Dear Friends, to continue studies of REQEM (Greek Petra), we read that ancient
consonantal text of Obadiah 8 read MHR that is masoretic vocalised mehar
denoting "from mountain"- but these consonants often are in Bible vocalised
maher that notices hastening (and cleverness)- and in Targumic translation we
here read of SKLNWTA that is well known special cleverness and wisdom! Obadiah
book thus contains important textual detail of MHR the mehar (or, maher!)
BOOK OF OBADIAH v.8
New, modernised
Translation of Pasi K. Pohjala 2008 of
Obadiah 8
With detailed
Commentary by Pasi k. Pohjala 2010
Obadiah 8 “the glass
vessel (HL) in the water-containing (JM), there is prophesy of God (neum) in
the depth visions (abyddos)- there is wisdom from waters (HKM) and magnifying
from waters (meod) knowledge (TBN) in keenness (MHR) of that reflecting (YS)”
Translation of Pasi K. Pohjala 2008.
COMMENTARY: The
Obadiah 8 is importantly connected to the introducing v.1 because of this text
emphasising the Hebrew word ABD that clearly echoes the name of the prophet
Obadiah, written in Hebrew with consonants YBDJH. The vocalised form of the ABD
in the v.8 writes, however, the Hif. form of the ABD whose vocalised writing id
different from the vocalisation of the name Obadiah. This statement in Obadiah
8 especially connects this ABD with noticing of the Hokhmah Wisdom, writing in
the Hebrew Bible words
HLWA BJWM
HHWA NAM-JHWH WHABDTJ
HKMJM MADWM WTBWNH
MHR YSW
This writing in the
Hebrew Bible writes importantly referring to wisdom Hokhmah, noticing the Edom
and also refers to YSW that often is the name
“Esau” of the brother of Jacob. For every attentive Reader thus is clear that
this statement of Obadiah 8 includes specially important details of the Book of
Obadiah, writing the word ABD echoing the name of Obadiah, writing of Wisdom
Hokhmah and also writing word YSW that often refers to Esau. Importantly, also
the Targumic translation of this Obadiah 8 writes very similar words, writing
(ed. Sperber)
HLA BYDNA
HHWA AMR JWJ
WAWBJD HKJMJN MADWM
WKL GBR DBJH
SWKLTNWTA MKRKA DYSW
Attentive Readers here
find that this Targumic translation writes very similar words WAWBDJ HKJMJN
MADWM for the Hebrew Bible writing here the words WHABDTJ HKMJM
MADWM, this selection of words in this tradition of Targumic translation
emphasises some important ideas and words that were preserved in the process of
translation that well known so often includes some interpretations and writes
in many statements clear Midrashic interpretations. Furthermore, similarly
writes the Syriac translation here with the words AWBD HKJMA
MN ADWM. These traditions of
Hebrew Bible, Targumic and Syriac translations thus emphasise these words in
Obadiah 8 containing important ideas and words. Importantly, also the ancient
MurXII supports reading these words here in Obadiah 8 (see Biblia Qumranica
3B). This is especially important for
comprehending of the whole Book of Obadiah because the ABD word thus emphasised
clearly recalls the name of this prophet Obadiah and this statement connects
this ABD word with the Hokhmah Wisdom, also noticing Edom. The usual
translations of the word ABD
emphasise mostly different descriptions of ruin and destruction (see J 2-3 and
BDB 2-3). The Greek translations here write
that EN EKEINE TE
HEMERA, LEGEI KURIOS,
APOLO SOFOUS EK
TES IDOUMAIAS KAI
SUNESIN EKS OROUS
ESAU, the Greek translations thus translating these words with
APOLO SOFOUS EK
TES IDOUMAIAS. The Greek APOLO of
APOLLUMI usually is comprehended also denoting utter destruction and ruin,
although the similarity of this APOLLUMI with the name of Apollo, God of Wisdom
and prophecy is in THIS context especially notable for the Readers fluent in
many languages because the APOLLUMI is in this context of Obadiah connected
with the word denoting “Wise”, SOFOS. The Greek translators thus here
unmistakably alert ancient (and modern) Readers to consider this statement of
SOFOS with comparison of the God Apollo, the God of prophecy and Wisdom. (In
the Greek translations such writing of APOLLUMI in this text is well attested
