Friday 27 November 2015

1 Kings 14 - local disenfranchisement or should I say, Piss on it

I didn't pick this one deliberately. I just looked at the path of least resistance: which chapters has my automated algorithm done most completely in the books I have not yet started. Well, out popped 1 Kings 14, as one that 'pisseth against the wall'. O dear. What colorful language. I understand from an conversation on Facebook that this simply means 'men' - but if so, it's a thoroughly rude usage. There is a perfectly good word for men qua male. Is Yahweh rude by the mouth of his prophets? (Besides, it's rude to piss on the house wall. Don't you have latrines for that?

As I have changed my patterns of work to work from interlinear to English word order, I am astonished at how few changes I need to make in some verses. In verse 10 below the English word order is not a bit different than the Hebrew word order. It seems prophetic stream of thought condemnation fits English word order well. Verse 29-30 similarly. Verse 30 did not even require thought about punctuation.

And another thought: babies are precious in the sight of all, including God. Vs 13. I must admit, I never read this in any language before. If I did, I skipped this section. And like my mother, I think I read the Bible cover to cover. Obviously not.

Some verses are not so easy to understand. Verse 14 is a long 24 syllable phrase in the music terminated after the rest with 5 short spondaic notes. I have interpreted it (yes Virginia, all translation is interpretation too, even close translations) as a recap of the prophet's longer speech as if the hearer is saying with emphasis, What! Even Now!

It's quite a story. And their is subtlety in it. No fools, those prophets. But the kings... Samuel was quite right, a king was not a good idea.

