Psalm 19/Notes/Grammar.V. 14bc.472223

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  • אַל־יִמְשְׁלוּ־בִי אָז אֵיתָם: LXX: ἐὰν μή μου κατακυριεύσωσιν, τότε ἄμωμος ἔσομαι.
  • אַל־יִמְשְׁלוּ־בִי אָז אֵיתָם: The Aramaic versions read v. 14b as a purpose clause:
    • Targum: דלא ישלטון בי — "...that they may not have dominion over me" (Stec 2004, 55).
    • Peshitta: ܕܠܐ ܢܫܬܠܛܘܢ ܒܝ ܒܝܫ̈ܐ — "...that the wicked may not exercise dominion over me" (Taylor 65).
  • The discourse marker אָז is sometimes used to introduce an apodosis (cf. BDB, IBHS 39.3.4f): after אם (e.g., Isa 58:14; Prov 2:5; Job 9:31) and with לולי or לו (e.g., Pss 119:92; 122:2-3). Sometimes, however, the protasis is "suppressed" (BDB, e.g., Job 3:13—יָ֝שַׁ֗נְתִּי אָ֤ז׀ יָנ֬וּחַֽ לִֽי translated in Greek as ὑπνώσας δὲ ἀνεπαυσάμην).
  • The form אֵיתָם is in pause and has plene spelling (= אֵתַם) (cf. Masorah parva: ל מל). It is a "later full-writing" of the 1cs verb from תמם (Bauer-Leander 58p). Cf. אם תיתם דרך סוד in 1QS 9:18. Radak sees a "hidden meaning" here "for the numerical value of yodh is ten, and in the Ten Words was the Law given, and they are its perfection and completeness. He says: then when Thou shalt clear me from my errors and help me so that sins of passion have not control over me, then I shall be perfect and whole."