A Textual Criticism and Lexical Analysis of Isaiah 62

This research presents a methodology and example of doing both a textual criticism and a word study or a lexical analysis of the Hebrew word. The textual external evidence strongly favors the consonantal text of reading one because all the ancient versions support it. The internal evidence, though it is not as strong as external evidence, has endorsements from its context and appearances of that word in Hebrew Bible. In Isaiah 62:1, the best understanding of די ִּ פלַ is not from literal sense but rather symbolic. The context of the usage of this term is God will restore Zion, particularly in her salvation, which is symbolized as a torch that burns. It means that Yahweh will make glorious Zion’s deliverance like a torch so that all nations, including their kings, will be witnesses of Zion’s restoration.


INTRODUCTION
This research presents a methodology and example of doing both a textual criticism and a word study or a lexical analysis of the Hebrew word. These examples are taken from Isaiah 62. This paper has a purpose to introduce a textual criticism and a lexical analysis world to Old Testament students in Indonesia. For young man will marry with a virgin. Your sons will marry you and the rejoicing of bridegroom over the bride. So, your God will rejoice over you Vorlage:

D. Aquila:
Text: καὶὡςσυνοικῶνἐπίλεκτοςπαρθένῳοὕτ ωςκατοικήσουσινοἱυἱοίσουμετὰσοῦκαὶἔστ αιὃντρόπονεὐφρανθήσεταινυμφίοςἐπὶνύμφ ῃοὕτωςεὐφρανθήσεταικύριοςἐπὶσοί. Translation: And as a chosen one (picked) lives with a virgin, so shall thy sons dwell in thee; and it shall come to pass that as a bridegroom will rejoice over a bride; so, the Lord will rejoice over thee. And as a young man lives with a virgin, so shall thy sons dwell in thee; and it shall come to pass that as a bridegroom will rejoice over a bride; so, the Lord will rejoice over thee Vorlage: ‫ומשוש‬ ‫בניך‬ ‫יבעלוך‬ ‫בתולה‬ ‫בחור‬ ‫כי-יבעל‬ ‫עליך‬ ‫ישיש‬ ‫על-כלה‬ ‫חתן‬ ‫אלהיך‬

I.
Arabic: Translation: As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Vorlage: The variants display two distinct problems. Nonetheless, this paper will analyze word problem of ‫‪in‬בניך‬ the MT.

B. External Evidence
Reading 4 is the weakest attestation and should be rejected based on the external evidence. Three of four first readings concur in their consonantal text, but the main problem is its root. It shows a propensity of highly interpretive translation its Vorlage is difficult to determine, although the table above favors the first reading.

C. Internal Evidence 1. Simplification of the Text
The difference between Readings 1 and 2 2 In qal participle masculine plural construct with suffix 2 nd person feminine singular isderived from their vowels letter. The first reading choseqames-qames as its first two vowels ‫ְך‬ ‫ָ֑יִּ‬ ‫.בנָּ‬ On the other hand, the second reading hadholem-patah as its first two vowels ‫ְך‬ ‫יִּ‬ ַ֕ ַ ‫נ‬ ‫.בֹּ‬ Therefore, the translation of first reading is "so shall your sons marry you", while the second is "your builders will marry you". Reading 4 can be translated as your builder as well. The reason of this emendation is because the first reading seems unacceptable. The idea (concept) of incest which sons are marrying their mother is infelicitous. Therefore, BHS offers also the second reading that proposes to correct the vocalization becomes ‫ְִּך‬ ‫י‬ ַ֕ ַ ‫נ‬ ‫,בֹּ‬ "your builder," as referring to God (as in Ps. 147:2). It means that some translators have a predilection to adopt Reading 4.

Explanatory Power
Reading 1 and 2 have the same consonantal text but they are different in their vocalization. The second reading uses a verbal form and refers to the plural participle form, whereas the first reading employs a noun form. On the other hand, reading 4 denotes a singular noun because of the removal of ‫.י‬

Summary of Internal Evidence
Reading 2 and 4 can be rejected for two reasons. First is the occurrence of this word in Hebrew Bible. The word ‫ְִּך‬ ‫י‬ ַ֕ ַ ‫נ‬ ‫בֹּ‬ with the translation of your builders only occurs once in the Hebrew Bible (Ez. 27:4), 2 while 44 times this word appears as your sons. In the book of Isaiah itself, the word ‫ְִּך‬ ‫ָ֑י‬ ָּ‫בנ‬occurs seven times (49:17, 22, 25; 51:20; 54:13; 60: 4,9). For the word ‫ֵ֣ה"‬ ‫"בֹונֵ‬ also appears only once in the Old Testament with form qal participle masculine singular construct. 3 The second reason is a contextual argument. The promise of descendants resonates in Isaiah 60-62 (60: 4,9,[21][22]. These descendants will work the land and profit from it as it is described in Isaiah 62:9. Prophesying that "your sons will marry you" indicates that the children of those who received the promise of the land will take possession of it while also accepting the responsibility to husband with joy akin to that of a new bridegroom.

