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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 12:07:31 -0500

Dear Steven:

Harold's b-hebrew commentary above says these "dropped the maqqeph between "all" and "your name."
NIV - exalted above all things your name and your word. ESV - exalted above all things your name and your word. NIV - exalted above all things your name and your word. NRSV - exalted your name and your word above everything JPS-1985 - exalted Your name, Your word, above all.
The NIV justification is "theological"
www.ibs.org/niv/accuracy/NIV_AccuracyDefined.pdf See page 22.


HH: The idea here is that very rarely the Hebrew uses asyndeton between nouns where one expects a wav conjunction (copulative). Here are definitions of asyndeton, but I can't recall offhand an example with nouns. Possibly Gen 1:11 could be with "grass" and "herbs," but that might be apposition. However, I know there are cases of noun asyndeton in the OT.
http://www.dailyhebrew.com/index.php/Glossary

Asyndeton: The lack of a copulative, relative marker or other type of conjunction between words, phrases and clauses

Immediacy peak may be marked by asyndeton, that is, coordinating particles may be omitted from the peak as the narrative proceeds too rapidly for standard connection.

ASYNDETON:
http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms_A.html

The artistic elimination of conjunctions in a sentence to create a particular effect. See schemes for more information.

Asyndeton -- using no conjunctions to create an effect of speed or simplicity: Veni. Vidi. Vici. "I came. I saw. I conquered." (As opposed to "I came, and then I saw, and then I conquered.") Been there. Done that. Bought the t-shirt.

Other forms of compression include a straight asyndeton (absence of connecting particles), used for speed e.g. in Judges 5.27 and throughout Ps 93. These use verbs. Asyndeton is by far more common in Hebrew with verbs than with nouns.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard




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