Isaiah 31

A test for a format. What if we could see the first note in text, would it help understand inter verse connections?

Three verses in this short chapter begin on a note other than the tonic. The possible notes are c, d, e, f, g, A, B, C. Where the c is middle c and the C is an octave above. (In XML terms, octave 3 is expressed in lower case letters, and octave 4 is in upper case.)

My thesis is that generally, if a verse begins on a note other than the tonic e, then that verse opening is telling us something special, perhaps a connection to a previous verse, or to some other known feature in the passage at hand. Four books of the Bible begin on a note other than the tonic. Deuteronomy and the three books of Truth, the poetry books, Psalms, Proverbs, and Job. The message there is that these books relate to everything that has gone before.

So my suggestion for the verses below is that verse 1 is somehow related to the prior chapter. Verse 4 is a consequence of verse 3. Verse 6 stands out as the only verse beginning with an ornament and also the only verse having no rest on the subdominant. Perhaps it is a central message. And verse 7 a dramatic continuation after the aside of verse 6. Because I have not yet read the way that the composer has used the music in prior chapters, these guesses are provisional.

And this first note, the minimum, and the maximum, are merely a shorthand to say that something is going on in the music. One still has to hear the music.

Isaiah 31		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
ה֣וֹי הַיֹּרְדִ֤ים מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְעֶזְרָ֔ה עַל־סוּסִ֖ים יִשָּׁעֵ֑נוּ וַיִּבְטְח֨וּ עַל־רֶ֜כֶב כִּ֣י רָ֗ב וְעַ֤ל פָּֽרָשִׁים֙ כִּֽי־עָצְמ֣וּ מְאֹ֔ד וְלֹ֤א שָׁעוּ֙ עַל־קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א דָרָֽשׁוּ	1	B	Alas for those who go down to Egypt for help. On horses they lean, and they trust in chariot for abundance, and in cavalry for they are very numerous, but they do not look on the Holy One of Israel, and Yahweh they do not search out.	3e	4C	17 37
וְגַם־ה֤וּא חָכָם֙ וַיָּ֣בֵא רָ֔ע וְאֶת־דְּבָרָ֖יו לֹ֣א הֵסִ֑יר וְקָם֙ עַל־בֵּ֣ית מְרֵעִ֔ים וְעַל־עֶזְרַ֖ת פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן	2		And moreover he is wise and brings evil, and his words he has not put aside, but will arise over the house of evildoers, and over the help of workers of mischief.	3e	4C	17 16
וּמִצְרַ֤יִם אָדָם֙ וְֽלֹא־אֵ֔ל וְסוּסֵיהֶ֥ם בָּשָׂ֖ר וְלֹא־ר֑וּחַ וַֽיהוָ֞ה יַטֶּ֣ה יָד֗וֹ וְכָשַׁ֤ל עוֹזֵר֙ וְנָפַ֣ל עָזֻ֔ר וְיַחְדָּ֖ו כֻּלָּ֥ם יִכְלָיֽוּן	3		And Egyptians are human and not God, and their horses flesh and not spirit, and Yahweh will stretch out his hand, and helper will stumble, and the one helped will fall, and they together, all of them, will be consumed.	3e	4C	17 24
כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָֽמַר־יְהוָ֣ה ׀ אֵלַ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶהְגֶּה֩ הָאַרְיֵ֨ה וְהַכְּפִ֜יר עַל־טַרְפּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקָּרֵ֤א עָלָיו֙ מְלֹ֣א רֹעִ֔ים מִקּוֹלָם֙ לֹ֣א יֵחָ֔ת וּמֵֽהֲמוֹנָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲנֶ֑ה כֵּ֗ן יֵרֵד֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת לִצְבֹּ֥א עַל־הַר־צִיּ֖וֹן וְעַל־גִּבְעָתָֽהּ	4	B	Because thus says Yahweh to me, As meditates the lion, or the cub over its prey, when a fullness of shepherds calls against it, from their voice he is not dismayed, nor from their tumult is he afflicted, so Yahweh of hosts will come down to the host on the hill of Zion, and over its hillock.	3e	4C	48 19
כְּצִפֳּרִ֣ים עָפ֔וֹת כֵּ֗ן יָגֵ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת עַל־יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם גָּנ֥וֹן וְהִצִּ֖יל פָּסֹ֥חַ וְהִמְלִֽיט	5		As birds flying, so Yahweh of hosts will defend over Jerusalem. Defending, also he will deliver one that is lame and let it escape.	3d	4B	19 11
שׁ֗וּבוּ לַאֲשֶׁ֛ר הֶעְמִ֥יקוּ סָרָ֖ה בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	6	~	Turn to whom the children of Israel are in deep revolt.	3d	3g	15
כִּ֚י בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא יִמְאָס֗וּן אִ֚ישׁ אֱלִילֵ֣י כַסְפּ֔וֹ וֶאֱלִילֵ֖י זְהָב֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם יְדֵיכֶ֖ם חֵֽטְא	7	C	For in that day, each will refuse its good for nothing silver and its good for nothing gold, that your hands made for yourselves to sin.	3d	4C	21 10
וְנָפַ֤ל אַשּׁוּר֙ בְּחֶ֣רֶב לֹא־אִ֔ישׁ וְחֶ֥רֶב לֹֽא־אָדָ֖ם תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ וְנָ֥ס לוֹ֙ מִפְּנֵי־חֶ֔רֶב וּבַחוּרָ֖יו לָמַ֥ס יִהְיֽוּ	8		And Ashur will fall by the sword, not of a man, and a sword not of a human, will devour him. He will withdraw for himself in the face of a sword, and his chosen ones will be in forced service.	3e	4C	19 14
וְסַלְעוֹ֙ מִמָּג֣וֹר יַֽעֲב֔וֹר וְחַתּ֥וּ מִנֵּ֖ס שָׂרָ֑יו נְאֻם־יְהוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר־א֥וּר לוֹ֙ בְּצִיּ֔וֹן וְתַנּ֥וּר ל֖וֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם	9		And his cliff from terror will pass away, and his nobles will be dismayed from a standard. An oracle of Yahweh, whose light is in Zion and whose oven is in Jerusalem.	3e	4B	16 19

Deuteronomy 29

With this post we complete the sequence of the last 8 chapters of Torah. We had already done the first 11 chapters of Torah (Genesis). A beginning and an end. Great gobs of Torah remain including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and so on.

This chapter as usual has some surprises, especially for those who are already familiar with it. Part of my effort in this project is to destabilize my assumed familiarity. If I as Christian have become too stable with my familiarity, I have forgotten my calling to be like Jesus who had no place to lay his head. If I as Jew have become similarly stable, I have forgotten my calling to bear the full tension of the tradition in my bones. If I as Muslim am reading these texts, I should not forget the Merciful at the beginning of the poetry that I must mediate. Let me not forget, my friends, for I have friends, associates, shepherds (all the same Hebrew root!) among all of you. And I would not leave out my Hindu friends, faithful employees, and faithful colleagues, though I know little of their history, nor my Buddhist friends with whom many conversations have found much common ground. For the devoted love is to us all, from the One who brings the self of God into our innermost life. (That's what I meant by the incarnation of nations in chapter 33.)

