Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] sheeth in Ps 73:6

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Harold Holmyard <hholmyard3 AT earthlink.net>
  • To: "b-hebrew-lists.ibiblio.org" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] sheeth in Ps 73:6
  • Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:58:00 -0500

Steve,

A few additional thoughts follow.

[Steve Miller] Thanks Harold. The meaning of the Biblical Hebrew words is determined by
how they are used in the Bible. When a word is used only 2 times without a specific
meaning required from the context that is not reason enough to question the translation
of that word? So what would be sufficient reason? If it was used only once? Neither LXX
nor Lamsa translated it as "clothing" here. Lamsa translated it
as "clothing" in Prov 7:10 though.


HH: Is Lamsa like the LXX in Ps 73:6? The reason I ask is that the LXX influenced the Syriac Peshitta considerably. Here is a quote from Ernst Würthwein's book, The Text of the Old Testament._

_On the whole, different forms of the text were in competition in Syria for centuries. Besides the revised text [Würthwein means one revised according to the Targum] there were not only the archaic traditions, but also the Septuagint and the Syro-Hexaplar with readings of the late Greek versions in their margins, and even the Masoretic text (although to a lesser extent because Hebrew was little known), all of which were familiar and exercised their influence. The Septuagint was the most influential. This should be noted particularly when evaluating the Peshitta for textual criticism. Agreement with the Septuagint can be explained by the later intrusion of the Septuagint readings. In such instances the two witnesses are reduced in effect to one._
_

Could the meaning of the 2nd ½ of Ps 73:6 be, "Thorns of violence cover them" or
"a thorny covering of violence is to them"? As thorns are a fallen self-defense, the
meaning then would be -- if anyone tries to reprove them,they violently attack him.


HH: This does not seem likely. There is no word about a reproof, and if they had a thorny covering of violence, they would be like a porcupine, whose quills are defensive, not offensive. Or if they were compared to a plant, like a rose, again nothing particularly offensive would be implied.



If so, then Prov 7:10 could be translated, "and behold a woman to meet him, a thorny harlot
and subtle of heart." "Thorny" means she speaks verbal barbs.



HH: Harlots try to allure men by their words, not put them off. And the phrase "thorny harlot" really means little in itself, as it is an incongruous pairing of words.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page