Biblical Hebrew Forum

["B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>]

Hi Steve,

I think I can throw in one translation alternative, which is like the 
"and" versions that you haven't mentioned, which seems to me preferable, 
the JPS Tanakh:

"because You have exalted Your name, Your word, above all."

I prefer it grammatically because there seems to be a break between `al 
kol and shimka.  The break is the result of shimka being singular, which 
fights against concord with kol.  It can't read "all your names" without 
amendation, and "all of your name" doesn't make sense (what is all of a 
singular name versus part of a singular name?).  So I break `al kol from 
shimka.  We then have an object for exalted (shimka) and an appositive 
for shimka ('imrateka).

Shalom,
Bryan

schmuel wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> Psalm 138:2 (KJB)
> I will worship toward thy holy temple,
> and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth:
> for thou hast 
> ** magnified thy word above all thy name. **
>
> Generally Jewish translations agree with the King James Bible with "magnified 
> above"
> or "magnified over" ..although Rashi refers to 'names', plural, and this is 
> in Judaica Press.
> Soncino and JPS-1914 are similar to KJB,  an Ibn Ezra note is below.
> Also agreeing is ASV, RV, Rotherdam, NKJV, 
> while Youngs has "made great Thy saying above all Thy name."  
>
> One Bible scholar agrees that this is what is the Hebrew says, 
> yet changes the text for doctrinal reasons.
> http://www.bible.org/netbible2/index.php?header=&book=psa&chapter=138#note_3
> "The Hebrew Masoretic Text reads ... you have made great over all your name your 
> word"
>
> Daniel Wallace radically alters the text in translation
> "for you have exalted your promise above the entire sky."
>
> Apparently following the NEB
> "thou hast made thy promise wide as the heavens" 
>
> Putting that aside, there are two principle alternative translations.
>
> ======================================================
>
> "according to thy name"
>
> NAS - magnified Your word according to all Your name.
> Matthews/Tyndale/Rogers - magnified thy word, according unto thy great name. 
>
> The argument is made for "according to" that the grammar and prefix is 
> similar to ..
>
> Genesis 43:7 and we told him according to the tenor of these words:
> On the other hand, these verses have been mentioned for "above"
>
> Genesis 1:7 - "the waters were above the firmament" 
> Genesis 27:39 - "the dew from heaven above." 
> Daniel 11:36 - "magnify himself above every god 
> Daniel 11:37 - "he shall magnify himself above all"
>
> On b-hebrew "according to" was once given a thumbs-up, but primarily for 
> doctrinal reasons.
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/b-hebrew/2000-May/007391.html
>
> =================================================================
> 2nd Alternative - The 'and' conjunction versions. 
>  
> Harold's b-hebrew commentary above says these 
> "dropped the maqqeph between "all" and "your name." 
>
> NIV - exalted above all things your name and your word. 
> ESV - exalted above all things your name and your word. 
> NIV - exalted above all things your name and your word. 
> NRSV - exalted your name and your word above everything 
> JPS-1985 - exalted Your name, Your word, above all. 
>
> The NIV justification is "theological"
> www.ibs.org/niv/accuracy/NIV_AccuracyDefined.pdf 
> See page 22.
>
> =========================================================
> For completeness, Some oddball translations
>
> Note how these can even reverse the meaning.
>
> Geneva
> magnified thy Name above all things by thy word  
>
> ==========================
> Calvin
> http://www.ccel.org/c/calvin/comment3/comm_vol12/htm/xxii.htm
> "Thou hast magnified thy name above all thy word"  
>
> "I am satisfied David means to declare that God's name is exalted above all things, 
> specifying the particular manner in which he has exalted his name"
>
> Coming up .. the reference to the grammar from rabbinics.
>
> "In the end of the verse some supply the copulative, and read --
>  'Thou hast magnified thy name and thy word above all things' "
>
> Footnote:
> "According to this mode of rendering the passage lk, cal, the word for all, is independent 
> of Kms, shimcha, the word for thy name. But "it has been properly observed by Aben Ezra, 
> that lk in this case should have a Cholem, and not a Kametz Chateph, with which it is found in 
> all copies. Besides, this translation is not supported by any of the ancient versions." -- 
> Phillips."
>
> btw, this translation is defended, not particularly ably, at ..
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Reformed_Congregationalists/message/1784?viscount=100
>
> =============================================================
> To round out, some more unusuals.
>
> Douay-Rheims
> magnified thy holy name above all. 
>
> Greek OT
> magnified thy holy name above everything 
>
> Smith and Goodspeed
> magnified thy name over all” 
>
> sacred name Bibles (punctuation change)
> for thou hast magnified thy word, above all, thy name.  
>   
> Lamsa
> magnified thy word above every name 
>
> HCSB 
> exalted Your name and Your promise above everything else. 
>   (like the "and" versions, but with 'promise')
>
> Also the NEB and NetBible, above.
> ===================================================
>
>   Your views on the grammar, word-forms and prefixes, and the proper translation ? :-) 
>
>    I am less concerned with the doctrinal thinking, which seems to predominate
> in the discussions.  Especially any grammar or word usage imperative or 
> preference
> leaning towards either ..
>
> magnified thy word above all thy name                      or 
> magnified Your word according to all Your name.
>
>   Thanks.
>
> Shalom,
> Steven Avery 
> Queens, NY
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Messianic_Apologetic 
>
>
>
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--
B. M. Rocine
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13026
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