Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>]

Mark:

One of the first things I thought of when considering this 
question is the Greek word "parakalein". Literally, it means 
"to call aside, to one's side". What does one do when one 
calls another aside? Well, it is done to upbraid, scold, 
instruct, encourage, comfort; in short, whatever action is 
done when one acts one to one with another individual. 
It's a wonderfully plastic word that has no equivalent in 
English where the translator tries to match which action for 
which there is an English term is being done and translate 
accordingly.

What does it mean to have a "broad heart"? In 1 Kings 5:9 
God gave Solomon wisdom, insight and a broad heart. 
Isaiah 60:5 I admit I'm not sure what is meant. The word 
PXD in this context doesn't seem to fit. Psalms 101:5 it is 
used in parallel with a "high of eyes", an idiom I 
understand as referring to pride, and Proverbs 21:4 again 
connects it with the wicked. So along with the two hiphil 
uses of the verb you found in Psalms, I have found a total 
of six uses with mixes positive and negative contexts.

Another thought that comes to mind is that it may be the 
opposite of XSR LB, "lacking heart". Without going into a 
detailed study, that phrase is usually connect with the 
immoral and/or foolish, mostly found in Proverbs. It is a 
sign of weakness that can lead to death.

A tentative conclusion is that "broad of heart" is an idiom 
that refers to strength and vitality. In a positive sense, 
sureness and strength of convictions, in a negative sense 
arrogance and trampling down of others. What say ye?

Karl W. Randolph.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Eddy" <markeddy AT adams.net>
> 
> In Psalm 25:17 just about every translation takes the first word ZaROTH as a
> construct, depending on LBaBiY, which they then take as the subject of the
> verb HiRCHiYBU. But that requires them either
> 
> 1) to amend the text by dropping the waw at the end of the verb, turning it
> into an imperative, or
> 
> 2) to change the meaning of the hiphil into a hophal, or passive sense.
> 
> The translation of 1) becomes: The troubles of my heart are enlarged (ESV)
> 
> while the translation of 2) becomes: Relieve the troubles of my heart
> (NRSV).
> 
> Why should not the Hebrew text be read without emendation or changing the
> meaning of the verb by reading ZaROTH as the subject, LBaBiY as the object,
> and HiRCHiYBU in the normal hiphil sense "enlarge"?
> 
> Thus the translation into English would be literally "Troubles enlarge my
> heart."
> 
> This latter idiom is also used in Psalm 119:32 TaRCHiYB LiBBiY: "You will
> enlarge my heart."
> 
> The idiom also appears in Greek in 2 Corinthians 6:11.
> 
> The problem appears to be visualizing what this means.
> 
> It appears to me that the Hebrew is using antonyms. ZaROTH are "tight spots"
> or something narrow. While the Hebrew root RCHB refers to something wide. So
> the Psalmist seems to be saying that what appear to be troubles actually
> widen my experience, as I learn to get through them. I can do this when God
> answers the prayer of the last half of the verse and leads me out of
> MZUQOTHaY, my distress.
> 
> Why can I not find any author who understands the text this way?
> 
> Mark Eddy

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