Psalm 68/Notes/Grammar.v. 32.510919

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The grammar of חשמנים This hapax is often a candidate for emendation. Based on the LXX (πρέσβεις 'nobles') some want to emend to הַשְׁמַנִּים ‘the study ones' (viz., leaders), but I don't see why this is necessary since it means the exact same thing as the traditional understanding of the MT.

The grammar of this verse depends on the meaning of חשמנים (DCH has 'envoy, or bronze, or red cloth').

  • Option 1: If it refers to people then they are a fitting subject for יאתיו (so ESV, ASV, HCSB, KJV, etc).
  • Option 2: If it refers to some sort of non-human entity, then it will probably be adverbial (so NLT: 'Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals', cf. RSV [although the revocalize the verb], NTV, PDT [revocalizes the verb], NET)