1 Kings 14 Fn Min Max Syll
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא חָלָ֖ה אֲבִיָּ֥ה בֶן־יָרָבְעָֽם 1 At that time Abijah, child of Jeroboam, was ill. 3e 4B 13
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יָרָבְעָ֜ם לְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ ק֤וּמִי נָא֙ וְהִשְׁתַּנִּ֔ית וְלֹ֣א יֵֽדְע֔וּ כִּי־אַ֖תְּ אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֑ם
וְהָלַ֣כְתְּ שִׁלֹ֗ה הִנֵּה־שָׁם֙ אֲחִיָּ֣ה הַנָּבִ֔יא הֽוּא־דִבֶּ֥ר עָלַ֛י לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה
2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise now, and pretend that you are not known as the wife of Jeroboam,
and go to Shiloh. Behold, there Achiyah the prophet. He himself said the word that I would reign over this people.
3d 4C 27
28
וְלָקַ֣חַתְּ בְּ֠יָדֵךְ עֲשָׂרָ֨ה לֶ֧חֶם וְנִקֻּדִ֛ים וּבַקְבֻּ֥ק דְּבַ֖שׁ וּבָ֣את אֵלָ֑יו
ה֚וּא יַגִּ֣יד לָ֔ךְ מַה־יִּֽהְיֶ֖ה לַנָּֽעַר
3 And take in your hands ten loaves of bread and crackers and a cruse of honey and you go to him.
He himself will make evident to you what will become of the youth.
3c 4C 25
10
וַתַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֔ם וַתָּ֙קָם֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ שִׁלֹ֔ה וַתָּבֹ֖א בֵּ֣ית אֲחִיָּ֑ה
וַאֲחִיָּ֙הוּ֙ לֹֽא־יָכֹ֣ל לִרְא֔וֹת כִּ֛י קָ֥מוּ עֵינָ֖יו מִשֵּׂיבֽוֹ
4 And Jeroboam's wife did so and she arose and she went to Shiloh and she came to the house of Achiyah,
but Achiyah not could see, for his eyes were blurred from his grey hair.
3d 4C 24
17
וַיהוָ֞ה אָמַ֣ר אֶל־אֲחִיָּ֗הוּ הִנֵּ֣ה אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֡ם בָּאָ֣ה לִדְרֹשׁ֩ דָּבָ֨ר מֵעִמְּךָ֤ אֶל־בְּנָהּ֙ כִּֽי־חֹלֶ֣ה ה֔וּא כָּזֹ֥ה וְכָזֶ֖ה תְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֑יהָ
וִיהִ֣י כְבֹאָ֔הּ וְהִ֖יא מִתְנַכֵּרָֽה
5 But Yahweh said to Achiyah, Behold the wife of Jeroboam will come to search out a matter with you about her son, for he is ill. As this and as this, you will speak to her.
And it will be as she comes, she will be looking like a foreigner.
3e 4C 42
11
וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲחִיָּ֜הוּ אֶת־ק֤וֹל רַגְלֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּאָ֣ה בַפֶּ֔תַח וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בֹּ֖אִי אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֑ם
לָ֣מָּה זֶּ֗ה אַ֚תְּ מִתְנַכֵּרָ֔ה וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י שָׁל֥וּחַ אֵלַ֖יִךְ קָשָֽׁה
6 And it happened. As Achiyah heard the shuffle of her feet coming in the door, he said, Come, wife of Jeroboam.
Why this looking like a foreigner? And I am sent to you with hard news.
3e 4C 29
20
לְכִ֞י אִמְרִ֣י לְיָרָבְעָ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַ֛עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲרִימֹתִ֖יךָ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָעָ֑ם
וָאֶתֶּנְךָ֣ נָגִ֔יד עַ֖ל עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
7 Go, say to Jeroboam, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel. In that I had exalted you from among the people,
and have let you be heralded over my people Israel,
3d 4C 32
12
וָאֶקְרַ֤ע אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ מִבֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֔ד וָאֶתְּנֶ֖הָ לָ֑ךְ
וְלֹֽא־הָיִ֜יתָ כְּעַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֗ד אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁמַ֨ר מִצְוֺתַ֜י וַאֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֤ךְ אַחֲרַי֙ בְּכָל־לְבָב֔וֹ לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת רַ֖ק הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָֽי
8 and ripped the kingdom from the house of David, and gave it to you,
yet you have not become as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who walked after me with all his heart, to do solely what is upright in my eyes.
3e 4C 17
39
וַתָּ֣רַע לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ
וַתֵּ֡לֶךְ וַתַּעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים אֲחֵרִ֤ים וּמַסֵּכוֹת֙ לְהַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי וְאֹתִ֥י הִשְׁלַ֖כְתָּ אַחֲרֵ֥י גַוֶּֽךָ
9 But you have done evil, done so more than all who are before you.
And you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to grieve me. And me, you have cast behind your back.
3e 4C 16
36
לָכֵ֗ן הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֤יא רָעָה֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יָרָבְעָ֔ם וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י לְיָֽרָבְעָם֙ מַשְׁתִּ֣ין בְּקִ֔יר עָצ֥וּר וְעָז֖וּב בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
