Psalms 41:9
WLCR: Gam īš-šėlōmī, ȧšer bạṱaḩtī bō, ōķẹl-laḩmī, higdīl ậlay ậqẹv.
Deviation scores of the whole verse text (if the verse is missing completely): ·ALSO³₁ ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ ·MY¹₁ ·PEACE³₁ [or ·MY¹₁ ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ ·PEACE³₁], ·WHOM₁ ·I³₁ ·TRUSTED³₁ ·IN₀ ·HIM₀, ·EATING³₁ ·MY³₁ ·BREAD³₁ [or ·EATER³₁ ·OF₀ ·MY³₁ ·BREAD³₁], ·MADE₀ ·GREAT²₁ [or ·GREATLY²₁ USED₀] ·THE ·HEEL²₁ ·AGAINST₁ ·ME³₁.
This verse contains two apparent idioms in hebrew language: “my man of peace” and “made the heel great against me”.
The expression “my man of peace” or “your man of peace” is used also in Ovadyah 1:7, Yirmeyahu 20:10 and Yirmeyahu 38:22.
These examples prove that the meaning of this expression is approximately “a man who is in peaceful terms with me”. Idiomatic translations
are treated leniently in the review, giving 0 deviation points for form-faithfulness, and no markings for literal accuracy, if the interpreted meaning
is such that would logically fit in every of the four verses in Tanakh, where a similar expression is used.
(It is untypical in this review to accept any idiomatic translations without deviation points at least for form-faithfulness. An exception is
made in this case, because a literal translation word for word would not make much sense in english, and the meaning of this idiom
can be documented extensively from other verses of Tanakh. I have specificed untypical deviation point values for the words in this expression,
“·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₀ ·MY¹₁ ·PEACE³₁”, giving the weight of one point only to “man” and “my”. It is self-evident
even without saying that this is a person (probably a man), and the described relation is towards “me”, and “of peace”
is the main thought in this idiomatic expression. The practical consequence of the reduced weight of the word “man” is that simplified
idiomatic translations, such as “friend” or “ally”, receive only 1 deviation point for literal accuracy, not 3 points.)
The other idiomatic expression “made the heel great against me” is not used elsewhere in Tanakh. The primary meaning of verb “higdīl”
is “make great”, but it has also other meanings in Tanakh, which are related to greatness in some way. It is not clear what is the full range of
possible meanings for this verb. For example in 1 Samuel 20:41 it is very unclear, what the intended meaning of this verb is in that context. The greek
Septuagint translates the verb “higdīl” as “made great” in Psalms 41:9, but the greek manuscripts of Yohanan 13:18 translate it as
“lift up”. Many Bibles have translated “higdīl” as “lift up” in this verse, probably using Yohanan 13:18 as inspiration.
I have given one deviation point for this, because the basic meaning of this word root is “great”, not “high”, and the ordinary meaning
“high” or “lift up” is always expressed with a different word in Tanakh. This may seem harsh that a deviation point is given for a
translation which is used in a source as authoritative as the New Testament manuscripts. However, it is obvious that the New Testament does not systematically
give precise literal translations of the (currently known) hebrew manuscripts, when it quotes verses of the Tanakh. Therefore the New Testament cannot be
referred to as a supreme authority concerning the precise literal meaning of verb “higdīl” in hebrew. The answer to this question must be found
from within the hebrew language itself, preferably from within the Tanakh.
Now as the precise intended meaning of verb “higdīl” is not known, it is not evident, should this expression be understood literally, word by word, or
does this expression have an idiomatic meaning. It is popular to assume that this is an idiom that means “he betrayed me greatly”, but this is uncertain.
The accuracy of translations for this expression are reviewed strictly based on literal meaning, word by word, because the assumed idiomatic
meanings are uncertain. The weight of the words “·MADE₀ ·GREAT²₁” and “·HEEL²₁” is reduced to 2 points, instead of the typical 3 points,
because the range of possible meanings for these words is unclear, and because many translations have used idioms, whose accuracy is impossible to
evaluate with any certainty.
