Psalm 28/Notes/Grammar.v. 7.226061
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
- The MT verb וְֽנֶעֱזָ֥רְתִּי ("and I was helped") is absent in the Peshitta.
- For the MT וַיַּעֲלֹ֥ז (from the root עלֹז to exult, rejoice), the LXX has καὶ ἀνέθαλεν (from ἀναθάλλω - to renew, to revive, to flourish, cf. DBL Greek). The LXX reads καὶ ἀνέθαλεν ἡ σάρξ μου ("and my flesh revived" NETS). Like the LXX, Theodotion (θ ́) has ἀνέθαλεν. The Syriac (ܘܫܘܚ ܒܣܪܝ܂ "and my flesh has flourished"[1]) also supports the LXX reading. At least one modern translation seems to be following the LXX rendering (NEJ: "my body has recovered its vigour."). According to Kraus, these variants reading (LXX, θ ́, ε ́, and Syriac) would most likely be reading וַיַּחֲלֵף (“to succeed, to pass on/away, to sprout afresh,” cf. HALOT).[2] Different than Kraus, for Barthélemy, Quinta's (ε ́) translation (ἐκρατύνθη - "was strengthened") suggests that it did not read the lamed of the MT verb וַיַּעֲלֹ֥ז. Moreover, Barthélemy noted that the Greek verb (ἀναθάλλω) never corresponds to the Hebrew verb (חלף) (Barthélemy wrote: "Cette retroversion manque en effet de toute base solide, puisque ce verbe grec ne correspond jamais à ce verbe hébraïque."[3] Cf. also Ps 90:5, 6 (the MT has יַחֲלֹֽף and וְחָלָ֑ף; the LXX translated these occurrences as παρέλθοι and καὶ παρέλθοι); Ps 102:27 (the MT has תַּחֲלִיפֵ֣ם וְֽיַחֲלֹֽפוּ; the LXX has ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται)). Therefore, the evidence for the LXX reading is not strong. We favored the MT reading. The following ancient versions support the MT reading: Aquila (ἠγαυριάσατο from γαυριάω - to exult), Symmachus (ἱλαρύθη from ἱλαρύνω - to cheer, to gladden), Jerome's Hebrew Psalter (gavisum est cor meum - "my heart rejoiced"), and the Targum (ודאיץ לבי - "and my heart rejoices"[4]). Nearly all modern translations follow the MT reading (e.g.: ESV: "my heart exults" and NIV: "My heart leaps for joy; NEJ follows the LXX as mentioned above).
- There is a textual problem in v. 7, involving the last two clauses. See The meaning of וּמִשִּׁירִי in Ps 28:7b for a detailed discussion of the issue. We follow the reading of the MT: וַיַּעֲלֹז לִבִּי וּמִשִּׁירִי אֲהֹודֶנּוּ - "and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him."[5] The LXX has καὶ ἀνέθαλεν ἡ σάρξ μουκαὶ ἐκ θελήματός μου ἐξομολογήσομαι αὐτῷ - "and I was helped and my flesh revived, and from my will I shall acknowledge him."[6] For the MT לִבִּי ("my heart"), the Greek translation has σάρξ μου ("my flesh" = בְּשָׂרִי or שְׁאֵרִי), and for the MT וּמִשִּׁירִי (“and with my song”), the LXX translation has καὶ ἐκ θελήματός μου (“and from my will”= וּמִלִּבִּי). The LXX translation (ἡ σάρξ μου καὶ ἐκ θελήματός μου) would require a transposition of the word לִבִּי with וּמִשִּׁירִי plus an emendation of שִׁירִי to בְּשָׂרִי or שְׁאֵרִי resulting in the reading בְּשָׂרִי וּמִלִּבִּי or שְׁאֵרִי וּמִלִּבִּי.[7] These emendations, alternative readings are represented (in blue, pink) in the diagram below. The LXX reading is represented in at least one modern translation, namely, NJB: "Yahweh is my strength and my shield, in him my heart trusts. I have been helped; my body has recovered its vigour, with all my heart I thank him.[8]
- Instead of אוֹדֶנוּ we have אֲהוֹדֶנוּ the strong form of the Hiphil imperfect.[9] In other words, the ה is typically elided after the preformatives of the Hiphil/Hophal imperfect and participle. However, there are a few instances in which ה is retained such as in the imperfect אֲהוֹדֶנוּ ("I will praise him") for אוֹדֶנוּ ("I will praise him") (cf. also Neh 11:17, Ps 45:18. See 1 Sam 17:47 and Ps 116:6 for cases of the imperfect יְהוֹשִׁיעַ ["He will save"] for יוֹשִׁיעַ ["he will save"]).[10]