Isaiah 8:20 Translation Help

[Paul Younan]

It is also possible that the pre-Masoretic Hebrew variant behind POT and LXX was MISREAD--the door swings both ways.

Surely a possibility - how likely would it be that 2 sets of Jewish translators - in Alexandria and in Beth-Nahren, in 2 different times both misread it the same way?

On the one hand you have the Masoretes, one group in the 11 century, misreading - on the other hand you have 2 sets of Jewish translators (both pre-Meshikha) in 2 distinct geographical locations misreading.

[Burning one]

Shlama Forum:
The Great Isaiah Scroll 4QIs(a) seems to read [font=DSS (V1.1)]rx4[/font] rather than [font=DSS (V1.1)]dx4[/font] If this is all that separates the traditional reading of "shakhar" from the translational interpretation of "shakhad" then it's not really enough for me to dump the T"NK reading of the Massoretic text (Leningrad Codex) even if the Septuagint and the Codex Ambrosiano agree vis-a-vis the Massoretic text. I'm not prepared to switch the polarity over the similarity between RESH and DALET.

Earlier, I misunderstood you Jeremy. I thought you were using the word "shaqad" incorrectly. I can now see where you got the definition for [font=Levistam (V1.1)]dx4[/font]as "bribe", "gift" and "reward". Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Thank you Akhi Paul for offering even more insight and clarity concerning this particular reading.

Shlama,
Stephen Silver
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Shlama akhi Stephen,

hmm...the website translates the term in question as "dark/night," meaning they are seeing it as "Shachar," too.

from my viewpoint, just by zooming in on it a couple nights back before starting this topic, it really looked to me like a dalet and not a resh. i put it in adobe photoshop and zoomed in that way, so maybe you can try as well and see what you think. it REALLY looks like the typical "ledge" sticking out the right side of the letter, making it a dalet. and it doesn't *exactly* look similar to the other resh's that are on the scroll. i had checked that, as well, before posting, which made me think it really was rendered as "shochad."

anyhow, i suppose if we're all seeing something different, then this very clearly explains WHY the variant is there, and why even the ancient scribes had trouble deciding on which reading was legit! <!-- s:crazy: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif" alt=":crazy:" title="Crazy" /><!-- s:crazy: -->


much thanks for your patient help!!


Chayim b'Moshiach (Life in Messiah),
Jeremy