The Text, Grammar, and Meaning of Ps 24:6

Back to Psalm 24

Introduction

The two lines of Psalm 24:6 read as follows:

זֶ֭ה דּ֣וֹר דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו

מְבַקְשֵׁ֨י פָנֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃.

There is a textual issue in the second line which involves the inclusion of the words "God of," as exemplified by the CSB and NIV:

• Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob (NIV)
• Such is the generation of those who inquire of him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob (CSB)

In the absence of "God of," there are four possible ways to interpret the syntax of the verse:

• This is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, Jacob (ZÜR)
• This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face - even Jacob (NASB)
• This is the generation that seeks him. Those who seek your face are the true seed of Jacob (ISV)
• Such are the people of Jacob who look for the LORD, who seek your face (EHV)

The NFC interprets "Jacob" as a vocative, the NASB interprets "Jacob" in apposition to "those who seek Him," the ISV understand the verse's second line as a verbless clause, while the EHV interprets "Jacob" as modifying "people/generation" in the first line. Since a large portion of modern translations contain the words "God of," we must determine the most plausible text before considering other syntactic possibilities.

Text

אֶלֹהֵי original

A large portion of modern translations reflect the presence of "God of" in the text. The grammar is reflected in the following diagram:

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 6 alternatives]
    Fragment  <status="alternative">
      Clause
        Subject
          pronoun: זֶה such
        Predicate
          verb: is
          Complement
            Apposition
              Nominal
                ConstructChain
                  noun: דּוֹר generation
                  ConstructChain
                    verb-participle: דֹּרְשׁ those seeking
                    suffix-pronoun: ָיו him
              Nominal
                ConstructChain
                  verb-participle: מְבַקְשֵׁי those who seek
                  ConstructChain 
                    noun: פָנֶי face
                    ConstructChain
                      noun: אֱלֹהֵי God <status="emendation">
                      noun: יַעֲקֹב Jacob 
  

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<אלהי original>: The text originally included the word אֶלֹהֵי: either "the face of the God of Jacob" or "your face, God of Jacob" (Kirkpatrick 1891, 130 :C:; Craigie 2004, 210 :C:; Jacobson and Tanner 2014, 248 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Greek and Syriac versions>: Some of the ancient versions reflect this reading. #dispreferred
  + [LXX & Peshitta]: LXX: τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ θεοῦ Ιακωβ; Peshitta: ܕܐ̈ܦܝܟ ܐܠܗܗ ܕܝܥܩܘܒ #dispreferred
 - <Latin and Aramaic versions>: Some of the ancient versions reflect the MT's פניך יעקב.
  + [Jerome & Targum]: Jerome:  faciem tuam Iacob; Targum: אַפּוֹי יַעֲקֹב 
 - <Hebrew mss>: The best extant Hebrew manuscripts read פניך יעקב.
  + [Hebrew evidence]: E.g., Leningrad Codex.
   <_ <Hebrew mss minority>: Some medieval Hebrew manuscripts include אלהי. #dispreferred
    + [Hebrew manuscripts evidence]: Kennicott mss 38, 201. #dispreferred
 _ <Longer text>: Scribes were more likely to add a word than delete one.
 _ <Easier text>: Scribes were more likely to ‘fix’ the text to make it more understandable than make its meaning more obscure.
 + <Context>: This phraseology fits the context well, as attested in other like passages.
  [Micah 4:2]: See, e.g., "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD (הַר־יְהוָ֗ה), to the temple of the God of Jacob (אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב)" (NIV).

אלהי not original

Many translations reflect the MT's text, without the addition of "God of."

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<אלהי not original>: The text did not originally include the word אלהי. It read only פניך יעקב. 
 + <Ancient versions>: Some of the ancient versions probably read פניך יעקב in their parent text and not אלהי פני(ך) יעקב.
  + [Ancient versions]: Jerome: faciem tuam Iacob; Targum: אַפּוֹי יַעֲקֹב
 + <Hebrew mss>: The best extant Hebrew manuscripts read פניך יעקב.
  + [Hebrew manuscripts]: E.g., Leningrad Codex.
 - <Ancient versions>: Some of the ancient versions probably read אלהי in their parent text. #dispreferred
  + [Ancient versions]: LXX: τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ θεοῦ Ιακωβ; Peshitta: ܕܐ̈ܦܝܟ ܐܠܗܗ ܕܝܥܩܘܒ #dispreferred
 + <Shorter and more difficult>: The reading פניך יעקב (without the word ‘God’) is the shorter and more difficult reading and is therefore to be preferred.
  + <Longer text>: Scribes were more likely to add a word than delete one.
  + <Easier text>: Scribes were more likely to ‘fix’ the text to make it more understandable than make its meaning more obscure.

