Psalm 16/Notes/Textual.v. 4.765812

• We follow the Masoretic Text for v. 4. The ancient versions provide two alternative readings for v. 4. First, instead of a qal vocalization of ירבו ("they increase," יִרְבּוּ, so MT), the Targum assumes a hiphil vocalization ("they cause to increase," יַרְבּוּ). We prefer the qal vocalization both because it has the weight of tradition behind it (MT, LXX, Summachus, Aquila, Theodotion, Jerome, Peshitta), and because is the more difficult reading. It is difficult, because it involves a gender disagreement between the subject (עַצְּבוֹתָם) and the verb (יִרְבּוּ - masculine). Nevertheless, this kind of gender disagreement is not unusual. See The Text and Grammar of Psalm16:4. The second variant vocalization is מִהֵרוּ ("hurry/rush") instead of מָהָרוּ (so MT). Most of the ancient translations appear to have vocalized the text in this way (see LXX, Theodotion, Targum; cf. Jerome, Peshitta, Symmachus). Nevertheless, we prefer the qal vocalization of MT, which, again, presents the more difficult reading and, when rightly understood, makes the most sense in the context. See The Text and Grammar of Psalm16:4.