1

Psalm 105:1-11, 16-41

Several text critical notes. Compare to 1 Chronicles 16 and Qumran.

(105:1)

wantonness, deed” under BDB 760a. Note – often negative sense. Root“ = עֲלִילָה

act severely (toward)”. Arb ʿalla “do a thing (drink, beat, give) a second“ = עלל

time”.

(105:2)

Distinction between שׁיר and זמר?

.muse, complain, (poetry) talk (of)” under BDB 976a“ (denominative) = שׂיח

.Niphal “be surpassing, extraordinary” under BDB 810b (denominative) = פלא

(105:3)

מבקשׁי יהוה1

(105:4)

.עזז strength, might” under BDB 738b. Root“ = עֹז

Distinction between ׁדרש and ׁבקש?

(105:5)

,Arb ʾiftu(n) “calamity .אפת wonder, sign, portent” under BDB 68b. Root“ = מוֹפֵת

wonder, portent”.

.פיהו Slightly unusual form rather than – פיו2

1 “Qumran reads מבקשׁ רצונו ‘who seeks his favor/pleasure’ compare 1 Chronicles 16:10

(Septuagint)”. Once again direct language (“who seek Yhwh”) in Psalm is indirect language in

Qumran, Septuagint (“who seeks his ___”). 2 “Many manuscripts and 1 Chronicles 16:12 have ּפִיהו”.

2

(105:6)

אברהםזרע 3

.chosen” (always of Yhwh) under BDB 104b. Rare“ = בְחִיר

(105:16)

.famine, hunger” under BDB 944a“ = רָעָב

ה staff, rod, shaft; branch; tribe” (here = “supply”?) under BDB 641b. Root“ = מַטֶּ

.נטה

(105:17)

marry (buy as a“ מְכַר price”. Arm“ מכרו Zinj .מכר sell” under BDB 569a. Ph“ = מכר

wife)”. Akk makkûru “possession, property”.

(105:18)

,III = Piel “humble, mishandle, afflict” under BDB 776a. Akk enû “thwart ענה

frustrate, do violence to”. Arb ʿanā “be lowly, submissive”.

לורג Q רגליו4

ברזל5

ל בֶּ .”bind“ = כבל fetter(s)” (late) under BDB 459b. Root“ = כֶּ

(105:19)

smelter”. Akk ṣurrupu“ מצרף smelt, refine, test” under BDB 864a. Ph“ = צרף“refined”. Arb ṣirfu(n) “pure, unmixed (especially of wine)”. Note moderately

difficult form ּצְרָפָתְהו – affix 3fs + 3ms.

3 “A few manuscripts and 1 Chronicles 16:13 read יִשְׂרָאֵל ‘Israel’” (rather than “Abraham”). 4 “Cairo Geniza and several manuscripts (=?) follow Q, K ‘versiones omnes vel plurimae’” (a

little unclear – so most follow K except for several manuscripts from Cairo Geniza?). 5 “Perhaps read בברזל ‘in iron’, compare Symmachus, Syriac”. Haplography?

3

(105:20)

II = Hiphil “unfasten, loosen; set free, unbind” under BDB 684a. Arb natara נתר

“rend (garment), break (string (of bow))”.

(105:21)

= I קנה thing got or acquired, acquisition” under BDB 889a. Rare. Root“ = קִנְיָן

“get, acquire”.

(105:22)

.אֲסַר tie, bind, imprison” under BDB 63b. Arb ʾasara. Akk asāru. Arm“ = אסר

This verse does seem a little odd. “Bind his princes...” how? where?6

(105:45)

II = "for the sake of, on account of, in order that" under BDB 721a. Root עֲבוּר

???עבר

something prescribed, a statute or due” under BDB 349a. Under the root“ = חקֹ

so notice how the 2 חקקnd

.reappears before a suffix ק

.”I “watch, guard, keep” under BDB 665b. Akk naṣāru “watch over, protect = נצר

OArm נצר “protect”. Arm נְטַר. Arb naḍara “look at, consider, examine”.

הללו־יהּ7

6 “Septuagint (and Syriac, Yerushalmi) has Greek equivalent of לְיַסֵר ‘to teach’”? 7 “Some manuscripts have ־ויה; not in Septuagint, Syriac”. Why would Septuagint, Syriac omit

concluding “Halleluiah”? Does this say something about history of canonical arrangement of

Psalter?