Psalm 78/Notes/Lexical.V. 41.576410

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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]

  1. ↑ An early attempt at reconciling these two roots is found in Symmachus' ἐφιστᾶν ἐποίουν "they made note" and Quinta's ὡμοίωσαν "they compared."
  2. ↑ The LXX has παρώξυναν "to provoke, irritate" (LSJ), while Syr. has ܓܪܓ "to incite" (CAL).