Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Polycarp66 AT aol.com]

In a message dated 12/14/2003 8:19:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
kimball AT ntplx.net writes:
The common expression "Hosanna in the highest" seems to translate to 
"Please save in the highest" which doesn't make sense. What's the original 
Hebrew
and where does it come from?

___________________

It would seem that there is no Hebrew original--at least not extant.  The 
phrase "Hosanna in the highest" appears in only two passages (in the New 
Testament--Mt 21.9 and Mk 11.10).  If you accept the priority of Mk, then it 
stems 
from Mark.  Not only does the entire phrase not appear in the Hebrew of the 
OT, 
even the part of the phrase "in the highest" appears in no English 
translation 
of the OT.  Note, however, that "highest" is expressed in 1 Kg 8.27 by a 
construct chain 

W.$:M"Y Ha$.eMaYiM  -- the highest heaven

In Job 22.12 it asks  

HaLo)_):eLoWaH. G.oBaH. $eMaYiM -- Is not God in the hight of heaven?

Ps 89.28 [Heb] doen't quite compare, but Ps 148.4 is similar to 1 Kg 8.27.

gfsomsel