A Handbook on Isaiah 9781575065113

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A Handbook on Isaiah

i

Textual Criticism and the Translator Volume 1 Edited by Harold P. Scanlin

Published for the United Bible Societies, New York, New York by Eisenbrauns, Winona Lake, Indiana

ii

A Handbook on Isaiah

by Jan de Waard

Eisenbrauns Winona Lake, Indiana 1997 iii

Ç 1997 by Eisenbrauns. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Waard, Jan de A Handbook on Isaiah / by Jan de Waard. p. cm. — (Textual criticism and the translator ; v. 1). Includes bibliographical references (p. ) ISBN 1-57506-023-X (alk. paper) 1. Bible. O.T. Isaiah—Criticism, Textual. 2. Bible. O.T. Translating. I. Title. II. Series. BS1515.2.W22 1997 224u.10446—dc21

Isaiah—

97-32827 CIP

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.† iv

CONTENTS Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

vii ix xi

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1

ISAIAH 1–10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

ISAIAH 11–20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

54

ISAIAH 21– 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

91

ISAIAH 31– 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 ISAIAH 41–50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 ISAIAH 51– 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 ISAIAH 61– 66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

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Contents

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P R E FAC E The United Bible Societies, a global fellowship of 135 national Bible Societies, is currently engaged in over 600 Bible translation projects throughout the world. It is the Bible Societies’ policy to base their translations on the best available editions of the ancient texts. UBS and its member societies have taken an active role in producing critical editions by calling upon leading textual scholars, specializing in both Old Testament and New Testament, to prepare these editions. For the New Testament, the American Bible Society, the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Netherlands Bible Society, and the Württemberg Bible Society, under the inspiration and leadership of Dr. Eugene A. Nida, brought together an international team of New Testament textual scholars: Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Bruce Metzger, and Allen Wikgren, later joined by Barbara Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, and Carlo Martini. The result was the publication of the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament (1966), now in its fourth edition (1993), which has served an entire generation of Bible translators. A perusal of the prefaces to most modern Bible translations reveals that this edition has formed the basis for their work. In 1969 the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project was launched, again under the leadership of Dr. Nida, with Dominique Barthélemy, Alexander R. Hulst, Norbert Loh˜nk, William D. McHardy, H. Peter Rüger, and James A. Sanders serving on the committee. The purpose of the project was thoroughly to analyze about 5,000 textually di¯cult passages in the Masoretic Text with a view toward offering translators the insights of these leading textual scholars and providing proposals for translation of these di¯cult passages. This project produced a ˜ve-volume Preliminary and Interim Report, and under the pen of the committee’s chairman, Dr. Dominique Barthélemy, the ˜rst three volumes of the ˜nal report, Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, have been published. Based in a signi˜cant measure on the groundbreaking work of Barthélemy and the rest of the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, it became clear that the time had come to produce a new edition of Biblia Hebraica, to supersede the Stuttgartensia edition, which itself was a revision of Kahle’s third edition of Biblia Hebraica. It is hoped that the ˜rst fascicle of this new edition, The Megillot, will be published in 1998. vii

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Bibliography Preface

All these publications have taken their place as basic tools for original language Bible study, text-critical studies, exegesis, and Bible translation. Nevertheless, the United Bible Societies felt that it would be important to offer Bible translators additional help if they were to make the best use of these fundamental works. Accordingly, we have launched this series, “Textual Criticism and the Translator,” to provide translators with additional help in applying the results of these textual studies in their work. We are convinced that many others will bene˜t from these studies, and we are pleased to launch this series under the publishing auspices of Eisenbrauns, thereby reaching a wider audience. The ˜rst volume in the series is a Textual Handbook on Isaiah, produced by Dr. Jan de Waard, who combines a high level of competence in Old Testament textual studies and experience as a translator and translation consultant for the United Bible Societies. Through this special combination of skills, he combines careful textual analysis with practical recommendations for exegesis and translation. Future volumes are being planned to offer similar treatments of other Old Testament books, as well as an English edition of the introductions to the three published Final Report volumes by Dominique Barthélemy. These extensive introductions, totaling over 400 pages in the original French edition, provide a comprehensive guide to the whole subject of Old Testament textual criticism and its implications for Bible translation. It is hoped that other volumes will deal with the text of the New Testament. This series, which we hope will serve to encourage textual studies by both Bible translators and exegetes, would not have been possible without the vision of Dr. Eugene A. Nida, who recognized the vital importance of source texts based on the best of scholarship. Special appreciation and thanks is also expressed for the monumental work of Dominique Barthélemy which forms the foundation of the present volume. Harold P. Scanlin Series Editor

