Amos 2

I was reading the JBL on trends in feminist criticism of Jezebel. That should improve my attitude to the Kings/Chronicles books. And the Elijah/Elisha cycle should also teach me something. But meanwhile, a little more of the Twelve. On my own archaic stilts... with slightly inaccurate syllable estimates. (The music is accurate, but the syllable counter in column 4 is an old quick and dirty estimate and does not use the music algorithm. One day ...)

This chapter suggests to me that certain failures of attention lead to social failure and collapse (though measured in militaristic terms).

I had to keep amerce as a verb - even the blogger does not find it a spelling error. And it is such an accurate technical term related to the punishment of a fine. More when it recurs...

The last 3 verses have a close relationship to Psalm 142

Word / Gloss	1	2	3	4	Vs	Stem
ואבד and will perish	░				AMO 2:14	אבד
מנוס haven		░			AMO 2:14	נוס
יאמץ will assure				░	AMO 2:14	אמץ
נפשׁו himself			░		AMO 2:14	נפשׁ
נפשׁו himself			░		AMO 2:15	נפשׁ
ואמיץ and the one assured				░	AMO 2:16	אמץ
ינוס will withdraw		░			AMO 2:16	נוס
אבד perished	░				PSA 142:5	אבד
מנוס haven		░			PSA 142:5	נוס
לנפשׁי my being			░		PSA 142:5	נפשׁ
אמצו they are assured				░	PSA 142:7	אמץ
נפשׁי my being			░		PSA 142:8	נפשׁ

