Monday 26 March 2018

Isaiah 59

Verse 2 - I have not seen בין used with ל. It is often בין ... ובין 
This is confirmed in my data. There are 653 occurrences of stem בין in 480 vs, 1 like לבין in 1 vs, ַand 122 like ובין. So this construction with ל is a hapax. It is highly unlikely that a scribe would mistake a lamed (ל) for a vav (ו). The scribes love lameds because they are such a flourish with the pen (or chisel).  From my coach (also a great amateur thespian)
Some linguists argue that in that context it denotes the actual separation or barrier between two entities, as opposed to the action of comparison.  In the Talmud and in modern Hebrew, בין לבין has actually become the default and preferred method of saying "between [one thing] and [another]."
The pronouns are missing from the second half of the verse - Whose presence (faces) are hidden? (Must be Yahweh's.) Who cannot hear? The translations assume it is Yahweh who cannot hear, but why is it not the 'you' who cannot hear or know the presence? "According to Jewish commentators, it is an implicit reference to God." Well, they also recognized the question.

verse 3 - interesting that גאל is both redeem and sully. The image of payment suggests the possibility of misuse.

This chapter seemed easier than others in Isaiah. Two more to do in third Isaiah, 65, 66. The condemnation especially verses 6 to 8 could apply in any age. The mystery of presence and difference also. Paul cites these verses (Romans 3:15-17) with respect to the human condition. The promise is to everlasting. I used this awkward phrasing several times for reasons I no longer remember - but the consistency will help me correct it later if that turns out to be necessary.

