Psalm 78/Diagrams/5
v. 41
Preferred
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Grammar Notes
Note for V. 41
v. 41 – For the compound predicate interpretation, see the discussion of the multi-verb predication at phrase level (as attested, e.g., in the ESV: "They tested God again and again," cf. CSB, CEB, CJB, ELB, EÜ, GNT, Luther 2017, NASB, NABRE, NET, NIV, NJPS, RVC, SG21, ZÜR). For the waw-coordination in a serial verb construction, see further, the note at v. 6. Here, וַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּ contributes the aspectual value of habituality/repetition (Aikhenvald 2018, 6). Alternatively, וַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּ could be considered its own event, i.e., turning back (as the ancient versions and the KJV's "they turned back and tempted God").
Lexical Notes
Note for V. 41
v. 41 – The hiphil √תוה only occurs here in the Bible. The more commonly attested root is that of "a mark" תָּו or "to mark" תָּוָה, which Radak considers to be identical to that of the hiphil here (SeferHaShorashim; cf. Ezek 9:4). Similarly, Tate states, "The verb תוה means “mark off/set bounds to”; thus to grieve or pain God in this context by doubting and testing the limits of divine power" (1998, 283). Nevertheless, the semantic leap from "make a mark" to "grieve/provoke" requires too large an ellipsis, so a homophonous root, only attested here, appears more likely.[1] Aramaic, indeed, contains this other root, for pael "shudder, be disgusted" (Jastrow 1903, 1651), whose sense is indicated by TgPs here: איתיו תיוהא "they brought astonishment."[2]
Phrase-Level
Note for V. 41
v. 41 – For the the pseudo-coordination of וַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּ וַיְנַסּ֣וּ אֵ֑ל as mono-eventive, see the Symmachuas' καὶ πάλιν ἐπείραζον τὸν θ(εὸν) "and again they tested G[od]" (cf. CEB, CSB, DHH, ESV, EÜ, ELB, NABRE, NASB, NBS, NET, NFC, NIV, NJPS, Luther 2017, PDV, RVC, SG21, TOB, ZÜR).
Verbal Notes
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v. 42
Preferred
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SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 42]
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: זָכְרוּ they remembered
adverb: לֹא not
Object
particle: אֶת d.o.m
Nominal <gloss="his strength">
ConstructChain
noun: יָד strength
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: זָכְרוּ they remembered <status="elided">
adverb: לֹא not <status="elided">
Object
noun: יוֹם day
RelativeClause
RelativeParticle
particle: אֲשֶׁר in which
Clause
Predicate
verb: פָּד he saved
Object
suffix-pronoun: ָם them
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: מִנִּי from
Object
noun: צָר adversary
Grammar Notes
Note for v. 42
v. 42 – Our interpretation of the syntax of this verse is followed by all the ancient versions and most modern translations. A minority of modern translations, however, understand the phrase headed by "day" (יוֹם) as adverbial, providing the time in which they did not remember his show of strength (see, e.g., CSB: "They did not remember his power shown on the day he redeemed them from the foe"; cf. CJB, DHH, NFC).
Lexical Notes
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Phrase-Level
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v. 43
Preferred
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SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 43]
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: זָכְרוּ they remembered <status="elided">
adverb: לֹא not <status="elided">
Object
noun: יוֹם day <status="elided">
RelativeClause
RelativeParticle
particle: אֲשֶׁר in which
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: שָׂם he caused to happen >> brought about
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="his signs">
noun: אֹתוֹתָי signs
suffix-pronoun: ו him
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בְּ in
Object
noun: מִצְרַיִם Egypt
Conjunction
conjunction: וּ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: שָׂם he brought about <status="elided">
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="his miracles">
noun: מוֹפְתָי miracles
suffix-pronoun: ו him
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בִּ in
Object
ConstructChain
noun: שְׂדֵה region
noun: צֹעַן Zoan
Grammar Notes
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Lexical Notes
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Verbal Notes
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v. 44
Preferred
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SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 44]
Fragment
particle: וַ and
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: יַּהֲפֹךְ he changed
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="their rivers">
noun: יְאֹרֵי rivers
suffix-pronoun: הֶם them
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לְ into
Object
noun: דָם blood
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: יִשְׁתָּיוּן they could drink
adverb: בַּל not
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="their streams">
noun: נֹזְלֵי streams
suffix-pronoun: הֶם them
Grammar Notes
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Lexical Notes
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Phrase-Level
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Verbal Notes
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v. 45
Preferred
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SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 45]
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: יְשַׁלַּח he sent
Object
noun: עָרֹב a swarm of insects
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בָּ among
Object
suffix-pronoun: הֶם them
Conjunction
