Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Polycarp66 AT aol.com]

In a message dated 8/2/2002 9:58:20 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
tony.larsson AT cling.gu.se writes:


Reading Ps 118, I found a word that mystified me. It says in verse 7:

YHWH       LI           B:(OZ:RAY        (BHS)
Kurios     emoi         bohqos           (LXX)
The Lord   is with me,  he is my helper  (NIV)

Now, what is the meaning of the B:(OZ:RAY compound? The KJV takes it as
"The LORD taketh my part with them that help me", with B as "among" and
the AY as a plural of people. 

But other translations, both modern and the venerable LXX, apparently
understands the AY to be some kind of majestic plural of the participle
(OZ"R, and then perhaps the B could mean something like "in the function
of" - or am I mistaken? Does the word signify that the Lord is the
psalmist's helper, or that he fills the position as his "help", an
abstract noun like "salvation"?
__________________________

Answering both this and your follow-up together with other questions 
regarding the plural.  

The BETH prefix can signify "to be among" (so BDB #2).  I think this is the 
usage here.  This would explain the fact that it is a plural participle in 
construct state.  The suffix is 1st c.s.  

"YHWH  with regard to me is among my helpers." if you wish to be very 
literalistic.

gfsomsel