with current theories on the formation of the Psalter as those sections in which לַמְנַצֵּחַ is prevalent are by and large considered the earliest. Those Psalms which do not have לַמְנַצֵּחַ in their title, for example Ps 29, as a song of victory, probably found their origins and compositional motivation in other areas, though became integrated into the Hebrew Psalter over time and were thus used in communal liturgy. Although there was a guild of professional singers (2 Chr. 5:13, Ezra 2:65 Neh. 7:67), the mention of לַמְנַצֵּחַ in musical contexts of Chronicles is only explicitly related to the instruments involved (בְּכִנֹּר֥וֹת עַל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֖ית לְנַצֵּֽחַ׃ in 1 Chr. 15:21, וְהַ֨לְוִיִּ֔ם כָּל־מֵבִ֖ין בִּכְלֵי־שִֽׁיר׃ in 2 Chr. 34:12). However, it is not clear whether the original performance of לַמְנַצֵּחַ Psalms was limited to temple musicians for reasons of the songs' complexity, the instruments needed, or their use in the specific festivals of the liturgical calendar.

Sources

Biblical References

1 Chronicles 15:21 וּמַתִּתְיָ֣הוּ וֶאֱלִֽיפְלֵ֗הוּ וּמִקְנֵיָ֨הוּ֙ וְעֹבֵ֣ד אֱדֹ֔םוִֽיעִיאֵ֖ל וַעֲזַזְיָ֑הוּ בְּכִנֹּר֥וֹת עַל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֖ית לְנַצֵּֽחַ׃

καὶ Ματταθιας καὶ Ελιφαλιας καὶ Μακενιας καὶ Αβδεδομ καὶ Ιιηλ καὶ Οζιας ἐν κινύραις αμασενιθ τοῦ ἐνισχῦσαι.

1 Chroncles 23:3-4 וַיִּסָּֽפְרוּ֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם מִבֶּ֛ןשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה וַיְהִ֨י מִסְפָּרָ֤ם לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם֙ לִגְבָרִ֔ים שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁמוֹנָ֖ה אָֽלֶף׃ מֵאֵ֗לֶּה לְנַצֵּ֨חַ֙ עַל־מְלֶ֣אכֶת בֵּית־יְהוָ֔ה עֶשְׂרִ֥יםוְאַרְבָּעָ֖ה אָ֑לֶף וְשֹׁטְרִ֥ים וְשֹׁפְטִ֖ים שֵׁ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִֽים׃

ἀπὸ τούτων ἐργοδιῶκται ἐπὶ τὰ ἔργα οἴκου κυρίου εἴκοσι τέσσαρες χιλιάδες καὶ γραμματεῖς καὶ κριταὶ ἑξακισχίλιοι

2 Chronicles 2: 1, 17 וַיִּסְפֹּ֨ר שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֨לֶף֙ אִ֣ישׁ סַבָּ֔ל וּשְׁמוֹנִ֥ים אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ חֹצֵ֣בבָּהָ֑ר וּמְנַצְּחִ֣ים עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ ... וַיַּ֨עַשׂ מֵהֶ֜ם שִׁבְעִ֥ים אֶ֨לֶף֙ סַבָּ֔ל וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף חֹצֵ֣ב בָּהָ֑ר וּשְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֙ וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת מְנַצְּחִ֖ים לְהַעֲבִ֥יד אֶת־הָעָֽם׃

καὶ οἱ ἐπιστάται ἐπ ̓ αὐτῶν τρισχίλιοι ἑξακόσιοι... καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἑβδομήκοντα χιλιάδας νωτοφόρων καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα χιλιάδας λατόμων καὶ τρισχιλίους ἑξακοσίους ἐργοδιώκτας ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν.

Ezra 3:8-9 וּבַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֗ית לְבוֹאָ֞ם אֶל־בֵּ֤ית הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם בַּחֹ֖דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֑י הֵחֵ֡לּוּ זְרֻבָּבֶ֣ל בֶּן־שְׁ֠אַלְתִּיאֵלוְיֵשׁ֨וּעַ בֶּן־יֽוֹצָדָ֜ק וּשְׁאָ֥ר אֲחֵיהֶ֣ם ׀ הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֗ם וְכָל־הַבָּאִים֙ מֵהַשְּׁבִ֣י יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיַּעֲמִ֣ידוּ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה לְנַצֵּ֖חַ עַל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת בֵּית־יְהוָֽה׃ פ וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד יֵשׁ֡וּעַ בָּנָ֣יו וְ֠אֶחָיו קַדְמִיאֵ֨ל וּבָנָ֤י ובְּנֵֽי־יְהוּדָה֙ כְּאֶחָ֔ד לְנַצֵּ֛חַ עַל־עֹשֵׂ֥ה הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה בְּבֵ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים ס בְּנֵי֙חֵֽנָדָ֔ד בְּנֵיהֶ֥ם וַאֲחֵיהֶ֖ם הַלְוִיִּֽם׃