in the Mss., thus Ed. Gottingensia). Important further comprehension is easily
found with comparing also this important statement of Obadiah 8 with its
parallel in Jeremiah 49 in the prophecy of Edom, the 49:7-8 is easily
discovered thus to write very close parallel to this text of Obadiah 8, the Jer
49:7-8 writing in Hebrew Bible
LADWM KH
AMR H’ ZBAWT
HAJN YWD HKMH
BTJMN ABDH YZH MBNJM NSRHH
HKMTM
This statement of
Jeremiah 49:7 writes clear parallel to here studied Obadiah 8, emphasising the
ABD, HKMH and Edom. Thus is easily here found the word ABDH YZH
MBNJM especially in this text of
Jeremiah 49:7 compared with NSRHH HKMTM,
this parallel text in Jeremiah 49 thus emphasising comparison of the ABD and
NSRHH words. The writing of the NSRHH in this Jer 49:7 alerts Readers to
considering of words NSR, SR and SRH in Biblical Hebrew and Targumic
translations. Thus are found references to NSR word denoting large birds, often
denoting Falcon (cf. in Egyptian culture the Horus) and reference also to the
SR bowls and vessels. These references are actually very important in the
specific context of book of Obadiah. The
Hebrew Bible writes in Obad 4 AM TGBJH
KNSR (similarly its Targumic translation). Already is studied the very
important beginning of the Book of Obadiah, the Obad 1 writing the very
important SHEMA tradition LADWM
SMWYH SMYNW MAT H’ WZJR
BGWJM SLH in Hebrew Bible, and
importantly Targumic translation comprehends this SMWYH with word BSWRA writing
in Obad 1 LADWM BSWRA SMYNA
MN QDM JWJ
WAZGD BYMMJA SLJH. The SJR tradition thus is important in
the tradition of Book of Obadiah, and the SJR importantly well known refers to
bowls and vessels (cf. the previous studies of the Obadiah 1). Thus is here
easily arrived to enhanced comprehension of this statement of Obadiah 8 writing
in Hebrew Bible that WHABDTJ HKMJM MADWM; the comparison with its clear
parallel
in Jeremiah 49:7 alerts Readers of ABDH
YZH MBNJM NSRHH
HKMTM alerts of the comparison of ABD with NSRHH in the Hebrew Bible,
thus alerting of comparison of ABD with SJR words denoting bowls and vessels.
This is, of course, somewhat easily comprehensible noticing that ABD in the
Wisdom literature of Hebrew Bible often denotes the “place of destruction,
ruin, Abaddon” that is comprehended to be some specific place. Attentive
Readers easily find interesting reference to such Abaddon or Abyssos also in the
Book of Jonah, the LXX Jonah 2:6 writing of Abyssos full of water
PERIEKHUTHE HUDOR
MOI EOS PSUKHES
ABUSSOS
EKUKLOSEN ME ESKAHTES
EDU E
KEFALE MOU EIS
SKHISMAS OREON
Interestingly, LXX
Jonah 2:3 writes
EBOESA EN
THIPSEI MOU PROS
KURION TON THEON MOU
KAI EISEKOUSEN MOU EK KOILIAS
ADOU KRAUGES MOU
EKOUSAS FONES MOU
This statement is
interestingly echoing LXX Jer 30:15 (of Jer 49:21, the Jer 49 containing clear
parallels with Book of Obadiah) that
APO FONES
PTOSEOS AUTON ESEISTHE
E GE KAI
KRAUGE SOU EN
THALASSE EKOUSTHE
These texts of Jonah
2:1-3 and Jer 49:21 thus are interestingly comparable with the ABD tradition of
Obadiah 8 and with the important beginning of the Book of Obadiah. The Hebrew
text, Targumic translation and Syriac translation thus emphasise in this
Obadiah 8 the words of Hokhmah Wisdom (or Hachamim), ABD and reference to Edom,
preserving these words in the tradition of
Hebrew text and also in the tradition of translations of Hebrew text. The words
ABD, HKM and reference to Edom thus are specially important in the Obadiah 8.
These meticulous considerations now show clearly, that such descriptions here
unmistakably describe wisdom that is connected to water bowls and water
vessels, and this is now in the Translation 2008 followed in detail.
This comprehension of
the words of Obad 8 writing of HABDTJ
HKMJM MADWM in the context of the
Obadiah 8 is further supported with more considerations of the translation
traditions of the other words of the Obadiah 8 that in Hebrew Bible writes
HLWA BJWM
HHWA NAM JHWH
WHABDTJ HKMJM MADWM
WTBWNH MHR YSW. The concluding words of TBWNH MHR
YSW now are to be considered,
comparing with ancient traditions of interpreting these words of Hebrew Bible.
