Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Jay Childs <childs AT mciworld.com>]

Shalom, Yahua'sef:

I translated Tehillim 22 a couple of years ago and, 1) not to pick nits, 
but I think that the MT pronounces it "azavtany", right?, 2) if 
[Yeshua/Ishua] spoke Aramaic, he may simply be more familiar with the 
version in the Aramaic Targum.  He knew the Hebrew, of course, and probably 
read the Isaiah scroll in the synagogue in the Holy Tongue, but may have 
read and/or sung the Tehillim at home in household Aramaic.

3) For me, the bigger question is how to translate 'lamah'.  As English 
speakers, we find that it cozily fits the niche that our 'why' occupies, 
but the more literal would render either "for what" or "to what."  Any 
thoughts on that?

-----Original Message-----
From:   yahua'sef [SMTP:gs02wmr AT panther.Gsu.EDU]
Sent:   Monday, June 14, 1999 9:17 PM
To:     Biblical Hebrew
Subject:        Eli Eli Lama Azbatany or Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani?

Shalom To the List:

In the book of Tehilim chapter 22:1 we have the direct quote from David as
to what Ishua said on the execution stake:

"My God, My God why hast thou "forsaken me". In Ivrit(hebrew) this is:

"Eli Eli Lama Azbatany"

BUT

In when Ishua is on the cross He is recorded to have said

"Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani" in Mattityahu/Matthew chapter 27.

So we have a toss up. The word Azbatany or Sabachthani.