Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 01/10/2003 11:13, B. M. Rocine wrote:

> B-Haveray,
>
> Why is it that Dahood's work on Psalms (Anchor, 1965!) is not impacting
> recent translations, commentaries, lexicons?
>
> For instance, he suggests the following for 1:1--
>
> "...has not entered the council (`ecah) of the wicked,/ Nor in the assembly
> (derek) of sinners stood,/ nor in the session (mow$ab) of scoffers sat."
>
> He says `ecah can mean council as well as counsel.  That's easy enough to
> take, right?
>
> For derek, he points out a Ug. cognate drkt, meaning throne, and says that
> Hb. derek can mean throne (or seat of power) in the Tanakh in passages such
> as Ps 110:7 (and I might add Hos. 10:13, Pro 31:3, Ps 138:5, Jer 3:13, Ps
> 119:37).   The idea has barely snuck into HALOT.
>
> He says mow$ab may have a political nuance as in Ps 107:32 (and I add Gen
> 36:43, 1 Ki 10:5, Job 29:7, Ps 132:13).
>
> His suggestions totally change my perception of the psalm from the
> traditional analysis as an exposition on *behavior* to an exposition on
> *being in the correct place* (or study).   I think Dahood's analysis
> presents a much more cohesive poem than we find in other English
> translations.
>
> I have not seen a hint of Dahood's ideas on 1:1 in one translation of or
> commentary on Psalms since he went to press.  Once again, why?
>
> Shalom,
>
> Bryan
>
>
> B. M. Rocine
> Living Word Church
> 6101 Court St. Rd.
> Syracuse, NY 13206
>
> ph: 315.437.6744
> fx: 315.437.6766
>
>
>  
Perhaps it is because other scholars do not accept that speculative 
reconstructions from a cognate language, many centuries remote from the 
Psalms, take priority over all the other evidence from DSS, Rabbinic 
commentaries, ancient versions etc, all of which is probably closer in 
time to the Psalms than is any of the Ugaritic material.

Dahood's proposed meaning of "throne" for DRK seems to me just about as 
speculative and unnecessary as Karl's "unknown" for (LMH.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/