The Text of Ps. 34:6
Back to Psalm 34
Introduction[ ]
The traditional Hebrew text of Ps. 34:6 reads as follows:
- הִבִּ֣יטוּ אֵלָ֣יו וְנָהָ֑רוּ
- וּ֝פְנֵיהֶ֗ם אַל־יֶחְפָּֽרוּ
The KJV translates this verse,
- "They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed."
The RSV, however, reads,
- "Look to him, and be radiant; so your[1] faces shall never be ashamed."
Whereas the KJV (along with a majority of the modern translations consulted) reads the first half of the verse as a pair of statements ("they looked... and were enlightened"), the RSV reads the first half of the verse as a pair of imperatives ("Look.. and be radiant"). Accordingly, in the second half of the verse, the KJV has "their faces" while the RSV has "your faces." The differences in translation reflect different underlying texts. The KJV follows the traditional Masoretic text, and the RSV follows the majority of ancient versions.
Argument Maps[ ]
Imperatives + 2nd person (preferred)[ ]
Some modern translations (RSV, NRSV, CEV, NJB, NEB, GNB) have imperatives in the a-line ("look to him and be radiant!") and a 2mp suffix in the b-line ("your faces"). The arguments for and against this view are as follows.
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<Look... be radiant! Your faces...>: The earlier form of the text read הַבִּיטוּ...וּנְהָרוּ...וּפְנֵיכֶם - "Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed" (RSV, NRSV, cf. CEV, NJB, NEB, GNB; so BHS).
+ <Ancient versions>: The oldest versions of Ps. 34 read the verbs as imperatives and read a second person pronoun in the b-line, and these versions probably preserve the earlier form of the text.
+ [Ancient versions]: LXX (προσέλθατε... καὶ φωτίσθητε...τὰ πρόσωπα ὑμῶν), Aquila (αποβλεψατε...), Peshitta (ܚܘܪܘ...ܘܣܒܪܘ ܘܐ̈ܦܝܟܘܢ), Jerome (respicite... et confluite et vultus vostri...).
<_ <Smoothing out difficulties>: The LXX (followed by the other versions) was probably bothered by the fact that the third person verbs in v. 6 have no apparent subject, and so it read the verbs as imperatives and, accordingly, changed פְנֵיהֶם to פְנֵיכֶם (Barthélemy 2005:195). #dispreferred
+ <v. 18>: The LXX similarly struggled with the lack of an explicit subject in v. 18, where it has added οἱ δίκαιοι (cf. Peshitta ܙܕܝܩ̈ܐ). #dispreferred
+ <אל + jussive>: The jussive in the b-line works better with a 2mp suffix (פְנֵיכֶם) and imperatives in the a-line than it does with a 3mp suffix (פְנֵיהֶם) and imperatives in the a-line.
+ <Context (vv. 2-11)>: In the first half of the psalm, David narrates his own personal deliverance (vv. 5, 7) and summons the afflicted to respond by worshipping and trusting in YHWH (vv. 4, 9-10). Imperatives in v. 6a and a 2mp suffix in v. 6b would be appropriate in this context.
Indicatives + 3rd person[ ]
The majority of modern translations have indicatives in the a-line ("they looked and were radiant") and a 3mp suffix in the b-line ("their faces"). The arguments for and against this view are as follows.
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<They looked... their faces>: The earlier form of the text read הִבִּיטוּ...וְנָהָרוּ...וּפְנֵיהֶם - "They looked unto him, and were lightened; ...their faces... (KJV, cf. most modern translations; so Barthélemy 2005).#dispreferred
+ <MT more difficult reading>: The MT reads הִבִּיטוּ...וְנָהָרוּ...וּפְנֵיהֶם. This reading, supported by the Targum, is the more difficult reading and probably preserves the earlier form of the text (Barthélemy 2005).#dispreferred
+ [Targum]: אסתכלו לותיה ואתנהרו ואפיהון לא עבצו #dispreferred
- <Who are "they"?>:"The pointing in MT (indicative) leaves unsolved the problem of the absence of a subject (viz., who are 'they'?)" (Craigie 2004:277 :C:; cf. Kraus 1960:267 :C:).
- <עֲנָוִים (v. 3)>: "The subject is easily added from the context: the suffering pious (עֲנָוִים v. 3)" (Hupfeld :C:; cf. Briggs 1906:300 :C:). #dispreferred
- <Very far away>: In this case, the subject would be "very far away" (Baethgen 1904:95 :C:).
+ <v. 18>: "The same phenomenon recurs in v. 18"; in v. 18, the subject must be added from the context (Hupfeld 1868:252 :C:). #dispreferred
- <לא instead of אל>: If הִבִּיטוּ...וְנָהָרוּ were indicatives, then we would expect לא instead of אל in the second line (Baethgen 1904:95 :C:; Gunkel 1926:144 :C:).