conjunction: וַ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: יֹּאכְל it devoured
Object
suffix-pronoun: ֵם them
Conjunction
conjunction: וּ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: יְשַׁלַּח he sent <status="elided">
Object
noun: צְפַרְדֵּעַ a frog >> a plague of frogs
Adverbial <status="elided">
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בָּ among
Object
suffix-pronoun: הֶם them
Conjunction
conjunction: וַ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: תַּשְׁחִית it destroyed
Object
suffix-pronoun: ֵם them
Grammar Notes
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Lexical Notes
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v. 46
Preferred
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SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 46]
Fragment
particle: וַ and
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: יִּתֵּן he gave
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="their crops">
noun: יְבוּל crops
suffix-pronoun: ָם them
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לֶ to
Object
Nominal <gloss="young locusts">
article: ה the <status="elided">
noun: חָסִיל young locust
Conjunction
conjunction: וִ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: נָתַן he gave <status="elided">
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="the fruit of their labor">
noun: יגִיע fruit of labor
suffix-pronoun: ָם them
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לָ to
Object
Nominal <gloss="locusts">
article: ה the <status="elided">
noun: אַרְבֶּה locust
Grammar Notes
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Lexical Notes
Note for V. 46
v. 46 – While there are a number of other appearances of חָסִיל in the Bible (see 1 Kgs 8:27 / 2 Chr 6:28; Isa 33:4; Joel 1:4; 2:25), its "exact meaning [is] unknown; probably: juvenile form of locust" (SDBH). Similarly, HALOT (337) claims it is a "certain stage in life cycle of locust."</ref>The Greek translations contain ἐρυσίβη "rust" (LXX), μυζητής "caterpillar," and βροῦκος (Aquila) "a locust, or its wingless larva" (LSJ, 331) = Hebr. brucho. Syr. has ܩܡܨܐ "locust," and TgPs זחלא "type of locust" (CAL).</ref>
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v. 47
Preferred
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SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 47]
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: יַהֲרֹג he killed
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="their vines">
noun: גַּפְנ vine
suffix-pronoun: ָם them
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בַּ with
Object
Nominal
article: ה <status="elided">
noun: בָּרָד hail
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: יַהֲרֹג he killed <status="elided">
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="their sycamore trees">
noun: שִׁקְמוֹת sycamore trees
suffix-pronoun: ָם them
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בַּ with
Object
Nominal
article: ה <status="elided">
noun: חֲנָמַל frost
Grammar Notes
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Lexical Notes
Note for V. 47
v. 47 – Even though "kill" with sounds a bit strange with "vine," the literal sense has been maintained in our preferred gloss—rather than something which may sound more natural, such as "destroyed"—as the choice of הרג by the poet is intentional and stresses the living nature of "their crops" (v. 46) as integral to the Egyptians' livelihood.
Note for V. 47
v. 47 –The word גֶּפֶן is always found in the singular, even when modified by plural quantifiers (see, e.g., אֶ֥לֶף גֶּ֖פֶן "a thousand vines" in Isa 7:23). Since the form is ambiguous between a singular and plural reference, context is determinative. In the present case, the denotation of all the vines of Egypt, and the parallel with the plural וְ֝שִׁקְמוֹתָ֗ם "and their sycamore trees" support the plural interpretation (see also Jerome's Hebr., Syr., and TgPs).
Note for V. 47
v. 47 – The word חֲנָמַל only occurs here in the Bible, for which the ancient versions vary from either "frost,"[3] or "locust/worm/larva."[4] Because of the parallelism with the first line, the former interpretation has been preferred here (though a closer, lexically unwarranted, parallelism providing the sense of "floods" should be avoided—for which, see, e.g., CSB, ELB, NET, NVC, REB, ZÜR).
Phrase-Level
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v. 48
Preferred
(Preferred, but not confirmed); edit diagram
SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 48]
Fragment
particle: וַ and
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: יַּסְגֵּר he shut >> gave over
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="their livestock">
noun: בְּעִיר livestock
suffix-pronoun: ָם them
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לַ to
Object
Nominal
article: ה <status="elided">
noun: בָּרָד hail
Adverbial <status="alternative">
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לַ to
Object
Nominal
article: ה <status="elided">
noun: דֶּבֶר pestilence <status="emendation">
Conjunction
conjunction: וּ and
Clause
Predicate
verb: הִסְגִּיר he gave over <status="elided">
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="their herds">
noun: מִקְנֵי herds
suffix-pronoun: הֶם them
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לָ to
Object
Nominal
article: ה <status="elided">
noun: רְשָׁפִים lightning
Grammar Notes
Note for V. 48
For the alternative emendation דֶּבֶר "pestilence" in place of the MT's בָּרָד, see Symmachus' τοῦ ἐκδόντος λοιμῷ τὰ κτὴνη αὐτῶν "giving their cattle to pestilence," along with a couple of Ηebrew manuscripts (see VTH, vol 4, 305; de-Rossi, Variae Lectiones, vol 4, 54.). This is, however, probably a harmonization with וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם לַדֶּ֥בֶר הִסְגִּֽיר in v. 50.
