Job 30

When I began, I thought Job was serious in this chapter, but on finishing, I think he was needling his friends with his summary reminding them of words they used that implied his lack of care for the indigent.

There is no rest in verse 27. Verses 3, 12 and 15 are tri-cola. Others could be read that way, but are not marked by a rest on the supertonic or subdominant.

The last verse suggests strongly that the inscriptions for a psalm are original. Or at least that inscribing a poem with the name of the song was a practice at the time that the Job philosophical drama was composed.

Job 30		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וְעַתָּ֤ה ׀ שָֽׂחֲק֣וּ עָלַי֮ צְעִירִ֥ים מִמֶּ֗נִּי לְיָ֫מִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־מָאַ֥סְתִּי אֲבוֹתָ֑ם לָ֝שִׁ֗ית עִם־כַּלְבֵ֥י צֹאנִֽי	1		But now they laugh at me, those of lesser account than I in days, whose fathers I refused to set with my sheep dogs.	3e	4C	17 8 7
גַּם־כֹּ֣חַ יְ֭דֵיהֶם לָ֣מָּה לִּ֑י עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ אָ֣בַד כָּֽלַח	2		Even the power of their hands, what is it to me? For them, full old age has perished.	3e	4B	9 7
בְּחֶ֥סֶר וּבְכָפָ֗ן גַּ֫לְמ֥וּד הַֽעֹרְקִ֥ים צִיָּ֑ה אֶ֝֗מֶשׁ שׁוֹאָ֥ה וּמְשֹׁאָֽה	3		Deprived and in penury, bleak, gnawed by aridity, last night of ruin, and from ruin,	3e	4A	8 5 7
הַקֹּטְפִ֣ים מַלּ֣וּחַ עֲלֵי־שִׂ֑יחַ וְשֹׁ֖רֶשׁ רְתָמִ֣ים לַחְמָֽם	4		who pluck off mallow on the shrub, and the root of the broom for bread.	3e	4B	9 8
מִן־גֵּ֥ו יְגֹרָ֑שׁוּ יָרִ֥יעוּ עָ֝לֵ֗ימוֹ כַּגַּנָּֽב	5		From the body expelled, they raise a shout about them as for a thief.	3e	4A	6 9
בַּעֲר֣וּץ נְחָלִ֣ים לִשְׁכֹּ֑ן חֹרֵ֖י עָפָ֣ר וְכֵפִֽים	6		In the ruthless wadis to dwell, dusty holes and burrows.	3e	4B	8 7
בֵּין־שִׂיחִ֥ים יִנְהָ֑קוּ תַּ֖חַת חָר֣וּל יְסֻפָּֽחוּ	7		Between shrubs they bray, under nettles deformed.	3e	4B	6 8
בְּֽנֵי־נָ֭בָל גַּם־בְּנֵ֣י בְלִי־שֵׁ֑ם נִ֝כְּא֗וּ מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ	8		Children of the senseless, even children without a name, they are the crestfallen of the earth.	3e	4B	9 6
וְ֭עַתָּה נְגִינָתָ֣ם הָיִ֑יתִי וָאֱהִ֖י לָהֶ֣ם לְמִלָּֽה	9	g	And now their music I have become, and I am to them a speech.	3e	4B	10 8
תִּֽ֭עֲבוּנִי רָ֣חֲקוּ מֶ֑נִּי וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י לֹא־חָ֥שְׂכוּ רֹֽק	10		They abhor me. They are distant from me, and beyond my presence, they do not resist spitting.	3e	4B	9 8
כִּֽי־יִתְרִ֣י פִ֭תַּח וַיְעַנֵּ֑נִי וְ֝רֶ֗סֶן מִפָּנַ֥י שִׁלֵּֽחוּ	11		For my bow-string he has opened and he afflicts me, and bridle beyond my presence they dismiss.	3e	4B	9 9
עַל־יָמִין֮ פִּרְחַ֪ח יָ֫ק֥וּמוּ רַגְלַ֥י שִׁלֵּ֑חוּ וַיָּסֹ֥לּוּ עָ֝לַ֗י אָרְח֥וֹת אֵידָֽם	12		On my right hand. the brood arise. My feet they dismiss, and they extol against me the paths of their misfortune.	3d	4A	8 5 10
נָתְס֗וּ נְֽתִיבָ֫תִ֥י לְהַוָּתִ֥י יֹעִ֑ילוּ לֹ֖א עֹזֵ֣ר לָֽמוֹ	13		They disfigure my pathway using my calamity. No help to them.	3e	4B	13 1 4
כְּפֶ֣רֶץ רָחָ֣ב יֶאֱתָ֑יוּ תַּ֥חַת שֹׁ֝אָ֗ה הִתְגַּלְגָּֽלוּ	14		As a broadside open wide they arrive upon me. Under ruin they roll over me.	3e	4B	9 8
הָהְפַּ֥ךְ עָלַ֗י בַּלָּ֫ה֥וֹת תִּרְדֹּ֣ף כָּ֭רוּחַ נְדִבָתִ֑י וּ֝כְעָ֗ב עָבְרָ֥ה יְשֻׁעָתִֽי	15		He pillories me with frights. You pursue as wind my freewill offering, and as a thick cloud my salvation passes.	3e	4B	7 9 8
וְעַתָּ֗ה עָ֭לַי תִּשְׁתַּפֵּ֣ךְ נַפְשִׁ֑י יֹ֭אחֲז֣וּנִי יְמֵי־עֹֽנִי	16		So now against me is poured out my being. The days of my affliction have held me fast.	3e	4B	10 7
לַ֗יְלָה עֲ֭צָמַי נִקַּ֣ר מֵעָלָ֑י וְ֝עֹרְקַ֗י לֹ֣א יִשְׁכָּבֽוּן	17	~	Night quarries my bones from me, and those gnawing do not lie down.	3e	4B	10 7
בְּרָב־כֹּ֭חַ‬ יִתְחַפֵּ֣שׂ לְבוּשִׁ֑י כְּפִ֖י כֻתָּנְתִּ֣י יַֽאַזְרֵֽנִי	18		By abundant power my clothing plans. As the mouth of my coat, it girds me.	3e	4B	10 9
הֹרָ֥נִי לַחֹ֑מֶר וָ֝אֶתְמַשֵּׁ֗ל כֶּעָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר	19		He has instructed me in clay, and I am parabled as dust and ashes.	3e	4A	6 10
אֲשַׁוַּ֣ע אֵ֭לֶיךָ וְלֹ֣א תַעֲנֵ֑נִי עָ֝מַ֗דְתִּי וַתִּתְבֹּ֥נֶן בִּֽי	20		I cry for help to you and not you do answer me. I stand and you discern in me.	3e	4B	12 8
תֵּהָפֵ֣ךְ לְאַכְזָ֣ר לִ֑י בְּעֹ֖צֶם יָדְךָ֣ תִשְׂטְמֵֽנִי	21		You have changed to be vicious to me. In your skeletal hand, you oppose me.	3e	4B	7 9
תִּשָּׂאֵ֣נִי אֶל־ר֭וּחַ‬ תַּרְכִּיבֵ֑נִי וּ֝תְמֹגְגֵ֗נִי תּוּשִׁיָּֽה	22		You lift me up. On a wind you make me ride. You soften my enterprise.	3e	4B	11 7
כִּֽי־יָ֭דַעְתִּי מָ֣וֶת תְּשִׁיבֵ֑נִי וּבֵ֖ית מוֹעֵ֣ד לְכָל־חָֽי	23		For I know you will make me turn to death, and the house engaged for all living.	3e	4B	9 7
אַ֣ךְ לֹא־בְ֭עִי יִשְׁלַח־יָ֑ד אִם־בְּ֝פִיד֗וֹ לָהֶ֥ן שֽׁוּעַ	24	B	But not in a shambles will he extend a hand, even in its disaster, to them crying for help.	3e	4B	7 8
אִם־לֹ֣א בָ֭כִיתִי לִקְשֵׁה־י֑וֹם עָֽגְמָ֥ה נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י לָאֶבְיֽוֹן	25		Do I not weep in a hard day, my very self dolorous for the needy?	3e	4B	8 7
כִּ֤י ט֣וֹב קִ֭וִּיתִי וַיָּ֣בֹא רָ֑ע וַֽאֲיַחֲלָ֥ה לְ֝א֗וֹר וַיָּ֥בֹא אֹֽפֶל	26	C	For good I waited and evil came, and I hoped for light and gloom came.	3e	4C	9 12
מֵעַ֖י רֻתְּח֥וּ וְלֹא־דָ֗מּוּ קִדְּמֻ֥נִי יְמֵי־עֹֽנִי	27		My inner parts churned and were not mute. I was confronted by days of affliction.	3e	3g	13
קֹדֵ֣ר הִ֭לַּכְתִּי בְּלֹ֣א חַמָּ֑ה קַ֖מְתִּי בַקָּהָ֣ל אֲשַׁוֵּֽעַ	28		Wan I walk without heat. I arise in the congregation. I cry for help.	3e	4B	9 9
אָ֭ח הָיִ֣יתִי לְתַנִּ֑ים וְ֝רֵ֗עַ לִבְנ֥וֹת יַעֲנָֽה	29	g	Sibling I am become to a dragon, and associate to the daughters of an ostrich.	3e	4B	7 8
ע֭וֹרִי‬ שָׁחַ֣ר מֵעָלָ֑י וְעַצְמִי־חָ֝֗רָה מִנִּי־חֹֽרֶב	30	g	My naked skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned from the desert.	3e	4B	7 7
וַיְהִ֣י לְ֭אֵבֶל כִּנֹּרִ֑י וְ֝עֻגָבִ֗י לְק֣וֹל בֹּכִֽים	31		And my harp is become 'of lament'. And my pipes 'of the voice of those who weep'.	3e	4B	8 8

