Download Report

1
Psalm 22—Reading/translation notes
(22:20)
‫“ = ָרחֹק‬distant, far” under BDB 935b.
‫“ = אֶ יָלוּת‬help” under BDB 33b. Hapax.
‫ ֶעז ְָרה‬, ‫ֶזרת‬
ָ ‫“ = ע‬help, succor, assistance” under BDB 740b.
‫“ = חושׁ‬haste, make haste” under BDB 301b. Akk ḫâšu.
(22:21)
‫ = נצל < ַהצִּילָה‬Hiphil “take away, snatch away; rescue, recover” under BDB 664b.
‫“ = ח ֶֶרב‬sword” under BDB352a.
‫“= ֶכלֶב‬dog” under BDB 476b.
‫ יחִידָ תִ י‬- ‫“ = יָחִיד‬only, only one, solitary” under BDB 402b. Note 1cs pronominal
suffix added after fs endiNG.
The verses have started responding to that which was written at the beginning and
middle of Psalm 22. The beginning talks about all of the evil things that are out to
get the person, and that no one except the Lord will offer them help.
(22:22)
‫ = ישע‬Hiphil “deliver, save” under BDB 446a.1
‫אַריֵה‬
ְ = “lion” under BDB 71b.
‫“ = ְראֵ ם‬wild ox” under BDB 910a. Here written ‫ ֵרמִים‬without ‫א‬.2
1
2
“Cairo Geniza manuscripts has –‫ ”־עה‬so ‫ – הושׁיעה‬paragogic he?
“Many manuscripts read ‫”ראֵ מִים‬.
ְ
2
‫“ = ק ֶֶרן‬horn” under BDB 901b. There is a text critical note which is difficult to
understand.
‫ = ענה‬I “answer, respond” under BDB 772b.
(22:23)
‫ = ספר‬Piel “recount, relate” under BDB 708a. This is a cohortative, it expresses a
command or desire in 1st person. How do we know the stem of this?
‫“ = אָח‬brother” under BDB 26a.
‫“ ָקהָל‬assembly, convocation, congregation” under BDB 874b.
‫ = הלל‬I “shine” under BDB 237a.
‫ = הלל‬II “be boastful”, Piel “praise” under BDB 237b. Arb halla “shout” (in joy
and terror). Akk alālu “shout for joy, rejoice”.
“Shine” is used in different forms at the beginning and end of this specific verse. Is
there a reason that the scribes used two words whose definitions overlap? Why not
use one word twice? The first is talking about the people who worship the Lord
and this second one is giving instruction on what to do in front of the Lord. (RMW
– This might not be “shine” at all. What is this other “shine” in the verse?)
(22:24)
‫“ = ָכבֵד‬be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured”, Piel “make heavy; make
honourable, glorify” under BDB 457a.
‫“ = גור‬sojourn” (live in the land as a foreigner) under BDB157b.3
‫ = גור‬III “dread” under BDB 158b.
(22:25)
3
“Cairo Geniza and a few manuscripts of the Septuagint have ‫ יָגוּרוּ‬so prefix rather
than imperative”.
3
‫“ = בזה‬despise” under BDB 102a.
‫“ = שֶׁ קֶץ‬detestation, detestable thing” under BDB 1054b.
‫ = שׁקץ‬Piel (denominative) “detest, make detestable” under BDB 1055a. Rare.
‫“ = עֶנוּת‬affliction” under BDB 776b. Hapax?4
‫“ = ָענִי‬poor, afflicted, humble” under BDB 776b.
5
‫פניו‬
‫ = שׁוע‬Piel “cry out for help” under BDB 1002b.
6
‫ממנו ובשׁועו אליו‬
(22:26)
‫“ = נֵדֶ ר‬vow” under BDB 623b.
‫“ = נֶגֶד‬what is conspicuous or in front, (always as adverb or preposition) in front of,
in sight of, opposite to” under BDB 617a.
(22:27)
‫“ = ָענָו‬poor, afflicted, humble, meek” under BDB 776b.
‫“ = שׂבֵע‬be sated, satisfied, surfeited” under BDB 959a. Akk šebû. Arb sabiʿa. Arm
‫ ְסבַע‬.
‫ = הלל < יְ ַהלְלוּ‬Piel “praise” under BDB 237b.
‫ – יְחִי‬Difficult form to analyze. Compare regular Qal prefix 3ms ‫ יִ ְחיֶה‬to this. This is
a jussive form – and remember that the jussive form for weak verbs is often
“Septuagint, Syriac (following Targumim and Vulgate) suggest ‫‘ ַצ ֲעקַת‬cry(?)’”.
“Cairo Geniza has ‫‘ פנים‬face, presence’” rather than “his face/presence”.
