Dear Friends of ancient Hebrew, Obadiah 9-10 is interesting for its writing of
the GBRJK word that we usually read GBR with K poss. suffix of sg.2 noticing
"your mighty men". However, easily we find here ALSO the words GBR with BRK.
This seems to be minor finding, alas, it leads to considering very specifically
BRK or Baruch, the famous tradition of Second Temple Apocryphal BARUCH
literature where the GIANTS GIBBORIM were much discussed!!!! Thus, this form in
Obadiah 9-10 GBRJK can very specifically refer to the BARUCH literature and its
writing of GIBBORIM giants!!!! We find, interestingly, then MANY parallels of
Obadiah with Book of Baruch!!!!!
OBADIAH 9-10, New
Modernised Translation by Pasi K. Pohjala 2008,
with Commentary by
Pasi K. Pohjala 2010
The Obadiah 9-10 in
the Hebrew Bible write that
WHTW GBWRJK
TJMN LMYN JKRT
AJS MHR YSW
MQTL
MHMS AHJK
JYQB TKSK BWSH
WNKRT LYWLM
Parallels to these
statements in Jeremiah 49 can easily be found, the prophesy concerning Edom
actually so beginning noticing Teman in Jer 49:7
LADWM KH
AMR H’ ZBAWT
HAJN YWD HKMH
BTJMN ABDH YZH
MBNJM NSRHH HKMTM
This beginning of Jer
49:7 thus emphatically connects this Teman with Wisdom (Hokhmah). The prophesy
concerning Edom concludes also thus
emphatically writing of inhabitants of Edom and their mighty, writing in Jer
49:20 and 22, writing
LKN SMYW
YZT-H’ ASR JYZ
AL ADWM WMHSBWTJW
ASR HSB AL
JSBJ TJMN AM LWA JSHBWM
ZYJRJ HZAN AM
LA JSJM YLJHM
NWHM and in 49:22 concluding
HNH KNSR
JYLH WJRAH WJPRS
KNPJW YL BZRH
WHJH LB GBWRJ
ADWM BJWM HHWA
KLB ASH MZRH
These are concise
statements in the Hebrew Bible, but these contain notoriously important words
and descriptions. Well known is that the word TJMN here refers to Teman well
famous in Edomite area for its wisdom, so known also in Hebrew Bible, and
referring also to Temunot pictures and similitudes. It is, however, also
notorious that the word Teman does not occur in the Targumic translation where
more is referred to the mighty men of southern regions (DRWMA) that also is in
geography of Palestine understandable considering thus areas south of main
cities of Judah and Israel. This writing of Obadiah 9-10 continues Obad 8
writing of the AJS MHR YSW that already in commentary on Obad 8 was
found to refer to someone specially clever, AJS
Maher; thus this discussion of Obad 8 directly leads to considerations
of Esau’s special wisdom, writing of AJS
Maher YSW, this continuing Obad 8
writing of WTBWNH MHR YSW thus writing of TBWNH understanding. This
statement of Obad 9-10 leads Readers directly to discussions concerning Wisdom
and Wisdom traditions of Hebrew Bible
and subsequent writings. The Jer 49:20 writes prophesy concerning Edom (AL
ADWM), concerning inhabitants of Teman
(AL JSBJ
TJMN), and the Jer 49:22 writes concerning hearts of the “mighty” men
(Gibborim) of Edom. Especially important here is noticing the word GBWRJK
written here in Hebrew Bible. Notoriously, in this word can be found the GBR
(Gibbor) well known Biblical word denoting giants and importantly thus written
already in the episode of the Flood in Gen 6; and importantly, this word in
Hebrew Bible alerts Readers also to consider word BRK in Hebrew. The famous
beginning of History of Flood in Gen 6 writes concerning such Gibborim in
Hebrew Bible that HMH HGBRJM ASR
MYWLM ANSJ HSM, thus writing in Gen 6:4. The BRK is, of
course, in Hebrew Bible somewhat usual word denoting blessing and water springs
(thus understandably!), but the current context of finding letters BRK in this
statement of Obadiah alerts Readers to more profound considerations concerning
such BRK words. Importantly, the Targumic
translation also emphasises writing here such GBR and BRK words, commencing
Obad 9 with WJTBRWN GJBRK, where is
found the GBWRJK of Hebrew Bible followed with the GJBRK, the Targumic
translation thus also emphasising the BRK and GBR words. Targumic translation
of Obad 9 further emphasises here the GBR word, further writing of GBRA DBJH
ZWRKA, thus thrice in translation of Obad 9 writing references to GBR
words (the Gibborim), even if Hebrew Bible writes AJS MHR (maher) thus writing
of someone specially clever. The Targumic
translation writing thus of the TBR word refers to breaking and breaching (J
1643) but also Readers consider the TBR-SBR words and thus consider SBR
notorious plenitude and numerousness, this consideration thus here describing
special
numerousness of the “giants” Gibborim.
