Non-Initial Yiqtols in Psalm 18:1–20

Psalm Overview

Exegetical issues for Psalm 18:

Are There Preterite Yiqtols in Psalm 18?

Non-Initial Yiqtols in Psalm 18:1–20

The Form and Meaning of נִחֲתָ֥ה in Psalm 18:35

Introduction

In Psalm 18:1–20, the Psalmist recounts past instances of God's deliverance. We have argued elsewhere that preterite yiqtol is used throughout this section. In vv. 5b, 8b, 9b and 14a non-initial yiqtol immediately follows either qatal or wayyiqtol. This creates a difficulty in accounting for the actual semantics of the yiqtol in this position. In this argument map we will use verse 5 as a representative case.

The MT of Psalm 18:5 is as follows:

אֲפָפ֥וּנִי מִשְׁבְּרֵי־מָ֑וֶת

וְֽנַחֲלֵ֖י בְלִיַּ֣עַל יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי׃

Note that we follow the meaning provided by SDBH for the verb בעת: “causative process by which a creature or object causes someone else to be in deep distress”. We gloss the verb “to overwhelm”.

The majority of modern translation and every ancient version reflects an interpretation where the verb יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי is preterite, i.e., refers perfectively to an event in the past, whether that event is anterior to speech time or some other time of reference.

• E.g., “The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me” (ESV).

A few modern translations reflect a past progressive reading, i.e., reference to the middle of the event as it was unfolding.

• E.g., “La mort m'enserrait de ses liens, et, comme un torrent destructeur, me terrifaiait” (BDS).

Finally, two translations reflect an interpretation where 15b is future with regard to the event expressed in 15a, i.e., a future in the past.

• E.g., “With Death's breakers closing in on me, Belial's torrents ready to swallow me...” (NJB)

In the following argument maps, we argue for a reading similar to a future-in-the-past, namely an ingressive reading i.e., entrance into the beginning of the event. Our translation will be given in the conclusion section.

Argument Maps

Preterite

The majority of modern translations and every ancient version reflects an interpretation where the verb יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי is preterite, i.e., refers perfectively to an event in the past, whether that event is anterior to speech time or some other time of reference; so ESV “the cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me” (cf. NET, NIV, GNT, NLT, REB, NEB, NRSV, JPS1985, LUTH2017, Elderfelder, EÜ, GNB, ZB, TOB, DHH94I, BTX, NVI, RVR95, LXX, Aquila, Symamachus, Vulgate, Targum, Peshitta).

