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עֲשֵׂ֖ה הָֽרַתּ֑וֹק כִּ֣י הָאָ֗רֶץ מָֽלְאָה֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣ט דָּמִ֔ים וְהָעִ֖יר מָלְאָ֥ה חָמָֽס׃ 24 וְהֵֽבֵאתִי֙ רָעֵ֣י גוֹיִ֔ם וְיָרְשׁ֖וּ אֶת־בָּֽתֵּיהֶ֑ם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ גְּא֣וֹן עַזִּ֔ים וְנִחֲל֖וּ מְקַֽדְשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ 25 קְפָ֖דָה־בָ֑א וּבִקְשׁ֥וּ שָׁל֖וֹם וָאָֽיִן׃ 26 הוָֹ֤ה עַל־הוָֹה֙ תָּב֔וֹא וּשְׁמֻעָ֥ה אֶל־שְׁמוּעָ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶ֑ה וּבִקְשׁ֤וּ חָזוֹן֙ מִנָּבִ֔יא וְתוֹרָה֙ תֹּאבַ֣ד מִכֹּהֵ֔ן וְעֵצָ֖ה מִזְּקֵנִֽים׃ 27 הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יִתְאַבָּ֗ל וְנָשִׂיא֙ יִלְבַּ֣שׁ שְׁמָמָ֔ה וִידֵ֥י עַם־הָאָ֖רֶץ תִּבָּהַ֑לְנָה מִדַּרְכָּ֞ם אֶעֱשֶׂ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ וּבְמִשְׁפְּטֵיהֶ֣ם אֶשְׁפְּטֵ֔ם וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 23

            רתוק  “chain” (BDB, 958)

            חמס  “violence, wrong”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The first verb is an imperative.
• The word, רתוק, is a ::glossary(hapax legomenon):: (only occurs once in MT).  The meaning is based on the verbal root, רתק, meaning “put in fetters (bonds).”  Following Ezekiel 16:20 (וְהֶעֱל֤וּ עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ קָהָ֔ל וְרָגְמ֥וּ אוֹתָ֖ךְ בָּאָ֑בֶן וּבִתְּק֖וּךְ בְּחַרְבוֹתָֽם) and possibly LXX φυρμόν “disorder, mixture,” BHS suggests the textual emendation, בתוק “cut pieces.”  However, this unattested suggestion is dubious at best with the Targum reading “chain” (שׁילשׁלן) and Vulgate “bondage, shutting up” (conclusionem).
• The subjects of the verb, מלא, are feminine singular—ארץ and עיר.

Vocabulary

Verse 24

            ירשׁ  verb: “possess”

            גאון  “pride” (BDB, 144)

            עז  “strong, mighty” (BDB, 738)

            שׁבת  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive perfect 1cs): “remove”

            חלל  verb (Niphal waw-consecutive perfect 3cpl): “be profaned”

Verse 25

            קפדה  “shuddering, horror” (BDB, 891)

Verse 26

            הוה  noun (fs): “ruin, disaster” (BDB, 217)

            שׁמועה  noun: “report” (BDB, 1035)

            חזון  “vision” (BDB, 302)

            אבד  verb (Qal imperfect 3fs): “be lost”

Verse 27

            לבשׁ  verb: “put on, clothe”

            שׁממה  “waste, devastation”

            אבל  verb: “mourn” (BDB, 5)

            בהל  verb (Niphal imperfect 3fpl): “be disturbed, terrified” (BDB, 96)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 24

• BDB suggests that the plural connotes superlative degree, רָעֵ֣י גוֹיִ֔ם “worst of the nations.”

Verse 25

• The waw (וּבִקְשׁ֥וּ שָׁל֖וֹם) is temporal, “when.”

Verse 26

• The formula, x על x (parallel to x אֵל x), as in הוָֹ֤ה עַל־הוָֹה֙ is an intensive or durative idea.  Other occurrences include Psalm 69:28 (תְּֽנָה־עָ֭וֹן עַל־עֲוֹנָ֑ם), Psalm 61:7; 2 Chronicles 21:15 (יָמִים עַל יָמִים) and Job 16:14 (יפְרְצֵנִי פֶרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ).
• The waw, וְתוֹרָה֙, is disjunctive “but” (waw + nonverb).
• What an indictment to say that the prophets have lost their vision, the priests the law and the elders counsel!

