Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Steve:

On Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 8:11 PM, Steve Miller <smille10 AT sbcglobal.net>wrote:

> Pere,
>
> Here are a few that I consider to be mistakes in the Masoretic pointing:
>
> Ps 23:6b  לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים  וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית־יְהוָה
> As it is vowelled, the MT Hebrew text means "I will return", but that does
> not make sense with the preposition "in". Therefore no one translates it "I
> will return". Instead, they amend the consonantal text to say "I will
> dwell". The same MT consonants without modification mean "I will rest" if
> vowelled differently.
> I think it means "and I will rest in the house of the Lord for the length
> of days"
>
> Ps 27:4 same as above except "all the days of my life" instead of "for the
> length of days"
>

I take this as a noun שבת $BT from the root ישב Y$B that refers to the
action of settling down, an action used both in the context of settling down
into a chair, and settling a settlement, i.e. to dwell. The length of days
favors the settlement idea, i.e. dwelling.

The verb שבת $BT refers to the action of stopping, not necessarily resting,
and often a temporary stop. That makes sense in that this is a day when
one’s occupation is stopped for one day a week.

>
> Ps 110:3 The last phrase, "I have begotten You" is vowelled in the MT to
> say, "Your childhood". I believe that the meaning here is "I have begotten
> You", not "Your childhood" because:
> 1. The LXX translated this word as "I have begotten You".
> 2. The consonants here are exactly the same as Psalm 2:7.
> 3. "Your childhood" does not make sense here. It is usually translated as
> "Your youth", but the word here is "childhood", elementary school age, not
> "youth".
>
> It is a hard verse to translate in any case. My current attempt is:
> Your people are free will offerings in the day of Your army in the splendor
> of consecration from the womb.
> Since the dawn, in your place is the dew. I have begotten you.
>
> If someone has other suggestions, I would be glad to hear them.
>

With you is nobility in the day of your strength (maturity) in my set apart
(holy) grandeur; I brought you forth from the womb, from dewy darkness.

Yes, this is a difficult verse to translate.

I have no idea what are the points for this verse, but I have the feeling
that I’m like the proverbial bull in the china shop, throwing points every
which way except where tradition puts them.

>
> Sincerely,
> -Steve Miller
> Detroit
> www.voiceInWilderness.info
> He shall lift up the LORD's blessing
>   and also righteousness
> from the God of His salvation
>   that others He may bless.
> This One the generation seeks,
>   inquiring after Him,
> Who seeks your face, house of Jacob,
>   to be in His kingdom. (Ps 24:5-6)
>
>
> Karl W. Randolph.