Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Kevin Buchs" <buchs AT lutheran.com>]

Hello,

Introduction:
I am a student of Hebrew, having struggled while taking a seminary course
and now trying to retain some knowledge and perhaps add a bit.  However, I
am only able to devote 10 minutes every other day - so it comes very slowly.
I have spent almost a year now working on a translation of Psalm 18:18-27,
as I found it very difficult.  There were several problems I was not able to
resolve.  I resorted to my copy of Beall/Banks/Smith Parsing Guide at
several points, but for most of those, I am not able to justify the
conclusions this book reached.  I would appreciate a dose of the expertise
of this group as I post some of my questions over the next several
days/weeks.  Any grammar insights would be appreciated.

Questions:
1) In Psalm 18:18a, in the word M")OY:B, I cannot understand why the Shewa
appears, rather than a Tsere.

2) In Psalm 18:18a the word (FZ has me wondering.  My Holladay Lexicon lists
only one occurrence of this form in Genesis 49.  However, I don't see any
other conclusion that to translate as the adjective "power".  What have I
missed here?

3) In Ps 18:18bWMI&&ON")AY seems to have a 1cs pronomial suffix which is
used for plural nouns, yet this is placed on a singular participle.  I would
expect, instead of AY that IY be used.  However, the subject in the
following verb seems to shift to plural.

4) Any comments on my resulting translation of 18:18:

     He will snatch me away from a powerful enemy
         and from the one hating me because they are strong than me.


Kevin Buchs  buchs AT lutheran.com  Rochester, MN