If I am without love for those who differ from me, I am nothing.

In this chapter I see that foreign workers are a part of Israelite social practice 3000 years ago (or less if you like). The guest, the stranger, among us, is one of us. This is Moses' instruction to us all. The presence of this covenant is for all who stand here today and for all who are not here today. That is the universal set. The covenant is inclusive but it will not abide abuse of the needy. We know from other texts that God is prejudiced in favour of the dispossessed. Curious, eh? I fear this applies to my enemies also!

There seems to be no option but self-emptying to the point of death. If they cannot hear Moses... but let us not simply rediscover some sort of exclusion scenario.

The instruction itself is Yahweh's avowal - strange word (עלה), Yahweh's imprecation. (Oath for me is שׁבע). Ignoring it or taking advantage of it (verse 19 (20)) has the avowal itself as its own consequence. The situation is not quite an opposite, it is not bless vs curse, but it is a closing in of the instruction, reclining (רבץ), laying upon the individual (in this case) and this individual is spoken of as the land - stranger still. There seems to be a kind of bootstrap logic to the treaty such that it would be effective even if there was only the human side of it. It binds humanity itself to do what is right 'or else'.

Verse 28 (29 English) about hidden or secret things and the things that are uncovered. The sense of 'belonging' is in the prepositions only, and you know prepositions are notorious. What is hidden that will not be uncovered?

It is today, this day, that I learn something...