- <Jussive for epistemic modality>: In poetry, the negated jussive, which usually expresses deontic modality, is sometimes used to express epistemic modality. "אל with the jussive is used sometimes to express the conviction that something cannot or should not happen" (GKC §109e :G:; cf. König §186c :G:) #dispreferred
+ [Jussive for epistemic modality]: Pss. 34:6; 41:3; 50:3; 121:3; Prov. 3:25; Job. 5:22; 20:17; 40:32. #dispreferred
- <Context (vv. 1-11)>: In the first half of the psalm (vv. 2-11), David describes his own personal deliverance (vv. 5, 7). Describing the deliverance of third party in v. 6 would not fit in this context, especially since David was alone in Gath (v. 1; cf. 1 Sam. 21).
+ [1 Sam. 21]: 'David went to Nob, to Ahimelek the priest. Ahimelek trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”... That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath' (1 Sam. 21:1, 11 NIV).
Conclusion[ ]
In conclusion, we follow the reading attested by the majority of the ancient versions, Gaze at him and glow, and do not let your faces be ashamed! This reading involves vocalising הביטו ונהרו as הַבִּיטוּ וּנְהָרוּ ("gaze and glow!") instead of הַבִּיטוּ וְנָהָרוּ ("they gazed and glowed") and reading פְנֵיכֶם ("your faces") instead of פְנֵיהֶם ("their faces").
This reading, unanimously attested by the oldest textual witnesses for this psalm, fits better within the syntactic context of v. 6 (jussive in the b-line), the wider semantic context of the first half of the psalm (vv. 2-11), and the psalm's historical background (v. 1; cf. 1 Sam. 21).
Research[ ]
Translations[ ]
Ancient[ ]
- LXX: προσέλθατε πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ φωτίσθητε, καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα ὑμῶν οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ
- "Come to him, and be enlightened, and your faces shall never be put to shame."[2]
- Aquila: αποβλεψατε προς αυτον και φωτισθητε
- Peshitta: ܚܘܪܘ ܠܘܬܗ ܘܣܒܪܘ ܒܗ܂ ܘܐ̈ܦܝܟܘܢ ܠܐ ܢܚܦܪ̈ܢ܂
- "Look to him and have hope in him; you will not be ashamed."[3]
- Jerome: respicite ad eum et confluite et vultus vostri non confundentur
- Targum: אסתכלו לותיה ואתנהרו ואפיהון לא עבצו
- "They looked to him and were radiant, and their faces were not put to shame."[4]
Modern[ ]
Third person indicative
- They looked unto him, and were lightened: ...their faces... (KJV)
- Those who look to him are radiant; their faces... (NIV)
- Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; ... their faces. (NLT)
- Those who look to him are radiant, ...their faces (ESV)
- The oppressed look to him and are glad; they... (GNT)
- Those who look to him for help are happy; their faces... (NET)
- They who look to him are radiant with joy; they... (REB)
- Men look to Him and are radiant; ...their faces... (JPS85)
- Die auf ihn sehen, werden strahlen vor Freude, ...ihr Angesicht... (LUT)
- Wer zu ihm aufschaut, der strahlt vor Freude, ...sein Vertrauen... (HFA)
- Alle, die zu ihm aufschauen, werden strahlen vor Freude! ...sie... (NGÜ)
- Sie blickten auf ihn und strahlten, ...ihr Angesicht... (ELB)
- Die auf ihn blickten, werden strahlen, ...ihr Angesicht... (EÜ)
- Die auf ihn blicken, werden strahlen, ihr Angesicht... (ZÜR)
- Los que miraron a él fueron alumbrados... sus rostros... (RVR95)
- Los que lo miran están radiantes; jamás su rostro... (NVI)
- Los que miran al Señor quedan radiantes de alegría y jamás se verán... (DHH94I)
- Ceux qui ont regardé vers lui sont radieux… leur visage... (TOB)
- Ceux qui regardent vers lui sont radieux ...leur visage... (NBS)
- Qui regarde vers lui est rayonnant de joie, ...son visage... (BDS)
- Ceux qui regardent vers lui brillent de joie ...leur visage... (PDV2017)
- Ceux qui regardent vers lui deviennent radieux, leur visage... (NFC)
Second person imperative
- Look to him, and be radiant; ...your faces... (RSV)
- Look to him, and be radiant; ...your faces... (NRSV)
- Keep your eyes on the LORD! You... (CEV)
- Fix your gaze on Yahweh and your face will grow bright; you... your head (NJB)
- Look towards him and shine with joy... your heads (NEB)
- Wenn ihr zum HERRN blickt, dann leuchtet euer Gesicht, euer Vertrauen... (GNB)
References[ ]
34:6 Approved