καὶ ἔστησαν τοὺς Λευίτας ἀπὸ εἰκοσαετοῦς καὶ ἐπάνω ἐπὶ τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὰ ἔργα ἐν οἴκῳ κυρίου. ... καὶ ἔστη ̓Ιησοῦς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, Καδμιηλ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ υἱοὶ Ιουδα, ἐπὶ τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὰ ἔργα ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ θεοῦ.

Habakkuk 3:19 יְהוִ֤הּ אֲדֹנָי֙ חֵילִ֔י וַיָּ֤שֶׂם רַגְלַי֙ כָּֽאַיָּל֔וֹת וְעַ֥ל בָּמוֹתַ֖י יַדְרִכֵ֑נִי לַמְנַצֵּ֖חַ בִּנְגִינוֹתָֽי׃

κύριος ὁ θεὸς δύναμίς μου καὶ τάξει τοὺς πόδας μου εἰς συντέλειαν· ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἐπιβιβᾷ με τοῦ νικῆσαι ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ αὐτοῦ.

Ancient Translations

• Targum Psalms: לְשַׁבָּחָא (for the praiser / in glorification, with the exception of Ps 11's לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָ֫וִ֥ד, for which the Aramaic reads תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא לְדָוִד, a hymn of David)
• LXX: εἰς τὸ τέλος (Jerome, in finem)
• Aquila: τῷ νικοποιῷ
• Symmachus: ἐπινίκιος
• Theodotion: εἰς τὸ νῖκος
• Jerome: victori (but pro victoria in Pss 35, 39-42, 44, 57, 109, 139-140)

Modern Translations

English

• For the director of music (NIV, NASB, NET)
• For the choir director (CSB)
• To the chief musician (KJV)
• For the leader (JPS 1985)

German

• vorzusingen (Luther 2017)
• Ø (HFA, GNB)
• Für den Dirigenten (NGÜ)
• Dem Chorleiter (ELB) / Für den Chormeister (EÜ, ZÜR)

French

• Du chef de chœur (TOB, NBS, NVSR, BDS, S21)
• pris dans le livre du chef de chorale (PDV), du répertoire du chef de chorale (NFC)

Spanish

• Para el director del coro (LBLA, BTX4)
• Del maestro de coro (DHH)
• Al músico principal (RVA-2015)

Lexica, Commentators & Articles

• Belonging to the Director's Psalter (BDB)
• director of music, or the famous one (with ל of possession) (DCH)
• "uncertain meaning", trad. "for the director of music" (HALOT)

• המנצח הוא הפקיד שהוא שר על המנגנים כמו ומנצחים עליהם, וזהו הנכון פנפתח למ׳׳ד למנצח בעבור היותו ידוע (Ibn Ezra)
• והנראה: כי המנצח הוא אשר היה על המשוררים. ועל ידי המנצחים היו נאמרים המזמורים. והיו נותנים אותם למנגנים ולמשוררים, ולא תמצא בשום מקום למשורר ולמנגן אלא למנצח. (Radak)
• למנצח בנגינות. מזמור זה יסד דוד שיאמרוהו בני לוי המנצחין בנגינות בשיר על הדוכן, לשון נצוח נופל במתחזקים בעבודה כענין שנא' (עזרא ג׳:ח׳) יעמדו הלוים מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה לנצח על מלאכת בית ה': (Rashi)
• a l'intention duquel seraient donnés des indications musicales (Bourguet 1981)
• "for the use of/for use by the music director" (Craigie 2004)
• "Leading describes a musical role in 1 Chron. 15:21, and the "leader" might thus be the music director. "The leader's" perhaps then refers to a collection of psalms. But the leader might be a king or priest who represented the people in worship" (Goldingay 2006)
• "for the leader... for/belonging to the one in charge" (Jacobson in de-Claisse-Walford et a. 2014)
• "for the conductor... to describe the activity of the Levite musicians... throughout the Psalms, Lamenatse᾽act prefaces some performance instruction in the superscription (Jacobson 2016)
• "for the choir director/leading musician" (Gentry 2021)

References

Approved