The Meaning of מוֹרָה in Ps 9:21
Back to Psalm 9
Introduction[ ]
The word מוֹרָה in Psalm 9:21 has been variously translated as 'fear' or 'terror' [1], 'teacher' or 'lawgiver' [2] or even 'law, custom' [3]. The reason is that the consonantal text could legitimately be analysed as based on the root יר׳׳ה 'to teach' or יר׳׳א 'to fear'. If the former is correct, this would also require revocalising the text to מוֹרֶה.[4]
Argument Map(s)[ ]
'Lawgiver' or 'Teacher'[ ]
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['Lawgiver' or 'Teacher']: The word is built on the root יר׳׳ה 'to teach' and therefore means 'teacher' (LXX, Peshitta, Delut). #dispreferred
+ <The 'Teacher' of 21a leads to 'knowledge' in V. 21b>: The goal of the action in 21a is so that the nations would 'know' (ידעו). The problem seems to be a lack of knowledge; 'In 2K.17:27f...The natural disaster was blamed on insufficient knowledge (yd') of mishpat YHWH (v.26)' (TDOT 6:343 :L:). #dispreferred
+ cf. Isa 28:9, where lack of knowledge is a contributing factor to the judgement, אֶת־מִי֙ יוֹרֶ֣ה דֵעָ֔ה וְאֶת־מִ֖י יָבִ֣ין שְׁמוּעָ֑ה'To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message?' #dispreferred
- <Destruction of Enemies>: V. 21 comes after the Psalmist asks God to destroy the nations (vv. 15–17), and so it would be anachronistic to now ask for a teacher (see Hupfeld 1888, 149 :C:).
+ <Psalm 10:16>: The only teacher/lawgiver is YHWH (Job 36:22), who also appears as king in Psalm 10:16 where the 'nations' are also dealt with (Baethgan 1904, 26 :C:). There is no difficulty, then, in the phrase referring to YHWH setting himself in their midst as 'teacher'. #dispreferred
+ <Occurrence of 'Nations'>: Psalm 10:16 is the only other time 'nations' occurs after 9:21 (Baethgan 1904, 26 :C:). #dispreferred
+ <Psalm 9 and 10 as one Psalm>: Psalm 9 and 10 are often treated as a single Psalm. #dispreferred
<_ <Also Applicable to 'Terror', which is Contextually Better>: The purpose of the action in v. 21 is so that man would know his mortality. Within the Psalm itself, Yahweh's presence brings about the perishing of the enemies (v. 20 קומה יהוה...על פניך; v. 4 יכשׁלו ויאבדו מפניך), not his actions as teacher.
'Terror' or 'Fear'[ ]
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['Terror'/'Fear']: The word is from the root יר׳׳א and so means 'fear' or 'terror' (so Jerome, Aquila, Theodocian, NGU2011, ELBBK, HFA, SCH2000, BCC1923, BDS, LSG, PDV 2017, DHH94PC, LBLA, NTV, PDT, RVR95, ASV, CEV, ESV, HCS.)
- <Spelling>: The word is explicitly spelled as מורה 'teacher', with ה instead of א. #dispreferred
<_ <Orthographic Variation>: He for alef is a common substitution, as in מִּכְלָה֙ for מכלא 'fold, enclosure' (Hab 3:17); נסה for נשא (Psa 4:7); רפה for רפא (Psa 60:4).
+ <Masoretic Tradition>: The Masorah explicitly cites this as the only instance where the word מורא 'terror, fear' is written with ה.
+ <Judgement Context>: 'This understanding would give a negative sense to the normal use of “teacher.” The idea of fear in a section on judgment makes the most sense' (Ross 2011, 300 :C:).
+ <External Evidence>: Both ancient versions (Jerome, Aquila, Theodocian) and later medieval codices (which correct to מורא; De Rossi 1788, 4:4) support this reading.
- <Verbal Valency>: שיתה never marks the semantic beneficiary of something dangerous or harmful with ל; cf. Baethgen's (1904, 26 :C:) 'Aber der Ausdruck...ist unbelegbar'. #dispreferred
- <Psalm 140:6>: This verse states that a trap is set 'for' (ל) the Psalmist.
+ <Lexical Semantics>: מורא is not a subjective 'fear' (that would be ירא) to be set 'in' someone, but rather an objective thing that is to be feared (see MALBIM :C:). #dispreferred
Conclusion[ ]
The word מוֹרָה is better analysed as an orthographic variant of of מוֹרָא 'object of fear'. There is good external evidence for this reading over against מורֶה 'teacher', and this particular orthographic variant is well-attested throughout the Hebrew Bible and even recorded in the Masorah.
