Psalm 44/Notes/Phrasal.V. 13.851544
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
- בְ-לֹא־הוֹן ("for no wealth >> without compensation"): The ב can indicate the price of something, at times connoting "in exchange for" (Arnold and Choi 2018, §4.1.5j; BHRG, §39.6.3d). The sense here could be "for not-wealth >> for mock money" (so Jenni 1992, 152). More likely, it denotes the sense of "without value" (so deClaisse-Walford, et al 2014, 411; Goldingay 2007, 36).
- בִּ-מְחִירֵיהֶֽם ("inflate their price"): With the piel verb רבה, the preposition ב could indicate the object (DCH, 7:397). Alternatively, it is possible that the ב indicates means (i.e., "become great by their price" >> "grow rich"; so DCH, 2:86). However, this would imply an intransitive use of the piel of רבה, which is unlikely. A preferred alternative would be view the prepositional phrase as indicating specification, as it completes the transitive piel רבה (i.e., "make great with respect to price"; Arnold and Choi, §4.1.5e).