Syntax

If the addition of "God of" is not original, there are four possible syntactic interpretations of the verse.

Jacob as vocative

A few modern translations read "Jacob" as a vocative, such as the ZÜR: "This is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, Jacob. The grammar is reflected in the following diagram:

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<Jacob as vocative>: In the absence of אלהי, the phrase פניך יעקב most naturally reads "your face, Jacob." #dispreferred
 + <Pronominal suffix + nominal constituent>: A nominal constituent immediately following a second person pronominal suffix is most naturally read as direct address. #dispreferred
  + [Ancient versions]: Jerome:  faciem tuam Iacob; MT: פניך יעקב. #dispreferred
  + [Unambiguous instances throughout the Pss]: ט֥וֹב נְֽסָה־עָ֭לֵינוּ א֨וֹר פָּנֶ֬יךָ יְהוָֽה׃ (Ps. 4:7), לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃ (Ps. 27:8). #dispreferred
   - <Identity of Addressee>: In both of these cases, the addressee is YHWH.
 + <Jacob as covenant people>: "Jacob" sometimes refers to the people of Israel, so "Seeking Jacob's face" means seeking to join and become part of the covenant people (cf. Isa 2; Ibn Ezra :C:; Tromp 1982 :A:). #dispreferred
  + [Jer. 30:10]: See, e.g., "So do not be afraid, Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel,’ declares the LORD" (Jer 30:10, NIV). #dispreferred
 - <Discourse context>: Psalm 24 is all about seeking and enjoying YHWH's presence. YHWH is creator of all (vv. 1-2); the pure and those of integrity will enter into his presence (vv. 3-5); YHWH will gloriously enter into his people's presence (vv. 7-10).

Verbless Clause

At least one modern translation understands the second line of the verse as a verbless clause: This is the generation that seeks him. Those who seek your face are the true seed of Jacob (ISV). The grammar is reflected in the following diagram:

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<Verbless Clause>: In the absence of אלהי, the line מְבַקְשֵׁ֨י פָנֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֣ב most naturally reads "those who seek your face are Jacob" (Hengstenberg 1863, 420-421 :C:; Briggs and Briggs 1906-7, 213 :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Possible syntactic parallel with the first line>: If the relationship between דּ֣וֹר and דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו is one of construct, the זֶה demonstrative heads a verbless clause and thus provides a similar syntactic structure in the first lines. #dispreferred
  <_ <Semantic parallelism>: We would expect the antecedent of זֶ֭ה and that of יַעֲקֹ֣ב to be co-referential, though זֶ֭ה refers to the description of the pure in vv. 4-5, while יַעֲקֹ֣ב does not.
   - <The other two clausal arguments>: The semantic similarity of מְבַקְשֵׁ֨י פָנֶ֖יךָ and דּ֣וֹר דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו is nonetheless evident. #dispreferred
 <_ <Not informative>: It is not very informative for the poem to declare "those who seek your face are Jacob," as it is to declare "in this way (i.e., the manner described in vv. 4-5) are those who seek your face."

Jacob in Apposition

A number of modern translations read "Jacob" in apposition to "those seeking him," such as the NASB: "This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face - even Jacob. Selah." The grammar is reflected in the following diagram:

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<Jacob in apposition>: The line מְבַקְשֵׁ֨י פָנֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֣ב most naturally reads "those who seek your face, i.e., Jacob" (Delitzsch 1881, 337 :C: Ḥakham 1979, 130 :C:; Avishur 1996, 110 :C:; Goldingay 2006, 360 :C:). #dispreferred
  <_ <Semantic parallelism>: We would expect the antecedent of זֶ֭ה and that of יַעֲקֹ֣ב to be co-referential, though זֶ֭ה refers to the description of the pure in vv. 4-5, while יַעֲקֹ֣ב does not.
   - <The other two clausal arguments>: The semantic and syntactic parallelism of מְבַקְשֵׁ֨י פָנֶ֖יךָ and דּ֣וֹר דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו leaves only זֶ֭ה and יַעֲקֹ֣ב to be accounted for (Avishur 1996, 110 :C:). Their relationship is most naturally read as one of apposition. #dispreferred
 <_ <Not informative>: It is not very informative for the poem to declare "this is x, ... Jacob."

