Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Philip <philipengmann AT yahoo.com>]

Dear Hebraists,
   
  There is something that I find a little curious in MT Psalm 8.
   
  MT Psalm 8:5 and Psalm 8:6 seems to form some sort of rhythm, or is similar 
sounding.
   
  There are four verbs involved here: tizkerenu, tiphqedenu (verse 5), and 
                                                   tehasrehu and teaterehu 
(verse 6).
   
  These four verbs seem to be similar in sound and in form with the exception 
that tiphqedenu (verse 5) is the only one of these verbs that is not an 
emphatic piel verb.
   
  Is it possible that this could have been an error?
   
  Could it be that tiphqedenu (verse 5) should have been a piel verb as well 
to match the other three verbs?
   
  I am using BHS based on L.
   
  (I am sorry I haven't checked the Aleppo Codex yet).
   
  What do you think?
   
  Best regards,
   
  Philip Engmann.

 
---------------------------------
8:00? 8:25? 8:40?  Find a flick in no time
 with theYahoo! Search movie showtime shortcut.
>From yitzhaksapir AT gmail.com  Wed May  9 04:57:47 2007
Return-Path: <yitzhaksapir AT gmail.com>
X-Original-To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Delivered-To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Received: from wr-out-0506.google.com (wr-out-0506.google.com 
[64.233.184.234])
        by lists.ibiblio.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A73314C014
        for <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>; Wed,  9 May 2007 04:57:47 -0400 
(EDT)
Received: by wr-out-0506.google.com with SMTP id i31so129829wra
        for <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>; Wed, 09 May 2007 01:57:47 -0700 
(PDT)
Received: by 10.78.131.8 with SMTP id e8mr31170hud.1178701066685;
        Wed, 09 May 2007 01:57:46 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.78.29.20 with HTTP; Wed, 9 May 2007 01:57:46 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <e6ea6c000705090157x17f7bde3se050a93d225a085a AT mail.gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 11:57:46 +0300
From: "Yitzhak Sapir" <yitzhaksapir AT gmail.com>
To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
In-Reply-To: <196951.12548.qm AT web31502.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline
References: <46413BD5.9040007 AT neo.rr.com>
        <196951.12548.qm AT web31502.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
X-Mailman-Approved-At: Wed, 09 May 2007 05:21:31 -0400
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Masoretes' Error in MT Psalm 8:5?
X-BeenThere: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.9
Precedence: list
List-Id: Biblical Hebrew Forum <b-hebrew.lists.ibiblio.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew>,
        <mailto:b-hebrew-request AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/b-hebrew>
List-Post: <mailto:b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
List-Help: <mailto:sympa AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=HELP>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew>,
        <mailto:b-hebrew-request AT lists.ibiblio.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 09 May 2007 08:57:47 -0000

On 5/9/07, Philip wrote:
> Dear Hebraists,
>
>   There is something that I find a little curious in MT Psalm 8.
>
>   MT Psalm 8:5 and Psalm 8:6 seems to form some sort of rhythm, or
>   is similar sounding.
>
>   There are four verbs involved here: tizkerenu, tiphqedenu (verse 5), and
>                                                    tehasrehu and teaterehu 
> (verse 6).

The words in verse 5: ki-tiz-kaR&N-nu / tif-qaD&N-nu ( & = seghol )
The words in verse 6: vat-taxas-saRE-hu / ta(at'-t'aRE-hu ( t' = tet )

In verse 5, both verbs are in qal form and use an -nu suffix for 3rd person
In verse 6, both verbs are in piel form and use an -hu suffix for 3rd person

Using the consensus position for verbal morphology, the different -nu/-hu
suffixes indicate that the two verbs are different functions.  In verse 5, the
verbs are in the imperfect while in verse 6 they are in the preterite.  Thus,
there is a clear difference between the two verses in form, but in each
verse there is a match of forms between the two uses of the verbs in that
verse.  This difference of morphology is indicated not only by the
Massoretic vocalization marks but also by the Massoretic consonantal
spelling.  Not only is there no need, but also it would be incorrect to
assume there is an "error" here.

Yitzhak Sapir