Biblical Hebrew Forum

[ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben Crick)]

On Mon 31 Jan 2000 (09:46:31), decaen AT chass.utoronto.ca wrote:
> prepositional phrases in hebrew as in english are notoriously ambiguous
> as to syntax. in this case, bammidbar "in the desert", could go both ways.
> but the cantillation forces the reading,"A voice crying, "In the
> desert make way...."". However, this is a case where the other reading
> has come down to us through the Christian scriptures: "A voice crying out
> in the desert, "Make way...."". Both are possible without context. Quite
> different meaning, and again, this happens on a regular basis with such
> syntax.

 A good point, Vincent. But don't you think it was the hellenistic Jewish
 Septuagint that gave the "Christian" version, FWNH BOWNTOS EN THi ERHMWi
 hETOIMASATE THN hODON KURIOU, ktl (Isaiah 40:3, quoted in Mark 1:2)?

 Maybe the Massoretes reacted against this in their definitive pointing of
 the verse in the MT, so as to wrong-foot the Christian interpretation? 
 Or is it simply a case of Ben Naftali as against Ben Asher (a la Hillel
 and Shammai)?

 Shalom
 Ben
-- 
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
 <ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk>
 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
 http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm