Monday, 23 April 2012
From Christchurch NZ
These photos and films of the destruction and cleanup via Sansblogue from Ourtube in NZ
Thursday, 19 April 2012
A taste of praise
Jim Gordon at Living Wittily has posted on the praise of art particularly focusing on Chagall, the subject of a section in the Psalms conference at Oxford 2010. Here is a taste of my big book on the psalms on the praise of dragons and abysses in Psalm 148.
Rendtorff, Rolf. (2005). The Canonical Hebrew Bible, A Theology of the Old Testament.
Seeing the Psalter, Patterns of Recurrence in the Poetry of the Psalms, available 2Q 2013, currently under detailed review by about 10 people, advance order details forthcoming, contact me if you are interested in becoming an early reviewer.
Even the dragon and the abyss are invited to praise. These words draw in all the potential confusion and fear in the magnificence of creation. The abyss is a treasury (33:7) and a metaphor for the judgment (36:7). Psalm 42:8 identifies abyss as the depth of the call from the human in exile to God. Psalm 71:20 knows hope even in these depths. The water from the rock is like an abyss (78:15) . The earth is clothed with the abyss (104:6). The people are led through it (106:9) and the mariners are terrified of it on the sea (107:26). It is part of God’s delight (135:6). This is the creation that we find ourselves in: the unfathomable, time, gravity, and the inscrutable human heart, animal consciousness and the power of the natural order. This is the abyss along with its fearsome creatures. The place of the dragon is where we were crushed (44:20), but its heads are broken (74:13), and over it we will trample (91:13). Leviathan fragmented (74:14) is God’s companion in laughter (104:26). Rahab, the defiant (40:5) is remembered in the city of God (87:4) and was pierced through (89:11). She becomes the metaphor for our boldness (90:10 and 138:3). Here we might invoke Christopher Smart again, for the devils themselves are at peace. The psalms weave creation, redemption, and deliverance into poetry reflecting these primal and critical themes from the Torah and the Prophets. See also Rendtorff (2005 p. 418 ff).Christopher Smart, Rejoice in the Lamb
Rendtorff, Rolf. (2005). The Canonical Hebrew Bible, A Theology of the Old Testament.
Seeing the Psalter, Patterns of Recurrence in the Poetry of the Psalms, available 2Q 2013, currently under detailed review by about 10 people, advance order details forthcoming, contact me if you are interested in becoming an early reviewer.
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Glossary reduced to 13 pages or so
I have summarized all the glosses I used in my translation. I am quite surprised by the result. I went somewhat wild with synonyms for several words and I reduced the Hebrew roots to a bare minimum not keeping derived nouns separate from verbs etc. This leads to some strange bedfellows. The other strange thing is that a gloss may only work in a particular context. Just how subjective have I been? Very.
The summarized glossary is here. It was constructed mostly by hand giving me a chance to make another 100 or so (minor) changes to the evolving manuscript. (It looks fantastic on an I-Pad!) [glossary still under refinement - not likely to be updated or published by domain any time soon - very big idea since domain is so subjective]
The summarized glossary is here. It was constructed mostly by hand giving me a chance to make another 100 or so (minor) changes to the evolving manuscript. (It looks fantastic on an I-Pad!) [glossary still under refinement - not likely to be updated or published by domain any time soon - very big idea since domain is so subjective]
Friday, 13 April 2012
Lots of things I miss
I missed John's analysis of Psalm 100 where he comments briefly on Fokkelman's The Psalms in Form (reviewed here by Gerald Wilson, a review I also missed.) I doubt that I will look at this book in detail. But it is nice to know of the effort. Fokkelman was among my first books that I read. They are as Wilson notes, not very easy to follow for a beginner.
Thursday, 12 April 2012
The firmament shows his handwork
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Counting the Omer
It has been a long time since Iyov first counted the Omer by a blog post. I count Iyov among the most special of bloggers. Now Rabbi Rachel Barenblatt is counting the Omer here. 50 measures of faith before Pentecost - a good thing. In the Spirit.
Saturday, 7 April 2012
What's the best way to partition Psalm 78?
I have the Monet fully laid out end to end. I will be spending the next year throwing different colours at it or repartitioning various psalms to maximize the visibility of recurrence, and finding and changing bits and pieces. As I do this, I will be muttering through the psalms becoming more conversant with the language. The colour I am applying right now is light blue, the colour of theology. Fortunately I just found a new acquisition at the UVic library that I mentioned - Rendtorff. Rolf. It has some very nice sections. This is a Monet - but not too much blue please.
Do let me know if you can assist with the painting.
Here's bits and pieces of Psalm 78 - just the tables. I had originally tested 9 parts - 8 verses each and compared the parts to see if there was a fully concentric structure. There are hints. The whole poem is framed by people--Jacob--Israel - an Olympic ring structure. There are some other long distant circles: Ephraim (9 and 67), Egypt, Zoan (12,43), still to sin (17, 32) on 8-verse boundaries. But the 8 verse groupings seem arbitrary. They do not need to anticipate the obvious 8-verse groups of Psalm 119. Terrien has 1-2, Part 1, 3-8, Part 2, 9-17, Part 3, 18-28, Part 4, 29-40, Part 5, 41-51, Part 6, 52-63, Part 7, 64-72. He gives no justification. My justification for the following is that it seems to me to maximize the visibility of the recurrence.
The psalm is for continuity between the generations (v1-10 are bound by instruction - not to be thought of as 'law' in a legal sense.) Equipped and kiss are homonyms. Ephraim is equipped through love. But he is not ready. How will we learn? How will we be equipped? Is it sufficient to learn second-hand by rote?
Like the book of Job, this psalm is a parable (v2). This leaves us open to apply the history of Israel as parable to ourselves. Such an application includes slavery, escape, complaint, provocation, exile and restoration, even the unresolved tension of diaspora, a condition that is common to all peoples. The focus on Judah points to a restoration of only the southern kingdom.
Any thoughts? The following looks promising to me. I am going to write it up as a centrepiece. I would happily share my thoughts with any who care to take on this puzzle. It has to make sense as an aid both for composition and memorization.
Selected recurring words in relative order (11 to 20)
Selected recurring words in relative order (21 to 32)
Selected recurring words in relative order (33 to 48)
Selected recurring words in relative order (49 to 59)
Selected recurring words in relative order (60 to end)
Or this division
Do let me know if you can assist with the painting.
Here's bits and pieces of Psalm 78 - just the tables. I had originally tested 9 parts - 8 verses each and compared the parts to see if there was a fully concentric structure. There are hints. The whole poem is framed by people--Jacob--Israel - an Olympic ring structure. There are some other long distant circles: Ephraim (9 and 67), Egypt, Zoan (12,43), still to sin (17, 32) on 8-verse boundaries. But the 8 verse groupings seem arbitrary. They do not need to anticipate the obvious 8-verse groups of Psalm 119. Terrien has 1-2, Part 1, 3-8, Part 2, 9-17, Part 3, 18-28, Part 4, 29-40, Part 5, 41-51, Part 6, 52-63, Part 7, 64-72. He gives no justification. My justification for the following is that it seems to me to maximize the visibility of the recurrence.
The psalm is for continuity between the generations (v1-10 are bound by instruction - not to be thought of as 'law' in a legal sense.) Equipped and kiss are homonyms. Ephraim is equipped through love. But he is not ready. How will we learn? How will we be equipped? Is it sufficient to learn second-hand by rote?
Like the book of Job, this psalm is a parable (v2). This leaves us open to apply the history of Israel as parable to ourselves. Such an application includes slavery, escape, complaint, provocation, exile and restoration, even the unresolved tension of diaspora, a condition that is common to all peoples. The focus on Judah points to a restoration of only the southern kingdom.
Any thoughts? The following looks promising to me. I am going to write it up as a centrepiece. I would happily share my thoughts with any who care to take on this puzzle. It has to make sense as an aid both for composition and memorization.
Selected recurring words in relative order (1 to 10)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Vs | Root |
האזינה listen to
|
░
| 1 | אזן | |||||||||||||
תורתי my instruction
|
░
| 1 | תורה | |||||||||||||
אזנכם your ears
|
░
| 1 | אזן | |||||||||||||
פי my mouth
|
░
| 1 | פה | |||||||||||||
פי my mouth
|
░
| 2 | פה | |||||||||||||
אשׁר which
|
░
| 3 | אשׁר | |||||||||||||
ונדעם and known
|
░
| 3 | ידע | |||||||||||||
ואבותינו and our ancestors
|
░
| 3 | אב | |||||||||||||
ספרו recounted
|
░
| 3 | ספר | |||||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 4 | לא | |||||||||||||
מבניהם from their children
|
░
| 4 | בן | |||||||||||||
לדור to the generation
|
░
| 4 | דור | |||||||||||||
אחרון to follow
|
░
| 4 | אחר | |||||||||||||
מספרים recounting
|
░
| 4 | ספר | |||||||||||||
אשׁר which
|
░
| 4 | אשׁר | |||||||||||||
ויקם he raised
|
░
| 5 | קום | |||||||||||||
ותורה and instruction
|
░
| 5 | תורה | |||||||||||||
שׂם he set
|
░
| 5 | שׂום | |||||||||||||
אשׁר which
|
░
| 5 | אשׁר | |||||||||||||
* צוה he commanded
|
░
| 5 | צוה | |||||||||||||
אבותינו our ancestors
|
░
| 5 | אב | |||||||||||||
להודיעם to make known
|
░
| 5 | ידע | |||||||||||||
לבניהם to their children
|
░
| 5 | בן | |||||||||||||
ידעו will know
|
░
| 6 | ידע | |||||||||||||
דור the generation
|
░
| 6 | דור | |||||||||||||
אחרון to follow
|
░
| 6 | אחר | |||||||||||||
בנים the children
|
░
| 6 | בן | |||||||||||||
יקמו will arise
|
░
| 6 | קום | |||||||||||||
ויספרו and recount to
|
░
| 6 | ספר | |||||||||||||
לבניהם their children
|
░
| 6 | בן | |||||||||||||
וישׂימו so they might set
|
░
| 7 | שׂום | |||||||||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 7 | לא | |||||||||||||
* ומצותיו and his commandments
|
░
| 7 | צוה | |||||||||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 8 | לא | |||||||||||||
כאבותם like their ancestors
|
░
| 8 | אב | |||||||||||||
דור a generation
|
░
| 8 | דור | |||||||||||||
דור a generation
|
░
| 8 | דור | |||||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 8 | לא | |||||||||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 8 | לא | |||||||||||||
בני the children of
|
░
| 9 | בן | |||||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 10 | לא | |||||||||||||
ובתורתו and in his instruction
|
░
| 10 | תורה |
Selected recurring words in relative order (11 to 20)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Vs | Root |
ונפלאותיו and his wonders
|
░
| 11 | פלא | |||||
פלא a wonder
|
░
| 12 | פלא | |||||
* בקע he split
|
░
| 13 | בקע | |||||
מים waters
|
░
| 13 | מים | |||||
* יבקע he split
|
░
| 15 | בקע | |||||
צרים rocks
|
░
| 15 | צור | |||||
במדבר in the wilderness
|
░
| 15 | מדבר | |||||
מים waters
|
░
| 16 | מים | |||||
* היוכל is able
|
░
| 19 | יכל | |||||
במדבר in the wilderness
|
░
| 19 | מדבר | |||||
צור a rock
|
░
| 20 | צור | |||||
מים water
|
░
| 20 | מים | |||||
* יוכל is he able
|
░
| 20 | יכל |
Selected recurring words in relative order (21 to 32)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 2 | Vs | Root |
אף anger
|
░
| 21 | אף | |||||||||||
עלה ascended
|
░
| 21 | עלה | |||||||||||
בישׂראל against Israel
|
░
| 21 | ישׂראל | |||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 22 | לא | |||||||||||
האמינו they did believe
|
░
| 22 | אמן | |||||||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 22 | לא | |||||||||||
ממעל from above
|
░
| 23 | עלה | |||||||||||
שׁמים heaven
|
░
| 23 | שׁמים | |||||||||||
* וימטר and he rained
|
░
| 24 | מטר | |||||||||||
לאכל to eat
|
░
| 24 | אכל | |||||||||||
שׁמים heaven
|
░
| 24 | שׁמים | |||||||||||
אכל ate
|
░
| 25 | אכל | |||||||||||
להם among them
|
░
| 25 | להם | |||||||||||
לשׂבע to satiation
|
░
| 25 | שׂבע | |||||||||||
בשׁמים in the heavens
|
░
| 26 | שׁמים | |||||||||||
* וימטר and he rained
|
░
| 27 | מטר | |||||||||||
ויאכלו and they ate
|
░
| 29 | אכל | |||||||||||
וישׂבעו and were sated