Verse 27

• This is the only reference to the leaders (or any of the people) being a desolation שׁממה; elsewhere it is only the land that is laid waste (cf. Leviticus 26:33; Isaiah 1:7, 6:11, 17:9, 62:4, 64:9; Jeremiah 4:27, 6:8, 9:10, 10:22, 12:10, 32:43, 34:22, 49:2, 33, 50:13; Lamentations 1:13; Ezekiel 6:14, 12:20, 14:15, 15:8, 29:10, 12, 32:15, 33:28, 35:3, 12, 14, 36:34; Joel 2:3, 4:19; Micah 1:7; Malachi 1:3).
• The prophetic promise, יָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה, is used when the Lord makes himself known to unbelievers by sending judgment (first found in Exodus 6:7, 7:5, 10:2, 14:4, 18, 16:12, 29:46; also see 1 Kings 20:13, 28; Isaiah 49:23, 26, 60:16; Jeremiah 9:23; Joel 4:17).  It is found ubiquitously in Ezekiel (cf. 5:13; 6:7, 10, 13ff; 7:4, 9, 27; 11:10, 12; 12:15ff, 20; 13:14, 21, 23; 14:8; 15:7; 16:62; 17:21; 20:38, 42, 44; 21:10; 22:16, 22; 24:27; 25:5, 7, 11, 17; 26:6; 28:22f, 26; 29:9, 21; 30:8, 19, 25ff; 32:15; 33:29; 34:27, 30; 35:4, 9, 12, 15; 36:11, 23, 38; 37:6, 13ff, 28; 38:23; 39:6ff, 22, 28).

***I am reposting this article in conjunction with the Exodus 6 passage below from the old DH domain***

There is much scholarly debate concerning when the divine name, or Tetragrammaton, was given to the people of God.  Some contend that Exodus chapter three represents the inauguration of the self-revelation of God’s proper name; whereas, others argue that the name was revealed earlier in the history of mankind.  Although the debate may not be solvable in this summary posting, a précis of the two main opinions is appropriately coordinated with the DH reading from Exodus chapter 3 (available here).  The central text for both sides is Exodus 6:2-3, which reads: 

God spoke with Moses, saying to him: “I am YHWH.  I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai, but by my name, YHWH, I did not make myself known to them.”  (Author’s translation)

The first hypothesis maintains that the divine name was made known first in the Book of Exodus when YHWH revealed himself to Moses.  This argument asserts that the revealed name of God was El Shaddai before the Exodus and YHWH after the Exodus.  This understanding easily explains why YHWH was unknown to Pharaoh in Exodus 5:2.  The Hebrews could not make known the divine name to Pharaoh if it had not been revealed previously to them.  Thus, one of the purposes of the Exodus event was to reveal the divine name not only to the Hebrews but to make it known to the Egyptians (Exodus 7:5). 

Conversely, another claim is that the divine name was known by the people of God prior to the Exodus account.  In favor of this acumen are several rationales ranging from direct references to Yahweh in the Book of Genesis to the Yahwistic element in Moses’ mother’s name, Jochebed (Exodus 6:20, Numbers 26:59).  What then of the clear statement in Exodus 6:2-3?  The favored interpretation of this text is not that YHWH did not let His name be known at all, but only that the significance of the divine name as a symbol of deliverance was not known by his people.  This problem appears to be irreconcilable with the current information as both arguments have difficulties and advantages.  

Any further thoughts?  Evidence for one side or the other?

For further study see R.W. Moberly, The Old Testament of the Old Testament:  Patriarchal Narratives and Mosaic Yahwehism (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992) 5-78; or for a more specific overview of these arguments see B. S. Childs, Exodus (London: SCM, 1974).  Also, U. Cassuto, A Commentary on the Book of Genesis, 2 vols., translated by Israel Abrahams (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1989).

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה עַתָּ֣ה תִרְאֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה לְפַרְעֹ֑ה כִּ֣י בְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ יְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וּבְיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה יְגָרְשֵׁ֖ם מֵאַרְצֽוֹ׃ ס      2 וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ 3 וָאֵרָ֗א אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶל־יִצְחָ֥ק וְאֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּאֵ֣ל שַׁדָּ֑י וּשְׁמִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי לָהֶֽם׃ 4 וְגַ֨ם הֲקִמֹ֤תִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי֙ אִתָּ֔ם לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֵ֛ת אֶ֥רֶץ מְגֻרֵיהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־גָּ֥רוּ בָֽהּ׃ 5 וְגַ֣ם ׀ אֲנִ֣י שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶֽת־נַאֲקַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם מַעֲבִדִ֣ים אֹתָ֑ם וָאֶזְכֹּ֖ר אֶת־בְּרִיתִֽי׃

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            פרעה  name: “Pharaoh”

            גרשׁ  verb: “drive out” (BDB, 176)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The feminine adjective, חֲזָקָה “strong,” is in attributive position (after noun) and agrees in number, gender and definiteness.
• The adverbial phrase, בְיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙, is fronted (i.e. highlighted) in the last two clauses.

Vocabulary

Verse 3

            ראה  verb (Niphal waw-consecutive imperfect 1cs): “appear”

            אל שׁדי  name: “El Shaddai”

Verse 4

            ברית  “covenant”

            כנען  name: “Canaan”

            מגור  noun: “sojourning” (BDB, 158)

            גור  verb: “sojourn”

Verse 5

            נאקה  noun: “groaning” (BDB, 611)

            משרים  “Egypt”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• Such a “double” introduction of direct speech,וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו, is common in Hebrew.
• An exhaustive study of this phrase, אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה, would reveal its use in the context of God authenticating his deliverance and power.
• The verbless clause, אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה, has the typology S—P.

