Psalm 78/Notes/Lexical.v. 65.579388

v. 65 – The hithpolel מִתְרוֹנֵ֥ן is either a unique instance of a derivative from the common root √רנן (so Rashi; Radak's Sefer HaShorashim), or simply a unique instance of a root √רו׳׳ן. In the first case, the idea would be "shouting because of wine." In the latter case, the senses offered in the lexicons are "shake off" (SDBH), or "overcome" (BDB, DCH, HALOT). These two interpretations are probably just two phases of the same process: (1) being overcome (i.e., drunk)—which may find support in the Arabic root ران, "become hard, severe" (see Lane), and (2) subsequently shaking it off, in parallel to one waking up in the previous line. A quick survey of מִן with יַיִן shows that either causative מִן (see, e.g., Isa 51:21: וּשְׁכֻרַ֖ת וְלֹ֥א מִיָּֽיִן), which expresses the control of the wine over the experiencer (so Staszak 2024, 128), or detachment "from" are the most probable interpretations, which account for either shaking off the wine or being overcome with (i.e., because of) wine. As attractive as the temporal parallelism with the previous line is, the phasal aspect can only be reconciled if the participle is read as anterior (so the Greek and Latin versions). See, however, the employment of קיץ (as the first line here) in Gen 9:24: וַיִּ֥יקֶץ נֹ֖חַ מִיֵּינ֑וֹ and the separation in Num 6:3 מִיַּ֤יִן וְשֵׁכָר֙ יַזִּ֔יר.

In conclusion, it seems preferable to posit a unique by-form of רנן as רון than a totally different (and otherwise unattested) root (so Symmachus' διαλααλέω "speaking," probably derived from an understanding of רנן as "talk, meditate," especially in the Rabbinic period—see Jastrow 1903, 1484). It also does not seem advisable to follow the Greek and Latin versions in providing an anterior reading of the participle מִתְרוֹנֵ֥ן, but rather this characteristic describes the Lord's action after waking up. So Ḥakham: כגבור היוצא למלחמה וקולות רנה וזמרה יוצאים מפיו, מחמת יין ששתה, והיין מפיג את פחדו, והוא נלחם ביתר אמץ וביתר עז "like a warrior who is going out to war and sounds of shouting and songs coming from his mouth because of the rage of the wine that he has drunk. And the wine defuses his fear, and he fights with more might and more strength" (1979, 60); see also the CPA ܘܗܝܟ ܚܝܘܠܐ ܕܡܙܕܠܠ "and like a mighty one who staggers as a drunk."