Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>]

Dear Isaac,

If so, what does the noun "zan" mean? A container of some sort? How does 
this explain the verse?


BTW, you call us all "b-listim". I'm sure you're aware of the meaning of 
"listim" in mishnaic Hebrew? Any hidden meanings here? : -)



Yigal Levin



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Isaac Fried" <if AT math.bu.edu>
To: "b-hebrew Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Cc: "b-hebrew Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 6:32 AM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] "Mizan el zan" in Ps. 144:13


> b-listim
>
> The Hebrew root ZN is a variant of CN and TN. The root CN is doubled
> in CINCENET (the closing T is the personal pronoun AT), 'jar, basket,
> urn, pot, sack', see Exodus 16:33. From the root TN Hebrew derives
> the word TENE), 'basket, bag', see Deuteronomy 26:2.
>
> Isaac Fried, Boston University
>
> > On 8/23/07, Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il> wrote:
> > > Dear all,
> > >
> > > Ps. 144:13a reads "Our larders are full, producing 'mizan el
> > > zan'". This is my translation, attempting to render the Hebrew as
> > > literally as possible.
> > >
> > > I know that the precise translation of the word that I rendered
> > > "larders" is disputed, but I want to focus on the second part. The
> > > word "zan" appears only in this phrase, and maybe in 2 Chr. 16:14
> > > (although I'm not convinced that it's the same word). Most
> > > translations understand the word "zan" as "kind" or "sort". Many
> > > commentaries cite "zan" here (and in 2 Chr. 16:14) as either an
> > > Aramaic or a Persian loanword. Indeed, in the targumim, "zan" is
> > > the common translation of the Hebrew word "min" - "species" (for
> > > instance, in Gen. 1:11 etc.). And so the unique phrase "mizan el
> > > zan" is understood literally "from kind to kind" and rendered "of
> > > all kinds" and the like.
> > >
> > > Accordingly, the verse is usually translated "That our garners may
> > > be full, affording all manner of store" (KJV); "May our barns be
> > > filled, with produce of every kind" (NRSV); "Our barns will be
> > > filled with every kind of provision" (NIV) and the like.
> > >
> > > However, the LXX does not. There, "mizan el zan" is rendered "ek
> > > toutou eis touto", apparently preserving a Hebrew "mizeh el-zeh" -
> > > "from this to that" or "from here to there".
> > >
> > > In the MT, the verse seems incomplete - the translations added the
> > > word "store", "provisions" and the like, but it's not there in the
> > > Hebrew.
> > >
> > > Finally, my questions:
> > >
> > > 1. Does anyone know of an Old Persian word "zan" or the like, that
> > > could have been borrowed by the Hebrew and the Aramaic as "species"?
> > >
> > > 2. Is there any other indication (presumably linguistic) that this
> > > psalm is late enough for such borrowing to have happened?
> > >
> > > 3. In any case, how do y'all explain the syntax of the Hebrew?
> > >
> > >
> > > Much thanks,
> > >
> > > Yigal Levin
>
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