L I S T O F A B B R E V I AT IO N S BDB

Brown, Driver, and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament BHK Biblia Hebraica (ed. R. Kittel; 1937) BHS Biblia Hebraica Suttgartensia (4th edition, 1990) BJ La Bible de Jérusalem (1973) BP La Bible: Ancien Testament (Bibliothèque de la Pléiade, 1956–59) BR M. Buber and F. Rosenzweig, Bücher der Kündung (1985) C De Heilige Schrift, in opdracht van “Petrus Canisius” (1990) CTAT D. Barthélemy, Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament EÜ Einheitsübersetzung der Heiligen Schrift: Das Alte Testament (1974) FC La Bible en français courant (1986) GN Die Gute Nachricht: Die Bibel in heutigem Deutsch (1982) GNB Good News Bible (1978) GrN Groot Nieuws Bijbel: Vertaling in omgangstaal (1983) HUB The Hebrew University Bible: The Book of Isaiah (1975–81) HALAT W. Baumgartner et al., Hebräisches und aramäisches Lexikon zum Alten Testament KJV The King James Version L Luther Translation: Biblia germanica (1545) LB The Living Bible (1985) LV De Bijbel naar de Leidse Vertaling (1899–1912) Moffatt James Moffatt, A New Translation of the Bible (1935) NAB The New American Bible (1970) NAV Die nuwe Afrikaans Vertaling (1983) NEB The New English Bible: The Old Testament (1970) NFB The New Frisian Bible (1978) NIV The New International Version (1988) NJB The New Jerusalem Bible (1985) NJV The New Jewish Version of the Jewish Publication Society (1985) NRSV The New Revised Standard Version (1989) NV Nieuwe Vertaling (1953) REB The Revised English Bible (1989) ix

x RL RSV S SR StV TEV TILC TOB TOT W Z

Abbreviations Bibliography Revidierter Luther Text (Revised Luther Version; 1984) Revised Standard Version (1952) Version Segond (1910) Nouvelle version Segond révisée (1978) Staten Vertaling (States General Translation; 1618–19) Today’s English Version (= GNB) Traduzione interconfessionale in lingua corrente (1989) Traduction oecuménique de la Bible (1988) Translator’s Old Testament: The Book of Isaiah (1987) Willibrord Vertaling (1975) Zürcher Bibel (1947)

