From: Thomas J. Kraus (tj.kraus@gmx.de)
Date: Mon Aug 27 2001 - 14:53:17 EDT
Dear Richard,
thanks for replying. There are indications in the LXX text that the
PERILOIPOI in Psalm 20:12 are to be understand as the "surviving"
(Lust/Eynikel/Hauspie), "rest (of a military unit/group)". You are right in
pointing out that there is a break after 20:8, and then the king´s enemies
are mentioned. Verse 10 has the verb SUNTARASSW (the Masora has BaLaH as
"to devour", "to swallow down/up" ...), which quite often is used in a
military context ("to bring in disorder"; other meanings: "to trouble", "to
stir up", "to frighten"), the idea of killing one´s enemy´s "offspring" and
"seed" (20:11), based on the principle of blood vengeance during ancient
warfare (possibly, a reference to the wars of extermination of the
Canaanites at the conquest, see Jos 6:21; 10:28-39; 11:14; Pss. 9:6;
137:9), or the plan they imagined (20:12).
Your translation helps a lot, Richard, even if I do not agree with it in
every detail. What I will do next as a last step is to look through the
Fathers´ commentaries, to give a brief overview of how the psalm was
understood in the first centuries of Christian exegesis.
If there is any more remark on LXX Psalm 20, the Fathers´ discussion of
that, or the like, please, tell me offline. I am looking forward to any
reply!
Thomas J. Kraus
--Richard Ghilardi wrote------snip--------
> Since no one has attemped a response to this as yet, here's my "little
> greeker's" shot at it.
>
> Although the king puts his trust in the Lord, v. 8, he does have enemies,
> v. 9. I understand these to be MILITARY opponents. Further, I understand
> vss. 9, 10, 12 and 13 to be describing, in poetic language, a MILITARY
> encounter.
>
> First the Greek text:
>
> 9) hEUREQEIH hH CEIR SOU PASIN TOIS ECQROIS SOU,
> hH DEXIA SOU hEUROI PANTAS TOUS MISOUNTAS SE.
> 10) QHSEIS AUTOUS hWS KLIBANON PUROS EIS KAIRON TOU PROSWPOU SOU '
> KURIOS EN ORGHi AUTOU SUNTARAXEI AUTOUS,
> KAI KATAFAGETAI AUTOUS PUR.
> 11) ...
> 12) hOTI EKLINAN EIS SE KAKA,
> DIELOGISANTO BOULHN, hHN OU MH DUNWNTAI STHSAI.
> 13) hOTI QHSEIS AUTOUS NWTON '
> EN TOIS PERILOIPOIS SOU hETOIMASEIS TO PROSWPON
> AUTWN.
>
> Here's how I would render it:
>
> 9) May your hand strike down [be found by] all your enemies,
> may your right hand strike down [find] all those who hate you.
> 10) You will force [put] them into a critical encounter [the opportunity]
> with [of] your front line [face] as into a fiery furnace.
> The Lord in his anger will terrorize them,
> and fire will eat them up.
> 11) ...
> 12) For they intended [to make] trouble for you.
> They devised a strategem which they could never pull off.
> 13) For you will attack their rear flank; [push them with respect to
> their
> backside];
> With the rest of your [forces] you will prepare [to attack] their
> front line [face].
>
> I think the words in brackets pretty much explain and justify my
> translation.
---
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