Deuteronomy 29		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיִּקְרָ֥א מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אַתֶּ֣ם רְאִיתֶ֗ם אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר֩ עָשָׂ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה לְעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לְפַרְעֹ֥ה וּלְכָל־עֲבָדָ֖יו וּלְכָל־אַרְצֽוֹ	1		And Moses called to all Israel and he said to them, You yourselves have seen all that Yahweh has done in your sight in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land,	3d	4C	16 34
הַמַּסּוֹת֙ הַגְּדֹלֹ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָא֖וּ עֵינֶ֑יךָ הָאֹתֹ֧ת וְהַמֹּפְתִ֛ים הַגְּדֹלִ֖ים הָהֵֽם	2		The great temptations that your eyes have seen, the signs and those great miracles.	3c	4A	13 12
וְלֹֽא־נָתַן֩ יְהוָ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם לֵב֙ לָדַ֔עַת וְעֵינַ֥יִם לִרְא֖וֹת וְאָזְנַ֣יִם לִשְׁמֹ֑עַ עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה	3		But Yahweh has not given to you a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to hear, until this day.	3e	4B	22 5
וָאוֹלֵ֥ךְ אֶתְכֶ֛ם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר לֹֽא־בָל֤וּ שַׂלְמֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וְנַֽעַלְךָ֥ לֹֽא־בָלְתָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל רַגְלֶֽךָ	4		And I have led you a forty year span in the wilderness. Your apparel has not worn out upon you, and your shoe has not worn out upon your foot.	3d	4C	13 22
לֶ֚חֶם לֹ֣א אֲכַלְתֶּ֔ם וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שְׁתִיתֶ֑ם לְמַ֙עַן֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם	5	C	Bread you have not eaten, neither wine nor strong drink have you imbibed, so that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.	3d	4C	15 14
וַתָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֣א סִיחֹ֣ן מֶֽלֶךְ־חֶ֠שְׁבּוֹן וְע֨וֹג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֧ן לִקְרָאתֵ֛נוּ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וַנַּכֵּֽם	6		And when you came to this place, came forth both Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, and encountered us in battle, and we struck them.	3c	4B	9 27
וַנִּקַּח֙ אֶת־אַרְצָ֔ם וַנִּתְּנָ֣הּ לְנַחֲלָ֔ה לָרֽאוּבֵנִ֖י וְלַגָּדִ֑י וְלַחֲצִ֖י שֵׁ֥בֶט הַֽמְנַשִּֽׁי	7		And we took their land, and we gave it as inheritance to the Reubenites and to the Gadites, and to half the band of the Manassites.	3e	4B	21 9
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֗ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן תַּשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֽׂוּן	8		So you will keep the words of this covenant and you will do them, so that you will have insight with all that you do.	3e	4B	16 13
אַתֶּ֨ם נִצָּבִ֤ים הַיּוֹם֙ כֻּלְּכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם רָאשֵׁיכֶ֣ם שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֗ם זִקְנֵיכֶם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרֵיכֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	9		You stand firm today, all of you, in the presence of Yahweh your God, your heads, your sceptres, your elders, and your overseers, everyone of Israel,	3e	4C	17 18
טַפְּכֶ֣ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם וְגֵ֣רְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֶ֑יךָ מֵחֹטֵ֣ב עֵצֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד שֹׁאֵ֥ב מֵימֶֽיךָ	10		Your little ones, your wives, and the guest that is near in your camp, the one who dresses your timber, to the one who draws your water.	3e	4B	17 12
לְעָבְרְךָ֗ בִּבְרִ֛ית יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּבְאָלָת֑וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כֹּרֵ֥ת עִמְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם	11		That you should cross over into covenant with Yahweh your God, his avowal that Yahweh your God has cut with your people today.	3d	4B	16 14
לְמַ֣עַן הָקִֽים־אֹתְךָ֩ הַיּ֨וֹם ׀ ל֜וֹ לְעָ֗ם וְה֤וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לְּךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־לָ֑ךְ וְכַאֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁבַּע֙ לַאֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹֽב	12		So that he may uphold you today, for himself a people. And he, he will be for you for a God, as he spoke to you, and as he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Yitschaq, and to Jacob.	3e	4C	27 22
וְלֹ֥א אִתְּכֶ֖ם לְבַדְּכֶ֑ם אָנֹכִ֗י כֹּרֵת֙ אֶת־הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וְאֶת־הָאָלָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת	13		But not with you, you alone, do I cut this covenant and this avowal.	3e	4B	7 17
כִּי֩ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֶשְׁנ֜וֹ פֹּ֗ה עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד הַיּ֔וֹם לִפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְאֵ֨ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ פֹּ֖ה עִמָּ֥נוּ הַיּֽוֹם	14	~	But with whoever there is here with us standing today in the presence of Yahweh our God, and whoever is not here with us today.	3d	4B	22 13
כִּֽי־אַתֶּ֣ם יְדַעְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יָשַׁ֖בְנוּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־עָבַ֛רְנוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲבַרְתֶּֽם	15		For you, you know that we settled in the land of Egypt, and that we passed through among the nations that you passed through,	3c	4B	17 18
וַתִּרְאוּ֙ אֶת־שִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת גִּלֻּלֵיהֶ֑ם עֵ֣ץ וָאֶ֔בֶן כֶּ֥סֶף וְזָהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִמָּהֶֽם	16		And you have seen their detestable things, and their figurines, tree and stone, silver and gold, that are with them.	3e	4B	14 14
פֶּן־יֵ֣שׁ בָּ֠כֶם אִ֣ישׁ אוֹ־אִשָּׁ֞ה א֧וֹ מִשְׁפָּחָ֣ה אוֹ־שֵׁ֗בֶט אֲשֶׁר֩ לְבָב֨וֹ פֹנֶ֤ה הַיּוֹם֙ מֵעִם֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ לָלֶ֣כֶת לַעֲבֹ֔ד אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֖י הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָהֵ֑ם פֶּן־יֵ֣שׁ בָּכֶ֗ם שֹׁ֛רֶשׁ פֹּרֶ֥ה רֹ֖אשׁ וְלַעֲנָֽה	17		Lest there is among you a man or a woman, or family or band, whose heart faces today away from Yahweh our God, to go to serve the God of those nations, lest there is among you a rootstock fruitful for gall and wormwood.	3c	4C	45 13
וְהָיָ֡ה בְּשָׁמְעוֹ֩ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֨י הָֽאָלָ֜ה הַזֹּ֗את וְהִתְבָּרֵ֨ךְ בִּלְבָב֤וֹ לֵאמֹר֙ שָׁל֣וֹם יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֔י כִּ֛י בִּשְׁרִר֥וּת לִבִּ֖י אֵלֵ֑ךְ לְמַ֛עַן סְפ֥וֹת הָרָוָ֖ה אֶת־הַצְּמֵאָֽה	18		And it happen, when he hears the words of this avowal, and he blesses himself in his heart, saying, Peace there will be for me, for in the stubbornness of my heart I walk, so as to snatch the saturated with the thirsty.	3d	4C	36 12
לֹא־יֹאבֶ֣ה יְהוָה֮ סְלֹ֣חַֽ לוֹ֒ כִּ֣י אָ֠ז יֶעְשַׁ֨ן אַף־יְהוָ֤ה וְקִנְאָתוֹ֙ בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא וְרָ֤בְצָה בּוֹ֙ כָּל־הָ֣אָלָ֔ה הַכְּתוּבָ֖ה בַּסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה וּמָחָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ אֶת־שְׁמ֔וֹ מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם	19		Yahweh will not consent to pardon him, but then the anger of Yahweh will fume and his jealousy against that person and reclining against him is all the avowal written in this record, and Yahweh will wipe out his name from under the heavens.	3e	4C	39 15
וְהִבְדִּיל֤וֹ יְהוָה֙ לְרָעָ֔ה מִכֹּ֖ל שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כְּכֹל֙ אָל֣וֹת הַבְּרִ֔ית הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּֽה	20		And Yahweh will differentiate him for evil out of all the sceptres of Israel, according to all the avowals of the covenant written in the record of this instruction.	3e	4C	16 17
וְאָמַ֞ר הַדּ֣וֹר הָֽאַחֲר֗וֹן בְּנֵיכֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָק֙וּמוּ֙ מֵאַ֣חֲרֵיכֶ֔ם וְהַ֨נָּכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָבֹ֖א מֵאֶ֣רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֑ה וְ֠רָאוּ אֶת־מַכּ֞וֹת הָאָ֤רֶץ הַהִוא֙ וְאֶת־תַּ֣חֲלֻאֶ֔יהָ אֲשֶׁר־חִלָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה בָּֽהּ	21		And he said, The generation following of your children who will arise after you, and the foreigner that will come from a land far off, and see the defeats of that land and the diseases with which Yahweh has made her ill,	3e	4C	36 25
גָּפְרִ֣ית וָמֶלַח֮ שְׂרֵפָ֣ה כָל־אַרְצָהּ֒ לֹ֤א תִזָּרַע֙ וְלֹ֣א תַצְמִ֔חַ וְלֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה בָ֖הּ כָּל־עֵ֑שֶׂב כְּֽמַהְפֵּכַ֞ת סְדֹ֤ם וַעֲמֹרָה֙ אַדְמָ֣ה וּצְבוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הָפַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאַפּ֖וֹ וּבַחֲמָתֽוֹ	22		Pitch and salt incinerating, all toward the land. It is not sown and it does not grow and no herb comes up in it, as Sodom and Gomorrah were changed, Admah and Zeboim that Yahweh changed in his anger and in his heat.	3e	4C	28 29
וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם עַל־מֶ֨ה עָשָׂ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה כָּ֖כָה לָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את מֶ֥ה חֳרִ֛י הָאַ֥ף הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה	23		And all the nations will say, To what end did Yahweh do thus to this land? Why the fierceness of this great anger?	3c	4B	20 10
וְאָ֣מְר֔וּ עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָֽזְב֔וּ אֶת־בְּרִ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר֙ כָּרַ֣ת עִמָּ֔ם בְּהוֹצִיא֥וֹ אֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם	24		And they will say, In that they have forsaken the covenant of Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, which he cut with them when he brought out them from the land of Egypt.	3e	4C	19 18
וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ וַיַּֽעַבְדוּ֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם אֱלֹהִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יְדָע֔וּם וְלֹ֥א חָלַ֖ק לָהֶֽם	25		And they went and they served other gods and prostrated themselves to them, gods whom they did not know, and he did not allot to them.	3e	4B	20 15
וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהוָ֖ה בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֑וא לְהָבִ֤יא עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַקְּלָלָ֔ה הַכְּתוּבָ֖ה בַּסֵּ֥פֶר הַזֶּֽה	26		And the anger of Yahweh burned in that land, to bring on her all the denial written in this record.	3e	4C	11 19
וַיִּתְּשֵׁ֤ם יְהוָה֙ מֵעַ֣ל אַדְמָתָ֔ם בְּאַ֥ף וּבְחֵמָ֖ה וּבְקֶ֣צֶף גָּד֑וֹל וַיַּשְׁלִכֵ֛ם אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ אַחֶ֖רֶת כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה	27		And Yahweh deported them, away from their ground, in anger and heat and great rage, and flung them to another land as on this day.	3d	4C	20 14
הַ֨נִּסְתָּרֹ֔ת לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְהַנִּגְלֹ֞ת לָ֤ׄנׄוּׄ וּׄלְׄבָׄנֵׄ֙יׄנׄוּׄ֙ עַד־עוֹלָ֔ם לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת	28	~	The hidden things are of Yahweh our God, but the uncovered are for us and for our children for evermore, so do all the words of this instruction.	3e	4C	10 26

Deuteronomy 33

This has been a difficult chapter. Several unique words, perhaps used as few as once in the Bible (but my counts will not be complete in my dictionary until I have finished identifying the root of every word). In the passages I have not yet done, there are lots of strange or unknown roots floating about. Nonetheless these are rare, and a rare word is hard to establish a gloss for (let alone a meaning). As to that word 'meaning', I think we must be careful not to impose onto the text what we think it ought to day. This chapter seems to me to be arcane poetry using words I do not expect. In the traditional translation it is smoothed out and poetic in English, but not here. (At least not yet.)