Amos 2		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב וְעַל אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל שָׂרְפ֛וֹ עַצְמ֥וֹת מֶֽלֶךְ אֱד֖וֹם לַשִּֽׂיד	1	C	Thus says Yahweh, Over three transgressions of Moab and over four, I will not turn them, over their incineration of the bones of the king of Edom into lime.	3d	4C	23 11
וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי אֵ֣שׁ בְּמוֹאָ֔ב וְאָכְלָ֖ה אַרְמְנ֣וֹת הַקְּרִיּ֑וֹת וּמֵ֤ת בְּשָׁאוֹן֙ מוֹאָ֔ב בִּתְרוּעָ֖ה בְּק֥וֹל שׁוֹפָֽר	2		So I will send fire into Moab and it will devour the citadels of the Kirioth, and Moab will die in noise, with a blast of triumph, with the voice of a shophar.	3e	4C	17 14
וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י שׁוֹפֵ֖ט מִקִּרְבָּ֑הּ וְכָל שָׂרֶ֛יהָ אֶהֱר֥וֹג עִמּ֖וֹ אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה	3		And I will cut off judgment from within her, and all her nobility I will slay with it, says Yahweh.	3d	4A	9 14
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וְעַל אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַֽל מָאֳסָ֞ם אֶת תּוֹרַ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה וְחֻקָּיו֙ לֹ֣א שָׁמָ֔רוּ וַיַּתְעוּם֙ כִּזְבֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר הָלְכ֥וּ אֲבוֹתָ֖ם אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם	4	C	Thus says Yahweh, Over three transgressions of Judah and over four I will not turn them, over their refusal of the instruction of Yahweh. And his statutes they did not keep and their lies made them wander, that their ancestors went rushing after.	3e	4C	24 33
וְשִׁלַּ֥חְתִּי אֵ֖שׁ בִּֽיהוּדָ֑ה וְאָכְלָ֖ה אַרְמְנ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם	5		So I will send fire into Judah, and it will devour the citadels of Jerusalem.	3e	4A	8 10
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְעַל אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל מִכְרָ֤ם בַּכֶּ֙סֶף֙ צַדִּ֔יק וְאֶבְי֖וֹן בַּעֲב֥וּר נַעֲלָֽיִם	6	C	Thus says Yahweh, Over three transgressions of Israel and over four, I will not turn them, over their selling for silver of a righteous one, and the needy for a pair of sandals.	3e	4C	24 18
הַשֹּׁאֲפִ֤ים עַל עֲפַר אֶ֙רֶץ֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ דַּלִּ֔ים וְדֶ֥רֶךְ עֲנָוִ֖ים יַטּ֑וּ וְאִ֣ישׁ וְאָבִ֗יו יֵֽלְכוּ֙ אֶל הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ה לְמַ֥עַן חַלֵּ֖ל אֶת שֵׁ֥ם קָדְשִֽׁי	7		The bearing down over the dust of earth on the head of the weak, and the way of the afflicted they stretch out. And a man and his father, they go to the young lass in order to profane my holy name.	3e	4C	20 21
וְעַל בְּגָדִ֤ים חֲבֻלִים֙ יַטּ֔וּ אֵ֖צֶל כָּל מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וְיֵ֤ין עֲנוּשִׁים֙ יִשְׁתּ֔וּ בֵּ֖ית אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם	8		And over garments pledged they stretch out next to every altar, and the wine of the amerced they imbibe: the house of their God.	3e	4C	16 12
וְאָ֨נֹכִ֜י הִשְׁמַ֤דְתִּי אֶת הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר כְּגֹ֤בַהּ אֲרָזִים֙ גָּבְה֔וֹ וְחָסֹ֥ן ה֖וּא כָּֽאַלּוֹנִ֑ים וָאַשְׁמִ֤יד פִּרְיוֹ֙ מִמַּ֔עַל וְשָׁרָשָׁ֖יו מִתָּֽחַת	9		But I exterminated the Amorite before their faces whose stature was like cedars, high and lofty, and invincible he is like oak, and I exterminated its fruit from above and its roots from beneath.	3e	4C	33 15
וְאָנֹכִ֛י הֶעֱלֵ֥יתִי אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וָאוֹלֵ֨ךְ אֶתְכֶ֤ם בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה לָרֶ֖שֶׁת אֶת אֶ֥רֶץ הָאֱמֹרִֽי	10		And I brought up you from the land of Egypt, and led you in the wilderness a forty year span to possess the land of the Amorite.	3d	4C	16 23
וָאָקִ֤ים מִבְּנֵיכֶם֙ לִנְבִיאִ֔ים וּמִבַּחוּרֵיכֶ֖ם לִנְזִרִ֑ים הַאַ֥ף אֵֽין זֹ֛את בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם יְהוָֽה	11		And I raised up from your children, prophets, and from your youth in their prime, nazirites. Indeed, is it not like this, O children of Israel? An oracle of Yahweh.	3d	4C	18 13
וַתַּשְׁק֥וּ אֶת הַנְּזִרִ֖ים יָ֑יִן וְעַל הַנְּבִיאִים֙ צִוִּיתֶ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֖א תִּנָּבְאֽוּ	12		But you gave the nazirites wine to drink, and to the prophets you commanded, saying, Do not prophesy.	3e	4B	9 14
הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י מֵעִ֖יק תַּחְתֵּיכֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר תָּעִיק֙ הָעֲגָלָ֔ה הַֽמְלֵאָ֥ה לָ֖הּ עָמִֽיר	13		Behold I am compressed under you, as the wagon is compressed that has had her fill of bales.	3d	4C	10 15
וְאָבַ֤ד מָנוֹס֙ מִקָּ֔ל וְחָזָ֖ק לֹא יְאַמֵּ֣ץ כֹּח֑וֹ וְגִבּ֖וֹר לֹא יְמַלֵּ֥ט נַפְשֽׁוֹ	14		And haven will perish from the fleet and the courageous will not assure his power, and the valiant himself will not escape.	3e	4C	16 9
וְתֹפֵ֤שׂ הַקֶּ֙שֶׁת֙ לֹ֣א יַעֲמֹ֔ד וְקַ֥ל בְּרַגְלָ֖יו לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּ֑ט וְרֹכֵ֣ב הַסּ֔וּס לֹ֥א יְמַלֵּ֖ט נַפְשֽׁוֹ	15		And one who takes up the bow will not stand, and the fleet of foot will not escape, and the rider himself on the horse will not escape.	3e	4C	19 11
וְאַמִּ֥יץ לִבּ֖וֹ בַּגִּבּוֹרִ֑ים עָר֛וֹם יָנ֥וּס בַּיּוֹם־הַה֖וּא נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה	16		And the one assured in its heart among the valiant, naked will withdraw in that day. An oracle of Yahweh.	3d	4A	9 12

2 Kings 14

One goes up and down in this business of reading and translating. I think about the process and the various things I lean on that I could pull away from if only I found a complete dictionary in a form I could use with my home-grown software. Reading the Chronicles and Kings is a bit of a downer anyway. I have always considered them of lesser import. (What!) I've been reading summaries of theology over the last several hundred years and I am not alone in this thought, but company is no particular safety in any case. I'll get over it. God still knows how to teach.