|
░
| 29 | שׂבע | |||||||||||
ותאותם and their desires
|
░
| 29 | אוה | |||||||||||
להם to them
|
░
| 29 | להם | |||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 30 | לא | |||||||||||
מתאותם to their desires
|
░
| 30 | אוה | |||||||||||
עוד while
|
░
| 30 | עוד | |||||||||||
אכלם their food
|
░
| 30 | אכל | |||||||||||
ואף and the anger of
|
░
| 31 | אף | |||||||||||
עלה ascended
|
░
| 31 | עלה | |||||||||||
ישׂראל Israel
|
░
| 31 | ישׂראל | |||||||||||
עוד still
|
░
| 32 | עוד | |||||||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 32 | לא | |||||||||||
האמינו did believe
|
░
| 32 | אמן |
Selected recurring words in relative order (33 to 48)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Vs | Root |
ימיהם their days
|
░
| 33 | יום | ||||||||
* הרגם he slew them
|
░
| 34 | הרג | ||||||||
ושׁבו and they turned
|
░
| 34 | שׁוב | ||||||||
ויזכרו and they remembered
|
░
| 35 | זכר | ||||||||
כי for
|
░
| 35 | כי | ||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 37 | לא | ||||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 37 | לא | ||||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 38 | לא | ||||||||
* ישׁחית he did destroy
|
░
| 38 | שׁחת | ||||||||
להשׁיב turned
|
░
| 38 | שׁוב | ||||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 38 | לא | ||||||||
ויזכר for he remembered
|
░
| 39 | זכר | ||||||||
כי that
|
░
| 39 | כי | ||||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 39 | לא | ||||||||
ישׁוב it does return
|
░
| 39 | שׁוב | ||||||||
וישׁובו and they turned back
|
░
| 41 | שׁוב | ||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 42 | לא | ||||||||
זכרו they did remember
|
░
| 42 | זכר | ||||||||
יום the day
|
░
| 42 | יום | ||||||||
אשׁר --
|
░
| 42 | אשׁר | ||||||||
אשׁר that
|
░
| 43 | אשׁר | ||||||||
* ותשׁחיתם and he destroyed them
|
░
| 45 | שׁחת | ||||||||
* יהרג he slew
|
░
| 47 | הרג | ||||||||
בברד with hail
|
░
| 47 | ברד | ||||||||
לברד to the hail
|
░
| 48 | ברד |
Selected recurring words in relative order (49 to 59)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Vs | Root |
ישׁלח he sent
|
░
| 49 | שׁלח | |||||
אפו his anger
|
░
| 49 | אף | |||||
עברה fury
|
░
| 49 | עבר | |||||
משׁלחת by sending
|
░
| 49 | שׁלח | |||||
לאפו for his anger
|
░
| 50 | אף | |||||
לא not
|
░
| 50 | לא | |||||
באהלי in the tents of
|
░
| 51 | אהל | |||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 53 | לא | |||||
באהליהם in their tents
|
░
| 55 | אהל | |||||
ישׂראל Israel
|
░
| 55 | ישׂראל | |||||
לא not
|
░
| 56 | לא | |||||
ויתעבר and was furious
|
░
| 59 | עבר | |||||
בישׂראל in Israel
|
░
| 59 | ישׂראל |
Selected recurring words in relative order (60 to end)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 2 | Vs | Root |
משׁכן the tabernacle in
|
░
| 60 | שׁכן | |||||||||||
אהל the tent
|
░
| 60 | אהל | |||||||||||
שׁכן where he dwelt
|
░
| 60 | שׁכן | |||||||||||
ויתן and he gave
|
░
| 61 | נתן | |||||||||||
צר trouble
|
░
| 61 | צר | |||||||||||
לחרב with the sword
|
░
| 62 | חרב | |||||||||||
עמו his people
|
░
| 62 | עם | |||||||||||
* ובנחלתו and with his inheritance
|
░
| 62 | נחלה | |||||||||||
* בחוריו his young men
|
░
| 63 | בחר | |||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 63 | לא | |||||||||||
בחרב by the sword
|
░
| 64 | חרב | |||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 64 | לא | |||||||||||
צריו his foes
|
░
| 66 | צר | |||||||||||
עולם ever
|
░
| 66 | עלם | |||||||||||
נתן he gave
|
░
| 66 | נתן | |||||||||||
באהל the tent of
|
░
| 67 | אהל | |||||||||||
ובשׁבט and the sceptre of
|
░
| 67 | שׁבט | |||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 67 | לא | |||||||||||
* בחר he did choose
|
░
| 67 | בחר | |||||||||||
* ויבחר but he chose
|
░
| 68 | בחר | |||||||||||
שׁבט the sceptre of
|
░
| 68 | שׁבט | |||||||||||
לעולם forever
|
░
| 69 | עלם | |||||||||||
* ויבחר and he chose
|
░