BIBLIOGRAPHY Abel, F. M. Géographie de la Palestine. Paris: J. Gabalda, 1967. Abravanel, I. Commentaries on the Tanach. Jerusalem: Books Export Enterprises, 1955–1963. Aistleitner, J. Wörterbuch der Ugaritischen Sprache. Berlin: AkademieVerlag, 1974. Allegro, J. M. “The Meaning of ˆyb in Isaiah XLIV,4.” ZAW 63 (1951) 154–56. Azharî, M. Tahdhîb al-lugha. Edited by çAbd al-Salem Muhammad Harun. Cairo: al-Dar al-Misriya lil-Talif wal-Targama, 1964–67. Bach, R. Die Auˆorderungen zur Flucht und zum Kampf im alttestamentlichen Prophetenspruch. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1962. Bahbout, S. “Sull’interpretazione dei vv. 10–11 del cap.3 di Isaia.” AStE 1 (1963–64) 23–26. Barth, H. Die Jesaja-Worte in der Josiazeit. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1977. Barthélemy, D. Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament 2. Fribourg: Éditions Universitaires / Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1986. Bauer, H., and P. Leander. Historische Grammatik der hebräischen Sprache des Alten Testamentes. Halle: Max Niemeyer, 1922. Begrich, J. Der Psalm des Hiskia. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1926. Ben Hayim. Biblia Rabbinica. Edited by Jacob ben Hayim ibn Adoniya. Venice, 1525 / Jerusalem: Makor, 1972. Ben Yehuda, E. Thesaurus totius hebraitatis et veteris et recentioris. Berlin: Schöneberg, 1908–59. Bergmeier, R. “Das Streben nach Gewinn: Des Volkes ˆwO[;.” ZAW 81 (1969) 93–97. Beuken, W. A. M. Jesaja IIA, IIIA, IIIB. Nijkerk: Callenbach, 1986–89. Bonnard, P. E. Le Second Isaïe: Son disciple et leurs éditeurs. Paris: J. Gabalda, 1972. Böttcher, F. Proben alttestamentlicher Schrifterklärung. Leipzig: Weidmann, 1833. Böttcher, F. Neue exegetisch-kritische Aehrenlese. Edited by F. Mühlau. Leipzig: J. A. Barth, 1863–65. xi

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Bredenkamp, C. J. Der Prophet Jesaia erläutert. Erlangen: Andreas Deichert, 1887. Brockington, L. H. The Hebrew Text of the Old Testament: The Readings Adopted by the Translators of the New English Bible. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1973. Bronznick, N. M. “The Semantics of Root hls in Its Branches.” Leshonenu 41 (1976–77) 161–75. Brownlee, W. H. The Meaning of the Qumran Scrolls for the Bible. New York: Oxford University Press, 1964. Buber, M. “Bemerkungen zu Jesaja.” MGWJ 74 (1930) 191–94, 340–44. Burkitt, F. C. “The Waters of Shiloah That Go Softly.” JTS 12 (1911) 294–95. Calderone, J. “Supplementary Note on HDL-II.” CBQ 24 (1962) 412–19. Calvin, J. Commentarii in Isaiam prophetam. . . . Corpus Reformatorum 64– 66. Brunswick: Appelhans, 1887–89. Cappel, L. Commentarii et notae criticae in V.T. Amsterdam: P. & J. Blaeu, 1684. Carmignac, J. “Six passages d’Isaïe éclairés par Qumran.” Pp. 37–46 in Bibel und Qumran: H. Bardtke. Berlin: Evangelische Haupt-Bibelgesellschaft, 1968. Cheyne, T. K. The Book of the Prophet Isaiah: Critical Edition of the Hebrew Text. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs, 1899. Clements, R. E. Isaiah 1–39. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1980. Cocceius, J. Lexicon et commentarius sermonis hebraici et chaldaici V.T. Amsterdam: ex o¯cinâ J. A. Someren, 1669. Condamin, A. Le livre d ’Isaïe. Paris: V. Lecoffre, 1905. Coste, J. “Le texte grec d’Isaïe 25, 1–5.” RB 61 (1954) 36–66. Dahood, M. “Hebrew-Ugaritic Lexicography IV.” Bib 47 (1966) 403–19. Dalman, G. “P˘ügelänge, Saatstreifen und Erntestreifen in Bibel und Mischna.” ZDPV 28 (1905) 27–35. David ben Abraham al Fasi. Hebrew-Arabic Dictionary of the Bible. Edited by S. L. Skoss. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1936–45. Delitzsch, F. Commentar über das Buch Jesaia. Leipzig: Dörf˘ing & Franke, 1889. Dieu, L. de. Critica sacra sive animadversiones . . . editio nova. Amsterdam: Gerardus Borstius, 1693. Dillmann, A., and R. Kittel. Der Prophet Jesaja erklärt. Leipzig: S. Hirzel, 1898. Donner, H. Israel unter den Völkern. Leiden: Brill, 1964. Donner, H., and W. Röllig. Kanaanäische und aramäische Inschriften. Wiesbaden: O. Harrassowitz, 1973–76. Driver, G. R. “Some Hebrew Verbs, Nouns, and Pronouns.” JTS 30 (1929) 371–78.