In the meanwhile, here is 2 Kings 14, the miserable end of Amaziah. It's hard to imagine how anything he did was 'upright' in the eyes of Yahweh. I have no idea what some verses 'mean'. The puns on or significance of Sela and Jokte-el are lost on me. (Online searchable commentary here. And another here. I looked for sela here but no detail.)  I was playing around with Gathhepher - is it the excavated or the disappointing. Poor Jonah... maybe he had a deprived childhood.

I almost wonder if a zaqef-qatan should always command at least a comma. After emphasizing the music, I do see it as allowing us some punctuation too. The music makes the text stand up with some interest.

• The recitation for the second half of verse 5 is an insult to the idea of rest on the subdominant. No one should go around striking others from a position of rest. (This is my Escher-like inside outside the text comment.)
• The music for Jehoash's parable is striking. (You should find it here. Verse 9 measures 77 to 90. And you thought verses were enough!) 
• The qarne in measure 134 alludes to the parable of verse 9. I note that this ornament also occurs twice in the battle scenes about David and the Philistine where it adorns the weapons used, sword vs stones. 
• Jeroboam's reign gets a recitation on the rest note also. 

How many people would remember the ornaments in two remote sections of Scripture? If you want to learn the OT/TNK, learn the music. It's only 6000 pages or so. (There are good reasons for learning, chief among them is the love of God.)

