The meaning of בני איש in Ps. 4:3

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Introduction

"Some scholars (see Kirkpatrick, Cohen, Weiser) believe that this means men of rank, wealth, importance (see 49:2; 62:9). So NAB translates 'Men of rank'; Knox 'Great men of the world'; GECL 'You rich men have power'; SPCL 'You who think you are great men.' MFT, somewhat differently, 'Proud men.' Other scholars see here an emphasis upon their mortality: NEB 'Mortal men.'"[1]

Argument Map


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[Mortality]: בני איש refers to "*mortal* people" i.e., men who are "mortal as distinct from God" (DCH :L:). :star: #mortal
 + <איש as mortal>: איש often refers to mortals as distinct from God. #mortal
  + Gn 32:29; Nm 23:19; Dt 1:17; Jos 10:14; Jg 9:9, 13; 1 S 2:25, 26; 26:15; Is 7:13; 31:8; 40:13; Ho 11:9; Ps 4:3; 62:10; Jb 9:32; 32:13; Lm 3:33; Si 10:4, 7; 45:1; 11QPsa 273; 11QT 6412; 1QS 313; 415, 20, 26 1QM 111; 1114; 1QM 1417(Baillet) + Sup 215; 1QH 322; fr. 108; 114 (Licht) 1Q36 25.25; 4QWiles 117; 4QShirb 111 4QShirShaba 22, 3 4QShirShabb 14.18; Kuntillet ‘Ajrud add. inscr. 2. (DCH :L:) #mortal
 
 
 <Lam. 3:33>: In Lamentations 3:33, the phrase "refers to people or mankind in general" (Reyburn & Fry 1992:90 :C:). #mortal
  + [Lam. 3:33]: כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבֹּ֔ו וַיַּגֶּ֖ה‬ בְּנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ #mortal
  +> <Not used with בני אדם>

[Rank]: בני איש refers to "distinguished people" (HALOT :L:), i.e., men of high rank or status. #rank
 + <בני איש vs בני אדם>: "In Pss 49:3 and 62:10, men of high degree are contrasted with those of no rank" (Dahood 1965 :C:). #rank
  + [Psalm 49:3]: גַּם־בְּנֵי אָדָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִישׁ יַחַד עָשִׁיר וְאֶבְיוֹן׃ #rank
  + [Psalm 62:10]: אַךְ הֶבֶל בְּנֵי־אָדָם כָּזָב בְּנֵי אִישׁ בְּמֹאזְנַיִם לַעֲלוֹת הֵמָּה מֵהֶבֶל יָחַד׃ #rank
  - <Mortals in Ps 62>: The phrase in Psalm 62:10 refers to "mortals" (HALOT :L:, DCH :L:). #mortal
   + [Psalm 62:10]
   +> [Mortality]
  <_ <Not used with בני אדם>: In Ps. 4:3 בני איש is "used on its own" and not in antithesis to בני אדם (Goldingay 2006:163 :C:). On its own, the phrase refers to human beings generally. #mortal
   +> [Mortality]
 + <Cotext (v. 8)>:"The psalmist’s later confession that the gladness bestowed by God is worth more than their grain and new wine supports this conclusion" (Jacobson 2014:84 :C:). #rank
 + <ANE parallels>:“In Egypt and Babylonia influential proprietors were called ‘sons of man,’ to distinguish them from the poor” (Kraus 1988:148 :C:). #rank
 + <איש as dignified individual>: "איש in the Psalms usually means man as a self-respecting individual with a certain amount of dignity (62:4), having talent (105:17), sometimes pious (25:12; 34:13; 109:16; 112:1, 5), sometimes an enemy or wicked (31:21; 37:7; 38:15; 92:7)" (Briggs :C:). #rank


