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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: schmuel <schmuel AT nyc.rr.com>
  • Cc: "b-hebrew-lists.ibiblio.org" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Habakkuk 1:12 - O might God, O Rock
  • Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:19:47 -0400

Steven,

The word NA-MUT of Xabakuk 1:12 consists of the personal pronoun NA followed by the act MUT, 'die'. At first sight this NA appears to be the usual contracted )ANU, 'we', personal pronoun, putting NAMUT in the recognized qal form of 'we [will, shall] die'. But I tend to think that this NA is here in reference to God Himself in the nifaal sense, so that LO NA-MUT Y' is here 'God which is deathless, God which is everlasting', corresponding to the previous 'from ever before [MI-QEDEM]'. The rest of the verse, I think, is in reference to the terrible, war loving, invincible, GOY of verse 6. I would thus tentatively translate verse 12 as: "It is up and obvious that, God, you are from ever before, my sacred God, for ever lasting God. You appointed him to mete out justice, and strong as a mighty rock [V- ZUR] you made him to spread rebuke".
I know that this reading of mine does not sit well with the traditional cantillation marks, and the strict, customary Hebrew grammar, but it restores sense into an otherwise difficult verse, by means of only a bit of sensible grammatical flexibility.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Jul 20, 2007, at 8:12 PM, schmuel wrote:

Hi Folks,

On this next verse the discussion is usually about "we shall not die" and
the issue of the tiqqune sopherim. However there is another question
as well textually.

The KJB and the Judaica Press Bible read similarly.

Habakkuk 1:12
Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One?
we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment;
and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

Chavakuk - Habakkuk
http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16197
Judaica Press
Are You not from everlasting, O Lord, my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die. O Lord, You have ordained them for judgment,
and, O Mighty God, You have established them for correction.

Yet many versions read
"O Rock" or
"(my) Rock)" rather than
"O Mighty God".

Would anyone be able to give the textual and translational and contextual issues involved.

Thanks.

Shalom,
Steven Avery
Queens, NY
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Messianic_Apologetic


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