Deuteronomy 32

Why, I wonder, is Moses addressed in the second person plural in the last few verses? I have seen the people as singular but it seems rare to see a named person as plural. Is it the multifarious interpretations of regulation that are in view? Is Moses somehow not unified? He is singular in verse 50 and plural in verse 51. Holy contention in the wilderness of barbs. Yahweh is not pleased with anyone here - yet he will find his completion in the blood of one who is profaned (verse 42). Did Jesus read this and realize that he must be made sin? Certainly Paul's insights are grounded in these texts.

The stuttering of impairment is here (v 5).  The subject of impairment is not confined to the chosen, but the chosen is the example of impairment for the world that it might see its own trouble.

Here is the source of Vengeance is mine, but in Hebrew it is a different sequence, to me, vengeance. What does it mean? Is it a battle cry or a cry of love? Note the trouble of the human, the turmoil of worship coming from within (v 17), the tendency to doubt even its own best thought (v 47).

Does Yahweh turn away from anger or from grief? Are the drastic consequences of the human trouble out of his control? Note Hosea's dependency on Moses (v 21). But this God could not give up on his example for fear of failure with all humanity, itself organized 'for the record of the children of Israel'. Work on verse 31, it's a koan. All modern false gods are here in this ancient text.

Law and promise - how do they relate?

Deuteronomy 32		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה וְתִשְׁמַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ אִמְרֵי־פִֽי	1		Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and hear, O earth, the promises of my mouth.	3e	4A	12 9
יַעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב	2		What I have received will seep in as rain. My promise will flow as dew, as drizzle over verdant herbs, and as copious showers on field-grass.	3e	4C	15 13
כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֶקְרָ֑א הָב֥וּ גֹ֖דֶל לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ	3	d	For the name of Yahweh I proclaim. Ascribe greatness to our God.	3d	4A	6 8
הַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פָּעֳל֔וֹ כִּ֥י כָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אֵ֤ל אֱמוּנָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין עָ֔וֶל צַדִּ֥יק וְיָשָׁ֖ר הֽוּא	4		The Rock, complete is his work, for all his ways are judgment. A God of faithfulness, and there is no injustice. A righteous one, and upright is he.	3e	4C	14 14
שִׁחֵ֥ת ל֛וֹ לֹ֖א בָּנָ֣יו מוּמָ֑ם דּ֥וֹר עִקֵּ֖שׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּֽל	5		It became impaired for him. Not his children, their spot, a generation devious and tortuous.	3d	4B	8 6
הֲ־לַיְהוָה֙ תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹ֔את עַ֥ם נָבָ֖ל וְלֹ֣א חָכָ֑ם הֲלוֹא־הוּא֙ אָבִ֣יךָ קָּנֶ֔ךָ ה֥וּא עָֽשְׂךָ֖ וַֽיְכֹנְנֶֽךָ	6		Do you reward this to Yahweh, senseless people and unwise? Is he not your father? He purchased you himself. He made you, and he established you.	3e	4B	14 16
זְכֹר֙ יְמ֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם בִּ֖ינוּ שְׁנ֣וֹת דּוֹר־וָד֑וֹר שְׁאַ֤ל אָבִ֙יךָ֙ וְיַגֵּ֔דְךָ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְיֹ֥אמְרוּ לָֽךְ	7		Remember the days of eras past. Understand the years of generation upon generation. Ask your father and he will make it clear to you, your elders, and they will say to you:	3e	4C	13 17
בְּהַנְחֵ֤ל עֶלְיוֹן֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם בְּהַפְרִיד֖וֹ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם יַצֵּב֙ גְּבֻלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֔ים לְמִסְפַּ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	8		When the Most High gave inheritance to nations, when he separated for himself the children of humanity, he fixed the borders of the peoples for the record of the children of Israel.	3e	4C	15 15
כִּ֛י חֵ֥לֶק יְהֹוָ֖ה עַמּ֑וֹ יַעֲקֹ֖ב חֶ֥בֶל נַחֲלָתֽוֹ	9	d	For Yahweh's chosen share is his people. Jacob is the pledge of his inheritance.	3d	4A	8 9
יִמְצָאֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִדְבָּ֔ר וּבְתֹ֖הוּ יְלֵ֣ל יְשִׁמֹ֑ן יְסֹֽבְבֶ֙נְהוּ֙ יְב֣וֹנְנֵ֔הוּ יִצְּרֶ֖נְהוּ כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן עֵינֽוֹ	10		He found him in a wilderness land, in the disorder of the howling of wasteland, he led him round about, he gave him discernment, he preserved him as a picture in his eye.	3e	4B	17 16
כְּנֶ֙שֶׁר֙ יָעִ֣יר קִנּ֔וֹ עַל־גּוֹזָלָ֖יו יְרַחֵ֑ף יִפְרֹ֤שׂ כְּנָפָיו֙ יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶבְרָתֽוֹ	11		As an eagle rouses its nest over its fledglings brooding, spreading its wings, taking them, lifting them up on its pinions,	3e	4C	14 17
יְהוָ֖ה בָּדָ֣ד יַנְחֶ֑נּוּ וְאֵ֥ין עִמּ֖וֹ אֵ֥ל נֵכָֽר	12		Yahweh unassisted guided him, and there was no alien god with him.	3e	4B	7 7
יַרְכִּבֵ֙הוּ֙ עַל־בָּ֣מֳתֵי אָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּאכַ֖ל תְּנוּבֹ֣ת שָׂדָ֑י וַיֵּנִקֵ֤הֽוּ דְבַשׁ֙ מִסֶּ֔לַע וְשֶׁ֖מֶן מֵחַלְמִ֥ישׁ צֽוּר	13		He made him ride over the high places of the land and they ate the profit of the fields, and he made him suckle honey from cliff and oil from flinty rock,	3e	4C	18 17
חֶמְאַ֨ת בָּקָ֜ר וַחֲלֵ֣ב צֹ֗אן עִם־חֵ֨לֶב כָּרִ֜ים וְאֵילִ֤ים בְּנֵֽי־בָשָׁן֙ וְעַתּוּדִ֔ים עִם־חֵ֖לֶב כִּלְי֣וֹת חִטָּ֑ה וְדַם־עֵנָ֖ב תִּשְׁתֶּה־חָֽמֶר	14		Clotted cream of herd, and milk of sheep, with milk of meadows, and rams of the children of Bashan, and goats with milk of kidneys, wheat, and the red blood of grapes, you did imbibe.	3e	4C	30 8
וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ן יְשֻׁרוּן֙ וַיִּבְעָ֔ט שָׁמַ֖נְתָּ עָבִ֣יתָ כָּשִׂ֑יתָ וַיִּטֹּשׁ֙ אֱל֣וֹהַ עָשָׂ֔הוּ וַיְנַבֵּ֖ל צ֥וּר יְשֻׁעָתֽוֹ	15		But Jeshurun was dense and kicked. Dense you were, thickened you were, covered, and he abandoned God his maker and was senseless with the Rock of his salvation.	3e	4C	18 17
יַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ בְּזָרִ֑ים בְּתוֹעֵבֹ֖ת יַכְעִיסֻֽהוּ	16		They made him jealous with strangers, with abominations they grieved him.	3e	4A	7 8
יִזְבְּח֗וּ לַשֵּׁדִים֙ לֹ֣א אֱלֹ֔הַ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א יְדָע֑וּם חֲדָשִׁים֙ מִקָּרֹ֣ב בָּ֔אוּ לֹ֥א שְׂעָר֖וּם אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם	17		They offered to demons, not God, gods they did not know, new coming from within, not the sweep of your ancestors.	3e	4B	17 16
צ֥וּר יְלָדְךָ֖ תֶּ֑שִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֵ֥ל מְחֹלְלֶֽךָ	18	f	Of the Rock that begot you, you were unmindful, and you forgot God who birthed you.	3e	4A	6 8
וַיַּ֥רְא יְהוָ֖ה וַיִּנְאָ֑ץ מִכַּ֥עַס בָּנָ֖יו וּבְנֹתָֽיו	19		And Yahweh saw, and he is spurning, from grief his sons and his daughters.	3e	4A	7 8
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם אֶרְאֶ֖ה מָ֣ה אַחֲרִיתָ֑ם כִּ֣י ד֤וֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת֙ הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹא־אֵמֻ֥ן בָּֽם	20		And he said, I will hide my face from them. I see what their aftermath will be, for a wayward generation they are, children without faithfulness in them.	3e	4C	17 12
הֵ֚ם קִנְא֣וּנִי בְלֹא־אֵ֔ל כִּעֲס֖וּנִי בְּהַבְלֵיהֶ֑ם וַאֲנִי֙ אַקְנִיאֵ֣ם בְּלֹא־עָ֔ם בְּג֥וֹי נָבָ֖ל אַכְעִיסֵֽם	21	C	They have made me jealous with not god. They have grieved me in their futility. And I, I will make them jealous with not a people, with a senseless nation I will grieve them.	3e	4C	15 17
כִּי־אֵשׁ֙ קָדְחָ֣ה בְאַפִּ֔י וַתִּיקַ֖ד עַד־שְׁא֣וֹל תַּחְתִּ֑ית וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶ֙רֶץ֙ וִֽיבֻלָ֔הּ וַתְּלַהֵ֖ט מוֹסְדֵ֥י הָרִֽים	22		For fire is incandescent in my anger and is a burning mass to the lowest grave, and it devours earth and her produce and will blaze the foundations of the hills.	3e	4C	15 15
אַסְפֶּ֥ה עָלֵ֖ימוֹ רָע֑וֹת חִצַּ֖י אֲכַלֶּה־בָּֽם	23		I will snatch away over them, evils. My arrows I will consume in them.	3e	4A	7 6
מְזֵ֥י רָעָ֛ב וּלְחֻ֥מֵי רֶ֖שֶׁף וְקֶ֣טֶב מְרִירִ֑י וְשֶׁן־בְּהֵמוֹת֙ אֲשַׁלַּח־בָּ֔ם עִם־חֲמַ֖ת זֹחֲלֵ֥י עָפָֽר	24		Gaunt of famine and battling fire-brands and bitter canker, and the tooth of the beasts I will send among them with the poison of perturbing dust.	3d	4B	15 17
מִחוּץ֙ תְּשַׁכֶּל־חֶ֔רֶב וּמֵחֲדָרִ֖ים אֵימָ֑ה גַּם־בָּחוּר֙ גַּם־בְּתוּלָ֔ה יוֹנֵ֖ק עִם־אִ֥ישׁ שֵׂיבָֽה	25		From the streets, the bereavement of the sword, and from rooms within, horror, both youths in their prime and virgins suckling with the grey-haired.	3e	4A	14 13
אָמַ֖רְתִּי אַפְאֵיהֶ֑ם אַשְׁבִּ֥יתָה מֵאֱנ֖וֹשׁ זִכְרָֽם	26		I said, I will quarter them. I will eradicate from among mortals their remembrance,	3e	4A	6 8
לוּלֵ֗י כַּ֤עַס אוֹיֵב֙ אָג֔וּר פֶּֽן־יְנַכְּר֖וּ צָרֵ֑ימוֹ פֶּן־יֹֽאמְרוּ֙ יָדֵ֣ינוּ רָ֔מָה וְלֹ֥א יְהוָ֖ה פָּעַ֥ל כָּל־זֹֽאת	27		Were it not the grief of the enemy, that I stood in awe of, lest their foes recognize, lest they say, Our hand is high, and Yahweh has not worked all this.	3e	4C	15 16