וּבִֽעַרְתִּי֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י בֵית־יָרָבְעָ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְבַעֵ֥ר הַגָּלָ֖ל עַד־תֻּמּֽוֹ
10 So note me well, I will bring evil to the house of Jeroboam and I will cut off of Jeroboam those who piss on the house wall, those who are contained and forsaken in Israel,
and I will kindle the following of the house of Jeroboam as one kindles the dung till completed.
3d 4C 34
23
הַמֵּ֨ת לְיָֽרָבְעָ֤ם בָּעִיר֙ יֹאכְל֣וּ הַכְּלָבִ֔ים וְהַמֵּת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יֹאכְל֖וּ ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם
כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר
11 One who dies of Jeroboam's in the city the dogs will eat, and one who dies in the field the fowl of the heavens will eat,
for Yahweh has spoken.
3e 4C 26
5
וְאַ֥תְּ ק֖וּמִי לְכִ֣י לְבֵיתֵ֑ךְ
בְּבֹאָ֥ה רַגְלַ֛יִךְ הָעִ֖ירָה וּמֵ֥ת הַיָּֽלֶד
12 And you, arise, go to your house.
When your feet enter into the city, then the newborn will die.
3d 4B 9
14
וְסָֽפְדוּ־ל֤וֹ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְקָבְר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כִּֽי־זֶ֣ה לְבַדּ֔וֹ יָבֹ֥א לְיָרָבְעָ֖ם אֶל־קָ֑בֶר
יַ֣עַן נִמְצָא־ב֞וֹ דָּבָ֣ר ט֗וֹב אֶל־יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּבֵ֥ית יָרָבְעָֽם
13 And all Israel will wail for him, and they will entomb him, for this one alone will come of Jeroboam's to a tomb,
because in him was found a good matter for Yahweh the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.
3d 4C 26
22
וְהֵקִים֩ יְהוָ֨ה ל֥וֹ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַכְרִ֛ית אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יָרָבְעָ֖ם זֶ֣ה הַיּ֑וֹם
וּמֶ֖ה גַּם־עָֽתָּה
14 And Yahweh will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of this Jeroboam today.
And what? Even now.
3d 4B 24
5
וְהִכָּ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָנ֣וּד הַקָּנֶה֮ בַּמַּיִם֒ וְנָתַ֣שׁ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵ֠עַל הָאֲדָמָ֨ה הַטּוֹבָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָתַן֙ לַאֲב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם וְזֵרָ֖ם מֵעֵ֣בֶר לַנָּהָ֑ר
יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ אֶת־אֲשֵׁ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם מַכְעִיסִ֖ים אֶת־יְהוָֽה
15 And Yahweh will strike Israel as the calamus wavers in the waters and he will deport Israel from off this good ground that he gave to their ancestors and he will sift them from beyond the river,
in that they have made their fetishes, grieving Yahweh.
3e 4C 55
17
וְיִתֵּ֖ן אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
בִּגְלַ֞ל חַטֹּ֤אות יָֽרָבְעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶחֱטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
16 So he will yield Israel,
into the rubble of the sins of Jeroboam who did sin and who made Israel to sin.
3e 4C 7
22
וַתָּ֙קָם֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֔ם וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ וַתָּבֹ֣א תִרְצָ֑תָה
הִ֛יא בָּאָ֥ה בְסַף־הַבַּ֖יִת וְהַנַּ֥עַר מֵֽת
17 And she arose, the wife of Jeroboam, and she went and she came to Tirzah.
She came in the doorway of the house, and the youth had died.
3d 4B 17
13
וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־ל֖וֹ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
כִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר בְּיַד־עַבְדּ֖וֹ אֲחִיָּ֥הוּ הַנָּבִֽיא
18 And they entombed him and all Israel wailed for him,
according to the word of Yahweh who spoke by the hand of his servant Achiyah the prophet.
3d 4C 14
19
וְיֶ֙תֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י יָֽרָבְעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִלְחַ֖ם וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר מָלָ֑ךְ
הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
19 And the remaining words of Jeroboam, how he warred and how he reigned,
behold they are written in the record of the words of the days of the kings of Israel.
3d 4B 17
19
וְהַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָלַ֣ךְ יָרָבְעָ֔ם עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם שָׁנָ֑ה
וַיִּשְׁכַּב֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ נָדָ֥ב בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו
20 And the days that Jeroboam reigned were twenty two years,
and he was laid out with his ancestors and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
3d 4B 17
16
וּרְחַבְעָם֙ בֶּן־שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה
בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֣ים וְאַחַ֣ת שָׁנָה֩ רְחַבְעָ֨ם בְּמָלְכ֜וֹ וּֽשֲׁבַ֨ע עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה שָׁנָ֣ה ׀ מָלַ֣ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֗ם הָ֠עִיר אֲשֶׁר־בָּחַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה לָשׂ֨וּם אֶת־שְׁמ֥וֹ שָׁם֙ מִכֹּל֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ נַעֲמָ֖ה הָעַמֹּנִֽית
21 And Rehoboam child of Solomon reigned in Judah.
A child of forty one years was Rehoboam when he began to reign, and seventeen years he reigned in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh chose to put his name there, out of all the sceptres of Israel. And the name of his mother was Naamah, an Ammonite.
3e 4B 12
60
וַיַּ֧עַשׂ יְהוּדָ֛ה הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה
וַיְקַנְא֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ מִכֹּל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֲבֹתָ֔ם בְּחַטֹּאתָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָֽאוּ
22 And Judah did evil in the eyes of Yahweh.
And they made him jealous, more than all that their ancestors had done, in the sins that they sinned.
3c 4B 13
23
וַיִּבְנ֨וּ גַם־הֵ֧מָּה לָהֶ֛ם בָּמ֥וֹת וּמַצֵּב֖וֹת וַאֲשֵׁרִ֑ים
עַ֚ל כָּל־גִּבְעָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה וְתַ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָֽן
23 And they themselves even built for themselves high places and monuments and fetishes,
on every haughty hillock and under every green tree.
3c 4C 18
15
וְגַם־קָדֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֣ה בָאָ֑רֶץ
עָשׂ֗וּ כְּכֹל֙ הַתּוֹעֲבֹ֣ת הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
24 And there was even holy prostitution in the land.
They did according to all the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh had dispossessed before the face of the children of Israel.
3e 4B 9
24
וַיְהִ֛י בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַחֲמִישִׁ֖ית לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֑ם
עָלָ֛ה שִׁישַׁ֥ק מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם
25 And it happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam.
Shishaq the king of Egypt came up to Jerusalem.
3d 4B 15
13
וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־אֹצְר֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָ֗ה וְאֶת־אֽוֹצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֶת־הַכֹּ֖ל לָקָ֑ח
וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־כָּל־מָגִנֵּ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה שְׁלֹמֹֽה
26 And he took the treasuries of the house of Yahweh and the treasuries of the house of the king and he took it all.
And he took all the golden shields which Solomon had made.
3e 4B 23
18
וַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ רְחַבְעָם֙ תַּחְתָּ֔ם מָגִנֵּ֖י נְחֹ֑שֶׁת
וְהִפְקִ֗יד עַל־יַד֙ שָׂרֵ֣י הָרָצִ֔ים הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים פֶּ֖תַח בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ
27 And Rehoboam the king made in their stead shields of brass,
and entrusted them to the hand of the chiefs of the racers, the keepers of the door of the house of the king.
3e 4C 17
19
וַיְהִ֛י מִדֵּי־בֹ֥א הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה
יִשָּׂאוּם֙ הָֽרָצִ֔ים וֶהֱשִׁיב֖וּם אֶל־תָּ֥א הָרָצִֽים
28 And it happened often. The king went into the house of Yahweh.
The racers bore them and the racers returned them to the little chamber.
3d 4B 10
15
וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י רְחַבְעָ֖ם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה
הֲלֹא־הֵ֣מָּה כְתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה
29 And the remaining words of Rehoboam and all that he undertook,
are they not written in the record of the words of the days of the kings of Judah?
3d 4B 14
20
וּמִלְחָמָ֨ה הָיְתָ֧ה בֵין־רְחַבְעָ֛ם וּבֵ֥ין יָרָבְעָ֖ם כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים 30 And war there was between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all those days. 3c 3g 19
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֨ב רְחַבְעָ֜ם עִם־אֲבֹתָ֗יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֤ר עִם־אֲבֹתָיו֙ בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֔ד וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ נַעֲמָ֖ה הָעַמֹּנִ֑ית
וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֲבִיָּ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו
31 And Rehoboam was laid out with his ancestors and was entombed with his ancestors in the city of David and the name of his mother was Naamah, an Ammonite.
And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
3d 4C 33
10


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