דמית הוית אהיה כמוך

[Michel Gilbert]

Hi Robert,

 

I don't understand the syntax of דִּמִּ֗יתָ הֱֽיוֹת־אֶֽהְיֶ֥ה כָמ֑וֹךָ .

 

I did check the diagrams. Could you explain its syntax in more detail?

 

Thanks.

Michel


Edit: Ps 50,21
 

Edited May 20, 2020 by Michel Gilbert

[Robert Holmstedt]

The syntax trees is bit under-specifying due to the difficulty of the line.

 

My own opinion is that היות should be taken as an Inf Abs, like so: you thought (that) I would actually be like you". I make sense of this as God's amazement that the wicked, when they think of God, assume he is as capricious, wanton, and self-interested as they are. Strikes me as a fairly deep observation about humans, that we tend to see or want to see any divine being as little better than us (e.g. Zeus and the petty Greek gods).

[Michel Gilbert]

Hi again,

You said, "All commentators emend. But we don't do that in the database. Normally, we find some way to tag the text of the MT as it stands (though we have plenty of notes indicating better solutions that depart from the MT)," at https://www.accordancebible.com/forums/topic/20567-hebrew-syntax-unknown/?p=99868 .

I really hope that those notes make it into the database one day.
 

Regards,

Michel

 

[Accordance Enthusiast]

On 5/22/2020 at 2:30 AM, Michel Gilbert said:

I really hope that those notes make it into the database one day.

 

Yes, please Mr. @Robert Holmstedt !

[Gary Raynor]

I like the NET notes:

 

35    tn The Hebrew infinitive construct (הֱיוֹת, heyot) appears to function like the infinitive absolute here, adding emphasis to the following finite verbal form (אֶהְיֶה, ʾehyeh). See GKC 339-40 §113.a. Some prefer to emend הֱיוֹת (heyot) to the infinitive absolute form הָיוֹ (hayo).

 

I have come to a stage where I now read/feel the Hebrew  (language is also rhythmic/poetic) but formal syntax has its indispensable uses hence I check formal syntax out if my feel does no match the grammar. The author could be using a construct instead of an absolute simply because it sounds better! or there is a scribal oops Good luck with coding this. Hence the notes Michel mentioned (which I would take a delight in viewing)