כִּי־ג֛וֹי אֹבַ֥ד עֵצ֖וֹת הֵ֑מָּה וְאֵ֥ין בָּהֶ֖ם תְּבוּנָֽה	28		For a nation, perishing of advice, are they, and there is no understanding among them.	3d	4A	8 7
ל֥וּ חָכְמ֖וּ יַשְׂכִּ֣ילוּ זֹ֑את יָבִ֖ינוּ לְאַחֲרִיתָֽם	29	f	If only they were wise, they had this insight, they would discern their aftermath.	3e	4B	7 8
אֵיכָ֞ה יִרְדֹּ֤ף אֶחָד֙ אֶ֔לֶף וּשְׁנַ֖יִם יָנִ֣יסוּ רְבָבָ֑ה אִם־לֹא֙ כִּי־צוּרָ֣ם מְכָרָ֔ם וַֽיהוָ֖ה הִסְגִּירָֽם	30		How does one pursue a thousand and two cause tens of thousands to withdraw, if not because their Rock had sold them and Yahweh had imprisoned them.	3e	4C	16 12
כִּ֛י לֹ֥א כְצוּרֵ֖נוּ צוּרָ֑ם וְאֹיְבֵ֖ינוּ פְּלִילִֽים	31	d	For not as our Rock is their rock, and our enemies are intercessors.	3d	4A	8 7
כִּֽי־מִגֶּ֤פֶן סְדֹם֙ גַּפְנָ֔ם וּמִשַּׁדְמֹ֖ת עֲמֹרָ֑ה עֲנָבֵ֙מוֹ֙ עִנְּבֵי־ר֔וֹשׁ אַשְׁכְּלֹ֥ת מְרֹרֹ֖ת לָֽמוֹ	32		For from the vine of Sodom are their vines and from the fields of Gomorrah, their grapes are grapes of want, clusters of bitterness to them.	3e	4C	14 15
חֲמַ֥ת תַּנִּינִ֖ם יֵינָ֑ם וְרֹ֥אשׁ פְּתָנִ֖ים אַכְזָֽר	33		The poison of dragons their wine, and the venom of vicious adders.	3e	4A	7 7
הֲלֹא־ה֖וּא כָּמֻ֣ס עִמָּדִ֑י חָתֻ֖ם בְּאוֹצְרֹתָֽי	34		Is not it stocked with me? sealed in my treasuries?	3e	4B	7 6
לִ֤י נָקָם֙ וְשִׁלֵּ֔ם לְעֵ֖ת תָּמ֣וּט רַגְלָ֑ם כִּ֤י קָרוֹב֙ י֣וֹם אֵידָ֔ם וְחָ֖שׁ עֲתִדֹ֥ת לָֽמוֹ	35	C	Of me is vengeance and repayment. In due time their foot will be moved, for near is the day of their misfortune, and what is impending for them hurries.	3e	4C	12 13
כִּֽי־יָדִ֤ין יְהוָה֙ עַמּ֔וֹ וְעַל־עֲבָדָ֖יו יִתְנֶחָ֑ם כִּ֤י יִרְאֶה֙ כִּי־אָ֣זְלַת יָ֔ד וְאֶ֖פֶס עָצ֥וּר וְעָזֽוּב	36		For Yahweh will make the case for his people and his servants he will comfort, because he sees that depleted is the means, and terminated, what is coerced and forsaken.	3e	4C	14 15
וְאָמַ֖ר אֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ימוֹ צ֖וּר חָסָ֥יוּ בֽוֹ	37		And he said, Where are their gods, the rock in which they take refuge,	3e	4B	8 5
אֲשֶׁ֨ר חֵ֤לֶב זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין נְסִיכָ֑ם יָק֙וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם יְהִ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם סִתְרָֽה	38		that the milk of their offerings ate and imbibed the wine of their libations? Let them arise and help you and be to you a hiding place.	3e	4C	17 15
רְא֣וּ ׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י אֲנִי֙ ה֔וּא וְאֵ֥ין אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּדִ֑י אֲנִ֧י אָמִ֣ית וַאֲחַיֶּ֗ה מָחַ֙צְתִּי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אֶרְפָּ֔א וְאֵ֥ין מִיָּדִ֖י מַצִּֽיל	39	B	See now that I, I am he, and there is no god with me. I, I put to death, and I make alive. I wound and I, I heal. and there is none to deliver out of my hand.	3c	4C	18 23
כִּֽי־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶל־שָׁמַ֖יִם יָדִ֑י וְאָמַ֕רְתִּי חַ֥י אָנֹכִ֖י לְעֹלָֽם	40		For I lift up to the heavens my hand, then I say, I am life forever.	3e	4A	7 11
אִם־שַׁנּוֹתִי֙ בְּרַ֣ק חַרְבִּ֔י וְתֹאחֵ֥ז בְּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט יָדִ֑י אָשִׁ֤יב נָקָם֙ לְצָרָ֔י וְלִמְשַׂנְאַ֖י אֲשַׁלֵּֽם	41		If I whet my glittering sword and my hand hold fast in the judgment , I will return vengeance to my foes, and those that hate me I will repay.	3e	4C	16 14
אַשְׁכִּ֤יר חִצַּי֙ מִדָּ֔ם וְחַרְבִּ֖י תֹּאכַ֣ל בָּשָׂ֑ר מִדַּ֤ם חָלָל֙ וְשִׁבְיָ֔ה מֵרֹ֖אשׁ פַּרְע֥וֹת אוֹיֵֽב	42		I will make my arrows drunk with blood and my sword will devour flesh, from the blood of one who is profaned, and captives from the head of the premiers of the enemy.	3e	4C	13 13
הַרְנִ֤ינוּ גוֹיִם֙ עַמּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י דַם־עֲבָדָ֖יו יִקּ֑וֹם וְנָקָם֙ יָשִׁ֣יב לְצָרָ֔יו וְכִפֶּ֥ר אַדְמָת֖וֹ עַמּֽוֹ	43		Shout for joy, nations, his people, for the blood of his servants he will avenge, and vengeance he will return to his foes, but he will cover over his own ground, his people.	3e	4C	14 16
וַיָּבֹ֣א מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַשִּׁירָֽה־הַזֹּ֖את בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם ה֖וּא וְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן	44		And Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea, child of Nun.	3d	4B	22 7
וַיְכַ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	45		And Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel.	3d	4B	20
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ שִׂ֣ימוּ לְבַבְכֶ֔ם לְכָל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מֵעִ֥יד בָּכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר תְּצַוֻּם֙ אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֔ם לִשְׁמֹ֣ר לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת	46		And he said to them, Set your hearts to all the things that I am testifying among you today, that you will command your children to keep and to do all the words of this instruction.	3c	4C	27 23
כִּ֠י לֹֽא־דָבָ֨ר רֵ֥ק הוּא֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּי־ה֖וּא חַיֵּיכֶ֑ם וּבַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה תַּאֲרִ֤יכוּ יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹבְרִ֧ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ	47	~	For not an empty word it is, out of you, for it is your life, and in this word you will prolong days over the ground that you will cross over the Jordan toward to possess it.	3c	4C	11 32
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּעֶ֛צֶם הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר	48		And Yahweh spoke to Moses in the numerous instances of this day, saying,	3d	4C	17
עֲלֵ֡ה אֶל־הַר֩ הָעֲבָרִ֨ים הַזֶּ֜ה הַר־נְב֗וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י יְרֵח֑וֹ וּרְאֵה֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֛ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַאֲחֻזָּֽה	49		Ascend to the hill of the Hebrews, this hill of Nebo, that is in the land of Moab, that is over before Jericho, and see the land of Canaan that I give to the children of Israel to hold fast.	3d	4B	28 23
וּמֻ֗ת בָּהָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עֹלֶ֣ה שָׁ֔מָּה וְהֵאָסֵ֖ף אֶל־עַמֶּ֑יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵ֞ת אַהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֙יךָ֙ בְּהֹ֣ר הָהָ֔ר וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו	50	~	And die on the hill that you ascend toward and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your kin died in Hor, the hill, and was gathered to his people.	3e	4C	20 21
עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר מְעַלְתֶּ֜ם בִּ֗י בְּתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּמֵֽי־מְרִיבַ֥ת קָדֵ֖שׁ מִדְבַּר־צִ֑ן עַ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם֙ אוֹתִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	51	~	In that you trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Qadesh of the wilderness of Zin, in that you did not sanctify me among the children of Israel.	3e	4C	24 15
כִּ֥י מִנֶּ֖גֶד תִּרְאֶ֣ה אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁ֙מָּה֙ לֹ֣א תָב֔וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	52	f	For conspicuous you will see the land, but you will not come there to the land that I give to the children of Israel.	3e	4B	10 21