I have learned from tradition and I build on it, but sometimes I first tear it down. Because tradition produced the Holocaust, and such a result is unacceptable. We have lived in a difficult time. We can no longer assume we know truth when our truth produced such falsity. We are post-truth in that sense, but not as if there is no truth. Truth has great inertia.

Should a translation be explanation? Not at all. But we should not be comforted by everlasting arms, rather we should be terrified of our power, the power of our words that is yielded to us. In these days of that other post-truth, the days of false news and unmatched credulity, the words we write create their own reality. 

This blessing has parallels with Genesis 49, what could be altogether a large study.

Deuteronomy 33		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וְזֹ֣את הַבְּרָכָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בֵּרַ֥ךְ מֹשֶׁ֛ה אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לִפְנֵ֖י מוֹתֽוֹ	1		And this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel, in the face of his death.	3d	4B	22 4
וַיֹּאמַ֗ר יְהוָ֞ה מִסִּינַ֥י בָּא֙ וְזָרַ֤ח מִשֵּׂעִיר֙ לָ֔מוֹ הוֹפִ֙יעַ֙ מֵהַ֣ר פָּארָ֔ן וְאָתָ֖ה מֵרִבְבֹ֣ת קֹ֑דֶשׁ מִֽימִינ֕וֹ אֵ֥שׁ דָּ֖ת לָֽמוֹ	2		And he said, Yahweh from Sinai came, and rose from Seir for them. He shined from the hill of Paran. He arrived with ten thousands of the holy, from his right, a fiery dictate for them.	3e	4C	32 7
אַ֚ף חֹבֵ֣ב עַמִּ֔ים כָּל־קְדֹשָׁ֖יו בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהֵם֙ תֻּכּ֣וּ לְרַגְלֶ֔ךָ יִשָּׂ֖א מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ	3	C	Indeed he incarnates peoples. All his holy ones are in your hand, and they are in the midst at your feet. He bears from your words.	3e	4C	13 15
תּוֹרָ֥ה צִוָּה־לָ֖נוּ מֹשֶׁ֑ה מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה קְהִלַּ֥ת יַעֲקֹֽב	4		Instruction Moses commanded for us, a possession of the congregation of Jacob.	3e	4A	8 9
וַיְהִ֥י בִישֻׁר֖וּן מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם יַ֖חַד שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	5		And he was in Jeshurun, king, in the gathering of the heads of the people together with the sceptres of Israel.	3e	4B	7 14
יְחִ֥י רְאוּבֵ֖ן וְאַל־יָמֹ֑ת וִיהִ֥י מְתָ֖יו מִסְפָּֽר	6		May Reuben live and not die, and let his men be recorded.	3e	4A	9 6
וְזֹ֣את לִֽיהוּדָה֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ שְׁמַ֤ע יְהוָה֙ ק֣וֹל יְהוּדָ֔ה וְאֶל־עַמּ֖וֹ תְּבִיאֶ֑נּוּ יָדָיו֙ רָ֣ב ל֔וֹ וְעֵ֥זֶר מִצָּרָ֖יו תִּהְיֶֽה	7		And this is for Judah: and he said, Hear, Yahweh, the voice of Judah, and to his people bring him, his hands abundant for him, and you be help from his foe.	3e	4C	24 12
וּלְלֵוִ֣י אָמַ֔ר תֻּמֶּ֥יךָ וְאוּרֶ֖יךָ לְאִ֣ישׁ חֲסִידֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִסִּיתוֹ֙ בְּמַסָּ֔ה תְּרִיבֵ֖הוּ עַל־מֵ֥י מְרִיבָֽה	8		And to Levi say, Your completeness and your light to each within your mercy, whom you proved in the temptation, with whom you strove over the waters of Meribah.	3e	4C	18 17
הָאֹמֵ֞ר לְאָבִ֤יו וּלְאִמּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִ֔יו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו֙ לֹ֣א הִכִּ֔יר וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖יו לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְרוּ֙ אִמְרָתֶ֔ךָ וּבְרִֽיתְךָ֖ יִנְצֹֽרוּ	9		Saying of his father and of his mother, I do not see him. And his kin, he did not recognize, and his children, he did not know, for they kept your promise and your covenant they observed.	3e	4C	27 13
יוֹר֤וּ מִשְׁפָּטֶ֙יךָ֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב וְתוֹרָתְךָ֖ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יָשִׂ֤ימוּ קְטוֹרָה֙ בְּאַפֶּ֔ךָ וְכָלִ֖יל עַֽל־מִזְבְּחֶֽךָ	10		They will give instruction from your judgments to Jacob, and your instruction to Israel. They will put incense under your nose, and whole offering on your altar.	3e	4C	18 18
בָּרֵ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ חֵיל֔וֹ וּפֹ֥עַל יָדָ֖יו תִּרְצֶ֑ה מְחַ֨ץ מָתְנַ֧יִם קָמָ֛יו וּמְשַׂנְאָ֖יו מִן־יְקוּמֽוּן	11		Bless, Yahweh, his ability, and the work of his hands accept. Wound the waist of those arising against him, and those hating him from their arising.	3c	4C	13 13
לְבִנְיָמִ֣ן אָמַ֔ר יְדִ֣יד יְהֹוָ֔ה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶ֖טַח עָלָ֑יו חֹפֵ֤ף עָלָיו֙ כָּל־הַיּ֔וֹם וּבֵ֥ין כְּתֵיפָ֖יו שָׁכֵֽן	12		Of Benjamin he said, The beloved of Yahweh will dwell in trust by him. Considered faultless by him every day, and between his shoulders he will dwell.	3e	4C	18 14
וּלְיוֹסֵ֣ף אָמַ֔ר מְבֹרֶ֥כֶת יְהֹוָ֖ה אַרְצ֑וֹ מִמֶּ֤גֶד שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ מִטָּ֔ל וּמִתְּה֖וֹם רֹבֶ֥צֶת תָּֽחַת	13		And of Joseph he said, From the blessing of Yahweh his land, from the quality of the heavens, from dew, and from the abyss reclining beneath,	3e	4C	14 15
וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד תְּבוּאֹ֣ת שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד גֶּ֥רֶשׁ יְרָחִֽים	14		From the quality of the incoming of the sun, and from the quality of the outcome of the moons.	3e	4B	9 9
וּמֵרֹ֖אשׁ הַרְרֵי־קֶ֑דֶם וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד גִּבְע֥וֹת עוֹלָֽם	15		From the top of the mountains of old, and from the quality of the everlasting hillocks,	3e	4A	6 8
וּמִמֶּ֗גֶד אֶ֚רֶץ וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ וּרְצ֥וֹן שֹׁכְנִ֖י סְנֶ֑ה תָּב֙וֹאתָה֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ יוֹסֵ֔ף וּלְקָדְקֹ֖ד נְזִ֥יר אֶחָֽיו	16		And from the quality of the earth and her fullness, and the bidding of those that dwell in the bush, let income be on the head of Joseph, and on the scalp of the Nazirite of his brothers.	3e	4C	15 14
בְּכ֨וֹר שׁוֹר֜וֹ הָדָ֣ר ל֗וֹ וְקַרְנֵ֤י רְאֵם֙ קַרְנָ֔יו בָּהֶ֗ם עַמִּ֛ים יְנַגַּ֥ח יַחְדָּ֖ו אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְהֵם֙ רִבְב֣וֹת אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְהֵ֖ם אַלְפֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה	17	~	The firstborn of his bulls is honour to him, and the horns of a wild bull are his horns. In them he will push back peoples as one, to the ends of the earth, and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.	3d	4C	26 13
וְלִזְבוּלֻ֣ן אָמַ֔ר שְׂמַ֥ח זְבוּלֻ֖ן בְּצֵאתֶ֑ךָ וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר בְּאֹהָלֶֽיךָ	18		And of Zebulun he said, Be glad, Zebulun, when you go forth, and Issachar in your tents.	3e	4B	15 9
עַמִּים֙ הַר־יִקְרָ֔אוּ שָׁ֖ם יִזְבְּח֣וּ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֑דֶק כִּ֣י שֶׁ֤פַע יַמִּים֙ יִינָ֔קוּ וּשְׂפוּנֵ֖י טְמ֥וּנֵי חֽוֹל	19		The peoples of the hill they will call. There they offer offerings of righteousness, for the profusion of the seas they will suckle, and the mysteries buried in sand.	3e	4C	13 15
וּלְגָ֣ד אָמַ֔ר בָּר֖וּךְ מַרְחִ֣יב גָּ֑ד כְּלָבִ֣יא שָׁכֵ֔ן וְטָרַ֥ף זְר֖וֹעַ אַף־קָדְקֹֽד	20		And of Gad he said, Blessed be the one who broadens Gad. As a great cat he will dwell, and he tears an arm, indeed a scalp.	3e	4B	9 14
וַיַּ֤רְא רֵאשִׁית֙ ל֔וֹ כִּי־שָׁ֛ם חֶלְקַ֥ת מְחֹקֵ֖ק סָפ֑וּן וַיֵּתֵא֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם צִדְקַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ עָשָׂ֔ה וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	21		And he appeared first for himself, for there in the part of lawgiver earmarked, but he arrived with the heads of the people, doing the justice of Yahweh, and his judgments are with Israel.	3d	4C	14 20
וּלְדָ֣ן אָמַ֔ר דָּ֖ן גּ֣וּר אַרְיֵ֑ה יְזַנֵּ֖ק מִן־הַבָּשָֽׁן	22		And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp. He will bound from fruitful Bashan.	3e	4B	8 7
וּלְנַפְתָּלִ֣י אָמַ֔ר נַפְתָּלִי֙ שְׂבַ֣ע רָצ֔וֹן וּמָלֵ֖א בִּרְכַּ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה יָ֥ם וְדָר֖וֹם יְרָֽשָׁה	23		And of Naphtali he said, Naphtali, satisfied with acceptance, and full of the blessing of Yahweh, Sea and southern region, possess.	3e	4B	20 7
וּלְאָשֵׁ֣ר אָמַ֔ר בָּר֥וּךְ מִבָּנִ֖ים אָשֵׁ֑ר יְהִ֤י רְצוּי֙ אֶחָ֔יו וְטֹבֵ֥ל בַּשֶּׁ֖מֶן רַגְלֽוֹ	24		And for Asher he said, Blessed from children be Asher, and let him be acceptable to his kin and let him dip in oil his foot.	3e	4C	12 14
בַּרְזֶ֥ל וּנְחֹ֖שֶׁת מִנְעָלֶ֑יךָ וּכְיָמֶ֖יךָ דָּבְאֶֽךָ	25		Iron and brass your sandals, and as your days, your grit.	3e	4A	9 7
אֵ֥ין כָּאֵ֖ל יְשֻׁר֑וּן רֹכֵ֤ב שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ בְעֶזְרֶ֔ךָ וּבְגַאֲוָת֖וֹ שְׁחָקִֽים	26	f	There is none like the One of Jeshurun, riding heaven in your help, and in the pride of the skies.	3e	4C	6 16
מְעֹנָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵי קֶ֔דֶם וּמִתַּ֖חַת זְרֹעֹ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם וַיְגָ֧רֶשׁ מִפָּנֶ֛יךָ אוֹיֵ֖ב וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַשְׁמֵֽד	27		A habitation is my God of antiquity, and under are arms everlasting. And he will expel from your presence an enemy, and he will say, Exterminate.	3c	4B	17 14
וַיִּשְׁכֹּן֩ יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל בֶּ֤טַח בָּדָד֙ עֵ֣ין יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ דָּגָ֣ן וְתִיר֑וֹשׁ אַף־שָׁמָ֖יו יַֽעַרְפוּ טָֽל	28		And Israel will dwell in unassisted trust, the spring of Jacob on a land of grain and new wine. Indeed, his heaven will seep dew.	3e	4C	22 7
אַשְׁרֶ֨יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל מִ֣י כָמ֗וֹךָ עַ֚ם נוֹשַׁ֣ע בַּֽיהוָ֔ה מָגֵ֣ן עֶזְרֶ֔ךָ וַאֲשֶׁר־חֶ֖רֶב גַּאֲוָתֶ֑ךָ וְיִכָּֽחֲשׁ֤וּ אֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ לָ֔ךְ וְאַתָּ֖ה עַל־בָּמוֹתֵ֥ימוֹ תִדְרֹֽךְ	29		Happy are you, Israel. Who is like you, a people victorious in Yahweh, the shield of your help, and who is the sword of your pride. And your enemies will be disowned for you, but you on their high places will tread.	3e	4C	30 19