Vertical Grammar

A few modern translations understand "Jacob" to modify the "generation" of the first like, such as the EHV: "Such are the people of Jacob who look for the Lord, who seek your face." The grammar is reflected in the following diagram:

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<Jacob as modifying דּוֹר>: The lines זֶ֭ה דּ֣וֹר דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו מְבַקְשֵׁ֨י פָנֶ֖יךָ יַעֲקֹ֣ב most naturally read "this is the generation of - those who seek him, who seek your face - Jacob" (Tsumura 2023, 22 :M:).
 - <Prosody>: דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו stands in close prosodic proximity to the head noun דּ֣וֹר, and so דּ֣וֹר is probably in construct with דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו and not with יַעֲקֹ֣ב. #dispreferred
  + <Ancient interpretation>: All of the ancient versions understood דּ֣וֹר דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו as a construct phrase. #dispreferred 
   + [Ancient versions]: LXX: ἡ γενεὰ ζητούντων αὐτόν; Jerome: haec generatio quarentium eum; Targum: דָרָא דְתָבְעִין לֵיהּ; Peshitta: ܕܪܐ ܕܒܥܐ. #dispreferred
  + [Masoretic accents]: The constituents דּ֣וֹר and דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו are prosodically combined with a conjunctive accent (munakh). #dispreferred
 + <The ax // x'b poetic structure>: ax - x'b is a common poetic structure. The 'X' would be broken into two small x's, namely דֹּרְשָׁ֑יו and מְבַקְשֵׁ֨י פָנֶ֖יךָ, both participles with object constituents. A and B, however, don't have to share such semantico-syntactic similarities. (Tsumura 1982 :A:, 1983 :A:, 1986 :A:)
  + [Other Examples]: See further Habakkuk 2:1b; 3:6a; 3:13b; Isa 64:9b; Ps 2:4 (see Appendix B).
 + <Most likely collocation of דּוֹר>: The construct chain headed by דּ֣וֹר more commonly takes its dependent as either a noun or substantive adjective (see also Ps 14:5; 49:20; 112:2), rather than a verbal idea.
 - <Word order obfuscated in translation>: The syntax is obscured by the linear order of the two lines. #dispreferred
  _ <Vertical Grammar>: As is the nature of Vertical Grammar, constituents in different lines are grammatically dependent on each other, so are not expected to be reflected in the linear order of the line grouping.

Conclusion

Tsumura (2023, 22) proposes following translation:

This is the generation of Jacob,

those who seek him

those who seek your face.

This solution solves the need to insert the words "God of" into the text or further emend the MT. Out of the four syntactic interpretations of the MT, "Jacob" as a vocative makes perhaps the least sense in context, while the appositional and verbless clause readings are not very informative. The appositional reading is probably the most plausible and satisfying, with the exception of Vertical Grammar. It is the latter we have found preferable. Under this understanding of the text, those named in vv. 4-5 are identified as the generation of Jacob, which is then expanded by two participial phrases which also characterise them: they seek YHWH face (x) and seek YHWH's face (x').

Research

Translations

Ancient Translations

• LXX: αὕτη ἡ γενεὰ ζητούντων αὐτόν, ζητούντων τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ θεοῦ Ιακωβ.
  • "This is the generation of people who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Iakob."

• Aquila, Symmachus, Origen, Quinta, Sexta: πρόσωπον σον, 'Ιακώβ.
  • "...your face, Jacob."

• Jerome: haec generatio quarentium eum quaerentium faciem tuam Iacob
  • "This is the generation of those seeking him, seeking your face, Jacob"

• Peshitta: ܗܢܘ ܕܪܐ ܕܒܥܐ ܘܡܣܒܪ ܠܦܪܨܘܦܐ ܕܐ̈ܦܝܟ ܐܠܗܗ ܕܝܥܩܘܒ܂CAL</ref>
  • "This is the generation that seeks and waits in hope for the presence of your face, O God of Jacob."

• Targum: דְנָן דָרָא דְתָבְעִין לֵיהּ דְבָעִין סְבַר אַפּוֹי יַעֲקֹב לְעָלְמִין
  • "This is the generation of those who seek him, O Jacob, who seek the brightness of his face."

Modern Translations

"God of" as modifying "face"

• Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah (ESV; cf. CEB, CSB, NRSV, REB)
• Así deben ser los que buscan al Señor, los que buscan la presencia del Dios de Jacob. (DHH)

"God of Jacob" as a vocative

• Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob (NIV; cf. NLT)
• Así son todos los que te buscan, los que buscan tu rostro, oh Dios de Jacob. (RVC)
• Das ist das Geschlecht, das nach ihm fragt, das da sucht dein Antlitz, Gott Jakobs (Luther 2017)
• O Eternel, tel est le peuple qui se tourne vers toi et qui s'attache à toi, Dieu de Jacob (BDS)

"Jacob" as a vocative

• Das ist das Geschlecht derer, die nach ihm fragen, die dein Angesicht suchen, Jakob (ZÜR; cf. EÜ)
• Tels son ceux qui le cherchent, ceux qui se tournent vers Dieu, ô Jacob (NFC)

"Jacob" in apposition

• This is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face - even Jacob (NASB; cf. JPS, NET)
• Das ist sad Geschlecht derer, die nach ihm trachten, die dein Angesicht suchen: Jakob (ELB)
• Telle est la race de ceux qui le cherchent, qui recherchent ta face: c'est Jacob! (TOB; cf. NBS, NVSR, PDV)

Vertical Grammar

• Such is the character of those who seek him, of Ya׳akov, who seeks your face (CJB)
• Such are the people of Jacob who look for the Lord, who seek your face (EHV)

Secondary Literature

Avishur, Yitzhak. 1996. "Psalm 24." Pages 108-111 in Psalms: Volume 1. Olam HaTaNaKh (Hebrew; תהלים א׳ עולם התנ׳׳ך). Tel Aviv: דודזון–עתי.

