Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Raymond de Hoop <rdehoop AT keyaccess.nl>]

At 05-03-2003 13:10 Ben and Jo Crick <ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk> wrote:

> This weekend I am starting a series on Jonah. Immediately there is a textual
> crux in 1:2 "Arise go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry *against* it, for
> their wickedness is come up before me" (KJV).
> 
> The LXX has ... POREUQHTI IES NINEUH THN POLIN THN MEGALHN, KAI KHRUXON *EN
> AUTHi*....
> 
> The Vulgate has ... vade in Nineven civitatem grandem et praedica *en ea* 
> ....
> 
> The BHS has ... LeK 'eL-NiYN:WeH Ha`iYR HaGG:DoWLaH uWQ:Ra' *`aLeYHa* ....
> 
> Could it be that an original Aleph has been substituted by an `ayin in the
> BHS, the scribes taking Jonah's view (4:2) that mercy should not be preached
> to the Ninevites, but rather Wrath be preached against it?  There is no
> footnote in the App: Crit: of the BHS to this effect.
> 

Shalom, 

I think it would be wise to leave the `ayin there. It creates
assonance/allitaration with the following: WQR) (LYH KY-(LTH.
You should also compare the second summons to Jonah, accompanied with QuM
(1:6):  QR) )L )LHYK )WLY    [note the opening )L's]


Note also the recurring and antithetical words throughout 1:1-6:

QWM WQR)
WYQM
WYRD
WYRD
YRD
WYSKB WYRDM 
QWM QR) 


Furthermore compare the following texts, which show that a rendering to cry
against" is not necessary:
Deut. 3:14; 2Sam. 12:28 (with SHeM)
1Kings 13:2, 4, 32 (identical/comparable to Jonah, gives no solution)
Jer. 49:29; Prov. 9:3; Neh. 6:7; 2Chr. 20:3 (most important texts)

Kol tuv,
Raymond de Hoop