Deuteronomy 32 learning the right lesson

How is it possible to learn the right lesson from history? Or from canonical examples? Or from our traditions? Or from our immediate privilege? I'm all right Jack, or I'm a miserable sinner? Can one safely begin a sentence or initiate an action with the first person? Are there sufficient pronouns in any language to form a suitable lesson plan?

Where did the idea in verse 8 come from and just what is the idea?  That the number of nations is fixed. I doubt it has anything to do with count. I suspect a relation to story. For you, the creator, to tell a story, to select a nation to demonstrate your love, you need to chose some borders and some enemies. But note you are not doing this just for your special choice - even though your choice is absolutely special. You are doing it for the sake of the whole creation for which you ache with longing.

Where is the apple of his eye used? Apple and eye are used together in the traditional translation in five places, all of which are slightly different in the Hebrew. Of course it's got nothing to do with apples.

Deuteronomy 32:10 כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן עֵינֽוֹ image
Psalm 17:8 כְּאִישׁ֣וֹן בַּת־עָ֑יִן imaged daughter
Proverbs 7:2 כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן עֵינֶֽיךָ image
Lamentations 2:18 בַּת־עֵינֵֽךְ daughter
Zechariah 2:8 בְּבָבַ֥ת עֵינֽוֹ 'Apple'! (a hapax, i.e. one usage only of this stem בבה)

Deuteronomy is intensely jealous. The 'apple' is not going to be thrown away by the Most High.

Verse 17, Did the ancestors fear something or was it 'meat' to them, serious reward? Do we always know better than our ancestors? Or our teachers? Well, it depends on whether you or I had good teaching or not. What a conundrum. I think I can now tell the difference? I wondered in the days of my ignorance whether my intuited and inarticulate rebellion was well or poorly founded. Am I now not ignorant? What are my distinctions within me that let me say no to this and yes to that? Anyway I refused to allow שׂער (barley, hair, sweep, perhaps storm, סער) to take a gloss related to the domain of fear. In the context it might mean fear, but it doesn't say fear, either positive or negative. I leave that bump in the puzzle to the reader, so you won't say, O there's that fear of God again. I know what that means.

Here's my first cut at verse 17 - who knows if it will last to the end of the chapter, let alone to the end of the project?

They offered to demons, not God, gods they did not know,
new coming from within, not the sweep of your ancestors.

You might note that Paul alludes to this in Romans. All Paul's reasoning and knowledge of the character of God comes from his knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. Nothing theoretical about it at all.

Music in worship

The Liturgy site of Bosco Peters has raised the question of music in the Church with this provocative post.

This is such an important topic, I have taken the time to try a fuller response.

I admit my bias. My wife and I both sang in a semi-professional capacity in choirs across Canada, Montreal under Wayne Riddel, Ottawa under Brian Law and others, Toronto under John Tuttle, Calgary under various conductors, and Victoria, under John Washburn, Bruce Pullen, Matthew Larkin, and others. Two of my children teach music professionally, one in England and the other in Regina but now just having finished an 8-day workshop in Perth, Australia, so we are getting the effect of the dateline these days. One is a musician inside the Anglican tradition at its source, the other is outside the church as an orchestral leader, though he occasionally plays in a liturgical context. We have a brain-damaged fourth child whom my daughter calls the best natural musician in the family. Music is what has kept him alive and has taught him what we could not have. Our second child elected not to pursue music. We don't hold it against him.

Music develops the brain. Music develops team work and communications to produce beauty. Music 'in church' is the pulse of the drama and the voice of the body in response to the unfolding love. Music makes us aware of temporal unity in the drama when it is well chosen, practiced and performed. Music deepens active perception (religiously and non-religiously) as we learn it.

One key element of music, either overlooked or over-stressed, is the pulse. Pulse combines moments in time into a single experiential statement without words. There is neither word nor language where its voice is not felt. In a choral work, pulse (gut), sound (ear), and intellect (eye) are all unified. In a musical work without choir, no translation is required for the impact to be known.

The great tradition of Christian choral music is unmatched, and often in a single work, the entire drama of the liturgy is presented. E.g. Bach B Minor Mass, the Clavierubung 3 which can be heard as an exploration of the doctrine of the Trinity, (but is equally fine without explanation), the Beethoven Missal Solemnis, and the Brahms Requiem, just to mention a very few but from various traditions and by both believers and those whose faithfulness in their art belies any thought that they are somehow 'outside' rather than in.