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. “Studies in the Vocabulary of the O.T.” JTS 34 (1933) 33–44. . “Linguistic and Textual Problems: Isaiah I–XXXIX.” JTS 38 (1937) 36–50. . “Mistranslations.” PEQ 79 (1947) 123–26. . “Hebrew Scrolls.” JTS n.s. 2 (1951) 17–30. . “Notes on Isaiah.” Pp. 42–48 in Von Ugarit nach Qumran. BZAW 77. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1958. . “On hemah ‘Hot Anger, Fury’ and Also ‘Fiery Wine’.” ThZ 14 (1958) 133–35. . “ ‘Another Little Drink’: Isaiah 28:1–22.” Pp. 47–67 in Words and Meanings: Essays Presented to David Winton Thomas. Edited by P. R. Ackroyd and B. Lindars. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1968. Duhm, B. Das Buch Jesaia übersetzt und erklärt. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1902. Ehrentreu, H. “Sprachliches und Sachliches aus dem Talmud.” JJLG 8 (1910) 4–8. Ehrlich, A. B. Randglossen zur hebräischen Bibel, Vierter Band: Jesaia, Jeremia. Hildesheim: G. Olms, 1968. Eitan, I. “A Contribution to Isaiah Exegesis.” HUCA 12–13 (1937–38) 55–88. Elliger, K. Deuterojesaja 1. Teilband Jesaja 40,1–45,7. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1978. Emerton, J. A. “A Textual Problem in Isaiah 25,2.” ZAW 89 (1977) 64–73. . “Notes on Two Verses in Isaiah.” Pp. 12–25 in Prophecy: Essays Presented to Georg Fohrer on His Sixty-Fifth Birthday, 6. September 1980. BZAW 150. Berlin, 1980. Eusebius. Eusebius Werke IX: Der Jesajakommentar. Edited by J. Ziegler. Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, 1975. Ewald, H. Ausführliches Lehrbuch der hebräischen Sprache des Alten Bundes. Göttingen: Dieterich, 1863. Feldmann, F. Das Buch Isaias. Münster: Aschendorff, 1925–26. Felix de Prato. Biblia rabbinica: Editio princeps. Venice: D. Bomberg, 1516– 17. Fischer, J. In welcher Schrift lag das Buch Isaias den LXX vor? Giessen: A. Töpelmann, 1930. Fitzmyer, J. A. The Aramaic Inscriptions of Sef îre. Rome: Ponti˜cal Biblical Institute, 1967. Fohrer, G. Das Buch Jesaja. Zurich: Zwingli Verlag, 1964–67. Foreiro, F. Iesaiae prophetae vetus et nova ex Hebraico versio, cum commentario. Antwerp, 1566. Gesenius, W. Ausführliches grammatisch-kritisches Lehrgebäude der hebräischen Sprache. . . . Leipzig: F. C. W. Vogel, 1817. . Der Prophet Jesaia neu übersetzt. Leipzig: F. C. W. Vogel, 1829.