Discussion of the Song in the Night

You can see the discussion here.

Deuteronomy 16

I spent a few days seeding my Aramaic data. What a relief to get back to Deuteronomy and a more familiar tongue! Aramaic will take some learning. I had noticed how low were the automated translation percentages for Daniel, around 1% where everything else was much higher. One has to have some real examples to base the patterned automation on. Aramaic looks the same on the surface, (some letters) but it is quite distinct in parsing, connectors, and some words, though there are many similarities to Hebrew.

Deuteronomy 16 has a conundrum in verse 10. I am sure you will see it.

It also caused a change in my Psalms translation, by means of several accidental bumps from one gloss to another involving Ezra, Esther, and Malachi! These are really quite important. Psalm 141 verse 6, I have changed to: When those judging them are remitted by means of a cliff, then they will hear my promises for they are pleasant.

The traditional interpretive translation results in a failure to see how remittance (of sins) is a critical point. It is not a human idea of vengeance - cliffs falling on the unrighteous judges, but a translation of the wicked into the righteous. See Malachi 3 vs 18 which I have changed to: And you will turn and you will see a righteous one for a wicked one, a servant of God for one who does not serve him.

Of course if I change my mind on these again, I will never find this blog post!

The bumps in Ezra and Esther were less important, just a clarification of seeing, distinguishing, and discerning, etc. Small refinements, perhaps irrelevant to the working of language, but though initially confusing, now slightly clearer and more concordant. Such a mechanism for concordance has to be carried through to Aramaic also, and the mechanism is - what do you call it - fuzzy logic. One cannot be totally clear. If I push this to a Hebrew NT and its Greek canonical counterpart, it will also clarify the NT - but not in the next few days, more likely another decade of effort if I last that long.

Deuteronomy 16		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
שָׁמוֹר֙ אֶת־חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָאָבִ֔יב וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ פֶּ֔סַח לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֞י בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֗יב הוֹצִ֨יאֲךָ֜ יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם לָֽיְלָה	1		Keep the month of Abib and do the Passover of Yahweh your God, for in the month of Abib Yahweh your God brought you forth from Egypt at night.	3c	4B	20 22
וְזָבַ֥חְתָּ פֶּ֛סַח לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ צֹ֣אן וּבָקָ֑ר בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם	2		And you will offer the Passover of Yahweh your God, sheep and oxen, in the place where Yahweh will choose for his name to dwell there.	3d	4B	16 15
לֹא־תֹאכַ֤ל עָלָיו֙ חָמֵ֔ץ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֛ים תֹּֽאכַל־עָלָ֥יו מַצּ֖וֹת לֶ֣חֶם עֹ֑נִי כִּ֣י בְחִפָּז֗וֹן יָצָ֙אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לְמַ֣עַן תִּזְכֹּר֔ אֶת־י֤וֹם צֵֽאתְךָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ	3		You will not eat over it what is leavened. Seven days you will eat over it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, for in haste you came forth from the land of Egypt, so that you remember the day of your going out from the land of Egypt all the days of your life.	3d	4C	20 33
וְלֹֽא־יֵרָאֶ֨ה לְךָ֥ שְׂאֹ֛ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻלְךָ֖ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וְלֹא־יָלִ֣ין מִן־הַבָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּזְבַּ֥ח בָּעֶ֛רֶב בַּיּ֥וֹם הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן לַבֹּֽקֶר	4		And yeast will not be seen for you in all your borders seven days. And from the flesh, that you will sacrifice in the evening on the first day, nothing will bide to the morning.	3d	4B	17 22
לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לִזְבֹּ֣חַ אֶת־הַפָּ֑סַח בְּאַחַ֣ד שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ	5	f	You cannot offer the Passover, in one of your gates that Yahweh your God is giving to you.	3e	4B	10 18
כִּ֠י אִֽם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ לְשַׁכֵּ֣ן שְׁמ֔וֹ שָׁ֛ם תִּזְבַּ֥ח אֶת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בָּעָ֑רֶב כְּב֣וֹא הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ מוֹעֵ֖ד צֵֽאתְךָ֥ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם	6	~	But rather at the place where Yahweh your God will choose for his name to dwell there. You will offer the Passover in the evening, as the sun goes down, at the appointed time of your going out from Egypt.	3d	4C	31 13
וּבִשַּׁלְתָּ֙ וְאָ֣כַלְתָּ֔ בַּמָּק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּ֑וֹ וּפָנִ֣יתָ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהָלַכְתָּ֖ לְאֹהָלֶֽיךָ	7		And you will boil and you will eat in the place which Yahweh your God will choose for it. And you will about-face in the morning, and you will walk to your tents.	3d	4B	22 16
שֵׁ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים תֹּאכַ֣ל מַצּ֑וֹת וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י עֲצֶ֙רֶת֙ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מְלָאכָֽה	8	f	Six days you will eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day will be a conclave of Yahweh your God. You will do no line of work.	3e	4B	8 22
שִׁבְעָ֥ה שָׁבֻעֹ֖ת תִּסְפָּר־לָ֑ךְ מֵהָחֵ֤ל חֶרְמֵשׁ֙ בַּקָּמָ֔ה תָּחֵ֣ל לִסְפֹּ֔ר שִׁבְעָ֖ה שָׁבֻעֽוֹת	9		Seven sevens you will count for yourself. From the commencement of the scythe in the risen corn, commence counting seven sevens.	3e	4C	8 17
וְעָשִׂ֜יתָ חַ֤ג שָׁבֻעוֹת֙ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ מִסַּ֛ת נִדְבַ֥ת יָדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֵּ֑ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יְבָרֶכְךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ	10		And you will make the feast of weeks to Yahweh your God an enforced service, a freewill offering of your hand that you will give, as blesses you, Yahweh your God.	3d	4C	24 13
וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֞ לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אַתָּ֨ה וּבִנְךָ֣ וּבִתֶּךָ֮ וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וַאֲמָתֶךָ֒ וְהַלֵּוִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ וְהַגֵּ֛ר וְהַיָּת֥וֹם וְהָאַלְמָנָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ בַּמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם	11		And you will be glad in the presence of Yahweh your God, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite that is in your gates, and the guest, and the orphan, and the widow that is among you, in the place where Yahweh your God will choose for his name to dwell there.	3d	4C	58 19
וְזָ֣כַרְתָּ֔ כִּי־עֶ֥בֶד הָיִ֖יתָ בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ וְעָשִׂ֔יתָ אֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה	12		And remember that a servant you were in Egypt, and you will keep and you will do these statutes.	3e	4B	13 15
חַ֧ג הַסֻּכֹּ֛ת תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים בְּאָ֨סְפְּךָ֔ מִֽגָּרְנְךָ֖ וּמִיִּקְבֶֽךָ	13	c	The feast of tabernacles you will undertake for yourself seven days, into your gathering from your threshing-floor and from your wine-vats.	3c	4B	13 13
וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֖ בְּחַגֶּ֑ךָ אַתָּ֨ה וּבִנְךָ֤ וּבִתֶּ֙ךָ֙ וְעַבְדְּךָ֣ וַאֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְהַלֵּוִ֗י וְהַגֵּ֛ר וְהַיָּת֥וֹם וְהָאַלְמָנָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ	14		And you will be glad in your feasts, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your servant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the guest, and the orphans, and the widows that are in your gates.	3d	4C	8 40
שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים תָּחֹג֙ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֣י יְבָרֶכְךָ֞ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בְּכֹ֤ל תְּבוּאָֽתְךָ֙ וּבְכֹל֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֔יךָ וְהָיִ֖יתָ אַ֥ךְ שָׂמֵֽחַ	15		Seven days you will feast to Yahweh your God in the place where Yahweh will choose, for Yahweh your God will bless you in all your income and in every deed of your hands, and you will surely be glad.	3e	4C	21 33
שָׁל֣וֹשׁ פְּעָמִ֣ים ׀ בַּשָּׁנָ֡ה יֵרָאֶ֨ה כָל־זְכוּרְךָ֜ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְחָ֔ר בְּחַ֧ג הַמַּצּ֛וֹת וּבְחַ֥ג הַשָּׁבֻע֖וֹת וּבְחַ֣ג הַסֻּכּ֑וֹת וְלֹ֧א יֵרָאֶ֛ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה רֵיקָֽם	16		Three times in the year your every male will appear before Yahweh your God in the place where he will choose: in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles, and he will not appear before Yahweh empty.	3c	4B	47 12
אִ֖ישׁ כְּמַתְּנַ֣ת יָד֑וֹ כְּבִרְכַּ֛ת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ	17	g	Each according to the endowment of his hand, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God, that he has given to you.	3d	4B	6 14
שֹׁפְטִ֣ים וְשֹֽׁטְרִ֗ים תִּֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ לִשְׁבָטֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁפְט֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִשְׁפַּט־צֶֽדֶק	18		Judges and overseers you will permit for you in all your gates that Yahweh your God is giving to you for your sceptres, and they will judge the people, a judgment of righteousness.	3c	4B	31 10
לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם	19		You will not bend judgment. You will not recognize preference, and you will not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the shrewd and undermines the words of the righteous.	3e	4B	9 25
צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ	20	f	Righteousness. Righteousness you will pursue, so that you will live, and you will possess the land that Yahweh your God is giving to you.	3e	4C	6 24
לֹֽא־תִטַּ֥ע לְךָ֛ אֲשֵׁרָ֖ה כָּל־עֵ֑ץ אֵ֗צֶל מִזְבַּ֛ח יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ	21		You will not plant for yourself a fetish of any tree, next to the altar of Yahweh your God, that you will make for yourself.	3d	4A	9 16
וְלֹֽא־תָקִ֥ים לְךָ֖ מַצֵּבָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂנֵ֖א יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ	22		And you will not place for yourself a monument, that Yahweh your God hates.	3e	4A	8 10