6 “Septuagint has 1cs suffixes (rather than 3ms suffixes) so ‘from me… my…
me’”.
4
5
4
different from the regular prefix. For 3rd ‫ ה‬verbs the final syllable often is
apocopated (drops off).
‫לבבכם‬7
(22:28)
‫“ = אֵ פֶס < אַ ְפסֵי‬ceasing; end, extremity; non-existence” under BDB 67a. Here “ends,
extremities (of the earth)”.
8
‫לפניָך‬
Notice the consistent pattern by which the other translations/versions have 3rd
person instead of more direct 2nd person. What might explain this? Could there be
a theological/ideological reason? or could this have to do with setting/location?
What if this psalm was intended for public performance in the temple in Jerusalem
– and now there is no temple? Would that make a difference?
(22:29)
‫“ = מְלוּכָה‬kingship, royalty” under BDB 574b.
‫“ = ָעפָר‬dry earth, dust” under BDB 779b
‫ = משׁל‬III “rule, have dominion, reign” under BDB 605b. Ph ‫משל‬.
9
‫ומשׁל‬
(22:30)
Looking at the text critical notes verses 30-31 are a mess. Lots of different versions
and proposed emendations.
“2 manuscripts and Septuagint and Syriac say ‫‘ ְל ָבבָם‬their heart’”.
“Manuscript Syriac, Jerome, Vulgate, Arabic have equivalent of ‫‘ ְל ָפנָיו‬before
him’”.
9 “perhaps read ´‫‘ וִהוּא מ‬and he rules’, compare Septuagint and Syriac”.
7
8
5
‫אכלו וישׁחתוו‬10
‫“ = דשֵׁ ן‬be fat, grow fat” under BDB 206a. Arb dasina.
‫“ = דָ שֵׁ ן‬fat” (in sense of “vigorous, stalwart ones”) under BDB 206b.
‫“ = כרע‬bow down” under BDB 502b. Arm ‫כ ְַרע‬. Arb karaʿa “put one’s mouth into
water or water vessel” (kneel to drink?).
‫ – ונפשׁו לא חיה‬Literally “and his soul (will) not live”. Very strange and confusing.11
Literally what we have is something like “and all the fat ones of the earth ate and
worshiped, all those going down to the dust will bow down before him, and
his spirit will not live(?)”. Even if we go with some of the other versions and
emend the text we get something like “surely to him all the fat ones
(valiant?) of the earth will bow down (in worship)… and my soul will live(?)
for him”.
NIV: “All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to
the dust will kneel before him-- those who cannot keep themselves alive.”
NRSV: To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before
him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.”
NJPS (Tanakh): “All those in full vigor shall eat and prostrate themselves;
all those at death's door, whose spirits flag, shall bend the knee before Him.”
“Read ´‫‘ אַ ְך לוֹ י‬surely to him will bow down’, ´‫‘ אֵ יְך לוֹ י‬how to him will bow
down…?’”
11 There are multiple text critical notes =
d-d
dl gl which means “delete as a gloss”. So the editors think this whole line ‫ונפשׁו‬
‫ לא חיה זרע יעבדנו‬was added to clarify and explain. Weak.
e
𝔊𝔖 suff 1 sg which means “Septuagint, Syriac have 1cs suffix so ‫‘ נפשׁי‬and my
soul’”.
f
𝔊 (𝔖 Hier) αυτω = ‫ לוֹ‬which means “Septuagint (along with Syriac and
Hieronymous version of Psalms which follow Septuagint) have ‘to him’ rather
than ‘not’”.
So we can tell that translations and versions struggled to make sense of this entire
verse.
10
6
Which of these seems to make best use of the Masoretic Text? And/or do
you think other readings make more sense?
(22:31)
‫ – יַ ַעבְדֶּ נּוּ‬Recognize the heavy suffix. That leaves ‫יַ ַעבְדּ־‬.
‫ – יְ ֻספַּר‬Note shwa under prefix pronoun and U class vowel under first root letter.
What stem is this?
‫“ = דוֹר < לַדּוֹר‬period, generation, dwelling” under BDB 189b.12
Literally “seed/descendants will serve him, will be told about(?) my Lord to (a)
generation = descendants/offspring will serve him, (future) generation(s)
will be told about my Lord”. Difficult and unclear.
(22:32)
‫יבאו‬13
‫עשׁה‬14
Literally “they will come, and they will tell of his righteousness to a people being
born, that he acted”. Again compare a few modern translations:
NPJS (Tanakh): “to come; they shall tell of His beneficence to people yet to
be born, for He has acted.”
NRSV: “and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he
has done it.”
“Septuagint (Syriac) equivalent of ‫‘ דוֹר‬generation’”.
“Septuagint connects with verse 31”.
14 “Septuagint (Syriac) add ο κυιος ‘the Lord’”.
12
13