H.F. van Rooy, «The Headings of the Psalms in the East Syriac Tradition Reconsidered», Vol. 89 (2008) 505-525
In the first half of the previous century the headings of the Psalms in the East Syriac tradition received a lot of attention, with important contributions by scholars such as Devreesse and Vosté. In 1960 Bloemendaal published an edition of these headings. Since 1960 a number of important new manuscripts became available, as well as a translation of the commentary of Theodore and a translation of the commentary of Diodore on the first fifty Psalms. This paper deals with the light shed on the history of the East Syrian headings particularly by two manuscripts not available to Bloemendaal. The examples discussed lead one to the conclusion that 6t1, used by Bloemendaal, must not be regarded as the paradigmatic witness in all instances.
522 H.F. van Rooy
In Psalm 28, 12t4 omits dYwdL. In Psalm 43, 12t4 has )hgNd for
nwhtYhg yP)* l( in the other manuscripts (61). In Psalm 55, 12t4
omits )hL)L. In Psalm 60, 12t4 omits tYBd (He prophesies about
the house of the Maccabees when they faithfully asked for mercy). In
Psalm 69, 12t4 omits )Br*QBd (in the battles) (He tells in the person
of the Maccabees of the greatness of their calamities in the battles
and of the plots from the side of their kinsmen and that they longed
for vengeance on them). In Psalm 70, 12t4 has Saul in the place of
Absalom (Prayer of David when he was in the calamities that
Absalom inflicted upon him).
In Psalm 75, 12t4 has, with 16t2 and 17t1, nwhtwM rtB
)Yrwt)d (after the death of the Assyrians), where the other
*
manuscripts only have a reference to the Assyrians. In Psalm 77, 12t4
has nwhYB$d )zBzB (with 16t2 and 17t1) for nwhYB$B in the
other manuscripts (He narrates in the person of the people that those
dishonourable things were thought against God in their captivity when
they were compelled by their oppressors).
In Psalm 84, 12t4 has rYM) (with 16t2, 17t2 and M507) for
(dwM. In Psalm 87, only 12t4 has )=B*$ for the oY=B*$ in the other
manuscripts (He shows the salvation of Jerusalem after the Assyrians
have taken the ten tribes into captivity and then came against her as
well to destroy her and they received punishment). In Psalm 91, it
adds )NBw+ (blessed) before David.
In Psalm 100, 12t4 (with 13t4) has nwhYd)c for nwhtwL at
the end of the heading (He advises the people that they have to enter
the temple like men who have returned from captivity and to praise
God on account of the wondrous things he has done to them). In
Psalm 101, 12t4 omits )M(Bd (Spoken in the person of the
outstanding men among the people in Babylon during the time of
their adversities).
In Psalm 117, 12t4 has nwN) nwrMgNd for nwN) wNSxw at
the end of the heading (Thanksgiving of the people on account of
their victory after their return, when peoples in their surroundings
assembled against them and they subdued them).
In Psalm 125, 12t4 has a different word order for the phrase “a
return from God†(About the people in Babylon who asked a return
from God and who promised what they will do if they were to be
delivered).
(61) Cf. the heading in the commentary of Bar Hebraeus, BLOEMENDAAL,
Headings, 51.
FOLLOW US