2 Kings 14		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
בִּשְׁנַ֣ת שְׁתַּ֔יִם לְיוֹאָ֥שׁ בֶּן־יוֹאָחָ֖ז מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מָלַ֛ךְ אֲמַצְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה	1		In the second year of Joash child of Joachaz king of Israel, Amaziah reigned, child of Joash king of Judah.	3d	4B	16 14
בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֣ה בְמָלְכ֔וֹ וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וָתֵ֙שַׁע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ יְהֽוֹעַדָּ֖ן מִן־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם	2		A child of twenty five years he was when he began to reign, and twenty nine years he reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother was Jehoaddan from Jerusalem.	3e	4C	27 13
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה רַ֕ק לֹ֖א כְּדָוִ֣ד אָבִ֑יו כְּכֹ֧ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֛ה יוֹאָ֥שׁ אָבִ֖יו עָשָֽׂה	3		And he did what is upright in the eyes of Yahweh, but not as David his father. According to everything that Joash his father had undertaken, he did.	3c	4C	18 12
רַ֥ק הַבָּמ֖וֹת לֹא־סָ֑רוּ ע֥וֹד הָעָ֛ם מְזַבְּחִ֥ים וּֽמְקַטְּרִ֖ים בַּבָּמֽוֹת	4	f	But the high places they did not put aside. Still the people offered and burnt incense on the high places.	3d	4A	6 12
וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר חָזְקָ֥ה הַמַּמְלָכָ֖ה בְּיָד֑וֹ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־עֲבָדָ֔יו הַמַּכִּ֖ים אֶת־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אָבִֽיו	5		And it happened that the kingdom resolutely in his hand, he struck his servants that had struck the king his father.	3d	4A	14 15
וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י הַמַּכִּ֖ים לֹ֣א הֵמִ֑ית כַּכָּת֣וּב בְּסֵ֣פֶר תּֽוֹרַת־מֹ֠שֶׁה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹא־יוּמְת֨וּ אָב֤וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וּבָנִים֙ לֹא־יוּמְת֣וּ עַל־אָב֔וֹת כִּ֛י אִם־אִ֥ישׁ בְּחֶטְא֖וֹ יוּמָֽת	6		But the children of those who struck he did not put to death, as it is written in the record of the instruction of Moses which Yahweh commanded, saying, You will not put to death fathers for children, nor will children be put to death for fathers. Rather, each in his sin will die.	3d	4C	10 43
הוּא־הִכָּ֨ה אֶת־אֱד֤וֹם בְּגֵיא־מֶ֙לַח֙ עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת אֲלָפִ֔ים וְתָפַ֥שׂ אֶת־הַסֶּ֖לַע בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶת־שְׁמָהּ֙ יָקְתְאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה	7		He himself struck Edom in the salt gorge, ten thousand, and he occupied the Sela in the battle, and he called its name Jokte-el until this day.	3e	4C	27 14
אָ֣ז שָׁלַ֤ח אֲמַצְיָה֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־יְהוֹאָ֨שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֧ז בֶּן־יֵה֛וּא מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר לְכָ֖ה נִתְרָאֶ֥ה פָנִֽים	8	B	Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash child of Jehoahaz child of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us show our faces.	3c	4C	28 7
וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח יְהוֹאָ֣שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶל־אֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ הַח֜וֹחַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֗וֹן שָׁ֠לַח אֶל־הָאֶ֜רֶז אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּלְּבָנוֹן֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנָֽה־אֶת־בִּתְּךָ֥ לִבְנִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲבֹ֞ר חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן וַתִּרְמֹ֖ס אֶת־הַחֽוֹחַ	9		And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thorn that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon and said, Give your daughter to my son as wife, and an animal of the field passed by that was in Lebanon and trampled the thorn.	3e	4C	54 21
הַכֵּ֤ה הִכִּ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־אֱד֔וֹם וּֽנְשָׂאֲךָ֖ לִבֶּ֑ךָ הִכָּבֵד֙ וְשֵׁ֣ב בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ וְלָ֤מָּה תִתְגָּרֶה֙ בְּרָעָ֔ה וְנָ֣פַלְתָּ֔ה אַתָּ֖ה וִיהוּדָ֥ה עִמָּֽךְ	10		So you struck Edom and your heart bears the glory, so sit in your house. And why meddle and get hurt, and you fall, you and Judah with you.	3e	4C	15 29
וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲמַצְיָ֔הוּ וַיַּ֨עַל יְהוֹאָ֤שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיִּתְרָא֣וּ פָנִ֔ים ה֖וּא וַאֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה בְּבֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִיהוּדָֽה	11		But Amaziah did not hear, and Jehoash king of Israel ascended and they showed their faces, he and Amaziah, king of Judah, in The-House-of-the-Sun that was Judah's.	3e	4C	35 9
וַיִּנָּ֥גֶף יְהוּדָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו	12		And Judah was plagued in the face of Israel, and they withdrew each to his tent.	3e	4B	12 9
וְאֵת֩ אֲמַצְיָ֨הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה בֶּן־יְהוֹאָ֣שׁ בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָ֗הוּ תָּפַ֛שׂ יְהוֹאָ֥שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּבֵ֣ית שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וַיָּבֹא֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיִּפְרֹץ֩ בְּחוֹמַ֨ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם בְּשַׁ֤עַר אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ עַד־שַׁ֣עַר הַפִּנָּ֔ה אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אַמָּֽה	13		And Amaziah king of Judah, child of Jehoash, child of Achaziah, Jehoash king of Israel arrested in The-House-of-the-sun, and he came to Jerusalem and breached the walls of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits.	3d	4C	34 34
וְלָקַ֣ח אֶת־כָּל־הַזָּהָב־וְ֠הַכֶּסֶף וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֜ים הַנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בֵּית־יְהוָ֗ה וּבְאֹֽצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאֵ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י הַתַּֽעֲרֻב֑וֹת וַיָּ֖שָׁב שֹׁמְרֽוֹנָה	14		And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of Yahweh and in the treasuries of the house of the king, and the children as insurance, and he returned to Samaria.	3e	4B	41 6