Now, given that too brief background, filled with claims of benefit, I want to look specifically at Liturgical form and the response of the body to the drama of the Eucharist. This is the response that I have begun to perceive as a part of the Anglican tradition for many years (over 60 of them).

Most Anglicans are not aware of the importance of the rhythm of our response as body in the liturgy. It is more than the great Amen, though it is that Amen spread out over the length of the liturgical act from procession, introit, and greeting through Kyrie and Gloria, then the lessons: The lesson from the Hebrew Bible can be sung, but usually isn't. The Psalm is sung, the Epistle not, but Gospel acclamation with a surrounding hymn allows the music to continue its commentary. Following the sermon, the Creed is sung. Often there are sung responses to the intercessions. This is a good practice. Following the confession, the peace is sung and its response.

The choices of hymns are obviously important. Not everyone would agree with my choices, but there are plenty of hymns I would avoid. Not all hymns are musical. Not all words are poetry or edifying. I've done plenty of happy-clappy stuff and it is fortunately transient (most of it).

The Eucharist itself is a full musical expression even if the prayer is mostly said. Training the priest to sing the Sursum Corda can be a difficult job, but must be done and can 95% of the time be quite successful even for the priest with little musical training - but why should such ever be the case! No person should be raised without musical training. In Islamic tradition, the poetry has to be recited to be the word of God. They are right on this point. Music opens the ear. The Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei punctuate and complete the prayer of consecration.  Our priests always pick their note out of the air when they switch from speaking to singing. They get really good at it, even those whose musical training is limited. The Pater Noster completes the music before communion.

Then there are the closing hymns. Many beautiful hymns are available for post-communion. Many of those I grew up with never get chosen these days. And some a little too sentimental for me so creep in. But you win some and you lose some as people learn.

You can see there is plenty of music and plenty of opportunity to respond together in beauty. Also plenty of opportunity to have a choral (proxy) response that the congregation participates in silently.

Generally, the churches I have been part of have done music out of inertia rather than the conscious impulse required for planning a dramatic presentation (which is what the Eucharist is). The leaders in the Christian community have been concerned with correct doctrine or social justice both of which have some place, but often with music as an afterthought. Liturgical training of children must include serious music or there will be no one to continue the work. But the musicians who know why music is in the liturgy are few and those who can plan and pace it all well are few. Why should we ignore what is a vital part of our development and understanding?

As for worship - yes - it is the critical aspect of what we are called to. Certainly it should not be done sloppily or without preparation. Worship is worthy of disciplined effort. It's more than a matter of dropping in for a visit.

There is no mention of entertainment in this post. And the best expression of some gifts should be left to the trained choir. By all means pay them a stipend. Keep the talent in the tradition and make it work from generation to generation. But we are so far behind, and so filled with conflict, of taste or tradition, where and how will we restart?

Concordance

The prod of drip, drips and dropped drops.

Concordance is impossible. It is not the way language works. There are just too many exceptions. A large part of language is very fluid. Large parts of the puzzle of the corpus of the OT are a vague sea of colour. Precision is impossible. Why did it take me 10 years to figure this out?  Repeated sounds are important but in the process of translation, many compromises are required.

I have 227 distinct roots in Hebrew where I allow some overlap with English words. That doesn't seem like very many. It's about 6% of all the Hebrew roots (at present). The problem I just noticed is that this accounts for 135,471 words in the corpus. That's about 44% of the puzzle!  Even if I tighten up my concordance to take into account English roots (to reduce my manual error rate by a little - though I will probably encounter most errors by serendipity), it would hardly make a noticeable difference.

When I add the other 104,000 or so words that are proper names or grammatical words - these of course not devoid of sense, but connecting the other words in the language, then I see that over 78% of the words in the puzzle are either cloudy, connectors, or simply pointers. Perhaps that magnifies the 22% of words over which the translator thinks there is some limited control.

What raised these tests in me was that I noticed my usage of drop and drip. drip I have used for 2 distinct similar roots: רעף (Psalms 65:12-13) and דלף (Psalm 119:28). This is an allowed exception for the acrostic - so no problem with drip. And drop, a more common word, is נטף, but I noted that I used it once for אגל as drops once in Job. It should be more like collection or store - note store is also אגר. I have replaced drops with cache. I noticed this by accident when looking for a gloss for Deuteronomy 32:2 for ערף (normally the scruff of the neck). Note the simple reversal of letters, ערף and רעף. They are the same word mangled. Maybe it's a joke, deliberate scruff-talk in this song, because we know what's coming... (or do we?)

Note the onomatopoeia in both English and Hebrew: all the above words in both languages end in p (ף).

[PS - one must still try, and where a compromise is made, have a good rationale, and then minimize it as possible. Much of the oceanic haze an be seen through.]

Readings about building walls in the DSS

Some ancient advice from wall builders:

"The reader is warned against erecting a partition or wall in partnership with a divisive person, since the structure will be built with stones of wastefulness and the plaster that should serve to strengthen the construction will be weak and without substance. The wall or partition will not withstand a flow of water." from here via Paleojudaica.

This just goes to show that divisiveness is not a new phenomenon. 

Further in the above linked article:

"Elisha Qimron has shown that in fragments from three other Qumran sources, the individual who forgives monetary debts or who frees his slaves in the Jubilee year receives a promise from God that he, too, will be treated in kind, and that his debts – that is to say, his sins – will be forgiven.

"According to this approach, there is a clear connection between debt relief and atonement of sins. We still need to explain, however, how the sinners became captives, and what relationship exists between forgiving debts and sins on the one hand and freeing captives on the other. In a note that appears in his book, Anderson attempts to identify the creditor to whom the sinners are obligated, ultimately suggesting that it is Belial. According to this approach, the "owner of the debt" is none other than Belial."

As I continue to think about avarice as the controlling power for the other mortal sins of the world (and reflect that this is a folly: that the market should control greed), nonetheless money has been used for ages as a metaphor for the indebtedness of sin. So can economics trump racism? Somehow I think the power needed to effectively govern ourselves has to come from outside the powers of self-interest that generally hold sway over us.

Next question: ...
 [this is clear indication that Deuteronomy 32 is next]

Genesis 49

If I had hired the poet, I wonder if I would have paid for this song when it was finished. It is certainly blunt at times from Reuben's incest to Benjamin's violence. And in the middle (Gen 49:18), there is a three word prayer. None of the three words is repeated anywhere else in the chapter. That makes it a central message. There's no doubt that having a family requires one to wait patiently for the salvation of Yahweh. But it is poetry. So I would have coughed up. With significant recurrence, and imagery. Many of the lines are also very short as in the three poetry books (Psalms, Proverbs, Job).

