Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

On Fri 23 Nov 2001 (20:08:03), schmuel AT bigfoot.com wrote:
> Please correct or comment on any of the thoughts here ...
> 
> Is "was he stricken", singular, appropriate ..
>      (or similar words...as most translations have)
> 
> Is there any real argument for insisting on a plural for "lamo" ?
> 
> Is this idea of making "my people" the object textually legitmate
> for lamo ?  Or is it a real translational stretch . ?
> 
> Is the JPS fishy, sorta like translation tampering glasses ?
>    (I have an email from them that sort of implies that they translate
>     for non-christological gloss)
> 
> Thanks for your assistance...

 Dear Steven,

 You have asked the $64,000 question. The interpretation of Isaiah 53:8
 depends on your take on the Identity of the Suffering Servant. If you take 
the
 view that the Servant is the Nation Israel (Isaiah 49:3) suffering pogroms
 again and again down history for its sins, then the JPS translation is the 
one
 for you. If you take the view that the Suffering Servant is Jesus Christ of
 Bethlehem/Nazareth, born of the Virgin, Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14, 8:8), and the
 human/Divine Wonder Child (Isaiah 9:6-7), then you will go along with the
 standard Christian English versions. Jesus Christ is the Substitute-Jacob of
 Isaiah 49:5, who cannot be Jacob, because his mission is to "bring Jacob
 again to him".

 Taking the text "as is", and restricting this to verse 8d, we have
 MiPPe$a` `aMMiY NeGa` LFMoW  (F=qamets, in pause with silluq and soph pasuq)

 MiPPe$a` has the MiN of cause: "because of the rebellion of my people".
 LFMoW (in pause) is a poetic form, which may stand for either LoW (singular)
 of for LFHeM (plural). So we can consider
 (1) NeGa` LoW  "he [received] the blow/stroke" (the blow was to him): RV 
text.
 (2) NeGa` LFHeM "to whom (sc. my people) the stroke was due": RV margin. RV
 is the Revised Version of 1885.

 The LXX Septuagint has HCQH EIS QANATON "he was led to death". This bears
 witness to a Hebrew exemplar having L:MaWeT for LFMoW, relating it back to
 NiG:ZaR in the preceding clause. The Vulgate Latin version has /percussit
 eum/, "beat him". The DSS go with the MT in verse 8.

 Good old Delitzsch has a discussion in /Isaiah/, Vol 2, T&T Clark, Edinburgh,
 1892 and reprints, p299f which see. For a modern view, see JA Motyer, /The
 Prophecy of Isaiah/, IVP, Leicester UK, 1993, p 435 and footnote (1). The
 Servant endured the punishment which should have fallen upon "My people".
 Again the "Servant" (singular) is distinguished from "my people" (plural).

 The view from here...

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