Psalm 89/Notes/Phrasal.v. 36.359953

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  • The bet preposition in the phrase בְקָדְשִׁי could be a bet of mode, indicating the attribute according to which YHWH swears: "in my holiness" (NLT). More likely, however, his "holiness" is the thing that YHWH swears by: "by my holiness" (NIV, ESV, GNT, NET, cf. LUT, NGÜ, EÜ, ZÜR; so Jenni 1992, rubric 1937; cf. Amos 4:2—נִשְׁבַּ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֤י יְהוִה֙ בְּקָדְשֹׁ֔ו; cf. Jer 51:14—נִשְׁבַּ֛ע יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות בְּנַפְשֹׁ֑ו; Gen 22:16—בִּ֥י נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה). Whereas humans swear by YHWH's name (e.g., Josh 9:18), YHWH swears by his own name, or, in this case, by his own holiness.