The alliteration of e.g. verse 19 is striking: Gad, gdud ygudnu, vhu yagud aqav. Needless to say, comments welcome on how to imitate this in some other tongue. This is mine if it lives:
Gad, a raiding party will invade him,
and himself, he will invade the hindmost.

JB does well with:
Gad, robbers rob him,
and he, he robs and pursues them.

One has to miss the allusion to the name of his father. The last word is עקב is the root of Jacob.

JB has a lovely translation of verse 22:
Joseph is a fruitful creeper near the spring,
whose tendrils climb over the wall.

It's not even close to the Hebrew but it expresses the idea well, but the Hebrew does it with the words son and daughter, now completely lost in the English.

A fruitful son is Joseph, a fruitful son by a spring,
whose daughters march over a barrier.

I've already used climb for עלה, so I won't use it for צעד (march, pace). Joseph gets 8 out of 9 of the blessings.

Verse 23 is strange. It appears that the pause is between verb and its subject. I have never (yet) seen verb and its subject separated by the rest on the subdominant.

About proper names. Many of these are 'Anglicized' but some are spelled differently in different parts of the Bible itself. So Isaac and Yitschaq are the same person, but here it is spelled with a tsade (צ) and elsewhere with a sin (ס). One could get distracted here. I suspect a study of Biblical names could be a lifetime's job all by itself for the person who is so inclined. My guess is that Isaac is the later version. It occurs only in the Psalms and Amos, 3 of 114 occurrences. You can tell that my not starting with Torah is a bit like going through the door back first.