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Rossi, J. B. de. Variae lectiones veteris testamenti librorum. Parma: Ex Regio Typographeo, 1784–88. Saadya. Oeuvres complètes III: Version arabe d ’Isaïe. Edited by J. Derenbourg. Paris: E. Leroux, 1896. Saebo, M. “Zur Traditionsgeschichte von Jesaia 8,9–10.” ZAW 76 (1964) 132– 43. Schleusner, J. F. Novus Thesaurus philologico-criticus sive lexicon in LXX et reliquos interpretes graecos ac Scriptores apocryphos, VT. Leipzig: Weidmann, 1820–21. Schoors, A. Jesaja. Roermond: J. J. Romen, 1972. Schultens, A. Opera minora. Leiden: Joh. Le Mair and H. A. de Chalmot, 1769. Schwally, F. “Miscellen.” ZAW 11 (1891) 169–83, 253–60. Scott, R. B.Y. “Isaiah XXI 1–10: The Inside of a Prophet’s Mind.” VT 2 (1952) 278–82. Seeligmann, I. L. The Septuagint Version of Isaiah. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1948. Selwyn, W. Horae hebraicae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1848. Simons, J. The Geographical and Topographical Texts of the Old Testament. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1959. Slotki, I. W. Isaiah. London: Soncino Press, 1949. Snijders, L. A. Jesaja deel I. Nijkerk, 1985. Sperber, A. The Bible in Aramaic. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1959–73. Stenning, J. F. The Targum of Isaiah. Oxford: Clarendon, 1949. Strugnell, J. “Notes en marge du volume V des ‘Discoveries in the Judaean Desert of Jordan.’ ” RdQ 7 (1970) 163–276. Talmon, S. “Double Readings in the Massoretic Text.” Textus 1 (1960) 144– 84. . “Aspects of the Textual Transmission of the Bible in the Light of Qumran Manuscripts.” Textus 4 (1964) 95–132. . “DSIa as a Witness to Ancient Exegesis of the Book of Isaiah.” Pp. 116–26 in Qumran and the History of the Biblical Text. Edited by F. M. Cross and S. Talmon. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1975. Thenius, O. Die Bücher der Könige. Leipzig: Weidmann, 1849. Thomas, W. “The Root hnv = yns in Hebrew.” ZAW 52 (1934) 236–38; 55 (1937) 174–76. Torczyner [Tur-Sinai], H. “Dunkle Bibelstellen.” Pp. 274–80 in Vom Alten Testament: Karl Marti zum siebzigsten Geburtstage. . . . BZAW 41. Berlin: Alfred Töpelmann, 1925. A. Trommius. Concordantiae graecae versionis vulgo dictae LXX interpretum. . . . Amsterdam: Sumptibus Societatis, 1718. Tur-Sinai, N. H. “A Contribution to the Understanding of Isaiah I–XII.” ScrHie 8 (1961) 154–88.

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Bibliography

Vitringa, C. Commentarius in librum prophetiarum Jesaie. Basel: J. Rodolphi, 1732. Waard, J. de. A Comparative Study of the Old Testament Text in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the New Testament. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1965. . “The Interim and Final HOTTP Reports and the Translator: A Preliminary Investigation.” Pp. 277–84 in Tradition of the Text: Studies Oˆered to Dominique Barthélemy. Edited by G. J. Norton and S. Pisano. Freiburg: Universitätsverlag / Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1991. Warzsawski, L. Die Peschitta zu Jesaja (Kap. 1–39). Berlin, 1897. Weisz, H. Die Peshitta zu Deuterojesaia. Thesis, Halle–Wittenberg. Halle, 1893. Wellhausen, J. Die Kleinen Propheten übersetzt, mit Noten. Berlin: G. Reimer, 1892. Whybray, R. N. Isaiah 40–66. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1990. Wildberger, H. Jesaja. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1965–82. Ziegler, J. Untersuchungen zur Septuaginta des Buches Isaias. Münster: Aschendorffschen Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1934. . “Die Vorlage der Isaias-Septuaginta (LXX) und die erste Isaias-Rolle von Qumrân (1QIs-a).” JBL 78 (1959) 34–59. . Isaias. Septuaginta 14. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1967.

