Psalm 89/Notes/Grammar.vv. 3-5.69361

• In addition to the 2ms reading אָמַרְתָּ, the Septuagint gives two other variants in vv. 3-5.
  • First, it vocalizes תכן as תִּכֹּן (niphal, instead of hiphil תָּכִן): "truth will be prepared (ἑτοιμασθήσεται)" (NETS; cf. Symmachus: ἑδρασθήσεται). The hiphil vocalization of MT is supported by Jerome (fundabis), the Targum (תתקין), and the numerous medieval manuscripts that read תכין (see Kennicott 1776, 384; including some outside of the Tiberian tradition, e.g., BL Or 1477, Neubauer 154, JTS 631). It is also guarded by the Masorah Parva, which notes that this is the only time this particular form appears with defective spelling (תָּכִן rather than תָּכִין). But the defective spelling of the consonantal text argues against the hiphil vocalization, since there are no other examples of hiphil הכין, יכין, תכין, מקין that are defective (see also the verb קום). Although the defective spelling is also rare with the niphal—we would have expected תִּכּוֹן—there are clear examples of it: 2 Kgs 2:12 (וַתִּכֹּ֥ן); 2 Chr 8:16 (וַתִּכֹּן֙). The niphal vocalization of תכן also makes for a nice parallel with יִבָּנֶה (niphal) in the a-line (see NEB for this vocalization). Thus, following the Septuagint, we have preferred the niphal vocalization.
  • The Septuagint also vocalizes לבחירי as לִבְחִירַי (plural suffix, instead of singular suffix לִבְחִירִי): "with my chosen ones (τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς μου)" (NETS). The singular vocalization (לִבְחִירִי) makes better sense in the context, which is about YHWH's oath to David (so also Aquila, Symmachus, Quinta, Jerome [iuxta Hebr.], Targum ["with Abraham, my chosen one"]).