Biblical Hebrew Forum

[doug.kasten AT juno.com (Doug Kasten)]

John Ronning wrote:
"Regarding the translation "let themselves be driven back," the root
        ng` =
seems more likely to involve the idea of defeat or some real harm to =
Joshua's forces, so I would prefer the translation "pretended to be =
beaten" (so BDB except they change the root to NGP), perhaps to be read =
as a hithpael (hinnagg`u), with assimilation of taw (compare hinnabbe', =
etc.). (There is no question that hithpael can refer to some kind of =
pretense on the part of the subject)"

Suggesting changes to the text is OK, but there are no suggested changes
in the MT, and BDB leave the form at Niphal and don't even suggest a
Hithp reading that I can see.  Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't
think so.

I'm suggesting that the WAYYHI and the ensuing INF verb of perception
help create the sense necessary in verse 15.  From what the King of Ai
saw (the verb in the inf following WAYYHI, there was no reason to
believe, from his perspective, that Israel was not being beaten before
him.  He didn't see the ruse being set--and this is the perspective the
narrator wants us to see things from.  

My concern in all this is that, no matter how the translation is
rendered, the semantic values of verbs are respected, and I simply didn't
see that in the case of 'allowed themselves to be driven back' or similar
renditions in the English translation traditions of Josh 8:15.

Regarding Ben Crick's comments on the Niphals of Isaiah 65:1 and 55:6 and
the tolerative understanding of the form in these cases:  the
'tolerative' understanding is basically an English translation
convention.  They require a separate categorization (a taxonomic
exercise) because English convention has special needs to translate
them--at least in some cases; certainly not all.  Consider the following
renderings of Is65:1:

"I was sought by those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who
did not seek me." 

NIV is similar:

"I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those
who did not seek me."

These two traditions see no need to translate a 'tolerative' Niphal.  The
translation may need adjusting elsewhere.  But, again, my concern is to
understand the nature of the verb's semantic value, and not make an
automatic adjustment to its translation in order to smooth ruffled
English-language feathers.

Peace,
Doug

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