Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] agent or patient in Psa. 33:12?
Date: Wed, 12 May 2004 03:00:16 -0500
Dear Michael:
The reason the traditional understanding is that God does the choosing is:
1) Context. The whole psalm is emphasizing Gods actions
2) Going from memory, men and nations are always Gods possessions, not the
other way around.
In reading the unpointed text, there is the possibility that BXR
בחר is a passive form, but that would leave the basic
meaning of the verse unchanged. That would explain the lack of a B ב
prefix for the object of BXR בחר .
At least this is how I read the verse.
Karl W. Randolph.
----- Original Message -----
From: Deborah Millier <deborahmillier AT yahoo.com>
> Dear B-Hebrew Listers,
>
> In Psa. 33:12 we read:
>
> WYHL) HWHY R$) YWGH YR$)
> WL HLXNL RXB M(H
>
> It is usually translated something like:
>
> Happy is the nation whose God is YHWH,
> The people whom He has chosen as His inheritance.
>
> Now, whats to prevent me from here understanding YHWH
> as affected patient (i.e. the chosen) and Ha-AM as
> agent (i.e. the one doing the choosing)? This would
> produce a translation something like:
>
> Happy is the nation whose God is YHWH,
> The people that has chosen Him to be its inheritance.
>
> This rendition:
>
> 1) makes perfect (better?) sense in context.
> 2) maintains synonymous parallelism.
> 3) has attested meaning in other portions of the
> TaNaKH.
>
> As always, your feedback is appreciated. Thanks in
> advance.
>
> Sincerely,
> -- Michael Millier
--
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