Psalm 20/Notes/Grammar.V. 4b Alternative (Option 2).3083

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  • A second option mentioned in the BHS critical apparatus is to emend יְדַשְּׁנֶה to יִדְרְשֶׁנָּה ("May he require it"[1]) and assume that the letter resh (ר) has dropped out.[2] In this emendation, the 3fs pronominal suffix is accompanied by an energic nun resulting in the form נָּה. The energic nun would serve a phonetic purpose but would not have an effect on the meaning.[3]
  1. ↑ Cf. DCH; Ehrlich 1905, 41.
  2. ↑ Cf. Kraus 1988, 278; he translates as "May he ask about (it)" (Kraus 1988, 277).
  3. ↑ See more on Joüon §61f, 160 and Gesenius §58i, 157-158. A third proposal (not included in BHS) is to read the word as יִרְצֶנָה (cf. Cheyne 1904, 82) meaning "May he be pleased with it." We prefer the MT verb יְדַשְּׁנֶה and read it as a rare third-person cohortative/volitive form (cf. Briggs 1906, 181) identical in meaning to a typical jussive ("May he accept"). Morphologically, Dallaire has identified some rare occurrences of the prefix and paragogic ה ָ occurring in second and third-person cohortative verbs. יְדַשְּׁנֶה is one of those occurrences (cf. Dallaire 2014, 108-109; other examples include Deut 33:16 [תָּבֹ֨ואתָה֙]; Job 11:17 [תָּ֝עֻ֗פָה]; Isa 5:19 [וְתָבֹ֗ואָה]). Additionally, the verb יְדַשְּׁנֶה ("May he accept") fits the context of the psalm better than יִדְרְשֶׁנָּה ("May he require it"). The petition was not for God to require the offerings but to accept them, which would result in divine protection and favor on the day of trouble (cf. Briggs 1906, 178; Barnes 1868, 179). Last, while the various alternative readings are mentioned in the scholarly literature, they are not reflected in modern translations.