The Roots מצ″י and מצ″ץ in the Psalms according to the Babylonian Tradition
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The root מצ″י occurs twice in the Psalter in the Tiberian tradition. Ps 73:10 contains the niphal יִמָּצוּ, while the qal יִמְצוּ is read in Ps 75:9. Half of the Babylonian manuscripts containing Ps 73:10 exhibit a different morphology, possibly to avoid ambiguity between the intended root מצ″י and מצ″א, though more likely derived from the geminate מצ″ץ. The latter reading comes close to the commonly conjectured revocalisation, יָמֹצּוּ, though the niphal is almost certainly in view, rather than the supposed qal. Four out of six Babylonian manuscripts containing Ps 75:9 also provide a unique reading in comparison to the Tiberian tradition. Two are identical to their forms in Ps 73:10, while one possibly contains the niphal מצ″י (as the Tiberian יִמָּצוּ in Ps 73:10) and another definitely does so. These four manuscripts provide previously undocumented Hebrew manuscript support for the LXX’s syntax, with the passive ἐξεκενώθη.
Source: Textus
Author: Ian Atkinson
Institution: University of Cambridge
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4405037384