Special pre-order price for The Song in the Night

Friends, please spread this news. My new book The Song in the Night is now available. And for the next few days - until November 16, you can get it at only $12.59 from the US publisher.  Regular price is $17.99.

The book is 152 pages and is about the music that can be derived from the text of the Hebrew Bible. It tells the story of the Bible in music. There are over 200 examples of the music. And it also tells you how the music is derived and something of the struggle to understand these strange marks in the text over the last 1000 years.

I am really over the top about how this book has been received to date by both scholar and pastor. The book combines both these loves for me: how things work and how we can learn to work together. Music does this for you.

This is a very interesting, user-friendly publication! I initially opened it in my IPhone but found myself reading it with great interest, not least because Bob explains difficult issues so clearly.

Susan Gillingham, Fellow and Tutor in Theology, 

Professor of the Hebrew Bible, Worcester College Oxford

Bob MacDonald brings to the song of the Scriptures a meticulous attention to detail, an eye for imagery and symbol, and a heart for the feel and tone of the text that inspires the reader to look with fresh eyes at these ancient sacred writings. He enlivens the story with beauty and faith that is evident on every page.

Christopher Page, Rector, St Philip’s Oak Bay

For several years now Bob has on occasion treated our congregation to a taste of how Jesus himself may have heard the Scriptures sung in the Synagogue.  Congregations integrating the music of the Hebrew Scriptures into their worship in this way will be deeply enriched, not just because it brings us closer to the historical setting of Jesus’ experience, not just by the beauty of the music, but most importantly by how these settings invite us to hear the word of God anew.  We are indebted to Bob’s work to make this possible.

Rev. Dr. Travis O’Brian, Rector, St Barnabas Anglican Church; 

Director of Anglican Studies, Vancouver School of Theology

Bob MacDonald's book is clearly both a work of detailed scholarship and a labor of love. With the help of computer technology, MacDonald, building on the work of Haik-Vantoura and an important key provided by Psalm 114, turns the puzzling markings that pervade manuscripts in the Hebrew Bible into music. I have no doubt that the years to come will witness not only vigorous debate about this procedure among scholars, but also performances and adaptations of the music MacDonald provides. Even if someone is skeptical about the interpretation of these symbols as musical notation, or this specific interpretation of them, they can still benefit from something MacDonald does that is, to my knowledge, unprecedented. By recognizing that these are performance markings, we can tell that certain passages in the Hebrew Bible were performed in the same way, using comparable melodic lines. And so we have here very old evidence of how cantors viewed texts as related to one another, and depicted that relationship through the very act of melodic recitation. The importance of this work for those interested in the interpretation and reception history of the Bible, as well as the more specific field of the Bible and music, should not be underestimated.

Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature Department of Philosophy & Religion, Butler University

2 Chronicles 8

This chapter popped up the automated list to 60% completed by word when I had finished 1 Kings 9. That will continue to happen, particularly in Samuel, Kings and Chronicles, perhaps even with higher percentages, the further I get into the text. These two chapters are parallels but they betray differing authors, perhaps even differing sources of the same material.

One could make a sentence of verse 9 by ignoring the relative pronoun. But I didn't, so the sentence seems incomplete. There is no relative pronoun (אשׁר) in the parallel. Perhaps a scribe copied the relative pronoun from the prior verse. Both verses are about people's children. It could then be seen as an inadvertent nod to a community that had less regard for race and tribe, anticipating a covenant that is wider than national self-interest.

