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  • From: "Rodney K. Duke" <dukerk AT appstate.edu>
  • To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Cc: Bryan Rocine <596547 AT ican.net>
  • Subject: Re: structure of Ezek 44:9-12
  • Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 16:30:44 -0400


> Subject: Re: structure of Ezek 44:9-12
> From: "Bryan Rocine" <brocine AT earthlink.net>
> Date: Sun, 2 May 1999 18:16:56 -0400
> X-Message-Number: 12
>
> Shalom, Haver,
>
> Rodney Duke wrote:
> > Dear Colleagues,
> >
> > I would appreciate any thoughts about the clause sequences
> in Ezek
> > 44:9-12. In particular I would like to know how the text
> > linguists/discourse practitioners understand: (a) the use
> of the
> > x+yiqtols in relationship to the weqatals in the context
> of instruction,
>
> I would not call this passage run-of-the-mill instruction. <snip>

> I would say that Eze is
> to present the message to his audience not so much as
> instruction, but as a *description* of that future reality,
> and I would label vv. 9-12 appropriately as an *Expository
> Discourse* about the future.
>
> A Predictive Narrative would make heavier use of the
> weqatal, as you have noticed, but we see tyhe heavy use of
> X-yiqtol is this passage. The X-yiqtol, I would say is a
> type of nominal clause, and ranks fairly high in the
> discourse profile scheme of Expository Discourse, which is
> designed to make statements rather than move forward
> narrative time. <snip>
>
> I think you will note that in Eze the weqatal of hyh is used
> as a copula in the future, a "will be," plain and simple.
> The use of vehayu in this passage is further evidence that
> the passage is expository rather than instructional. <snip>

> >(c) the use of y'n asher with a yiqtol.
>
> This could be a yiqtol giving repetitive, habitual action in
> the past.
>

Dear Bryan,

Thanks, thanks, thanks! Seeing this passage as Expository Discourse not only
makes sense of the x-yiqtols, but also ends up supporting the "fresh" reading
that I
think is more on target with what is going on in this text. The thesis in
brief: Ezekiel is being shown the plan, order, and statutes of an envisioned
new
temple/cultic design. Despite the people's guilt that resulted in exile, God
is still going to restore them. Such a gracious act of God, in Ezekiel,
moves the people
tears, shame, and remorse. What we see in ch 40-48 is a cultic order that
assumes the cultic order/restrictions of P but has moved beyond them, making
them stricter
to prevent future cultic violations. In 44:6-14 the Levites are 'restored'
to their duties in P (expressed by lower-line weqatals); however, they and
the house of
Israel still suffer sanctions for their past waywardness (expressed by
mainline x-yiqtols). (In Ezekiel we find that Levites cannot now enter into
the inner court,
just into the extensive gate system that Ezekiel envisions. The layperson
can no longer slaughter the sacrifice; the Levite has to do it for them.)

Discourse pattern 44:9-14:

1 x+qatal, intro to reported speech = Thus says the Lord
GOD
2 x+lo'+yiqtol, main. description = Every son of a foreigner
... will not enter into my holy place, even
every son of a foreigner...
3 asher+nom. cl., rel cl. for description = who is in
the midst of the sons of Israel;
4 kiy 'im + x +[*yiqtol], main descript = but rather, the
Levites [will enter], [similar to P]
5 asher+qatal, rel. cl. for past background = who became
distant from me
6 b+inf, temporal cl. cotemp. w/#5 = when Israel wandered
away
7 asher+qatal, rel. cl. past background = who went away
from me after their idols.
8 weqatal, topicalization/clarification = And they* will bear
their* guilt. [Similar to P]
9 weqatal (wehayvu), continues clarification =
And they shall be servants*, overseers, of
the gates of the house and servants* of the
house. [Similar to P]
10 x+yiqtol, main description = They themselves will slaughter
the whole-burnt offering and the sacrifice
for the people. [Stricter than P]
11 x+yiqtol, main description = They themselves will stand
before them [the people] to serve them.
[Stricter than P]
12 y'n asher+*yiqtol, past reason = because they used to
serve (habitual yiqtol -procedural?) them
before their idols,
13 weqatal (wehayvu) continues past description of procedure
= and they were to the house of Israel a stumbling
of iniquity.
14 'l-kn + qatal,(x+qatal) comment on #13 or back to
mainline? = therefore, I lifted my hand against
them [house of Israel, Levites, or both?]
15 nom cl, descriptive comment? speech formula closing or
opening? = an oracle of the Lord GOD
16 weqatal, topicalization/clarification = And they will bear
their guilt [Forms an inclusio with #8 and might set
8-16 off as a unit; however the clause is missing in
the LXX.] [Similar to P]
17 lo-yiqtol, main line? = They will not have access to me to serve as
priest to me or to draw near to any of my holy things
[or] to the most holy things. [Similar to P, might
intend to be stricter?]
18 weqatal, topicalization/clarification = And they will bear
their(?) shame and their(?) abomination*,
19 asher qatal, background = which they(?) did.
20 weqatal, topicalization/clarification = I and will appoint them
as guards of the guard duty of the House, for all of
its service and all, [Similar to P]
21 asher yiqtol, projection forward = which will be done in
it.


Comments:
4. kiy 'im sometime is used with ellipsis and implies the previous verb. I
think that this grammatical possibility leads to a different understanding of
the text than
how it has been traditionally translated and understood (i.e. the cultic role
of the Levites as found in P is being re-instated with stricter guidelines).

8. I have taken my lead from J. Milgrom and think that this phrase is
probably used here as it is used in P. There it is a technical phrase that
has no idea of
punishment, but is an ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY for preventing cultic
encroachment. As such a technical phrase, the implied antecedents are: "and
they [the
Levites] will bear their [the people's] guilt." Note that the speech is
directed mainly toward the "rebellious house of Israel" vs 6. Here, too, it
is a part of a
description and off the main line. It is not a change. It is not a
punishment.

9. I agree with Milgrom that in a technical, cultic context, mshrt refers to
guard duty against cultic encroachment, which is one of the main offenses the
house of
Israel is being charged with (see vv 6-8) and the reason that the newly
envisioned order is stricter. It would be better translated here as "guards"
than as
"servant."

10. & 11. Since it is in these two passages that Ezekiel supersedes the
cultic order of P, it seemed to me that they should predominate. Once one
sees this text as
descriptive discourse--thanks to Bryan--one sees that they do; they are main
line!

18. Again this phrase does not imply that the Levites are being punished in
line #17. On the contrary, in Ezekiel, to receive forgiveness and
restoration from God
resulted in bearing one's shame and humiliation (cf. 16:53f, 60-63; 20:39-44;
36:31f; 39:25f; 43:10f).

--
Rodney K. Duke
Dept. of Phil. & Rel., Appalachian State Univ., Boone, NC 28608
(O) 828-262-3091, (FAX) 828-262-6619, dukerk AT appstate.edu






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