In the expression “eater of₀ my bread” the genitive “of” has the weight of 0 deviation points, and is not marked as “·OF₀”
if it is missing from a translation, because this expression can be interpreted also without a genitive: “eating my bread”. In translations such as
“eating of₀ my bread” the genitive is an added word, and theoretically a deviation in form-faithfulness, because translating the word “ōķẹl”
as a verb removes the possibility that this expression would contain a genitive before “my bread”. However, in english this added “of”
indicates partitive, “eating some of my bread, not all of it alone”. The hebrew word “laḩmī” can be interpreted as partitive, and is
probably meant as partitive. The man ate only some of his bread, not all of it. Therefore this added “of” is marked with 0 deviation points.
Expressions such as “in whom I trusted” are said in a more complicated way in hebrew: “which I trusted in him”. A literal
and form-faithful translation of this expression would not be proper english. Convenient english expressions with the same meaning are therefore accepted,
and the differences in form are marked with 0 deviation points — not to complain that there is something reproachable in the translation, but to help
the reader to see the difference between how this thought is said in the original hebrew text vs. how it is said in english. Many translations have received a
formal deviation marking of 0 points for writing the expression “who ... in him” differently as “in whom₀”.
Main thoughts in this verse:
A) This man was in peaceful terms with me. (This seems to be an idiom, whose precise meaning is debatable. Various descriptions of a friendly relationship are accepted.) 3 points: this thought is not mentioned at all. 2 points: This concept is not directly mentioned. 0 points: The man whom I used to salute. (It seems improbable that the word šėlōmī would refer to a salutation, but I have given this interpretation the benefit of doubt.)
B) I trusted him. 3 points: this thought is not mentioned. 2 points: Trusting is not mentioned clearly (e.g. “truest friend”). 1 point: Trusting is mentioned in square brackets only.
C) He ate of my bread. 3 points: this thought is not mentioned. 2 points: Food and eating are mentioned only unclearly (e.g. “shared my table”). 1 point: The concept of “bread” is replaced with a different word, such as “food” or generally “eating”.
D) He has greatly used a heel on me. (The precise meaning of verb “higdīl” is unclear in this expression, so several translation variants are accepted. However, allegorical interpretations receive deviation points.) 3 points: this thought is not mentioned. 2 points: This expression is translated as an idiom, which mentions neither a heel nor making something great. 1 point: A heel is not mentioned. / The concept “me” is not mentioned. / Making something great is not mentioned. / Literal translation is given in square brackets, and the main translation is idiomatic. 0 points: “Lifting” the heel is accepted here, although it receives a deviation point in the review of literal accuracy.
Z) Thoughts added by translators. 3 points: He spins slanderous tales about me, or he exults over my misfortune, or he takes advantage of me, or he will stab me in the back. (It seems improbable that any of these would be the allegorical meaning of the hebrew idiom.) / I always told him everything. 2 points: I thought that he would help me. 1 point: I have “always” had peace with this man. / He “always”, “often” or “once” ate bread with me. / This was my “dearest”, “best”, “closest” or “truest” friend. / I trusted him “most”, or he was “most trusted”. / He plans to “trample” or “step on” me, or to “trip me up”. / He has insulted me, or developed an ambush for me, or bitten my hand. (It seems improbable that any of these would be the precise meaning of the hebrew idiom.) / He “visits me”, or eats in “my home” or “my house”. / He “should have” sought my welfare.