2 Chronicles 8		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיְהִ֞י מִקֵּ֣ץ ׀ עֶשְׂרִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֧ה שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה וְאֶת־בֵּיתֽוֹ	1		And it happened at the end of twenty years that Solomon had built the house of Yahweh and his house.	3c	4B	23
וְהֶעָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָתַ֤ן חוּרָם֙ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה בָּנָ֥ה שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה אֹתָ֑ם וַיּ֥וֹשֶׁב שָׁ֖ם אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	2		The cities that Hiram gave to Solomon, Solomon had them built, and he had the children of Israel settle there.	3e	4C	20 10
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ חֲמָ֣ת צוֹבָ֔ה וַיֶּחֱזַ֖ק עָלֶֽיהָ	3		And Solomon went to Hamath-Zobah and was resolute over it.	3e	4C	17
וַיִּ֥בֶן אֶת־תַּדְמֹ֖ר בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְאֵת֙ כָּל־עָרֵ֣י הַֽמִּסְכְּנ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָ֖ה בַּחֲמָֽת	4		And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the cities of storerooms that he built in Hamath.	3e	4B	9 16
וַיִּ֜בֶן אֶת־בֵּ֤ית חוֹרוֹן֙ הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן וְאֶת־בֵּ֥ית חוֹר֖וֹן הַתַּחְתּ֑וֹן עָרֵ֣י מָצ֔וֹר חוֹמ֖וֹת דְּלָתַ֥יִם וּבְרִֽיחַ	5		And he built BethHoron the upper part, and BethHoron the lower part, cities fortified with ramparts gateways and bars,	3e	4C	18 12
וְאֶֽת־בַּעֲלָ֗ת וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־עָרֵ֤י הַֽמִּסְכְּנוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָי֣וּ לִשְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וְאֵת֙ כָּל־עָרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב וְאֵ֖ת עָרֵ֣י הַפָּרָשִׁ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת ׀ כָּל־חֵ֣שֶׁק שְׁלֹמֹ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָשַׁק֙ לִבְנ֤וֹת בִּירֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ וּבַלְּבָנ֔וֹן וּבְכֹ֖ל אֶ֥רֶץ מֶמְשַׁלְתּֽוֹ	6		And Baalat and all the cities of storerooms that are of Solomon, and all the cities of the chariots, and the cities of the cavalry, and all the commitment of Solomon that he was committed to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his governance.	3e	4C	37 29
כָּל־הָ֠עָם הַנּוֹתָ֨ר מִן־הַחִתִּ֜י וְהָאֱמֹרִ֤י וְהַפְּרִזִּי֙ וְהַחִוִּ֣י וְהַיְבוּסִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹ֥א מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵֽמָּה	7		All the people remaining from the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, who are not from Israel, they,	3d	4C	36
מִן־בְּנֵיהֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נוֹתְר֤וּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־כִלּ֖וּם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּעֲלֵ֤ם שְׁלֹמֹה֙ לְמַ֔ס עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה	8		from their children who remained after them in the land that the children of Israel did not consume, Solomon brought them up into forced service to this day.	3e	4C	24 14
וּמִן־בְּנֵי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹא־נָתַ֧ן שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה לַעֲבָדִ֖ים לִמְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ כִּי־הֵ֜מָּה אַנְשֵׁ֤י מִלְחָמָה֙ וְשָׂרֵ֣י שָׁלִישָׁ֔יו וְשָׂרֵ֥י רִכְבּ֖וֹ וּפָרָשָֽׁיו	9		But from the children of Israel whom Solomon did not assign as servants for his affairs, ... for they are men from battle, and his nobility his adjutants, and the chiefs of his chariot, and his cavaliers.	3c	4C	22 22
וְאֵ֨לֶּה שָׂרֵ֤י הַנִּצָּבִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־לַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים וּמָאתָ֑יִם הָרֹדִ֖ים בָּעָֽם	10		And these were the chiefs of the monitors that were of king Solomon, two hundred and fifty, the rulers over the people.	3d	4C	24 5
וְאֶת־בַּת־פַּרְעֹ֗ה הֶעֱלָ֤ה שְׁלֹמֹה֙ מֵעִ֣יר דָּוִ֔יד לַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּֽנָה־לָ֑הּ כִּ֣י אָמַ֗ר לֹא־תֵשֵׁ֨ב אִשָּׁ֥ה לִי֙ בְּבֵית֙ דָּוִ֣יד מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּי־קֹ֣דֶשׁ הֵ֔מָּה אֲשֶׁר־בָּֽאָ֥ה אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם אֲר֥וֹן יְהוָֽה	11		And the daughter of Pharaoh, Solomon brought up from the city of David to the house that was built for her, for he said, My wife will not settle in the house of David king of Israel, for they are holy, those to which came the ark of Yahweh.	3e	4C	23 32
אָ֣ז הֶעֱלָ֧ה שְׁלֹמֹ֛ה עֹל֖וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה עַ֚ל מִזְבַּ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּנָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הָאוּלָֽם	12	B	Then Solomon offered up burnt offerings to Yahweh, upon the altar of Yahweh that he had built before the porch,	3c	4C	11 14
וּבִדְבַר־י֣וֹם בְּי֗וֹם לְהַעֲלוֹת֙ כְּמִצְוַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה לַשַּׁבָּתוֹת֙ וְלֶ֣חֳדָשִׁ֔ים וְלַמּ֣וֹעֲד֔וֹת שָׁל֥וֹשׁ פְּעָמִ֖ים בַּשָּׁנָ֑ה בְּחַ֧ג הַמַּצּ֛וֹת וּבְחַ֥ג הַשָּׁבֻע֖וֹת וּבְחַ֥ג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת	13		so, in a word, day by day, to offer up according to the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and for the appointed times, three times in the year, in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.	3c	4B	37 16
וַיַּעֲמֵ֣ד כְּמִשְׁפַּ֣ט דָּֽוִיד־אָ֠בִיו אֶת־מַחְלְק֨וֹת הַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים עַל־עֲבֹדָתָ֗ם וְהַלְוִיִּ֣ם עַל־מִ֠שְׁמְרוֹתָם לְהַלֵּ֨ל וּלְשָׁרֵ֜ת נֶ֤גֶד הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ לִדְבַר־י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִ֥ים בְּמַחְלְקוֹתָ֖ם לְשַׁ֣עַר וָשָׁ֑עַר כִּ֣י כֵ֔ן מִצְוַ֖ת דָּוִ֥יד אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִֽים	14		And he installed, according to the framework of David his father, the divisions of the priests per their service, and the Levites per their watches, to praise, and to minister before the priests for the word, day by day, and the gatekeepers in their divisions, gate by gate, for so had commanded David the man of God.	3e	4C	67 11
וְלֹ֣א סָרוּ֩ מִצְוַ֨ת הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ עַל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֛ם לְכָל־דָּבָ֖ר וְלָאֹצָרֽוֹת	15		And they did not put aside the commandments of the king, the priests and the Levites, for any matter, or for the treasuries.	3c	4B	27
וַתִּכֹּן֙ כָּל־מְלֶ֣אכֶת שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה עַד־הַיּ֛וֹם מוּסַ֥ד בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה וְעַד־כְּלֹת֑וֹ שָׁלֵ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה	16		And all the lines of work for Solomon were established until the day of the foundation of the house of Yahweh, and until it was finished. The house of Yahweh was made whole.	3d	4B	23 5
אָז֩ הָלַ֨ךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה לְעֶצְיֽוֹן־גֶּ֧בֶר וְאֶל־אֵיל֛וֹת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ אֱדֽוֹם	17	~	Then Solomon went to Etsion-geber and to Hart [Eiloth] by the bank of the sea in the land of Edom.	3c	3g	25
וַיִּֽשְׁלַֽח־לוֹ֩ חוּרָ֨ם בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֜יו אֳנִיּ֗וֹת וַעֲבָדִים֮ י֣וֹדְעֵי יָם֒ וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ עִם־עַבְדֵ֤י שְׁלֹמֹה֙ אוֹפִ֔ירָה וַיִּקְח֣וּ מִשָּׁ֔ם אַרְבַּע־מֵא֥וֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים כִּכַּ֣ר זָהָ֑ב וַיָּבִ֖יאוּ אֶל־הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹֽה	18		And Hiram sent him by the hand of his servants, ships, and servants with knowledge of the sea, and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir and took from there four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and they came to king Solomon.	3e	4C	50 11