Argument Mapn0Mortalityבני איש refers to "mortal  people" i.e., men who are "mortal as distinct from God" (DCH 🄻). ⭐ n1Gn 32:29; Nm 23:19; Dt 1:17; Jos 10:14; Jg 9:9, 13; 1 S 2:25, 26; 26:15; Is 7:13; 31:8; 40:13; Ho 11:9; Ps 4:3; 62:10; Jb 9:32; 32:13; Lm 3:33; Si 10:4, 7; 45:1; 11QPsa 273; 11QT 6412; 1QS 313; 415, 20, 26 1QM 111; 1114; 1QM 1417(Baillet) + Sup 215; 1QH 322; fr. 108; 114 (Licht) 1Q36 25.25; 4QWiles 117; 4QShirb 111 4QShirShaba 22, 3 4QShirShabb 14.18; Kuntillet ‘Ajrud add. inscr. 2. (DCH 🄻) n6איש as mortalאיש often refers to mortals as distinct from God. n1->n6n2Lam. 3:33כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבֹּ֔ו וַיַּגֶּ֖ה‬ בְּנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ n7Lam. 3:33In Lamentations 3:33, the phrase "refers to people or mankind in general" (Reyburn & Fry 1992:90 🄲). n2->n7n3Rankבני איש refers to "distinguished people" (HALOT 🄻), i.e., men of high rank or status. n4Psalm 49:3גַּם־בְּנֵי אָדָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִישׁ יַחַד עָשִׁיר וְאֶבְיוֹן׃ n9בני איש vs בני אדם"In Pss 49:3 and 62:10, men of high degree are contrasted with those of no rank" (Dahood 1965 🄲). n4->n9n5Psalm 62:10אַךְ הֶבֶל בְּנֵי־אָדָם כָּזָב בְּנֵי אִישׁ בְּמֹאזְנַיִם לַעֲלוֹת הֵמָּה מֵהֶבֶל יָחַד׃ n5->n9n10Mortals in Ps 62The phrase in Psalm 62:10 refers to "mortals" (HALOT 🄻, DCH 🄻). n5->n10n6->n0n8Not used with בני אדםIn Ps. 4:3 בני איש is "used on its own" and not in antithesis to בני אדם (Goldingay 2006:163 🄲). On its own, the phrase refers to human beings generally. n7->n8n8->n0n8->n9n9->n3n10->n0n10->n9n11Cotext (v. 8)"The psalmist’s later confession that the gladness bestowed by God is worth more than their grain and new wine supports this conclusion" (Jacobson 2014:84 🄲). n11->n3n12ANE parallels“In Egypt and Babylonia influential proprietors were called ‘sons of man,’ to distinguish them from the poor” (Kraus 1988:148 🄲). n12->n3n13איש as dignified individual"איש in the Psalms usually means man as a self-respecting individual with a certain amount of dignity (62:4), having talent (105:17), sometimes pious (25:12; 34:13; 109:16; 112:1, 5), sometimes an enemy or wicked (31:21; 37:7; 38:15; 92:7)" (Briggs 🄲). n13->n3

Conclusion

The phrase בני איש in Ps. 4:3 probably refers to mortal human beings in general. Rather than address the men with a respectful epithet ("men of rank"), the King (the son of God) addresses them so as to put them in their proper place; they are mere mortals caught up in emptiness and falsehood, and he calls them to trust in the one true God.

This is contrary to the view of most scholars, who interpret בני איש as "men of rank," citing Ps. 49:3 and Ps. 62:10 as evidence. But this evidence does not provide strong support for the interpretation "men of rank" in Ps. 4:3. In the first place, the phrase in Ps. 62:10 seems to emphasize mortality rather than rank (HALOT, DCH). Secondly, בני איש appears by itself in Ps. 4:3 and not in meristic connection with בני אדם. The only other passage where בני איש appears on its own is Lam. 3:33, and there it refers to (mortal) human beings in general.

Translations

Ancient

LXX: υἱοὶ ἀνθρώπων
Σ, Θ: υἱοὶ ἀνδρός
Tg: בני נשא / בני אינשא
Jerome (PIH): filii viri

Modern

English

CEV: How long will you people refuse to respect me?
CSB: How long, exalted ones, will my honor be insulted?
ERV: Men, how long will you try to dishonor me?
ESV: O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?
GNB: How long will you people insult me?
JPS1917: O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be put to shame?
KJV: 2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame?
Mft: Proud men…
NAB: Men of rank…
NASB: O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?
NEB: Mortal men…
NET: You men, how long will you try to turn my honor into shame?
NIV: How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
NLT: How long will you people ruin my reputation?
REB: Men of rank, how long will you dishonour my glorious one?
RSV: O men, how long shall my honor suffer shame?
SPCL: You who think you are great men…
TLV: O sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into my shame?
TOL: O sons of men

Spanish

DHH: Ustedes, que se creen grandes señores, ¿hasta cuándo ofenderán mi honor?
LBLA: Hijos de hombres, ¿hasta cuándo cambiaréis mi honraa en deshonra?
LPDPT: ¿Hasta cuándo seguirán todos ustedes hablando mal de mí?
NVI: Y ustedes, señores, ¿hasta cuándo cambiarán mi gloria en vergüenza?
RVR95: Hijos de los hombres, ¿hasta cuándo volveréis mi honra en infamia?

French

LBS: Et vous, les hommes, | jusques à quand jetterez-vous | le discrédit sur mon honneur?
LS1910: Fils des hommes, jusques à quand ma gloire sera-t-elle outragée?

References

Approved

  1. ↑ Bratcher, R. G., & Reyburn, W. D. (1991). A translator’s handbook on the book of Psalms (pp. 42–43). New York: United Bible Societies.
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