Introduction

INTRODUCTION Since 1979 translators of Isaiah have at their disposal the fourth volume of the Preliminary and Interim Report on the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (New York: United Bible Societies), pp. 1–173 of which deal with the textual problems of Isaiah. And since 1986 they have access to the ˜nal report in the second volume (OBO 50/2) of Dominique Barthélemy, Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament (Fribourg, Switzerland: Éditions universitaires, and Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht) which on pp. 1–465 provides in remarkable detail the evaluations and justi˜cations of the committee. Both publications present a powerful instrument to solve a number of basic complexities of the Hebrew text to translators who normally are no specialists in the ˜eld of textual criticism and who cannot be but at a loss when faced with the contradictory evidence of modern translations. The considerable e¯ciency of the two texts is mainly due to two factors: (1) the translational divergencies were the basic principle of the selection of the textual problems, and (2) the treatment of each case ends with a suggested translation. Nevertheless, the e¯ciency has its limitations, and these in turn perhaps justify the present publication. First of all, the committee consisted of textual critics trying to ascertain what is most likely to have been the form or forms of the “second phase” of the Hebrew Old Testament text development. No member of the committee was a translation specialist. The suggested translations, at least in the preliminary report, were therefore rather literal and presented without the context necessary for understanding. Practical experience has shown that such a presentation is often not su¯cient to assist translators in their search for an adequate gloss which would render the solution proposed by the committee. In the ˜nal report the paraphrasing of the interpretations acts as a stimulus for translators, helping them to ˜nd a solution in their own language. Second, although translations in major European languages were used for the selection and illustration of textual problems, showing the mainstream of diˆerent textual and interpretational traditions, the majority of them belonged to the types of literal or philological translations. Translators of other types of translation such as interlinear or communicative translations did not always ˜nd the help they were looking for. Moreover, although some of the versions 1

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cited were interconfessional, no major Jewish publication in any Western language was consulted. Last, but not least, the major discussion of the problems is to be found in the ˜nal report, and their are two main obstacles to its accessibility: its language and the level of the discussion. A translation and adaptation into English of the ˜nal reports had been projected and, for at least part of the material, ˜rst drafts of such a translation were made. Now it seems that plans for this project have been abandoned, although it is still hoped to publish an English edition of the valuable introductions. The aim of the present publication is to give translators a better insight into the viewpoint of the textual critic and to help them to ˜nd a good base for their translation. Occasionally, the treatment of a textual problem treated in CTAT is omitted when the problem is judged to be translationally irrelevant or of little relevance especially in cases of textual divergencies concerning pronominal issues. These ask in all types of modern translation, with the exception of the interlinear type, for assimilation. Some problems, more of an interpretational than of a textual nature, are treated nevertheless because of the di¯culties they present to translators. Since several new translations have been published after the two reports, a new selection of translations has been made for this study. The main diˆerence with the selection for the HOTTP is that the present selection embraces diˆerent types of translation in a greater number of languages and that it includes three major Jewish publications in English, French and German. The emphasis remains on English versions and non-English versions are only quoted when the issue in question cannot be illustrated with any recent or older English translation. An English gloss is provided with every citation of a non-English version. The new selection occasionally has some bearing upon the treatment or non-treatment of a textual problem. In the reports a number of textual problems has been selected on the base of a translational deviation found only in NEB. In the cases, however, where these deviations have been corrected in REB the textual problem has been omitted. The same rule has been applied when all translations according to the new selection follow the proposal of the committee. Readability and intelligibility of text have been a constant concern. It is hoped that the consistent threefold division of the treatment, the regular translation of all foreign language data into English, and the care not to leave out steps in the explanation, will help the reader to see the point. Limitations are unavoidable and the subject is so complex that at least some knowledge, especially of Hebrew, has to be presupposed. Although the main target audience consists of translators, students and scholars interested in textual criticism may also ˜nd the present publication useful as it provides in English and in a nutshell data, arguments and ratings by the HOTTP committee.

