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  • From: JBarach AT aol.com
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Psalm 10:10
  • Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:57:38 EST

BHaverim --

What in the world do you do with Psalm 10:10? In particular, what are the
first two words?

DCCH appears to come from the root DCH, which as to do with crushing and
oppressing. The doubled C suggests that the form might be piel. Holladay's
lexicon lists it as a qal imperfect, perhaps taking the vav at the beginning
of
the word as a lengthened yod, but that really doesn't explain the doubled C,
nor is the qal form attested elsewhere.

Alexander's commentary on the Psalms takes it to be a participle and renders
it "bruised," but that would require a nif. participle (passive), wouldn't
it? If it was a qal or piel participle, not only would the form be weird
but
it would be active ("bruising, crushing") not passive ("bruised, crushed"),
right?

Alexander also seems to be taking it to refer to the person who is being
oppressed by the lion-like wicked man here, and so he renders the whole
phrase
"Bruised he sinks down." But if it's active, not passive, then it would
have
to be something like "He crushes. He ..."

Well, what do you do with that second word? The root seems to have to do
with crouching or stooping, according to Holladay's lexicon. In Job 38:40,
it
refers to a lion crouching in a den. In Isaiah 2:11,17, however, it appears
to refer to stooping in humility.

So does it refer to the victims ("He stoops") or the attacker ("He crouches"
... like a lion, as the previous verse said)? What's the connection between
the words in this phrase?

Is it "Crushed, he stoops" -- referring to the victim, parallel to the next
line ("He falls by his strong ones, the victims" -- a translation that makes
me wonder why "victims" is plural and "he falls" singular)? That's how the
NIV renders it (never an accurate translation at the best of times): "His
victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength."

Or is it "He crushes. He crouches. And the victims fall -- again, why is
that singular? -- by his strong ones"? The NKJV seem to take DCCH to refer
to
"crouching" of all things: "He crouches, he lies low, that the helpless may
fall by his strength." Can DCCH refer to crouching and not crushing?
What's
the evidence for that?

In short: I'm baffled. Help!

Thanks!

John



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