It is well known in scholarly writing and so always in good commentaries
commented that Obadiah has notoriously close parallel in Jeremiah 49- the
parallels to Obadiah in Jeremiah 49 also in the current Commentary being
detailed studied and much pondered. The Obadiah thus has very special
relationship with such important writing in the Book of Jeremiah, Obadiah by
some researchers considered to be re-telling of some statements thus found in
Jeremiah 49. Thus it is important to consider more the Book of Jeremiah and
well known traditions of Book of Jeremiah. Thus are Readers seriously alerted
to considerations of the Book of Baruch
that is in tradition of Greek Bible usually printed after Book of Jeremiah,
although Hebrew Bible does not include this Book in the canonical writings. The
Book of Baruch is relatively concise but often discussed Book of Biblical
Wisdom tradition. Readers straightforwardly here notice that detailed studying
and comparisons of these two Books, Obadiah and Book of Baruch, is directly
important because of their belonging to prophetic and Wisdom literature
associated with Book of Jeremiah. In the Book of Obadiah the currently studied
Obad 9-10 now is especially easily found to write notably good parallels to
Book of Baruch. Baruch 3:26 writes
EKEI EGENNETHESAN
OI GIGANTES OI
ONOMASTOI OI AP’
ARKHES GENOMENOI EUMEGETHEIS
EPISTAMENOI POLEMON
This statement in
Baruch 3:26 writes thus of the “giants” noticing also their having had special
reputation and noticing their huge stature and their knowledge of art of war.
Even if in Second Temple literature references to Giants and interpretations of
Gen 6 are somewhat usual, especially in Enochite literature, such clear
reference to Giants in this Biblical Book (or Apocryphal Book) deserves special
attention. Importantly, Baruch 3:23-24 in THIS context also much writes of
Teman, writing concerning Wisdom
OUDE EKOUSTHE
EN KANAAN OUDE
OFTHE EN THAIMAN
OUTE HUIOI AGAR
OI EKZETOUNTES TEN
SUNESIN EPI TES
GES OI EMPOROI
TES MERRAN KAI
THAIMAN OI MUTHOLOGOI
KAI OI EKZETETAI
TES SUNESEOS ODON
TES SOFIAS OUK
EGNOSAN OUDE EMNESTHESAN
TAS TRIBOUS AUTES
This statements
clearly parallel Obad 9-10. Here are noticed merchants of Merran and Teman (the
place of “Merran” has been much discussed in history of studies of Book of
Baruch from Kneucker onwards), such notice of merchants clearly being important
also for considering of the Nabataean trade empire. Here Baruch 3:23-24 writes
of SUNESIS understanding, and importantly, this Greek word is written also in
LXX Obad 7-8 writing of OUK ESTI SUNESIS and SUNESIN EKS
OROUS ESAU. Writing of the Giants
in Baruch 3:26 with EGENNETHESAN OI GIGANTES
OI ONOMASTOI is importantly
paralleled in currently studied Obad 9 writing OI MAKHETAI
SOU OI EK
THAIMAN where is the Hebrew
“GIBBOR” thus rendered with notice of warriors, this based on tradition knowing
of the GIBBORIM Giants and their war-like character, this written also here in
Baruch 3:26 OI
GIGANTES...EPISTAMENOI POLEMON.