Lexical Notes
Note for V. 48
v. 48 – The word רֶשֶׁף appears seven times in the Bible and has received numerous interpretations. The two major positions seem to be those of a generic plague, and flames of light, i.e., lightning.
• The "plague" reading is probably due to the parallel appearance of קֶטֶב in Deut 32:24 and דֶּבֶר in Hab 3:5. In the latter case there is evidence for the tradition of the "plague god" Rašap (see HALOT) in the Vulgate's diabolus. Deut 32:24, on the other hand, reads "birds" in the LXX, Vulgate and Targum Onkelos.
• "Birds" are also attested in our present verse in Aquila and Symmachus, while Shemot Rabbah (12) makes the explicit connection to the בְנֵי־רֶ֝֗שֶׁף in Job 5:7, which it interprets as birds, stating, "What is 'and their livestock lareshafim? These are birds, as it is stated: 'As the sparks [uvnei reshef] fly upward' (Job 5:7).
• "Flame/flashes" seem to be the most likely reading:
– The other instances of the word are in construct with קֶשֶׁת and אֵשׁ (see Ps 76:4, רִשְׁפֵי־קָ֑שֶׁת and Song 8:6, רְשָׁפֶ֕יהָ רִשְׁפֵּ֕י אֵ֖שׁ).
– RADAK's Sefer HaShorashim offers a semantic map neatly organised around the idea of "coals" (ענין הכל גחלים), though Job 5:7 probably refers to "sparks" (הניצוצות), Deut 34:24 as a plague which results in heat, i.e., fever (חולי החמימות שהוא ברשף) as the connection to "fire." Unfortunately he mentions every other instance except our verse.
– Once again, we must draw upon context and the parallel line, which speaks of hail. Something coming from the sky which resembles fire most likely refers to lightning.
Phrase-Level
Note for Vv. 47-48
vv. 47-48 – The articles on בַּבָּרָ֣ד, בַּֽחֲנָמַֽל, לַבָּרָ֣ד and לָרְשָׁפִֽים are those of kind-reference (Bekins, forthcoming §2.1); cf the French versions, e.g., TOB: "Il ravage leurs vignes par la grêle, leurs sycomores par le gel; Il abandonne leur bétail aux grêlons, leurs troupeaux à la foudre."
Note for V. 48
v. 48 – The לְ prepositional complement of hiphil סגר is one of direction/recipient, in this case with verbs of "surrendering, handing over" (Jenni 2000, 88); cf. also vv. 50, 62.
Verbal Notes
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v. 49
Preferred
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SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 49]
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: יְשַׁלַּח he sent
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: בָּ among
Object
Nominal
suffix-pronoun: ם them
Object
Nominal <gloss="the wrath of his anger">
ConstructChain
noun: חֲרוֹן wrath
ConstructChain
noun: אַפּ anger
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Conjunction
conjunction:
Nominal
noun: עֶבְרָה fury
Conjunction
conjunction: וָ and
Nominal
noun: זַעַם indignation
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ and
Nominal
noun: צָרָה trouble
Conjunction
conjunction:
Nominal <gloss="deputation of angels bringing disaster">
ConstructChain
noun: מִשְׁלַחַת a sending >> deputation
ConstructChain
noun: מַלְאֲכֵי angels
noun: רָעִים disastrous events
Conjunction
conjunction:
Nominal <status="alternative">
ConstructChain
noun: מִשְׁלַחַת deputation
Nominal
noun: מַלְאָכִים angels <status="emendation">
adjective: רָעִים evil
Grammar Notes
Note for V. 49
The alternative emendation מַלְאָכִים for the construct מַלְאֲכֵ֥י is found in Kennicott 538 (see VTH, vol 4, 375). It may be that the ancient versions reflect such a reading, too (see, e.g., διʼ ἀγγέλων πονηρῶν "through wicked angels"; angelorum malorum, etc.), though this rendering is also a valid interpretation of the construct phrase מַלְאֲכֵ֥י רָעִֽים entity-characteristic (so "messengers of evil ones" >> "messengers of [carrying out] evils"). Similarly, GKC (§128w) notes the common construction (cf. מֵ֥י מָ֝לֵ֗א in Ps 73:10 and לִ֭שְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵ֣שֶׁת רָ֑ע in Prov 6:24).
