Ancient Hebrew Poetry

A Plea for Fully Footnoted Translation: Isaiah 38:9-20 as Case in Point

It is currently the case that in using a translation of the Hebrew Bible, it is often unclear how and why the translation departs, or seems to depart, from the traditional text. The problem might be solved in the future by offering better and fuller textual notes to the translation, and a footnoted online edition of the emended version of the received text that served as the base of the translation.

I offer an example of what I have in mind (for the Hebrew and the entire post, go here). In the formatting of the Hebrew text, the prosodic-syntactic division implied by the accents of the Masoretic text (MT) is not always followed. Departures are marked with a circulus. In the footnotes, standard abbreviations are employed. The footnoted translation alone is offered below the fold.

The Beginning of the End of Barack Obama’s Presidential Bid

This is what Barack had to say:

Yesterday, we saw a very different vision of America. I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened over the spectacle that we saw yesterday.

You know, I have been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ since 1992. I have known Reverend Wright for almost 20 years. The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago. His comments were not only divisive and destructive, but I believe that they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate and I believe that they do not portray accurately the perspective of the black church.

Why, in my opinion, is this the beginning of the end of his presidential bid? Because what Reverend Wright said this time around was more measured, not less, than what he said on numerous previous occasions. Barack has performed a classic flip-flop. For a candidate whose chief appeal has been a step away from the usual, that may prove to be a fatal misstep.

From my perspective, a nightmare is becoming reality. African-American liberationist theology, despite its outrageous edginess, gift for hyperbole, and dissemination of a few, easily identifiable falsehoods, needs to be heard and understood by white America. After these statements by Barack Obama, the possibility of that happening in the future is much diminished.   

Hezekiah’s Health Lost and Found: Isaiah 38:9-20: Introduction

Isaiah 38:9-20 is not a prayer per se, but the account of a prayer and of an answer to the prayer, and of a commitment to praise God forever in response to divine healing. In a previous post, I provided a straight-up translation of MT. The result included unintelligible phrases and expressions that are improbable in context.

In a forthcoming post – this post serves as an introduction - I offer another scansion and translation of Isaiah 38:9-20. As is the case with a number of translations – for example, NJPSV, NRSV, REB, NAB, NJB, and NET - an emended version of the received text is the point of departure for translation. On the basis of text-critical reasoning and extant ancient witnesses, the text is restored to a more pristine state in places where the traditional text seems to have suffered wear and tear. The stichographic arrangement and lineation of the restored text coincides, in most cases, with that proposed by Joachim Begrich, and replicated, with some modifications, in BHS and HET. Stichographic arrangement of 38:10-20 has a tradition of scholarship behind it, but it must be emphasized: the text’s stichography must be inferred. It cannot be obtained except by setting aside the masoretic prosodic-syntactic parse.

Christianity Today interviews Jim Wallis

The interview is well worth a read, and is available online. It is full of interesting anecdotes from his career as an evangelical social activist. For many evangelicals, he, alongside Tony Campolo and Ron Sider, have been important voices to listen to. I remember bringing him to the University of Toronto campus decades ago. Agree or disagree, I’ve always thought of him as a straight-shooter. Here are some excerpts from the interview:

Introducing Maureen Girkins, Zondervan’s CEO

Here’s the interview. She is the new head of Zondervan Publishing. In the interview, she describes her journey from Roman Catholic to evangelical Christianity. I was particularly struck by her remark that “The Bible Experience audio Bible was the best-selling Bible of 2007.” I realize how important the audio medium is, but I didn’t know that audio Bibles are outselling print Bibles.

My son Giovanni has slept fewer night-time hours in the last few months than his Dad has – that’s saying a lot - putting together audio and video for a contest that now sends him and his friends to a national runoff. He has not been able to set me up for podcasts yet. But the time will come.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the greatest pseudo-intellectual of them all? A Classy List of the Top 100 Intellectuals in the World

Here’s the link. No, the title of this post does not refer to Al Gore. I actually wish we had more wannabe intellectuals like him in the political class.

So, how many on FP’s list are you familiar with? If you ask me, this is a very fun game. Below the fold, (1) a list of all those I could carry on a conversation with based on things I’ve read by them; (2) a list of those I’ve spoken with in person or corresponded with; (3) authors any self-respecting intellectual must read if she hasn’t already:

A Splendid New Bible Translation: The New Zürcher Bibel

Jim West was the first, I think, to greet the appearance of the new Zürcher Bibel (2007; second edition, 2008) in the blogosphere. So far as I know, however, he has not actually introduced it to his readers. Well then, let me do the honors.

The War between anti-ESVers and anti-TNIVers: My Stand

Not long ago, I began a series of posts (go here for the last installment) in which I compare NJPSV and ESV across Isaiah 38:9-20 in search of silent emendations to the traditional Hebrew text. The ensuing comment thread, however, has been dominated by attacks aimed at ESV unrelated to the subject matter of the posts. As one of the attackers makes clear, the ultimate target is not the ESV translation per se, but those like J. I. Packer who praise ESV and attack TNIV.

Calvinist and Charismatic

In a previous post, I showcased a chapel talk by James K. A. Smith, a professor of philosophy at Calvin College. CT in its May 2008 issue carries a repackaging of that talk into a sleek article entitled “Teaching a Calvinist to Dance.” To be both charismatic and Calvinist is considered by many to be a contradiction in terms. In polite society, furthermore, both terms are often used as slurs.

Iyov asked me back then to say more about what it’s like to be a charismatic. I haven’t done that yet, but I should. What is it like to speak in tongues? And faith healing, isn’t that just hocus-pocus? I like to look for natural explanations to things – without thereby excluding a divine role “under the hood.” There must be a physiological explanation for the feeling of electric warmth that is sometimes experienced in the laying on of hands. But I don’t know what it is. There may be an explanation for premonitory dreams – some of them terribly specific in detail – but once again, I don’t know what it is.

According to CT, Smith’s book Thinking in Tongues: Elements of a Pentecostal Worldview will be published next year by Eerdmans. I look forward to reading it.

Reflections on Suicide

My community and the high school where my oldest attends were recently convulsed by a suicide. Of course, not everyone knew Ethan. For those who didn’t, his suicide reminded them of someone else’s. It has been a time of soul-searching for many.

How often did I hear the question raised in the last few days, shouted or whispered: is someone who commits suicide destined to go to hell? Whatever one thinks of that question, it must at least be admitted that it is a common one. At the very least, the question is a symptom of the grave dis-ease we feel, or most of us feel, in the presence of suicide.