D. Conclusion
Reading one has a stronger possibility of translation. The textual external evidence strongly favors the consonantal text of reading one because all the ancient versions support it. The internal evidence, though it is not as strong as external evidence, has endorsements from its context and appearances of that word in Hebrew Bible.

LEXICAL STUDY OF ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬IN ISAIAH 62:1 I. Usage in the MT
The noun‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬appears 13 times in the Hebrew Scriptures and only once occurs in the book of Isaiah. 4 It is evenly divided between literal and symbolic meaning. A brief of its usage as classified by meaning is given below based on their various contexts. The controversial verse is Job 12:5. The first word, ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬ (lapid), could be rendered "a torch of scorn". However, the ‫ל‬ (lamed) is often taken as an otiose letter, and the noun ‫יד‬ ‫פִּ‬ (pid) is "misfortune, angel (Dan. 10:6). c. Symbolic of the furious and energetic action of war chariots to attack enemy (Na. 2:4). d. Symbolic of the image of animal that of pent-up breath with water in a hot steam jet coming from its mouth. e. Symbolic of the appearance of heavenly beings ( Ez. 1:13). f. Symbolic of Zion's glorious deliverance (Isa. 62:1).

B. Observations
From the literal meaning, the noun‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬gives definition as something that gives out the light such as torch or flash. Hebrew Bible sometimes adds the word ‫ׁש‬ ‫אֵ‬ to denote a flaming or burning connotation. However, in symbolic sense, the meaning should be scrutinized from the context. Nahum 2:4, for instance, uses ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬ to symbolize the furious and energetic attack, but Ezekiel 1:13 depicts the magnificent of heavenly being appearance.

C. Conclusion
Based on this short study, the word ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬ has both literal and symbolic which is depended to its context.

II. Usage in Ancient Translations
Employing ancient translations of Hebrew, such as Septuagint, we can obtain possible synonyms for our word of study ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫.ל‬ These synonyms, although sometimes generating previously unseen meaning, are most often helpful for depth studying to give diverse meanings which are a related to ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫.ל‬

B. List of Synonyms
Possible synonyms of ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬ are listed below along with their basic definition.

D. Conclusion
‫א‬ ‫תָּ‬ ‫ׁשְ‬ ‫רַ‬ ‫ֶבְ‬ ‫נ‬ has a connotation to give out light as well as ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫.ל‬

III. Cognate Languages
By scrutinizing those languages which are connected to Hebrew, it is possible to find the history of the root ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫,ל‬ will assist to comprehend on the meanings presented above. The following cognates derive from BDB and HALOT. 7

A. List of Cognates
 Jewish Aramaic: Shining object or torch.  Syriac: Shining object or torch.  Christian Palestinian Aramaic: Shining object or torch.  Mandaean: Shining object or torch.  Arabic: Shining object or torch.

B. Observations:
There is a united meaning throughout this list of cognates. All of them have shining object or torch definition. 6 T. Muraoka

C. Conclusion:
Study of cognate languages is confirming the meaning of shining object or torch.

IV. Summary
The general sense of ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬ scrutinized in Biblical Hebrew usage, that it has dual meanings both literal and symbolic definition. Nevertheless, ancient translation and cognate languages denote the meaning of ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬ only in literal sense. Hebrew Bible, on the other hand, shows the flexibility definition of ‫יד‬ ‫ַפִּ‬ ‫ל‬ and it is employed in sundry contexts as symbolization. In Isaiah 62:1, the best understanding of ַ

‫ל‬ ‫יד‬ ‫פִּ‬
is not from literal sense but rather symbolic. The context of the usage of this term is God will restore Zion, particularly in her salvation, which is symbolized as a torch that burns. It means that Yahweh will make glorious Zion's deliverance like a torch so that all nations, including their kings, will be witnesses of Zion's restoration.