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[Preterite]: The non-initial yiqtol יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי in v. 5 is preterite. #dispreferred
 +<Preterite yiqtol>: Preterite yiqtols occur in Psalm 18 (cf. Notarius 2013, 310–313 :M:) #dispreferred
  +[Preterite yiqtols in Psalm 18]: E.g., “He stretched forth his hand (יִשְׁלַ֣ח) and took me (יִקָּחֵ֑נִי)” (v. 17a–b; cf. 12, 17c, 18–19). #dispreferred
   <_<Preterite word order in Ps 18>
  -<Non-initial yiqtols not preterites>: The yiqtols in question here are not sentence-initial and so not preterites.
   +<Position matters for meaning of yiqtol>: In Archaic Biblical Hebrew, preterite יקטל (<yaqtul) is “...mainly clause initial” and other uses of יקטל (<yaqtulu) are “...commonly non-initial” (Notarius 2013, 303 :M:).
    +<Preterite word order in Ps 18>: The preterite yiqtols in vv. 12; 17–19 are all clause initial (see Notarius 2013, 163 :M:).
    +<Deuteronomy 32>: Preterite yiqtol (<yaqtul) and other uses of yiqtol (<yaqtulu) are mostly distinguished by their position in the clause in Deuteronomy 32.
     +[Clause-initial preterites in Deuteronomy 32]: “He fixed the boundaries (יַצֵּב֙ גְּבֻלֹ֣ת) of the people...” (v. 8); “He found him in a desert land (יִמְצָאֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִדְבָּ֔ר” (v. 10); “He spread his wings, took them up and bore them aloft on his pinions (יִפְרֹ֤שׂ כְּנָפָיו֙ יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃)” (v. 11) (Notarius 2013, 80–81 :M:).
     +[Non clause-initial yiqtol with other functions in Deuteronomy 32]:e.g., “For I will proclaim the name of the Lord (כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֶקְרָ֑א)” (ESV Deut 32:3); “Do you thus repay the Lord? (הֲ־לַיְהוָה֙ תִּגְמְלוּ־)” (ESV v. 6); “So I will make them jealous (וַאֲנִי֙ אַקְנִיאֵ֣ם) (ESV v. 21); “I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation” (בְּג֥וֹי נָבָ֖ל אַכְעִיסֵֽם׃) (ESV. v. 21)” (See Notarius 2013, 94–100 :M:). 
 +<Context>: V. 5b is clearly in a context where events in the past are being referred to perfectively (Craigie 2004, 169 :C:).#dispreferred
  +<Qatals>: The events referred to in vv. 5a and 6 are referred to with qatal forms (cf. Longacre 2006, 28 :A:). #dispreferred
   +[Qatals in vv. 5a and 6]: “The breaker waves of Death surrounded (אֲפָפ֥וּנִי) me...the cords of Sheol entangled (סְבָב֑וּנִי) me. Death's traps rushed upon me (קִ֝דְּמ֗וּנִי)”. #dispreferred
  <_<Switch left unexplained>: Assuming the yiqtol has the same semantics with the surrounding qatals leaves the reason for the switch unexplained.
   <_<Poetic effect>: The switch from qatal to yiqtol is for a particular poetic effect such as merrism or binding of the lines (cf. Buth 1986 :A:). #dispreferred
    <_<Separate matter>: The poetic effect of the yiqtol is not relevant for the actual semantics of the form (cf. Niccacci 2006 254 :A:).
 +<Pluperfect>: The yiqtol could be understood as pluperfect, which is a minor variant of anteriority (so NBS, NVS78P, S21) #dispreferred
  -<Ungrammatical>: There are no cases of pluperfect yiqtol in the Hebrew Bible (cf. JM §113 :G:; GKC §107 :G:).
  

Past Progressive

A few modern translations reflect a past progressive reading, i.e., reference to the middle of the event as it was unfolding. So BDS La mort m'enserrait de ses liens, et, comme un torrent destructeur, me terrifaiait (cf. PDV2017; NFC).

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[Progressive]: The yiqtol in v. 5a יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי expresses progressive aspect. #dispreferred
 <_<Ungrammatical>: Yiqtol cannot express progressive aspect (Joosten 2002 :A:), which is rather reserved for the participle (see Andrason 2011 nn. 13–14 :A:).
 +<Progressive yiqtols elsewhere>: Some non-initial yiqtols are best read as progressive. #dispreferred
  +[Progressive yiqtol]: “So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering (יָבֹ֖א) Jerusalem” (2 Sam 15:37 ESV); “...while the temple was filling (יִמָּלֵ֥א) with smoke” (Isa. 6:4 NASB); “...And streams were overflowing” (Psa 78.20 NASB). #dispreferred
  <_<Better readings>: Non-initial yiqtols are better read as ingressives.
   +<Prevents overlap>: Not allowing yiqtol to express progressive aspect keeps the domain of the participle and the yiqtol separate.
   +[Ingressive readings of non-initial yiqtols]: “Hushai, David's friend, came into the city while Absalom began to enter (יָבֹ֖א) Jerusalem” (2 Sam 15:37); “And the Lord brought about a great victory in that day, and the men began to return (יָשֻׁ֥בוּ) after him” (2 Sam 23:10); “And the foundations of the threshold shook from the voice of the caller, as the house began to be filled (יִמָּלֵ֥א) with smoke” (Isa 6:4); “He struck the rock and water poured out, and streams began to overflow (יִ֫שְׁטֹ֥פוּ)” (Psa 78:20).
  

Future-in-the-past (specifically, Ingressive) (Preferred)

A few modern translations reflect a future-in-the-past interpretation. So NJB “With Death's breakers closing in on me, Belial's torrents ready to swallow me...“ (cf. HFA, CEV). That is, the event expressed by יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי in 5a is posterior to some other event in the past. We accept this basic function of yiqtol, i.e., as a posterior. More specifically, however, we interpret the form as expressing that the completion of the event will be in the “future” relative to some other point in time. That is, the beginning of the action has already begun. This phasal aspect is known as “ingressive”.

