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  • From: Harold Holmyard <hholmyard AT ont.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Psalm 138:2 - magnified thy word above all thy name.
  • Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 08:29:40 -0500

Dear Steven,

Your views on the grammar, word-forms and prefixes, and the proper translation ? :-)
I am less concerned with the doctrinal thinking, which seems to predominate
in the discussions. Especially any grammar or word usage imperative or
preference
leaning towards either ..

magnified thy word above all thy name or magnified Your word according to all Your name.


HH: The BHS apparatus shows no textual variants. However, the apparatus suggests two possible emendations.

1) BHS says that one should probably read "all your word." This assumes that the second "your name" has intruded itself from the first mention early in the verse and should be removed as a scribal duplication. What is left would be something like: "because you have magnified (it) above all your word" or "because you have magnified above all your word."

2) The second suggestion involves several changes so that one has: "because you have magnified above all your names your Name and Your word." I don't know how they arrived at this mixture of things.

HH: The text as it stands without emendations joins "all" with "Your name" by a maqqeph, a dash that joins words together for pronunciation purposes and implies semantic connection as well. The word "above" can also mean "according to" or "on account of." Earlier in the verse it means the latter twice: "I will praise Your name on account of Your lovingkindness and on account of Your truthfulness." So the final clause could read: "For you have magnified, on account of all Your name, Your word."

HH: This idea would tie "Your word" back to "Your truthfulness," and both the concepts would be linked by "Your name." A lot of people may think "above" suits a common use of this verb to speak of magnifying one person or thing over another, but I do not find an exactly parallel usage. Once there is:

NIV Job 19:5 If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliation against me,

HH: But the NRSV translation seems more normal here:

Job 19:5 If indeed you magnify yourselves against me,
and make my humiliation an argument against me,

HH: So along with Bryan I may be offering another alternative translation possibility.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard




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