Inconvenient readability of words. 3 points: nay / yee / forsothe / forsoŧe / whi / awne / ish / shalom / pees / pes / famylier / hopide / eet / lechem / looues / loues / louys / breed / hathe / magnefiede / magnyfiede / greet (great) / disseit / wayte / lyfte / lyft / supplanted / supplanting / supplaunting / hele / vp on. 2 points: euen / ŧe / myne / bosom friend / confidant / hopede / frende / peaceable / Y / whych / ŧat / eateth / bred / loaves (without mentioning bread) / hath / dyd / layed / magnified / greatened / lift (lifted) / vp / vpon / agaynst / devious / exults / vnder-foot. 1 point: yea / mine (but not “of mine”) / owne / familier / frend / friende / whome / salute / upon / confided / eate / bread loaves / utterly / grossly / greate / troden / trickery / false / heele.
Inconvenient readability of expressions. 3 points: for why ... / for the man also / man of my peace (or well-being) / my man of peace / in (or on) whom I hoped / lifted up against heel / made the heel great (or magnified the heel) / magnified (without any other object than “against me”) / trips me up heavily / magnefiede vp on me supplaunting / layed greate wayte / long text in UPPERCASE / the thought in phrase is difficult to follow (HBROOTB, MSG18). 2 points: Why, ... / shared my table / shared my bread / partook of my bread / broke bread / eater of my bread / he ate meals at my house all the time (causes a long break in the thought of the main phrase) / caused ... to be / lifted (or raised) his heel (or foot) against me / greatly used a heel on me. 1 point: For also ... / For even ... / the man of peace / person at peace with me / well being (well-being) / friend [whom] I trusted / whom I trusted in him / I trusted in him (with an unclear relation to other clauses) / did trust / did eat / who eat (who eats) / eating (of) my bread, he who would eat of my bread (with an unclear relation to other clauses) / took bread / shared my bread / shared meals / is turned / has even turned / made great deceit / against me made plans / gives me a hard kick / kicked against me / spins tales / “on/against” / repetition “mine own familiar friend mine own familiar friend” / a bit complex phrase structure (AV7) / rhyming of text takes attention away from the main thought (BELOVED) / inconvenient or insufficient use of punctuation (2001T, BISHOP, HBROOTV, GABRIEL x2, WYE138C, WYE1850, WYL1850, WYLMSN). 0 points: lifted (or raised) his heel to trample (or step, or trip me).
Inconvenient readability scores for translation LITTRCH. 9 points: of-the-one of-a-joinifying of-me (of my peace) / I-drove-sureed-to (I trusted) / to-adjustations of-me (my bread). 6 points: the-one a-mankind (man) / the-one eat-belonging (the eater of) / to-a-heeling-of (heel). 3 points: too-thus (also) / it-greatened (made great). 2 points: upon to-which (on whom) / upon to-ME (on me).
