Interesting DSS variant

[Larry Kelsey]

Shlama Akhay,

In Psalms 119:17, DSS Psalms starts with "Fulfill your purpose for your servant" as opposed to the rendering of the MT "Deal bountifully with your servant." I'm wondering if being blessed abundantly with possessions (as one interpretation of "Deal bountifully")was second place in the ancient Semitic mindset and YHVH fulfilling His purposes in us took first place. Or maybe there is a hidden equating of one with another when comparing DSS and MT. After all, doesn't Matti tell us to "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you"? Yeshua is telling us what to do first and then we'll never need to worry about all that stuff that holds second place! <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s --> Let me "Fulfill your purpose (DSS)" in the kingdom of God and then I'll "Deal bountifully (MT)" with you. Or again, maybe there's a hidden equating to be observed. Maybe being dealt bountifully with and having your purpose fulfilled were on a par with one another, at least among those who were seeking God.

Whatcha think?

Shlama w'Burkate, Larry Kelsey

[Rob Vanhoff]

Shlama Akhi Larry,

Which do you mean, Psalms or Isaiah?

Rob

[Larry Kelsey]

Shlama Akhi Larry,

Which do you mean, Psalms or Isaiah?

Rob

Shlama Akhi Rob,

Sorry about that! I did mean DSS Psalms and edited that post. Thanks!

For the DSS Psalms reading "Fulfill your purpose for your servant", the footnote in the Dead Sea Scrolls Bible reads as follows:

4QPs(h) 11QPs(a) MT(mss). deal bountifully with MT LXX (cf. Psalms 57:3 {Heb. 36:3} and 138:8 {Heb. 137:8}).

Actually, the (h), the (a) and (mss) are tiny postscripts. With a B. A. degree in Aram., Heb., and Akkadian, I'm sure you've had to deal with the 'fine print' on many occasions. <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->
In the introduction of the Dead Sea Scrolls Bible, they state that Massoretic group or Massoretic family is a more accurate expression than Massoretic Text, due to the fact that there are many more manuscripts in the family or group than just the Leningrad Codex and the Aleppo Codex. I was looking for an explanation of why the footnote contained MT(mss) and MT at the same time. I guess that would explain that rather odd sight. <!-- s:rockedover: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/rockdover.gif" alt=":rockedover:" title="Rocked Over" /><!-- s:rockedover: -->
Unfortunately, I haven't found any references to POT in this book, just DSS, MT, LXX and SP. It looks like I'll have to depend upon the CAL site and the Lamsa Bible for that.

Shlama w'Burkate, Larry Kelsey