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The present writer would like to express gratitude to Harold P. Scanlin and the staff of the New York o¯ce of the United Bible Societies for having carefully checked the quotations and the bibliography items and for having corrected the English wherever appropriate. January 1995

Jan de Waard

Isaiah 1–10

1 ISAIAH 1–10 1.7 Textual Decisions An A rating has been given to the second occurrence of μyrIz:, “strangers,” in the Hebrew text. There are several reasons for such a rating: (1) the reading μyrIz: is generally attested, whereas the proposed reading μdos], “Sodom,” is only a conjecture; (2) the conjecture μdos] can be explained as having arisen from a confusion between textual criticism and traditional interpretation of the expression “overthrow” (namely of Sodom); (3) a reading μdos] would be incomplete since in the standard expression “Gomorrah” is always associated with “Sodom” (compare 1.9 and 1.10); (4) μyrIz: is the reading of the most primitive, attested text; and (5) Isaiah shows preference for an emphatic repetition of the same word. Evaluation of Problems In spite of the high probability rating translators will note that many commentators (Gray, Wildberger, Clements) express themselves in favor of the conjecture μdos]. It is therefore no wonder that this reading, which in addition, has been “commanded” in BHS, has been adopted in a number of new translations such as EÜ, FC, GrN, and REB: “it (your land) is as desolate as Sodom after its overthrow.” Nevertheless, translators should not comply with these suggestions and resist the temptation to compose unacceptable notes mentioning “probable” readings. The translator who does not become a victim of confusion between textual criticism and traditional interpretation, however, still has to ask the question about the meaning of the Hebrew expression μyrIz: tk'Peh]m'K]. There can be no doubt that all recent translations which take the Hebrew as their base, consider the construction as a subjective genitive: “as overthrown by foreigners 4

1.12

Isaiah 1–10

5

(strangers)” (NIV, NRSV), or, after passive-active transformation: “foreigners take over your land” (GNB), “als hätten wilde Horden bei euch gehaust” (GN). In this they agree with G and V among the ancient versions. There are, however, strong indications that the construction should be interpreted as an objective genitive: “defeat (overthrow) experienced by foreigners.” As has been pointed out (Hitzig): when the Hebrew verb is used to express a catastrophe, the agent is always God, never man. God is therefore the implicit agent also here. And he will treat his children who have alienated themselves (1.4) in the same way as he has treated foreigners outside the covenant. Proposals of Translation The only existing translation which re˘ects this insight and which therefore could be used as a model is BR: “(Starrnis) wie nach jenem Umsturz, der einst den Fremden geschah!,” “(desolation) as after the overthrow which once happened to foreigners.” If the translator wants to make the agent explicit, he could render the Hebrew as follows: “(desolation) as after the defeat which God in˘icted upon foreigners.” The allusion to Sodom and Gomorrah was evident to the Hebrew hearer and reader, but it may not be evident at all to a hearer or reader of a modern translation. Therefore, the translator may, in addition, want to inform his readers in a footnote that the allusion is to Sodom and Gomorrah, referring especially to Deut. 29. 22 and Jer. 49. 18. 1.12 Textual Decisions A C rating has been given to the qal vocalization twOar“li, “to see (my face)” instead of the niphal vocalization twOar:le, “to be seen (before my face).” The considerable doubt expressed in the rating is technically related with the fact that such a vocalization is only supported by S yyp|a azjml and that there are some hesitations with regard to the weight of this version. There are, however, strong additional reasons to believe that an original phrase “to see the face of God” has been corrected and revocalized as “to appear before God,” the major one being theological. Moreover, a terminological reminiscence of the original expression can be detected at the beginning of the Christian era in the term hY:air“h;, “the seeing,” (namely of the face of God during the three pilgrim festivals) in the Mishnah tractate Zabim I 1 and II 2. Evaluation of Problems The translator will have become aware of the problem by reading the standard commentaries which are along with BHS all in favor of a more original reading in the sense of “to see my face.” As far as translations are concerned,