Lexical Notes
Note for v. 49
v. 49 – Rather than a deviation from SDBH's "anger, wrath," the gloss "indignation" (so BDB, DCH) has been provided for זַעַם to vary from the preceding the "wrath of his anger" (חֲר֬וֹן אַפּ֗וֹ).
Phrase-Level
Note for v. 49
v. 49 – The construct chain חֲר֬וֹן אַפּ֗וֹ is probably best understood as entity-cause/origin, i.e., the wrath that came about because of / out of his anger.
Note for v. 49
v. 49 – In this verse, only the sequence עֶבְרָ֣ה וָזַ֣עַם וְצָרָ֑ה, i.e., the second poetic line of the verse, contains the waw conjunction (apart from one medieval manuscript, reading ומשלחת for the beginning of the third line; see VTH vol 4., 375). It is possible that the prosodic pause between poetic lines was sufficient to distinguish this list of nominals, though the asyndesis (lack of conjunction) may also be interpreted as elaboration/explication, as the CSB's "He sent his burning anger against them: fury, indignation, and calamity— a band of deadly messengers," (cf. CEB, TOB) or TgPs's דמשתלחן בעידן בידיהון דאזגדין בישין "which was sent by the hands of evil messengers" (Stec 2004, 153); a comitative relationship, such as the RVC's "con un ejército de ángeles destructores" or one of means, as the KJV's "He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them," the DHH's "como mensajeros de calamidades," and the NET's "His raging anger lashed out against them. He sent fury, rage, and trouble as messengers who bring disaster." It seems plausible, then, that the first asyndesis indicates elaboration/explication, while the second communicates the means by which God's "fury and indignation and trouble" was manifested.
Note for v. 49
v. 49 – For the construct relationship מַלְאֲכֵ֥י רָעִֽים as entity-characteristic, see the grammar notes.
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v. 50
Preferred
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SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 50]
Fragment
Clause
Predicate
verb: יְפַלֵּס he made level
Object
Nominal
noun: נָתִיב path
Adjectival
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לְ for
Object
ConstructChain <gloss="his anger">
noun: אַפּ anger
suffix-pronoun: וֹ him
Fragment
ClauseCluster
Clause
Predicate
verb: חָשַׂךְ he spared
adverb: לֹא not
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: מִ from
Object
noun: מָּוֶת death
Object
Nominal <gloss="their soul">
ConstructChain
noun: נַפְשׁ soul
suffix-pronoun: ָם them
Conjunction
conjunction: וְ but
Clause
Predicate
verb: הִסְגִּיר he shut >> gave over
Adverbial
PrepositionalPhrase
Preposition
preposition: לַ to
Object
Nominal
article: ה <status="elided">
noun: דֶּבֶר plague
Object
Nominal <gloss="their life">
ConstructChain
noun: חַיָּת life
suffix-pronoun: ָם them
Grammar Notes
Note for V. 50
v. 50 – Note that a number of ancient versions read "death" for the MT's לַדֶּ֥בֶר "pestilence."[5] A grammatical alternative has not been provided, however, as it is not clear how this could arise from a textual issue, and is, in all likelihood, interpretive.[6]
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Appendix
References
- ↑ An early attempt at reconciling these two roots is found in Symmachus' ἐφιστᾶν ἐποίουν "they made note" and Quinta's ὡμοίωσαν "they compared."
- ↑ The LXX has παρώξυναν "to provoke, irritate" (LSJ), while Syr. has ܓܪܓ "to incite" (CAL).
- ↑ ἐν τῇ πάχνῃ (LXX); ἐν κρύει (Aquila); en frigore (Jerome's Hebr.); ܒܓܠܝܕܐ (Syr.).
- ↑ בכרזובא (TgPs); ἐν σκώληκι (Symmachus).
- ↑ See the LXX (εἰς θάνατον); some witnesses to TgPs (למותא; though למותנא also attested) and the Syr. (ܠܡܘܬܐ); the revisers, on the other hand, all contain "to pestilence" (τῷ λοιμῷ; Field, 228; https://septuaginta.uni-goettingen.de/hexapla/), as does Jerome's Hebr., pesti.
- ↑ In the Aramaic and Syriac texts, the issue may have arisen from copyists misunderstanding mwtˀ "death" for mwtnˀ "plague, pestilence," and it therefore an inner-Aramaic error.