וְיֶתֶר֩ דִּבְרֵ֨י יְהוֹאָ֜שׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ וּגְב֣וּרָת֔וֹ וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר נִלְחַ֔ם עִ֖ם אֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	15		And the remaining words of Jehoash that he undertook and his valour and how he warred with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the record of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?	3d	4C	31 20
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב יְהוֹאָשׁ֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵר֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן עִ֖ם מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יָרָבְעָ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו	16		And Jehoash was laid out with his ancestors and was entombed in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.	3d	4C	23 10
וַיְחִ֨י אֲמַצְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־יוֹאָשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה אַֽחֲרֵ֣י מ֔וֹת יְהוֹאָ֥שׁ בֶּן־יְהֽוֹאָחָ֖ז מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל חֲמֵ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה	17		And Amaziah child of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash child of Jehoahaz king of Israel, fifteen years.	3e	4C	31 6
וְיֶ֖תֶר דִּבְרֵ֣י אֲמַצְיָ֑הוּ הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה	18		And the remaining words of Amaziah, are they not written in the record of the words of the days of the kings of Judah?	3d	4B	9 20
וַיִּקְשְׁר֨וּ עָלָ֥יו קֶ֛שֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וַיָּ֣נָס לָכִ֑ישָׁה וַיִּשְׁלְח֤וּ אַֽחֲרָיו֙ לָכִ֔ישָׁה וַיְמִתֻ֖הוּ שָֽׁם	19		And they colluded against him collusion in Jerusalem and he withdrew towards Lachish, but they sent after him towards Lachish and put him to death there.	3d	4C	18 15
וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ עַל־הַסּוּסִ֑ים וַיִּקָּבֵ֧ר בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם עִם־אֲבֹתָ֖יו בְּעִ֥יר דָּוִֽד	20		And they lifted him up onto the horses, and he was entombed in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David.	3c	4A	9 16
וַיִּקְח֞וּ כָּל־עַ֤ם יְהוּדָה֙ אֶת־עֲזַרְיָ֔ה וְה֕וּא בֶּן־שֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה וַיַּמְלִ֣כוּ אֹת֔וֹ תַּ֖חַת אָבִ֥יו אֲמַצְיָֽהוּ	21		And all the people of Judah took Azariah, and he was a child of sixteen years, and they made king him instead of his father Amaziah.	3e	4C	20 14
ה֚וּא בָּנָ֣ה אֶת־אֵילַ֔ת וַיְשִׁבֶ֖הָ לִֽיהוּדָ֑ה אַחֲרֵ֥י שְׁכַֽב־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עִם־אֲבֹתָֽיו	22	C	He himself built up Eilat and restored it to Judah, after the king was laid out with his ancestors.	3e	4C	13 12
בִּשְׁנַת֙ חֲמֵשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַאֲמַצְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ יָרָבְעָ֨ם בֶּן־יוֹאָ֤שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וְאַחַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה	23		In the fifteenth year of Amaziah, child of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam child of Joash, king of Israel, reigned in Samaria, forty one years.	3e	4C	21 24
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה לֹ֣א סָ֗ר מִכָּל־חַטֹּאות֙ יָרָבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־נְבָ֔ט אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶחֱטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	24		And he did evil in the eyes of Yahweh. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam, child of Nabat, who made Israel to sin.	3e	4B	10 22
ה֗וּא הֵשִׁיב֙ אֶת־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִלְּב֥וֹא חֲמָ֖ת עַד־יָ֣ם הָעֲרָבָ֑ה כִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֗ר בְּיַד־עַבְדּ֞וֹ יוֹנָ֤ה בֶן־אֲמִתַּי֙ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֲשֶׁ֖ר מִגַּ֥ת הַחֵֽפֶר	25	~	He himself restored the border of Israel from the entering of Hamath to the sea of the steppe according to the word of Yahweh the God of Israel who spoke by the hand of his servant Jonah, child of Amittai the prophet that was from Gath, the excavated.	3e	4C	19 34
כִּי־רָאָ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־עֳנִ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֹרֶ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וְאֶ֤פֶס עָצוּר֙ וְאֶ֣פֶס עָז֔וּב וְאֵ֥ין עֹזֵ֖ר לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל	26		For saw Yahweh the impoverishment of Israel was very bitter. Whether the extreme is coercion or the extreme is forsaken, there was no help for Israel.	3c	4C	14 18
וְלֹא־דִבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה לִמְחוֹת֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיּ֣וֹשִׁיעֵ֔ם בְּיַ֖ד יָרָבְעָ֥ם בֶּן־יוֹאָֽשׁ	27		But Yahweh did not speak to wipe out the name of Israel from under the heavens, but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam child of Joash.	3e	4B	19 12
וְיֶתֶר֩ דִּבְרֵ֨י יָרָבְעָ֜ם וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ וּגְבוּרָת֣וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נִלְחָ֔ם וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵשִׁ֜יב אֶת־דַּמֶּ֧שֶׂק וְאֶת־חֲמָ֛ת לִיהוּדָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	28		And the remaining words of Jeroboam and all that he undertook and his valour, how he warred and how he restored Damascus and Hamath of Judah against Israel, are they not written in the record of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?	3c	4C	42 20
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב יָֽרָבְעָם֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו עִ֖ם מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ זְכַרְיָ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו	29		And Jeroboam was laid out with his ancestors, with the kings of Israel, and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.	3d	4C	16 10