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1.17

she/he may only have been alerted by some older translations of a formal equivalence type, such as Z “Wenn ihr kommt, mein Angesicht zu schauen” or LV “als gij komt om mijn aangezicht te zien.” Or the translator may have come across a footnote in a more recent translation. NEB in its 1970 publication of the Old Testament translates “to enter my presence” and observes in a footnote: “Lit. to see my face,” although this footnote is absent from the 1970 edition of the complete Bible! Only NRSV, although preferring to put the transmitted text “when you come to appear before me” into the text of the translation, nevertheless provides a footnote: “Or ‘see my face’,” containing the variant reading. In many instances, however, in which a more speci˜c cultic terminology has been used in translating, it is hardly possible to know what the exact Hebrew Vorlage has been, as e.g. in GNB: “. . . when you come to worship me” or in GN: “Wenn ihr zu meinem Tempel kommt.” Proposals of Translation Most frequently, the necessary transformations of the idiomatic phrase “to see my face” in the receptor language will no longer show traces of the textual discussion. The translator, because of the degree of transformation, may not even consider it to be appropriate to provide any kind of note. In some projects with Jewish participation such transformations may even be recommended in order to avoid certain theological discussions. The advice, given in the reports, to introduce the original reading into the text and the corrected one into a footnote, is therefore only valid in the case of literal or philological translations. In interconfessional projects of this nature which include Jewish participation, it may be considered to keep the transmitted text in the translation, in agreement with Jewish practice (see BR: “Wenn ihr kommt, vor meinem Antlitz euch sehen zu lassen”) 1.17 Textual Decisions An A rating has been attributed to the vocalized form ≈wOmj;,, “oppressor” / “oppressed” (?), over against a presupposed vocalization ≈Wmj;, “oppressed,” which would have been read by all the ancient versions. The reason for such a decision is the strong conviction that in fact no textual problem exists, and that the diˆerent meanings and translational glosses can all be derived from one and the same Hebrew form. In other words, the problems would only be exegetical.

1.17

Isaiah 1–10

7

Evaluation of Problems The vocalized form ≈wOmj; could carry three diˆerent meanings: (1) as an intransitive adjective of the type qat≥ôl it would have the meaning of a passive participle “oppressed” (Luzzatto, Rignell, 1957, 151); (2) as a transitive adjective (derived from a perfect with qames≥) it would bear the meaning of an active participle “oppressor” (Gesenius, Ewald, 1863, par. 152b and König, 1895, II, 124); and (3) as an in˜nitive absolute it would convey the meaning of a noun “violence” (David ben Abraham I, 560, 73). All these options are present in modern translations, although there seems to be a tendency within one and the same language to particularly favor one interpretation. Almost all English versions follow option (1): “oppressed” (NIV, NRSV, REB, GNB) with the exception of RSV, which favors option (3): “oppression.” The majority of French translations (BP: “le violateur” ; SR: “l’oppresseur”), some German (GN: “die Gewalttätigen”) and Dutch versions (GrN: “uitbuiters”) clearly prefer option (2). As already has been remarked, however (Wildberger), the choice of the translator will clearly be conditioned by the way in which the preceding Hebrew verb WrV]a' will be rendered. When a meaning “to lead” is selected, option (1) becomes unavoidable, although this meaning may still be rendered in diˆerent ways as our translations show: “guide” (REB), “lenket” (BR), “help” (GNB, EÜ), “rescue” (NRSV), “encourage” (NIV). Option (2), on the other hand, necessitates the selection of a meaning “restrain,” “keep within bounds,” “correct” (RSV), “haltet . . . in Schranken” (GN), “mettez au pas” (BP), “houd . . . in toom” (GrN). Proposals of Translation In the ˜nal report option (2) has been considered to be the most probable one. This would implicitly mean that a sense “restrain” be selected for the Hebrew verb. No translation, however, is oˆered in the ˜nal report and it is not entirely clear how the proposed French and English translations of the preliminary report, “faites marcher droit l’exploiteur // make the exploitioner do what is right,” relate to the possible meanings of rva. It is not the purpose of this handbook to prescribe interpretational choices. The choice is left to translators, and they will certainly pay attention to the wider context as well, especially to the structure of the immediate context in which ˜gure “orphans” and “widows.” Translators may want to provide variant translations in addition like in NIV where “encourage the oppressed” is read in the text and “reprove the oppressor” in a note. They are certainly not advised to put textual footnotes (like in TOB and FC).

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1.20

1.20 Textual Decisions An evaluation B has been given to the form WlK]auT] br