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[Future-in-the-past (ingressive)]: The non-initial yiqtol יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי in v. 5a expresses a future in the past with a strong implicature of ingressive aspect.
 +<Meaning of yiqtol>: The yiqtol form is fundamentally a posterior (see Robar 2023 :P:).
  -<Yiqtol as aspectual>: “The imperfect, as opposed to the perfect, represents actions, events, or states which are regarded by the speaker at any moment as still continuing, or in process of accomplishment, or even as just taking place.” (GKC §107a :G:). #dispreferred
   <_<Aspect accounted for by RPM>: The perfective, perfect, progressive, and habitual aspect may be defined in terms of reference point movement, without needing to assign them to the verb's semantics (see Robar 2023 :P:).
 +<Posteriority implies ingressive>: Posteriority may imply that what is posterior is the completion of event, in which case the event has begun.
 +<All x-yiqtols in Psalm 18:1–20 explained>: Ingressive readings provide compelling readings of all non-initial yiqtols in Psalm 18:1–20.
  +[Ingressive non-initial yiqtols in Psalm 18]: “The breaker waves of Death surrounded me as the torrents of Beliya'al began to overwhelm me (יְבַֽעֲתֽוּנִי)” (v. 5); “The earth then quivered and quaked as the mountains began to shake (יִרְגָּ֑זוּ)” (v. 8); “Smoke went up from his mouth as fire from his mouth began to consume (תֹּאכֵ֑ל)” (v.9); “And YHWH thundered from heavens as the most high began to raise (יִתֵּ֣ן) his voice” (v. 14).
 +<Non-initial ingressive yiqtols elsewhere>: Other non-initial yiqtols in past contexts are well-read as ingressives.
  +[Non-initial ingressive yiqtols]: “Hushai, David's friend, came into the city while Absalom began to enter (יָבֹ֖א ) Jerusalem” (2 Sam 15:37); “And the Lord brought about a great victory in that day, and the men began to return (יָשֻׁ֥בוּ ) after him” (2 Sam 23:10); “And the foundations of the threshold shook from the voice of the caller, as the house began to be filled (יִמָּלֵ֥א) with smoke” (Isa 6:4); “He struck the rock and water poured out, and streams began to overflow (יִ֫שְׁטֹ֥פוּ)” (Psa 78:20).
 

Conclusion (B)

Most attempts to explain the sudden shift to yiqtol in Psalm 18:5 either attribute semantics to the verb that are foreign to yiqtol or dismiss it merely as a poetic effect. Neither possibility explains what the form is contributing in this verse and in other verses like it. On the view that yiqtol is fundamentally posterior, and that its aspectual nuances may be accounted for by reference point movement, the ingressive reading presents itself as one that both makes sense of the form and context. No other proposals seem viable, and we offer here a solution that is theoretically grounded as well as produces contextually satisfying readings.

We therefore translate Psalm 18:5 as The breaker waves of death surrounded me as the torrents of Beliya'al began to overwhelm me.

The same analysis would apply to the non-initial yiqtols in vv. 8b, 9b, and 14b.

Research

Translations

Ancient

• LXX: περιέσχον με ὠδῖνες θανάτου, καὶ χείμαρροι ἀνομίας ἐξετάραξάν με.
  • "Pangs of death encompassed me, and wadis of lawlessness alarmed me."
• Aquila: ἀποστασίας obstupescere fecerunt me.
  • "... of rebellion made [perfective past] me astounded."
• Symmachus: ἐπτόησάν με.
  • "... terrified [aorist] me."
• Latin (iuxta Hebr.): circumdederunt me funes mortis et torrentes diabuli terruerunt me.
  • "The ropes of death surrounded me and the rushing streams terrified me."
• Targum: אקפתני עקא כאיתא דיתבא על מתברא וחיל לית לה למילד והיא מסכנא ליממת וסיעת טלומיא בעתת יתי.
  • “Distress surrounded me like a woman who sits upon the birthstone, and she does not have strength to give birth, and is in danger of dying.”
• Peshitta: ܡܛܠ ܕܚܕܪ̈ܘܢܝ ܚ݂ܒ̈ܠܐ ܕܡܘܬܐ. ܘܕܓܠܘ̈ܬܐ ܕܥ݁ܘ̈ܠܐ݂ ܕܠܚ̈ܢܝ.
  • "For the pains of death surround me; the feet of evildoers troubled me."