Literal and formal deviations, approximately in the order that they appear in the text of this verse: *and¹₁ / *as¹₁ *for¹₁ / *for¹₁ / *yea¹₁ / *yee¹₁ / *indeed¹₁ | *besides³₁ *this¹₁ | *I¹₁ *thought³₁ *that¹₁ | ·ALSO³₁ / ₁also / even / ₁even / and²₁ / indeed³₁ / yet³₁ / yes³₁ / yea³₁ / yee³₁ / nay³₁ / why³₁ / whi³₁ / forsothe³₁ / forsoŧe³₁ | *that¹₁ / *thus¹₁ | ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ ·MY¹₁ ·PEACE³₁ / the man of my peace⁰ / the man of my pees⁰ / the man of my pes⁰ / ŧe man of my pes⁰ / my man of peace / my man of shalom¹ / mine *own¹₁ ish¹ ·OF₁ shalom¹ ⁰(familiar friend) / the man whom₁ I₀ used₁ to₀ salute²₁ / the man of ·MY¹₁ peace / a man of my well⁰₀ being⁰ / the Man that₁ was₁ peaceable₀ to₀ me₀ / a man who₁ was₁ at₀ peace with₀ me₀ / the man at₀ peace with₀ me₀ / the person¹ at₀ peace with₀ me₀ / a man who₁ was₁ in₀ peaceful₀ terms₀ with₀ me₀ / a man with₀ whom₁ I₀ *always³₁ had₁ peace / the man I₀ was₁ on₀ the₀ best³₁ terms₀ with₀ / the man that₁ *should³₁ *have₀ *sought¹₁ my welfare⁰₀ / a man desiring₁ my welfare⁰₀ / the man [⁰bidding] me₁ peace / my dearest³₁ ·OF₁ friend¹ / my best³₁ ·OF₁ friend¹ / ·OF₁ my *best³₁ friend¹ ... ₀a ₁man / my best³₁ *and¹₁ *truest¹₁ ·OF₁ friend¹ / ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ my confidant¹ / ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ my ally¹ / ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ mine ally¹ / ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ a friend¹ of₀ mine₀ / the ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ ·MY¹₁ friend¹ / ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ my ... friend¹ / ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ my ... ₁friend¹ / a man, ·OF₁ my friend¹ / man *was¹₁ ·OF₁ my ₁friend¹ / ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ my *own¹₁ friend¹ / ·A ·MAN¹₁ ·OF₁ myne *owne¹₁ friende¹ / a man, ·OF₁ my *close¹₁ friend¹ / ·MY¹₁ a *very²₁ close¹₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / my close¹₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / my closest³₁ ·OF₁ friend¹ / ·OF₁ my closest³₁ ... ₁friend¹ / my good¹₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / my special²₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / my bosom³₁ ·OF₁ friend¹ / my trusted¹₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / my *own¹₁ close¹₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / my *own¹₁ intimate²₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / my *own¹₁ familiar¹₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / mine *own¹₁ familiar¹₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / mine *owne¹₁ familiar¹₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / mine *owne¹₁ familiar¹₀ ·OF₁ frende¹ / myne *owne¹₁ familier¹₀ ·OF₁ frende¹ / myne *owne¹₁ famylier¹₀ ·OF₁ frende¹ / mine *awne¹₁ familier¹₀ ·OF₁ frend¹ / my familiar¹₀ ·OF₁ friend¹ / the man ·OF₁ who₁ visits³₁ ₁me₁ / the-one a-mankind³ of-the-one of-a-joinifying³ of₀-me₀ | *would₀ *help³₁ *me¹₁ | *and¹₁ | *mine¹₁ *own¹₁ *familiar¹₁ *friend¹₁ | *he¹₁ | *was¹₁ | *someone¹₁ / (*the) *one¹₁ / *a *man¹₁ | ·WHOM₁ ... ·IN₀ ·HIM₀ (in him who) / ·IN₀ whom₀ / ·IN₁ who₀ / ·IN₀ ·HIM₀ ₁who₁ / in whom₀ / upon₀ whom₀ / on₀ whom₀ / that ... ·IN₀ ·HIM₀ / the₀ one₁ ... ·IN₀ ·HIM₀ / someone¹₁ ... ·IN₀ ·HIM₀ / the₀ *very¹₁ man¹₁ ... ·IN₀ ·HIM₀ | ·I³₁ / my₁ | *completely²₁ / *always³₁ / *most³₁ | ·TRUSTED³₁ / hoped⁰ / hopede⁰ / hopide⁰ / did₁ trust₀ / had₁ ... trust₁ / put₁ confidence₁ / trusted₁ / ₁trusted₁ / drove-sureed-to⁰ / told³ ... *everything³₁ | *and¹₁ / *also¹₁ / *even¹₁ / *though¹₁ / *how¹₁ | *with¹₁ | *whom¹₁ / *him¹₁ | *I³₁ | *once²₁ / *often³₁ / *always³₁ / *very¹₁ *much²₁ | *visited³₁ *me¹₁ | *and¹₁ | ·EATING³₁ / (the) one₀ eating / *who¹₁ was₀ eating / he¹₁ who₁ was₀ eating / ate₁ / the one₀ who₁ ... ate₁ / *who¹₁ *used¹₁ *to₀ eat₁ / he¹₁ who₁ would₀ eat₁ / he¹₁ who₁ ate₁ / *he¹₁ ate₁ / *we²₁ ate₁ / *that¹₁ ate₁ / *who¹₁ eats / *who¹₁ eateth / he¹₁ that₁ ate₁ / *who¹₁ eat₁ / *that¹₁ eet₁ / *ŧat¹₁ eet₁ / he¹₁ that₁ eet₁ / (the) one₀ who₁ ate₁ / the one₀ who₁ broke³₁ / the one₀ who₁ dined¹₁ / *who¹₁ ate₁ / *who¹₁ has₀ eaten₁ / *who¹₁ did₁ ... eat₁ / *who¹₁ did₁ eate₁ / *which¹₁ did₁ eat₁ / *which¹₁ did₁ eate₁ / *which¹₁ dyd₁ ... eate₁ / *whych¹₁ dyd₁ ... eate₁ / *who¹₁ took²₁ / he¹₁ who₁ partook²₁ / partook²₁ / *who¹₁ shared²₁ / *someone¹₁ *who¹₁ shares² / (the) one₀ who₁ shared²₁ / he¹₁ who₁ shared²₁ / he¹₁ who₁ shares² | of₀ / belonging¹₁ / *at₁ | ·MY³₁ / ₁my / *with₁ me₁ / *with₁ ₁me₁ / together³₁ | ·BREAD³₁ / breed⁰ / lechem¹ / breads₁ / bread *loaves¹₁ / loaves²₁ / looues²₁ / loues²₁ / food¹ / meals²₁ / table³ / adjustations³₁ | *at₀ / *in₀ | *table³₁ / *home³₁ / *house³₁ | *with₀ *him¹₁ | *all³₁ *the *time³₁ | *and¹₁ *whom¹₁ *I¹₁ *trust¹₁ | *but¹₁ / *even¹₁ / *now¹₁ | *this¹₁ *one₀ | *hath₀ ... *troden²₁ | ·MADE₀ ·GREAT²₁ / made₀ ... great₀ / made₀ greet⁰₀ / greatened / magnified / has caused₁ ... to₀ be₀ magnified₀ / has greatly₀ used⁰₀ / greatly₁ / has done₀ a₀ great₀ / hath layed₀ greate₀ / hath ... very₀ much₀ / gives₀ ... a₀ hard¹₀ / was₀ utterly¹ / has₀ been₀ utterly¹ / grossly¹₁ / heavily¹₁ / has raised¹ / (has) lifted¹ / has raised¹ *up¹₁ / has risen¹₁ *up¹₁ / (has / hath) lifted¹ *up¹₁ / hath lift¹ *up¹₁ / hath lift¹ *vp¹₁ / hath lyft¹ *vp¹₁ / hath lyfte¹ *vp¹₁ / made² *plans²₁ / spins²₁ / developed² / takes²₁ / has turned² / is turned²₁ / has acted² / has kicked² / has bitten² / will₁ stab²₀ / exults²₁ / is²₁ | *of₁ / *with₁ / *vnder₁ / *in₁ | *slanderous²₁ | ·THE / *his¹₁ | ·HEEL²₁ / ₁heel / foot¹ / hand² / back² / kick² / (has₀ / hath₀) kicked²₁ / supplaunting² / has₀ ... supplanted²₁ / hath₀ ... supplanted²₁ / has₀ insulted²₁ / has₀ ... failed²₁ / trips²₁ ... up₀ / has tricked²₁ / trickery² / advantage² / rebels²₁ / betrays²₁ / betrayed²₁ / betrayal² / deceit² / disseit² / deceitfully²₁ / ambush² / devious²₁ / false²₁ / wayte² / tales²₁ / misfortune²₁ / to-a-heeling-of₁ | *to₀ *step²₁ | ·AGAINST₁ / on / vp₀ on (upon) / about⁰ / of₁ / with₁ / to₁ / for₁ | *trample²₁ / *trip²₁ ... *up₀ | ·ME³₁ / my₂ | *a *betrayer²₁.