Back from a 24 hour holiday

Amazing weather on the west coast at Point no point.

Great supper too, all local ingredients, creative kitchen. And there's a rope hanging from heaven at Mystic beach on the Juan de Fuca trail.

A verse of Psalm 119

I was reading about pausal forms as determined by the vowels - O how nice. And they might correspond with the accents sometimes. This is relatively recent linguistic analysis of the Hebrew text by Dresher (Dresher, Bezalel Elan. 1994. The Prosodic Basis of the Tiberian Hebrew System of Accents, Linguistic Society of America, Language, Vol. 70, No. 1.) and E.J. Revell (The occurrence of Pausal forms, Journal of Semitic Studies LVII/2 Autumn 2012). Psalm 119:43 is mentioned in note 23 on page 223.

Here is the music. Imagine a pause just before the cadence - and consider the impact of God's judgments on behaviour. (For impact see previous post.) Note this translation follows the acrostic - we are on the letter vav (waw).

SOTS at 100 years

Next year the Society for Old Testament Study is 100 years old. Two papers by David Clines were recently posted on Academia, both very clearly written, The Bible and the Academy, a short exploration of passion vs dispassion, and A Century of SOTS, one that is easy to scan quickly for impressions of the subject matter of this society over the last century.

One item he mentions that came up in discussion yesterday is the measure of Impact of scholarship.

What about the REF and the impact of our subject? The Research Excellence Framework, which will replace the RAE [Research Assessment Exercise] in 2013, has signalled that one of the three elements that 'together reflect the key characteristics of research excellence' is 'impact'. Impact is described as 'where researchers build on excellent research to deliver demonstrable benefits to the economy, society, public policy, culture and quality of life'.

What is the impact of the last 300 years of critical study of the Bible? Has it been to reinforce the ignorance or rather to create the ignorance out of the fear of the less educated? Did Biblical criticism produce the phenomenon of Donald Trump?

I am also reading a little social criticism from Rowan Williams (my wife borrowed the latest Wallander mystery!). The book is Lost Icons. Williams in the first chapter suggests that we do not know how to play games and that games are an essential part of learning good decision-making in an environment where some of the social rules are suspended in a suitably controlled manner.

What game is afoot now?

(For the record, I am not a member of SOTS).

Pretzel as parable

From the globe and mail focus Sat April 2: Mr Trump has felt omnipresent largely because the American electronic media has pretzelled itself around him like a lover.

On a more serious note, Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman muses on 'soul' and gets my little cavil.

Rabbi Rachel Barenblatt (aka Velveteen Rabbi) has a new book on prayer. Her 70 Faces of Torah poems are lovely. I suspect this one will be good too.

Why do I, Christian, look to Jewish teachers? All of us approach the mystery of the Incarnation. You'll get my point if you read my comment (maybe). I could spell it out but I can't. Some things get known without descriptive words. Even the great speller out, Paul of Tarsus writes of the unspeakable gift and the secrets that are not lawful to say.

Larry Hurtado, NT and Early Christianity scholar is going to a conference on the Messianic Psalms. Maybe I should have gone too - but there is so much argumentation in scholarship that I think sometimes they fail to actually read the texts. I can't go in May - already scheduled to speak in Moscow (south of Spokane).

I'm getting back to reading a few links...

Carnival for March and other things.

Very complex inside jokes in the last month's carnival from N.T.Wrong. Thanks to Prof Dr Wrong for including a little night music.

Also note a few other links - this from a favoured blog - Entangled States.

I've been busy these past few days playing in a bridge tournament. And if you are wondering about Trump and stuff, no better place to consider than the blog of Larry Behrendt.  The only possible result is No Trump. (Read the prior post also on Larry's blog.)