John T. Strong, «Verb Forms of sm( in Ezekiel and Lamentations», Vol. 88 (2007) 546-552
Verb forms from the root sm( are defined in the lexicons as 'to dim, darken,'
drawing upon Arabic for guidance. This definition, however, does not allow for
a consistent translation in the texts where these verb forms appear. It is proposed
here that the verb forms be understood as denominatives from the common noun
s(a and the preposition s(i, which are a part of the semantic family, indicating an
agnate relationship. This understanding is applied to the four instances in the
Hebrew Bible where these verb forms appear: Ezek 28,3; 31,8; Ezek 32,19; and
Lam 4,1. Each verse addresses a question of association or belonging. The
development of these denominative forms reflects concerns over the issue of
status for the Judean exiles in the sixth century BCE.
Verb Forms of µm[ in Ezekiel and Lamentations 549
the translation of Ezek 28,3 in NJPS: “In no hidden matter can anyone //
Compare to youâ€.
Lamentations 4,1 takes this inquiry out of the book of Ezekiel and out of
the Nebi÷im altogether, but perhaps linguistically, not so very far afield (18).
Typically, translations and commentaries render this verb form of µm[ in the
sense of being dim or dull in luster, drawing upon the meaning of “to darkenâ€
seen earlier (19). Hillers identifies the problem with this traditional translation
of Lam 4,1. First, as Hillers has emphasized, gold does not in fact dim, nor do
passages in the Hebrew Bible dealing figuratively with gold speak of it
dimming in its luster. Second, the antecedent (20) standing behind the
metaphorical use of gold in Lam 4,2, the children of Zion, has been devalued
not because of some internal deterioration — indeed, they remain precious as
gold (cf. v. 4,2a), but rather, they have merely been reckoned, or yet better,
associated with common pottery (21). Hillers, in contrast, translates the verse
“How the gold is despised!†(22). which stills seems out of step with the
broader context of the passage. The images of the passage consistently focus
on how once socially separated elites, whose status and behavior set them
apart, have been reduced to degrading statuses and behaviors lower than that
of commoners. Royalty, who once “feasted on delicacies†and were clothed
in purple, now perish in the streets and visit “ash heaps†(v. 5). Princes,
described as being white and pure, are dark as soot (vv. 7-8). These images,
and this lament as a whole, deal with associations (23), featuring classes of
people, who, once set apart by their place in Jerusalem and Zion’s royal and
priestly operations, are now classified together with the “sub-commonâ€.
Verses 1 and 2, as an introduction to this lament, then draws upon the nature
of gold as sui generis to illustrate the proper understanding of the nature of
Zion’s elite, and, by using a Hp-stem of µm[, state that they have now been
associated together with the profane realm. And so, the second line of the
strophe states “The sacred stones are cast out to the outside worldâ€
(18) See F.W. Dobbs-Allsopp’s linguistic study, which places both of the books of
Lamentations and Ezekiel in sixth century BCE in regard to use and development of Hebrew
(“Linguistic Evidence for the Date of Lamentationsâ€, JANESCU 26 (1998) 1-36, especially
p. 35).
(19) In addition to NRSV and NJPS, see also C. WESTERMANN, Lamentations. Issues
and Interpretation (Minneapolis 1994) 193, 196; J. RENKEMA, Lamentations (Historical
Commentary on the Old Testament; Leuven 1998) 491-492; A. BERLIN, Lamentations
(OTL; Louisville 2002) 104; and F. W. DOBBS-ALLSOPP, Lamentations (IBC; Louisville
2002) 130.
(20) The term “antecedent†(see also n. 10) is used here to identify the subject of the
metaphor. “Tenor†is another term sometimes found in scholarship. See, e.g., J.
GALAMBUSH, Jerusalem in the book of Ezekiel: The City as Yahweh’s Wife (SBLDS 130;
Atlanta 1992) 4; citing I.A. RICHARDS, “The Philosophy of Rhetoricâ€, Philosophical
Perspectives on Metaphor (ed. M. JOHNSON) (Minneapolis 1981) 48-62.
(21) D.R. HILLERS, Lamentations (AB 7a; New York 1982), 78. BERLIN, Lamentations,
104, and Dobbs-Allsopp challenge Hillers on this point, Dobbs-Allsopp stating: “… the
occurrence of the impossible pointedly underscores the severity of the situationâ€
(Lamentations, 130).
(22) HILLERS, Lamentations, 75.
(23) Note that the comparative use of ˆm occurs five times in Lam 4 (vv. 6a, 7a, 8a, 9a,
19a). This fact alone signals the interest of this lament with the new classification of the
post-587 Judah, Jerusalem, and the “children of Zionâ€.