Isaiah 59 Fn Min Max Syll
הֵ֛ן לֹֽא־קָצְרָ֥ה יַד־יְהוָ֖ה מֵֽהוֹשִׁ֑יעַ
וְלֹא־כָבְדָ֥ה אָזְנ֖וֹ מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ
1 d Lo, not shortened is the hand of Yahweh to save,
and not heavy is his ear to hear.
3d 4A 11
9
כִּ֤י אִם־עֲוֺנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ הָי֣וּ מַבְדִּלִ֔ים בֵּינֵכֶ֕ם לְבֵ֖ין אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֑ם
וְחַטֹּֽאותֵיכֶ֗ם הִסְתִּ֧ירוּ פָנִ֛ים מִכֶּ֖ם מִשְּׁמֽוֹעַ
2 C In contrast, your iniquities, they are differences between you for your God,
and your sins make presence hidden from you, from hearing.
3c 4C 21
15
כִּ֤י כַפֵּיכֶם֙ נְגֹאֲל֣וּ בַדָּ֔ם וְאֶצְבְּעוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם בֶּֽעָוֺ֑ן
שִׂפְתֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ דִּבְּרוּ־שֶׁ֔קֶר לְשׁוֹנְכֶ֖ם עַוְלָ֥ה תֶהְגֶּֽה
3 C For your palms are sullied in blood, and your fingers in iniquity.
Your lips have spoken falsehood. Your tongue meditates on injustice.
3e 4C 18
14
אֵין־קֹרֵ֣א בְצֶ֔דֶק וְאֵ֥ין נִשְׁפָּ֖ט בֶּאֱמוּנָ֑ה
בָּט֤וֹחַ עַל־תֹּ֙הוּ֙ וְדַבֶּר־שָׁ֔וְא הָר֥וֹ עָמָ֖ל וְהוֹלֵ֥יד אָֽוֶן
4 There is none calling in righteousness, and there is no judging in faithfulness.
Trusting in disorder, and speaking nothing worthwhile, they are pregnant with misery, and give birth to mischief.
3e 4C 14
19
בֵּיצֵ֤י צִפְעוֹנִי֙ בִּקֵּ֔עוּ וְקוּרֵ֥י עַכָּבִ֖ישׁ יֶאֱרֹ֑גוּ
הָאֹכֵ֤ל מִבֵּֽיצֵיהֶם֙ יָמ֔וּת וְהַזּוּרֶ֖ה תִּבָּקַ֥ע אֶפְעֶֽה
5 The eggs of the anaconda they hatch, and the web of a spider they weave.
Who eats their eggs will die, and who is girdled will split into an asp.
3e 4C 18
18
קֽוּרֵיהֶם֙ לֹא־יִהְי֣וּ לְבֶ֔גֶד וְלֹ֥א יִתְכַּסּ֖וּ בְּמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם
מַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶם֙ מַֽעֲשֵׂי־אָ֔וֶן וּפֹ֥עַל חָמָ֖ס בְּכַפֵּיהֶֽם
6 Their webs will not become garments and they will not cover themselves through their own deeds.
Their deeds are deeds of mischief, and the work of violence is in their palms.
3e 4B 19
17
רַגְלֵיהֶם֙ לָרַ֣ע יָרֻ֔צוּ וִֽימַהֲר֔וּ לִשְׁפֹּ֖ךְ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֑י
מַחְשְׁבֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת אָ֔וֶן שֹׁ֥ד וָשֶׁ֖בֶר בִּמְסִלּוֹתָֽם
7 Their feet for evil find favour, and they rush headlong to pour out innocent blood.
Their devices devise mischief. Devastation and brokenness are on their highways.
3e 4B 17
18
דֶּ֤רֶךְ שָׁלוֹם֙ לֹ֣א יָדָ֔עוּ וְאֵ֥ין מִשְׁפָּ֖ט בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתָ֑ם
נְתִיבֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ עִקְּשׁ֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם כֹּ֚ל דֹּרֵ֣ךְ בָּ֔הּ לֹ֥א יָדַ֖ע שָׁלֽוֹם
8 C The way of peace they do not know, and there is no judgment in their tracks.
Their ways and means they have made devious for themselves. Anyone treading in it will not know peace.
3e 4C 17
18
עַל־כֵּ֗ן רָחַ֤ק מִשְׁפָּט֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תַשִּׂיגֵ֖נוּ צְדָקָ֑ה
נְקַוֶּ֤ה לָאוֹר֙ וְהִנֵּה־חֹ֔שֶׁךְ לִנְגֹה֖וֹת בָּאֲפֵל֥וֹת נְהַלֵּֽךְ
9 Therefore judgment is distant from us, and righteousness does not overtake us.
We wait for light and behold darkness, for illumination, but in gloom we walk.
3e 4C 18
20
נְגַֽשְׁשָׁ֤ה כַֽעִוְרִים֙ קִ֔יר וּכְאֵ֥ין עֵינַ֖יִם נְגַשֵּׁ֑שָׁה
כָּשַׁ֤לְנוּ בַֽצָּהֳרַ֙יִם֙ כַּנֶּ֔שֶׁף בָּאַשְׁמַנִּ֖ים כַּמֵּתִֽים
10 We fumble like the blind for the house wall. As if without eyes we fumble.
We stumble at noon as at twilight, among the stout as if dead.
3e 4C 15
17
נֶהֱמֶ֤ה כַדֻּבִּים֙ כֻּלָּ֔נוּ וְכַיּוֹנִ֖ים הָגֹ֣ה נֶהְגֶּ֑ה
נְקַוֶּ֤ה לַמִּשְׁפָּט֙ וָאַ֔יִן לִֽישׁוּעָ֖ה רָחֲקָ֥ה מִמֶּֽנּוּ
11 We growl like bears, all of us, and as doves muttering.
We wait for judgment, but there is none, for salvation... it is distant from us.
3e 4C 17
17