| 70 | בחר | |||||||||||
לרעות to shepherd
|
░
| 71 | רעה | |||||||||||
עמו his people
|
░
| 71 | עם | |||||||||||
* נחלתו his inheritance
|
░
| 71 | נחלה | |||||||||||
וירעם and he shepherded them
|
░
| 72 | רעה |
Selected recurring words in relative order (33 to 42)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Vs | Root |
ימיהם their days
|
░
| 33 | יום | ||||
ושׁבו and they turned
|
░
| 34 | שׁוב | ||||
ויזכרו and they remembered
|
░
| 35 | זכר | ||||
כי for
|
░
| 35 | כי | ||||
לא not
|
░
| 37 | לא | ||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 37 | לא | ||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 38 | לא | ||||
להשׁיב turned
|
░
| 38 | שׁוב | ||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 38 | לא | ||||
ויזכר for he remembered
|
░
| 39 | זכר | ||||
כי that
|
░
| 39 | כי | ||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 39 | לא | ||||
ישׁוב it does return
|
░
| 39 | שׁוב | ||||
וישׁובו and they turned back
|
░
| 41 | שׁוב | ||||
לא not
|
░
| 42 | לא | ||||
זכרו they did remember
|
░
| 42 | זכר | ||||
יום the day
|
░
| 42 | יום |
Selected recurring words in relative order (43 to 56)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Vs | Root |
* במצרים in Egypt
|
░
| 43 | מצרים | |||||||
ישׁלח he sent
|
░
| 45 | שׁלח | |||||||
בברד with hail
|
░
| 47 | ברד | |||||||
* ויסגר and he imprisoned
|
░
| 48 | סגר | |||||||
לברד to the hail
|
░
| 48 | ברד | |||||||
* ומקניהם and their herds
|
░
| 48 | קנה | |||||||
ישׁלח he sent
|
░
| 49 | שׁלח | |||||||
אפו his anger
|
░
| 49 | אף | |||||||
משׁלחת by sending
|
░
| 49 | שׁלח | |||||||
לאפו for his anger
|
░
| 50 | אף | |||||||
לא not
|
░
| 50 | לא | |||||||
* הסגיר he imprisoned
|
░
| 50 | סגר | |||||||
* במצרים in Egypt
|
░
| 51 | מצרים | |||||||
באהלי in the tents of
|
░
| 51 | אהל | |||||||
ולא and not
|
░
| 53 | לא | |||||||
* קנתה purchased
|
░
| 54 | קנה | |||||||
באהליהם in their tents
|
░
| 55 | אהל | |||||||
לא not
|
░
| 56 | לא |
Selected recurring words in relative order (57 to end)
| Word and gloss * first usage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Vs | Root |
ויתעבר and was furious
|
░
| 59 | עבר | ||||||||||||||
* וימאס and he refused
|
░
| 59 | מאס | ||||||||||||||
בישׂראל in Israel
|
░
| 59 | ישׂראל | ||||||||||||||
משׁכן the tabernacle in
|
░
| 60 | שׁכן | ||||||||||||||
אהל the tent
|
░
| 60 | אהל | ||||||||||||||
שׁכן where he dwelt
|
░
| 60 | שׁכן | ||||||||||||||
ויתן and he gave
|
░
| 61 | נתן | ||||||||||||||
צר trouble
|
░
| 61 | צר | ||||||||||||||
לחרב with the sword
|
░
| 62 | חרב | ||||||||||||||
עמו his people
|
░
| 62 | עם | ||||||||||||||
* ובנחלתו and with his inheritance
|
░
| 62 | נחלה | ||||||||||||||
התעבר he was furious
|
░
| 62 | עבר | ||||||||||||||
* בחוריו his young men
|
░
| 63 | בחר | ||||||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 63 | לא | ||||||||||||||
בחרב by the sword
|
░
| 64 | חרב | ||||||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 64 | לא | ||||||||||||||
צריו his foes
|
░
| 66 | צר | ||||||||||||||
עולם ever
|
░
| 66 | עלם | ||||||||||||||
נתן he gave
|
░
| 66 | נתן | ||||||||||||||
* וימאס and he refused
|
░
| 67 | מאס | ||||||||||||||
באהל the tent of
|
░
| 67 | אהל | ||||||||||||||
ובשׁבט and the sceptre of
|
░
| 67 | שׁבט | ||||||||||||||
לא not
|
░
| 67 | לא | ||||||||||||||
* בחר he did choose
|
░
| 67 | בחר | ||||||||||||||
* ויבחר but he chose
|
░
| 68 | בחר | ||||||||||||||
שׁבט the sceptre of
|
░
| 68 | שׁבט | ||||||||||||||
לעולם forever
|
░
| 69 | עלם | ||||||||||||||
* ויבחר and he chose
|
░
| 70 | בחר | ||||||||||||||
לרעות to shepherd
|
░
| 71 | רעה | ||||||||||||||
עמו his people
|
░
| 71 | עם | ||||||||||||||
ובישׂראל and in Israel
|
░
| 71 | ישׂראל | ||||||||||||||
* נחלתו his inheritance
|
░
| 71 | נחלה | ||||||||||||||
וירעם and he shepherded them
|
░
| 72 | רעה |
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