Briggs, Charles A. & Briggs, Emilie G. 1906-7. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms, International Critical Commentary. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons.

Craigie, Peter C. 2004. Psalms 1-50. Second edition. Nashville, TN: Nelson.

Delitzsch, Franz. 1881. Biblical Commentary on the Psalms. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

Goldingay, John. 2006. Psalms 1-41. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Ḥakham, Amos. 1979. The Book of Psalms: Books 1-2 (Hebrew; ספר תהלים: ספרים א–ב). Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook.

Hengstenberg, E. W. 1863. Commentary on the Psalms. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

Ibn Ezra. Ibn Ezra on Psalms.

Jacobson, Rolf A. & Tanner, Beth. 2014. "Book One of the Psalter: Psalms 1–41," in The Book of Psalms (NICOT). Grand Rapids, MI; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Kirkpatrick, Alexander, F. 1891. Psalms with Introduction and Notes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Radak. Radak on Psalms.

Tromp, Nic. 1982. "Jacob in Psalm 24: Apposition, Aphaeresis or Apostrophe?" Pages 271–281 in Von Kanaan bis Kerala: Festschrift fiir Prof.Mag.Dr.Dr.J.P.M. van der Ploeg O.P. zur Vollendung des siebzigsten Lebensjahres. Neukirchener: Verlag Neukirchen-Vluyn.

Tsumura, David T. 2023. Vertical Grammar of Parallelism in Biblical Hebrew. Atlanta, GA: SBL Press.

Appendix B. Vertical Grammar: other instances of a-x // x׳-b and similar structures

לִרְאוֹת֙ מַה־יְדַבֶּר־בִּ֔י

וּמָ֥ה אָשִׁ֖יב עַל־תּוֹכַחְתִּֽי׃ (Hab 2:1b)

• to see (a) what he will say to me (x)

and what I shall respond (y) concerning my complaint (b) (Tsumura 2023, 60)

עָמַ֣ד׀ וַיְמֹ֣דֶד אֶ֗רֶץ

רָאָה֙ וַיַּתֵּ֣ר גּוֹיִ֔ם (Hab 3:6a)

• He stood, and shook the earth;

he looked, and made the nations tremble. (NIV)

• When he stood (a) [and] looked (b),

he made the earth shake (x) and the nations tremble (x'). (Tsumura 2023, 61)

מָחַ֤צְתָּ רֹּאשׁ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית רָשָׁ֔ע

עָר֛וֹת יְס֥וֹד עַד־צַוָּ֖אר (Hab 3:13b).

• You crushed the head of the house of the wicked,

laying bare the foundation to the neck. (ESV)

• You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,

you stripped him from head to foot. (NIV)

• You will smash the roof of the villain's house,

Raze it from the foundation to top. (JPS)

• You crushed the head (a) to the neck (b),

from the house of the wicked (x) laying the foundation bare (y). (Tsumura 2023, 64)

צִיּוֹן֙ מִדְבָּ֣ר הָיָ֔תָה

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם שְׁמָמָֽה׃ (Isa 64:9b)

• Zion has become a wilderness,

Jerusalem a desolation. (ESV)

A compound sentence would require:

• Zion has become a wilderness,

Jerusalem [has become] a desolation.

But in light of the common construct chain מִדְבָּר שְׁמָמָה (cf. Jer 12:10; Joel 2:3; 4:19) and the co-referentiality of Zion and Jerusalem, it is better understood as a simple sentence:

 y   a   x

צִיּוֹן֙ מִדְבָּ֣ר הָיָ֔תָה

 b.   x' 

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם שְׁמָמָֽה׃

Zion Jerusalem has become a wilderness of desolation. (Tsumura 2023, 65)

יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׂחָ֑ק

אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י יִלְעַג־לָֽמוֹ׃ (Ps 2:4)

Instead of: He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.

Taking "laugh" and "scoff" as a verbal hendiadys with one object (לָמוֹ) would result the following understanding of this bicolon:

He who sits in the heavens, that is, the Lord, laughs and scoffs at them. (Tsumura 2023, 66).

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61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

Book 3

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

Book 4

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

Book 5

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

24:6 Approved