Modern

Preterite

• The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me (ESV).
• The waves of death engulfed me, the currents of chaos overwhelmed me (NET).
• The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me (NIV).
• The danger of death was all around me; the waves of destruction rolled over me (GNT).
• The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me (NLT).
• The bonds of death encompassed me and destructive torrents overtook me (REB).
• When the bonds of death held me fast, destructive torrents overtook me (NEB).
• The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of perdition assailed me (NRSV).
• Ropes of death encompassed me; torrents of Belial terrified me (JPS1985).
• Es umfingen mich des Todes Bande, und die Fluten des Verderbens erschreckten mich (LUTH2017).
• Es umfingen mich Bande des Todes, und Bäche des Verderbens erschreckten mich (Elderfelder).
• Mich umfingen die Fesseln des Todes und die Fluten des Verderbens erschreckten mich (EÜ).
• Ich war gefangen in den Fesseln des Todes, vernichtende Fluten stürzten auf mich ein,(GNB).
• Stricke des Todes schnürten mich ein, und Ströme des Verderbens erschreckten mich (ZB).
• Les liens de la mort mo'ont enserré, les torrents de Bélial m'ont surpris (TOB).
• La muerte me envolvió en sus lazos; ¡me encontré en trampas mortales! (DHH94I).
• Los lazos de la Muerte me rodearon, Sentí el espanto de los torrentes de Belial (BTX).
• Los lazos de la muerte me envolvieron; los torrentes destructores me abrumaron (NVI).
• Me rodearon los lazos de la muerte y los torrentes de la destrucción me atemorizaron. (RVR95).

Past Perfect (i.e, Perfect-in-the-Past)

• Les liens de la mort m'avaient enserré, et les torrents de la destruction m'avaient rempli d'effroi (NBS).
• Les liens de la mort m'avaient enserré, et les torrents de la destruction m'avaient épouvanté (NVS78P).
• Les liens de la mort m’avaient enserré, et les torrents dévastateurs m’avaient épouvanté (S21).

Past Progressive

• La mort m'enserrait de ses liens, et, comme un torrent destructeur, me terrifaiait (BDS).
• La mort m’avait déjà attaché, elle me faisait peur comme un fleuve en colère (PDV2017).
• Les liens de la mort m'enserraient, des torrents destructeurs m'effrayaient (NFC).

Future in the past

• With Death's breakers closing in on me, Belial's torrents ready to swallow me (NJB).
• Ich war schon gefangen in den Fesseln des Todes, er drohte mich zu verschlingen wie eine mächtige Woge (HFA).
• Death had wrapped its ropes around me, and I was almost swallowed by its flooding waters (CEV).

Secondary Literature

Andrason, Alexander. 2010. “The Panchronic Yiqtol: Functionally Consistent and Cognitively Plausible.” The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 10. https://doi.org/10.5508/jhs.2010.v10.a10.

Buth, Randall. 1986. “The Taxonomy and Function of Hebrew Tense-Shifting in the Psalms.” Selected Technical Articles Related to Translation 15:26–32.

Craigie, Peter C. 1983. Psalms 1–50. WBC 19. Waco, TX: Word.

Joosten, J., 2002. Do the finite verbal forms in Biblical Hebrew express aspect?. Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society, 29(1):49–70.

Longacre, Robert E. 2006. “Discourse Structure, Verb Forms, and Archaism in Psalm 18.” Journal of Translation 2 (1): 17–30. https://doi.org/10.54395/jot-je6cc.

Niccacci, Alviero. 2006. “The Biblical Hebrew Verbal System in Poetry.” In Biblical Hebrew in Its Northwest Semitic Setting: Typological and Historical Perspectives, edited by Steven E. Fassberg and Avi Hurvitz, 247–68. Publication of the Institute for Advanced Studies, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem 1. Jerusalem: Hebrew University Magnes Press.

Notarius, Tania. 2013. The Verb in Archaic Biblical Poetry: A Discursive, Typological, and Historical Investigation of the Tense System. Leiden: Brill.

Robar, Elizabeth. 2023. “A Possible Poetic Constraint: Reference Point Movement”. Conference Paper. Society of Biblical Literature, San Antonio, TX.

References

18:5 Approved