Psalm 78/Notes/Phrasal.v. 49.539766

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.