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b-hebrew - Re: Psalm 11:7c

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  • From: "Dave Washburn" <dwashbur AT nyx.net>
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Psalm 11:7c
  • Date: Sat, 30 Jan 1999 06:24:03 -0700


> A friend asked me about the translation of the last line of Psalm 11.
> Here's the text (apologies for my transliteration scheme; if anyone will
> post the one we're supposed to follow, I'll be happy to use it):
>
> YaSHaR ([the] upright, *singular*)
> YeCHeZU (will see, *plural*)
> PaNeYMO (his face, which is *plural* in Hebrew, though singular in
> English).
>
> At first glance, therefore, it looks like an open and shut case. The
> plural verb has to have the plural noun as the subject, the other noun
> must be the object, and the sentence should be translated: "His face will
> see the upright."

Just as a preliminary response, I would point out that PFNIYM,
"face," is always plural. It never appears in the HB in a singular
form, even though it most often carries a singular meaning. Who
knows why *shrug* but that's the way it is, so the fact that it's
plural can't really tip the scales either way.

More later, I hope...


Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
A Bible that's falling apart means a life that isn't.




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