כִּֽי־רַבּ֤וּ פְשָׁעֵ֙ינוּ֙ נֶגְדֶּ֔ךָ וְחַטֹּאותֵ֖ינוּ עָ֣נְתָה בָּ֑נוּ
כִּֽי־פְשָׁעֵ֣ינוּ אִתָּ֔נוּ וַעֲוֺנֹתֵ֖ינוּ יְדַֽעֲנֽוּם
12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins answer against us.
For our transgressions are with us, and our iniquities, we know them:
3e 4C 18
18
פָּשֹׁ֤עַ וְכַחֵשׁ֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וְנָס֖וֹג מֵאַחַ֣ר אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ
דַּבֶּר־עֹ֣שֶׁק וְסָרָ֔ה הֹר֧וֹ וְהֹג֛וֹ מִלֵּ֖ב דִּבְרֵי־שָֽׁקֶר
13 Transgression and dissimulation with Yahweh, relocated from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt, pregnant with muttering from the heart, words of falsehood.
3c 4C 18
17
וְהֻסַּ֤ג אָחוֹר֙ מִשְׁפָּ֔ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה מֵרָח֣וֹק תַּעֲמֹ֑ד
כִּֽי־כָשְׁלָ֤ה בָֽרְחוֹב֙ אֱמֶ֔ת וּנְכֹחָ֖ה לֹא־תוּכַ֥ל לָבֽוֹא
14 So judgment is relocated from behind and righteousness from afar stands.
For truth has stumbled in the piazza, and the straightforward cannot enter.
3e 4C 16
14
וַתְּהִ֤י הָֽאֱמֶת֙ נֶעְדֶּ֔רֶת וְסָ֥ר מֵרָ֖ע מִשְׁתּוֹלֵ֑ל
וַיַּ֧רְא יְהוָ֛ה וַיֵּ֥רַע בְּעֵינָ֖יו כִּֽי־אֵ֥ין מִשְׁפָּֽט
15 And truth is lagging, and one who turns aside from evil makes itself spoil,
and Yahweh has seen, and it is evil in his eyes, for there is no judgment.
3c 4C 15
14
וַיַּרְא֙ כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין אִ֔ישׁ וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵ֖ם כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין מַפְגִּ֑יעַ
וַתּ֤וֹשַֽׁע לוֹ֙ זְרֹע֔וֹ וְצִדְקָת֖וֹ הִ֥יא סְמָכָֽתְהוּ
16 And he saw that there was no person, and was appalled that there was no one to intervene,
so his arm brought salvation for him, and his righteousness, it sustained him.
3e 4C 14
16
וַיִּלְבַּ֤שׁ צְדָקָה֙ כַּשִּׁרְיָ֔ן וְכ֥וֹבַע יְשׁוּעָ֖ה בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ
וַיִּלְבַּ֞שׁ בִּגְדֵ֤י נָקָם֙ תִּלְבֹּ֔שֶׁת וַיַּ֥עַט כַּמְעִ֖יל קִנְאָֽה
17 And he clothed himself with righteousness as chain mail, a helmet of salvation on his head,
and he clothed himself with garments of vengeance for clothing, and was wrapped as a mantle with jealousy.
3e 4C 18
17
כְּעַ֤ל גְּמֻלוֹת֙ כְּעַ֣ל יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם חֵמָ֣ה לְצָרָ֔יו גְּמ֖וּל לְאֹֽיְבָ֑יו
לָאִיִּ֖ים גְּמ֥וּל יְשַׁלֵּֽם
18 As with rewards, as with payment, heat to his adversaries, reward to his enemies,
to the islands, reward is paid.
3e 4C 20
8
וְיִֽירְא֤וּ מִֽמַּעֲרָב֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה וּמִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ אֶת־כְּבוֹד֑וֹ
כִּֽי־יָב֤וֹא כַנָּהָר֙ צָ֔ר ר֥וּחַ יְהוָ֖ה נֹ֥סְסָה בֽוֹ
19 And they will fear from the west the name of Yahweh, and from the rising of the sun, his glory,
for like a river comes trouble, the spirit of Yahweh making haven against it.
3e 4C 21
13
וּבָ֤א לְצִיּוֹן֙ גּוֹאֵ֔ל וּלְשָׁבֵ֥י פֶ֖שַׁע בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב
נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָֽה
20 And a redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,
an oracle of Yahweh.
3e 4C 16
4
וַאֲנִ֗י זֹ֣את בְּרִיתִ֤י אוֹתָם֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה רוּחִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלֶ֔יךָ וּדְבָרַ֖י אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֣מְתִּי בְּפִ֑יךָ
לֹֽא־יָמ֡וּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ֩ וּמִפִּ֨י זַרְעֲךָ֜ וּמִפִּ֨י זֶ֤רַע זַרְעֲךָ֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה מֵעַתָּ֖ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם
21 And myself, this is my covenant with them, says Yahweh. My spirit that is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth,
will not deviate from your mouth, or the mouth of your seed, or the mouth of the seed of your seed, says Yahweh, from now and unto everlasting.
3e 4C 30
31


No comments:

Post a Comment