Verse 3

• The disjunctive waw (waw + non-verb in narrative) can be translated as “but.”
• The verb, נוֹדַ֖עְתִּי “make known,” is a Niphal perfect 1cs from the root ידע.
• See my overview of the debate concerning the Divine Name.

Verse 4

• The infinitive construct, לָתֵ֥ת, is derived from נתן.
• The noun phrase, אֵ֛ת אֶ֥רֶץ מְגֻרֵיהֶ֖ם, is in apposition to the previous object of the infinitive, אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן.

Verse 5

• The particle, אֲשֶׁ֥ר, can signal a causal clause, “because.”

PJ Williams at Evangelical Textual Criticism has an excellent article on Hebrew vowels entitled Does Pointing matter?, Kevin Wilson does not like Joe Cathey’s Mosaic presuppositions, Miqra is a new SBL venture in ANE forum discussion, and finally a movie worth watching (keep up the great work Walden Media!).

וַיְהִ֞י אַחֲרֵ֣י ׀ הֵסַ֣בּוּ אֹת֗וֹ וַתְּהִ֨י יַד־יְהוָ֤ה ׀ בָּעִיר֙ מְהוּמָה֙ גְּדוֹלָ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעִ֔יר מִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּד֑וֹל וַיִּשָּׂתְר֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם [עֳפָלִים]׃ 10 וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֛וּ אֶת־אֲר֥וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עֶקְר֑וֹן וַיְהִ֗י כְּב֨וֹא אֲר֤וֹן הָאֱלֹהִים֙ עֶקְר֔וֹן וַיִּזְעֲק֨וּ הָֽעֶקְרֹנִ֜ים לֵאמֹ֗ר הֵסַ֤בּוּ אֵלַי֙ אֶת־אֲרוֹן֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לַהֲמִיתֵ֖נִי וְאֶת־עַמִּֽי׃ 11 וַיִּשְׁלְח֨וּ וַיַּאַסְפ֜וּ אֶת־כָּל־סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ שַׁלְּח֞וּ אֶת־אֲר֨וֹן אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לִמְקֹמ֔וֹ וְלֹֽא־יָמִ֥ית אֹתִ֖י וְאֶת־עַמִּ֑י כִּֽי־הָיְתָ֤ה מְהֽוּמַת־מָ֙וֶת֙ בְּכָל־הָעִ֔יר כָּבְדָ֥ה מְאֹ֛ד יַ֥ד הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים שָֽׁם׃ 12 וְהָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־מֵ֔תוּ הֻכּ֖וּ [בָּעֳפָלִים] וַתַּ֛עַל שַֽׁוְעַ֥ת הָעִ֖יר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Vocabulary

Verse 9

            מהומה  noun: “confusion” (BDB, 223)

            נכה  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “smite”

            שֹתר  verb: “break out” (BDB, 979)

            עפל  “hemorrhoid” (BDB, 779)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The 3ms suffix, אֹת֗וֹ, refers to the ark of the Lord.
• The beth preposition is adversative, “against.”
• The noun phrase, מְהוּמָה֙ גְּדוֹלָ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד, is functioning adverbially.
• The final he of נכה apocopates with the waw-consecutive to for the form וַיַּךְ֙.
• Qere: טְחֹרִֽים “tumors” (cf. verse 6).

Vocabulary

Verse 10

            עקרון  name (of place): “Ekron”

            זעק  verb: “cry out”

            מות  verb (Hiphil infinitive construct with 1cs suffix): “kill”

Verse 11

            אסף  verb: “assemble”

            סרן  “lord” (BDB, 710)

            מהומה  noun: “confusion” (BDB, 223)

Verse 12

            עפל  “hemorrhoid” (BDB, 779)

        שׁועה  noun: “cry for help” (BDB, 1003)

            עלה  verb: “go up, ascend [to the heavens]”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 10

• The sequencing of ויהי plus the kaf preposition and waw is understood as “When…then…”
• The infinitive, לֵאמֹ֗ר, marks a direct quotation.
• The 1cs pronominal suffixes are used, לַהֲמִיתֵ֖נִי and עַמִּֽי, to refer to all who are speaking that is as a collective.

Verse 11

• The asyndetic verbless clause, כָּבְדָ֥ה מְאֹ֛ד יַ֥ד הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים שָֽׁם, functions to explain the prior clause.

Verse 12

• Further explaining, the narrator discontinues the story with a comment about the desperate situation.
• The relative clause, אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־מֵ֔תוּ, describes the persons smitten with the disorder.
• Qere: בַּטְּחֹרִ֑ים “tumors” (cf. v. 9).