Usually these words are comprehended to describe destruction of understanding
from the mountain of Esau. However, such comprehension is based here on
vocalisation mehar of the consonants MHR of Hebrew Bible; but easily found is
the also usual vocalisation maher, and THIS vocalisation rather denotes clear
and specially good understanding (often in Greek Bible such maher words
translated OKSUS). Clearly in this context reading such vocalisation maher is
very important possibility, because this MHR here is connected with the TBWNH
that does denote understanding and comprehension. Importantly, the TBWNH is
written also in Obad 7 AJN TBWNH BW, the AJN word of Hebrew Bible also often
denoting cleverness and good comprehension. Also in the Prov 22:29 is written
HZJT AJS
MHJR BMLAKTW LPNJ
MLKJM JTJZB BL
JTJZB LPNJ HSKJM, the following 23:1 emphasising
understanding (BJN) KJ TSB LLHWM AT
MWSL BJN TBJN
AT ASR LPNJK where the words BJN TBJN emphasising in this Prov 23:1 the
understanding and this directed to the clever AJS MHJR! (Of course,
furthermore, the MLAKTW in
Prov 22:29 is
comparable with the word YSH denoting doing and making). The traditions of
translations of these words further
emphasise here describe reading. Greek translation here writes KAI SUNESIN
EKS OROUS ESAU. Here is usually read OROS denoting
“mountain, hill” that is very usual meaning of the Greek, this being based on
vocalisation mehar. However, the Greek OROS does very often ALSO mean
“definition”, “rule, standard, measure” and also “bondary, boundaries”. THIS
usual meaning of Greek OROS is actually very much describing cleverness and
special wisdom and THIS meaning of the Greek OROS is thus substantially
understandable being good rendering of Hebrew maher denoting cleverness and
clever doings! (Importantly, Philo of Alexandria writes interesting
interpretation of traditions of Edom in Quod Deus, and notoriously enough, Philo
there writes important study of these Greek words OROS denoting mountains AND
definitions, standards and rules and clever understanding!) Reading of the
Targumic translation further supports
these notices, Targum here translating WKL
GBR DBJH SWKLTNWTA
MKRKA DYSW. Easily was noticed
that Semitic texts wrote very similarly the preceding words of Obad 8 describing
Edom, HKM and ABD- but in these following words
much more interpretations now are found. Targum here notoriously translates the
TBWNH of Hebrew Bible with word SWKLTNWTA Importantly, such SKL words in Targum
denote “to be bright”, “to look at, observe” and “to reflect, see clearly” (J
990). These words thus describe looking and something bright- and in the Targum
XII Prophets the SKL does translate also the NBT words denoting seeing,
watching and observing in Hab 1:3, Hab 1:5, Jona 2:5 and Zeph 12:10; and SKL in
Targum XII Prophets translates also the BJN in Hos 4:14 and Micah 4:12 (see
Concordance A. Houtman II, 293-4). Importantly, here the Targumic translation
emphasises the idea of KL included in the SWKLTNWTA writing the WKL GBR
DBJH, thus more noticing all those in whom is cleverness, although such
WKL GBR neither is supported in Hebrew
Bible nor in Greek translation tradition. In the Targumic tradition such KL
here clearly alerts Readers to consider KL vessels and good understanding
SWKLTNWTA, understanding and vessels. Especially, the readers of Targumic
Translation here very much considered such
SKL good comprehension and watching specifically connected to vessels,
because this Targumic text writes WKL
GBR DBJH SWKLTNWTA
MKRKA where the word KL denoting vessels is emphasised in the words KL
and SWKLTNWTA and importantly, the word MKRKA also clearly refers to KWR bowls
and vessels in Targumic writing (selection of the KRKA is here important, the
MTWRA also occurs in the Mss., but here the KRKA is more supported in the
Mss.)! Thus this Targumic writing unmistakably emphasises such good
comprehension connected to waters and water containers, emphasising word KL and
KWR denoting bowls and vessels.
Indeed, the beginning
of the Obad 8 very clearly alerts Readers to considering prophesy from bowls of
fire, writing HLWA BJWM HHWA
NAM JHWH in the Hebrew Bible
(importantly, the ancient Mur XII supports this reading). This writing of the
BJWM connected with divine Neum prophesies unmistakably alerted Readers to
consider lamp bowls because of the truly famous similarity of Hebrew word Jom
denoting light and lamps and Jam denoting waters, water vessels (and seas); and
in ancient world, glass lamps were glass vessels mostly filled with water for
cooling
purposes, with thin oil film floating for nourishing the flame. Many of ancient
Readers knew (and practised) the ancient lecanomancy, prophesying with lamp
bowls (in Hellenistic context amply described in the PGM) and these ancient
Readers straightforwardly in this Obad 8 recognised clear and unmistakable
reference to divine prophesies from lamp bowls, finding here the Hebrew writing
of BJWM and Neum JHWH. Also Greek translation supports this straightforwardly,
writing EN EKEINE TE
HEMERA LEGEI KURIOS, this easily identified to describe
divine utterances coming from lamp vessel called HEMERA; but this meaning is
currently often obscured when comprehending the EN EKEINE TE
HEMERA being a part of the words of prophesy uttered by deity; but CLEARLY
the EN EKEINE TE HEMERA LEGEI KURIOS
here describes that the HEMERA lamp-vessel is the special place and device
whereby deity is uttering the prophesies- thus this Obad 8 is unmistakably very
clear description of divine prophesies coming from lamp-vessel HEMERA. Readers
of Targumic translation very clearly
read here of HLA BYDNA HHWA
AMR JWJ; this is unmistakable
statement that deity is uttering prophesies by the means of bowls and vessels,
the YDN (J 1044-5) denoting something that is round, and something that
surrounds, the YJDN denoting special times and periods (J 1067); and the
selection of this YDNA in Targumic translation is further emphasised because
the Syriac translation more follows Hebrew Bible writing BJWMA. The Targumic
YDNA thus is very important, designating here in Obad 8 with much emphasis
prophesies from vessels and bowls. Thus is arrived to the Translation Pasi K.
Pohjala 2008 of this writing of Obadiah 8.