Further parallels are easily found reading these Books. The name of Obadiah
written in Hebrew is the YBD denoting also the Avoda, or worship of H’; and
actually the Book of Baruch 1:3-6 very importantly commences with description
of religious congregation gathering together for reading the Book and their
having wept, fasted and prayed in this religious congregation, these being very
clear and understandable descriptions of religious gathering for worship and
thus very much reminding the “Avoda”. Importantly, here Baruch 1:3-5 emphasises
READING the Book to HEARING of the members of this gathering, writing
KAI
ANEGNO BAROUKH TOUS
LOGOUS TOU BIBLIOU
TOUTOU EN OSIN IEKHONIOU...KAI EN OSI
PANTOS TOU LAOU...KAI
EN OSIN TON
DUNATON...
Such emphasising of
religious congregation and their HEARING words of the Book recited to them very
much parallels Obadiah referring to Avoda and especially such emphasising
parallels Obadiah 1 commencing with writing of SHEMA traditions (Hebrew:
SMWYH SMYNW; Greek: AKOEN EKOUSA). This emphasising of hearing further
often occurs in the Book of Baruch. The name of Obadiah referring to Avoda is
further importantly paralleled in many details of Book of Baruch. The Baruch
2:20 writes concerning KATHAPER
ELALESAS EN KHEIRI
TON PAIDON SOU
TON PROFETON LEGON; and Commentaries here notice that
Baruch 2:20 thus writes formula found also in Dan 9:6 whose Hebrew text writes
of YBDJK HNBAJM where is the YBD found
and thus name Obadiah paralleled. Importantly, also much of the ideas of the
Book of Baruch such are defined, the Baruch 2:21-24 writing of ERGASASTHE and
2:22 EAN ME AKOUSETE
TES FONES KURIOU
ERGASASTHAI TO BASILEI
BABULONOS and 2:23 emphasising word FONE (denoting voices and sounds),
also 2:24 writing of OUK EKOUSAMEN TES
FONES SOU ERGASASTHAI
TO BASILEI BABULONOS. This Baruch 2:21-24 thus with
special emphasis writes of ERGAZOMAI, AKOUEIN and FONE, and these clearly and
unmistakably refer to traditions of YBD (name Obadiah) and its SHEMA traditions
so emphatically beginning Obadiah 1. Further parallels are easily found. Obad
4-5 writes of EAN
METEORISTHES OS AETOS
KAI EAN ANA
MESON TON ASTRON
THES NOSSIAN SOU
EKEITHEN KATAKSO SE, LEGEI
KURIOS. This is much
paralleled in Baruch 3:17 writing OI
EN TOIS ORNEOIS
TOU OURANOU EMPAIZONTES thus describing men in the
heights living in realm of Falcons and eagles. So writes also Baruch 3:29 TIS
ANEBE EIS TON
OURANON KAI ELABEN
AUTEN KAI KATEBIBASEN
AUTEN EK TON
NEFELON describing search for Wisdom, raising to heavens for grasping
Wisdom and bringing Wisdom down from the realm of clouds. Furthermore, Baruch
3:13-19 writes of search for Wisdom, the 3:15 writing of TIS EUREN
TON TOPON AUTES
KAI TIS EISELTHEN
EIS TOUS THESAUROUS
AUTES POU EISIN OI ARKHONTES. Also the
Obad 6 POS EKSEREUNETHE
ESAU KAI KATELEMFTHE
AUTOU TA KEKRUMMENA
EOS TON ORION
EKSAPESTEILAN SE. Furthermore, name PETRA is echoed in Baruch
3:30 TIS DIEBE PERAN
TES THALASSES KAI
EUREN AUTEN KAI
OISEI AUTEN KRUSIOU
EKLEKTOU where word PERAN in context of writing of wealths can echo then
flourishing PETRA, so importantly noticed in Obad 3 (KATASKENOUNTA EN
TAIS OPAIS TON
PETRON). Furthermore, Baruch 3:33-34 writing of stars and their
constellations is found to parallel the Obad 4 writing of stars and their
places.