Genesis 49		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיִּקְרָ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶל־בָּנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לָכֶ֔ם אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִֽים	1		And Jacob called to his children, and said, Gather yourselves, and I will tell you what will encounter you in the aftermath of the days.	3d	4B	9 26
הִקָּבְצ֥וּ וְשִׁמְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְשִׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אֲבִיכֶֽם	2		Collect yourselves and hear children of Jacob, and hear Israel, your father.	3e	4B	11 10
רְאוּבֵן֙ בְּכֹ֣רִי אַ֔תָּה כֹּחִ֖י וְרֵאשִׁ֣ית אוֹנִ֑י יֶ֥תֶר שְׂאֵ֖ת וְיֶ֥תֶר עָֽז	3		Reuben, my firstborn you are, my power, and the first of my virility, the surplus of what is lifted up and the surplus of strength.	3e	4B	15 8
פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אַל־תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה	4	C	Reckless like water, you will not have advantage, for you went up to where your father lies down, then you profaned my bunk in going up.	3e	4C	17 9
שִׁמְע֥וֹן וְלֵוִ֖י אַחִ֑ים כְּלֵ֥י חָמָ֖ס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶֽם	5		Simeon and Levi, kin, instruments of violence are in your forges.	3e	4A	7 9
בְּסֹדָם֙ אַל־תָּבֹ֣א נַפְשִׁ֔י בִּקְהָלָ֖ם אַל־תֵּחַ֣ד כְּבֹדִ֑י כִּ֤י בְאַפָּם֙ הָ֣רְגוּ אִ֔ישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָ֖ם עִקְּרוּ־שֽׁוֹר	6		In their council may my being not comply. Into their congregation may my glory not be united, for in their anger, they slew someone. In their acceptance, they rooted out a barrier.	3e	4C	17 14
אָר֤וּר אַפָּם֙ כִּ֣י עָ֔ז וְעֶבְרָתָ֖ם כִּ֣י קָשָׁ֑תָה אֲחַלְּקֵ֣ם בְּיַעֲקֹ֔ב וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל	7	C	Cursed be their anger for strength and their fury for intransigence. I will divide them in Jacob and fracture them in Israel.	3e	4C	14 15
יְהוּדָ֗ה אַתָּה֙ יוֹד֣וּךָ אַחֶ֔יךָ יָדְךָ֖ בְּעֹ֣רֶף אֹיְבֶ֑יךָ יִשְׁתַּחֲוּ֥וּ לְךָ֖ בְּנֵ֥י אָבִֽיךָ	8		Judah you are the one for whom your brothers will give thanks. Your hand will be in the nape of your enemies. The children of your father will worship you.	3e	4B	19 11
גּ֤וּר אַרְיֵה֙ יְהוּדָ֔ה מִטֶּ֖רֶף בְּנִ֣י עָלִ֑יתָ כָּרַ֨ע רָבַ֧ץ כְּאַרְיֵ֛ה וּכְלָבִ֖יא מִ֥י יְקִימֶֽנּוּ	9	C	Judah is a lion's whelp. From prey, my son, you have ascended. He is bowed down. He reclines like a lion, and as an old lion, who will make him arise?	3c	4C	14 15
לֹֽא־יָס֥וּר שֵׁ֙בֶט֙ מִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּמְחֹקֵ֖ק מִבֵּ֣ין רַגְלָ֑יו עַ֚ד כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣א שִׁיל֔וֹ וְל֖וֹ יִקְּהַ֥ת עַמִּֽים	10		Sceptre will not turn aside from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, till Shiloh come and to him will be the obedience of the peoples.	3e	4C	14 11
אֹסְרִ֤י לַגֶּ֙פֶן֙ עִיר֔וֹ וְלַשֹּׂרֵקָ֖ה בְּנִ֣י אֲתֹנ֑וֹ כִּבֵּ֤ס בַּיַּ֙יִן֙ לְבֻשׁ֔וֹ וּבְדַם־עֲנָבִ֖ים סוּתֽוֹ	11		Binding to the vine his foal, to the noble vine, the child of his she-donkey, he scoured in wine his clothing and in the blood of grapes his vesture,	3e	4C	17 14
חַכְלִילִ֥י עֵינַ֖יִם מִיָּ֑יִן וּלְבֶן־שִׁנַּ֖יִם מֵחָלָֽב	12		flushed eyes from wine, and white teeth from milk.	3e	4A	8 7
זְבוּלֻ֕ן לְח֥וֹף יַמִּ֖ים יִשְׁכֹּ֑ן וְהוּא֙ לְח֣וֹף אֳנִיּ֔וֹת וְיַרְכָת֖וֹ עַל־צִידֹֽן	13		Zebulun at the seaport will dwell, and he will be a port for ships, his flanks at Tsidon.	3e	4B	9 14
יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר חֲמֹ֣ר גָּ֑רֶם רֹבֵ֖ץ בֵּ֥ין הַֽמִּשְׁפְּתָֽיִם	14		Issachar is a strong-boned ass, reclining between two hearth-stones.	3e	4B	7 8
וַיַּ֤רְא מְנֻחָה֙ כִּ֣י ט֔וֹב וְאֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ כִּ֣י נָעֵ֑מָה וַיֵּ֤ט שִׁכְמוֹ֙ לִסְבֹּ֔ל וַיְהִ֖י לְמַס־עֹבֵֽד	15		And he saw rest as good and the land as pleasant, and he bent his backside for burden and became a servant in forced service.	3e	4C	16 12
דָּ֖ן יָדִ֣ין עַמּ֑וֹ כְּאַחַ֖ד שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	16	g	Dan makes the case for his people, as one of the sceptres of Israel.	3e	4B	5 8
יְהִי־דָן֙ נָחָ֣שׁ עֲלֵי־דֶ֔רֶךְ שְׁפִיפֹ֖ן עֲלֵי־אֹ֑רַח הַנֹּשֵׁךְ֙ עִקְּבֵי־ס֔וּס וַיִּפֹּ֥ל רֹכְב֖וֹ אָחֽוֹר	17		Dan will be a snake by the way, a horned adder by a path, biting the heels of the horse so its rider will fall backwards.	3e	4B	14 13
לִֽישׁוּעָתְךָ֖ קִוִּ֥יתִי יְהוָֽה	18		For your salvation I await, Yahweh.	3e	3g	9
גָּ֖ד גְּד֣וּד יְגוּדֶ֑נּוּ וְה֖וּא יָגֻ֥ד עָקֵֽב	19	g	Gad, a raiding party will invade him, and himself, he will invade the hindmost.	3e	4B	7 6
מֵאָשֵׁ֖ר שְׁמֵנָ֣ה לַחְמ֑וֹ וְה֥וּא יִתֵּ֖ן מַֽעֲדַנֵּי־מֶֽלֶךְ	20		From Asher, his bread will be stout, and himself will make royal specialty foods.	3e	4B	8 9
נַפְתָּלִ֖י אַיָּלָ֣ה שְׁלֻחָ֑ה הַנֹּתֵ֖ן אִמְרֵי־שָֽׁפֶר	21		Naphtali is potency set loose, the one who gives glistening promises.	3e	4B	9 6
בֵּ֤ן פֹּרָת֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף בֵּ֥ן פֹּרָ֖ת עֲלֵי־עָ֑יִן בָּנ֕וֹת צָעֲדָ֖ה עֲלֵי־שֽׁוּר	22	C	A fruitful child is Joseph, a fruitful child by a spring, whose daughters march over a barrier.	3e	4C	11 8
וַֽיְמָרֲרֻ֖הוּ וָרֹ֑בּוּ וַֽיִּשְׂטְמֻ֖הוּ בַּעֲלֵ֥י חִצִּֽים	23		And have embittered him and assailed him, and opposed him, the owners of the arrows.	3e	4A	8 10
וַתֵּ֤שֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן֙ קַשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַיָּפֹ֖זּוּ זְרֹעֵ֣י יָדָ֑יו מִידֵי֙ אֲבִ֣יר יַעֲקֹ֔ב מִשָּׁ֥ם רֹעֶ֖ה אֶ֥בֶן יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	24		But his bow persists perennially, and the arms of his hands are made nimble, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob. From there is the shepherd, the Stone of Israel.	3e	4C	17 16
מֵאֵ֨ל אָבִ֜יךָ וְיַעְזְרֶ֗ךָּ וְאֵ֤ת שַׁדַּי֙ וִיבָ֣רְכֶ֔ךָּ בִּרְכֹ֤ת שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ מֵעָ֔ל בִּרְכֹ֥ת תְּה֖וֹם רֹבֶ֣צֶת תָּ֑חַת בִּרְכֹ֥ת שָׁדַ֖יִם וָרָֽחַם	25		From the God of your father and your helper and the Sufficient, and he will bless you: the blessings of heaven above, the blessings of the abyss reclining under, the blessings of the breasts and the womb.	3e	4C	33 7
בִּרְכֹ֣ת אָבִ֗יךָ גָּֽבְרוּ֙ עַל־בִּרְכֹ֣ת הוֹרַ֔י עַֽד־תַּאֲוַ֖ת גִּבְעֹ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם תִּֽהְיֶ֙ין֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ יוֹסֵ֔ף וּלְקָדְקֹ֖ד נְזִ֥יר אֶחָֽיו	26		The blessings of your father have prevailed over the blessings of my progenitors to the desire of the everlasting hillocks. They will be as the beginning of Joseph, and on the scalp of the Nazirite of his brothers.	3e	4B	20 13
בִּנְיָמִין֙ זְאֵ֣ב יִטְרָ֔ף בַּבֹּ֖קֶר יֹ֣אכַל עַ֑ד וְלָעֶ֖רֶב יְחַלֵּ֥ק שָׁלָֽל	27		Benjamin, a wolf, will tear: in the morning he will devour endlessly, and in the evening he will divide spoil.	3e	4B	13 9
כָּל־אֵ֛לֶּה שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֑ר וְ֠זֹאת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֨ר לָהֶ֤ם אֲבִיהֶם֙ וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אוֹתָ֔ם אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כְּבִרְכָת֖וֹ בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֹתָֽם	28		All these are the twelve sceptres of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them, each that was according to his blessing, he blessed them.	3d	4C	12 27
וַיְצַ֣ו אוֹתָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אֲנִי֙ נֶאֱסָ֣ף אֶל־עַמִּ֔י קִבְר֥וּ אֹתִ֖י אֶל־אֲבֹתָ֑י אֶל־הַ֨מְּעָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּשְׂדֵ֖ה עֶפְר֥וֹן הַֽחִתִּֽי	29		And he commanded them and he said to them, I am to be gathered to my people. Entomb me with my fathers, at the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,	3e	4C	26 13
בַּמְּעָרָ֞ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בִּשְׂדֵ֧ה הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־פְּנֵי־מַמְרֵ֖א בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ קָנָ֨ה אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה מֵאֵ֛ת עֶפְרֹ֥ן הַחִתִּ֖י לַאֲחֻזַּת־קָֽבֶר	30		in the cave that is in the field of the Makpelah that is before Mamre in the land of Canaan, that Abraham purchased with the field, from Ephron the Hittite, to hold fast a tomb.	3c	4B	24 24
שָׁ֣מָּה קָֽבְר֞וּ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֗ם וְאֵת֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ שָׁ֚מָּה קָבְר֣וּ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְאֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְשָׁ֥מָּה קָבַ֖רְתִּי אֶת־לֵאָֽה	31	B	There they entombed Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they entombed Yitschaq and Rebekah, his wife, and there I entombed Leah.	3e	4C	27 9
מִקְנֵ֧ה הַשָּׂדֶ֛ה וְהַמְּעָרָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ מֵאֵ֥ת בְּנֵי־חֵֽת	32		The purchase of the field and the cave that is in it has from the children of Heit.	3c	3g	17
וַיְכַ֤ל יַעֲקֹב֙ לְצַוֺּ֣ת אֶת־בָּנָ֔יו וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ף רַגְלָ֖יו אֶל־הַמִּטָּ֑ה וַיִּגְוַ֖ע וַיֵּאָ֥סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו	33		And Jacob finished commanding his children and he gathered his feet to the couch, and expired and was gathered to his people.	3e	4C	21 10