It would indeed be strange for the Psalmist to ask for a 'teacher' after the nations are depicted as being destroyed in vv. 15–17.
The parallel with Psalm 10:16, originally cited as evidence for מורֶה 'teacher', is illuminating. Throughout Psalm 9, it becomes evident that the nations would fall and eventually perish because of the actions, even presence, of YHWH (v. 20; v. 4). In Psalm 10:16 the nations perishing is connected with YHWH as king, and it is the only occurrence of גוים after this one in 9:21. מורָה refers to an 'object' of fear' and so it is not unlikely that the Psalmist wants YHWH himself to be this object of fear, especially given that he has just asked YHWH to 'rise up' (v. 20).
In any case, the Psalmist asks for some sort of fear-inducing object to be set for the nations. We therefore chosen to translate 9:21a as something like, 'Set a terrifying thing for them, YHWH' .
Note that, semantically, the 'teacher' reading is not what is intended. Pragmatically however, both are probably in view, since the point of the fear is 'to learn' (9:21b). So Goldingay (2006, 178): 'In v. 20, YHWH's appointing a fearful experience to be their teacher will force them to acknowledge who they are.'
Research[ ]
Translations[ ]
Ancient[ ]
- LXX: νομοθέτην 'lawgiver' (NETS)
- Aquila: φόβημα 'a terror'
- Symmachus: νόμον 'a law'
- Theodocian: φόβον 'fear'
- Jerome: terrorem 'terror'
- Peshitta: ܣܐ݁ܡ ܢܡܘܣܐ݂ 'lawgiver (lit., one who places the law)'
- Targum: דְחַלְתָּא 'fear'
Modern[ ]
English[ ]
- ASV: fear
- CEV: Make the nations afraid
- ESV: fear
- HCSB: terror
- KJV: in fear
- LEB: in fear
- NASB1995: in fear
- NET: Terrify them [5]
- NIV: with terror
- NLT: Make them tremble in fear
- JPS: Strike fear into them[6]
German[ ]
- DELUT: ein Meister
- NGU2011: in Schrecken
- ELBBK: Furcht
- HFA: Lass sie vor Angst erzittern
- SCH2000: Furcht
French[ ]
- BCC1923: l'épouvante
- BDS: terreur
- LSG: d’épouvante
- PDV2017: Qu’ils aient peur de toi
Spanish[ ]
- DHH94PC: Hazles sentir temor,
- LBLA: temor
- NTV: Haz que tiemblen de miedo
- PDT: aterroriza a las naciones
- RVR95: temor
Lexica[ ]
TLOT[ ]
3. The subst. môrāʾ (with BHS, Psa 9:21 should be read -ʾ instead of -h ) signifies “fear, terror,” “that which causes terror” and is exclusively a term for numinous fear. It characterizes the animals’ fear of people (Gen 9:2 par. ḥat ) and the fear of Israel (Deut 11:25 par. paḥad ).
Commentaries[ ]
Radak[ ]
מורה – בה״א כמו באל״ף. אמר: שיעשה להם שייראוהו
Malbim[ ]
מורה – כמו מורא, ויש הבדל בין יראה ובין מורא, שמורא מציין הדבר שממנו ייראו.
Masorah[ ]
ל׳ כת׳ ה׳ 'The word מורא 'terror' is attested once (Psalm 9:21) written with he instead of alef.
References[ ]
9:21 Approved
- ↑ Jerome, Aquila, Theodocian, NGU2011 (adverbial), ELBBK, HFA, SCH2000, BCC1923, BDS, LSG, PDV 2017, DHH94PC, LBLA, NTV, PDT, RVR95, ASV, CEV, ESV, HCSB, KJV (adverbial), LEB (adverbial), NASB1995 (adverbial), NET, NIV (adverbial), NLT, JPS
- ↑ LXX, Peshitta, DELUT
- ↑ Symmachus
- ↑ 'Razor' is a third option among commentators. It will not be treated here since it has no representation in translations.
- ↑ Heb “place, LORD, terror with regard to them.” The Hebrew term מוֹרָה (morah, “terror”) is an alternative form of מוֹרָא (moraʾ; a reading that appears in some MSS and finds support in several ancient textual witnesses).
- ↑ meaning of Heb. uncertain