Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Polycarp66 AT aol.com]

In a message dated 6/29/2002 9:26:22 AM Eastern Daylight Time, brocine AT earthlink.net writes:


> 'isru Hag Ba`abotim `al qarnot hammizbeaH
>
> English translations of this verset mostly fall into two
> schools represented below by the NJPS and the NIV.
>
> NJPS:  "Bind the festal offering to the horns of the altar
> with cords."
>
> NIV:  "With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up
> to the horns of the altar."
>
> Do you think one is more likely?  Why?


XaG does signify a feast or a festal procession.  To take it to signify the sacrificial victim may seem somewhat unusual, but I don't think it is really very strange at all.  It is a case of the most significant event of the feast being given the designation of the feast itself.  Consider also Mal 2.3

XiG:NiY Go("R LfKeM )eT_HaZ.eRa( W:Z"RiYTiY PeRe$ (aL_P.:N"YCeM **P.eRe$ HaG."YKeM** . . .

Here PeRe$ HaG."YKEM could not reasonably refer to either the feast itself or to a festal procession.  "The dung of your feast" must refer to the victim sacrificed.

gfsomsel