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b-hebrew - Re: 2 Sam 15:34 (was re: I am)

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  • From: ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben Crick)
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: 2 Sam 15:34 (was re: I am)
  • Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 23:06:45 +0100


On Mon 7 May 2001 (06:52:14), dwashbur AT nyx.net wrote:
> > > The correct parsing, according to Jewish mesorah is - `avdekha 'ani
> > > hamelekh 'ehyeh. Which very simply means I WILL be you servant.
>
> Obviously this raises a host of other problems, which is why I
> usually don't pay all that much attention to the accentuation except
> in poetry. I haven't checked it out in detail yet, but this looks like
> a very awkward construction to me, which makes me suspect that
> the accent is in the wrong place.

The text of the books of Samuel is notoriously difficult in places. SR Driver
notes on 2 Samuel 15:34

"`BDK WG'] The accents must be disregarded. 'If thou returnest to the city,
and sayest to Absalom, "Thy servant will I, O king, be: thy father's servant,
I was /that/ formerly, and now, /now/ I will be thy servant," thou wilt
defeat for me the counsel of Achitophel." The W before 'NY (twice) must
introduce the predicate, though both are extreme examples of its use for
that purpose...." (SR Driver, /Notes on the Hebrew text of the Books of
Samuel/, Oxford, 1890, p 246).

Driver goes on to cite his other work, /A Treatise on the Use of the
Tenses in Hebrew and some other syntactical questions/, Oxford, 1892,
paras 124 and 125, pp 153f in my copy; especially the "Obs." footnote on
page 154, dealing with 2 Sam 15:34 and similar instances.

HTH
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







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