The apparently indiscriminate use of the past and future tenses, in scriptural and prophetic language, has perplexed the [pg 094] best Hebrew scholars. On the conversive power of the ו, Granville Sharpe's is perhaps the best treatise. In the present case, unless the ו retain that power when disjoined from the verb, there is no reason for rendering the future אפקוד (or דוקפא) as a perfect, or, I punished, instead of I will punish. And, as Mr. Lowth observes, the כי (or יכ) which follows would be more properly rendered But than For, and it will then be—mine anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the goats; But the Lord of Hosts, &c. The shepherds and the goats both signify leaders of the flock.
Verse 4. :ממנו פנה ממנו יתד ממנו קשת מלחמה ממנו יצא כל נוגש יחדו
Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.
The words corner, nail, and oppressor, must be rather perplexing to the English reader, nor can the Hebrew scholar be certain of the precise meaning of each, though their general import is obvious enough. Thus פנה (or הנפ) corner, signifies in the root to turn, and as the corner stone is a guide to the builder in laying the others, it comes to signify a guide or leader. So יתד (or דתי), a nail, signifies one on whom others depend. And נוגש (or שגונ), an oppressor, like the Greek τυραννος, signifies generally, a prince, as well as a tyrant. Thus these terms are each of them equivalent to a chief or leader.
The verb יצא (or אצי), which follows, may be either past or future, but the latter accords best with the context, as in the proposed translation. Out of him shall come forth the corner-stone, [pg 095] out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every leader together.
Verse 8. אשרקה להם.—I will hiss for them.
The word hiss, does not to the English reader convey the correct meaning here. In many parts of Europe, and, probably, in some of Asia, the common made of call is by a shrill sound, very different from either a hiss or a whistle. In some countries it is effected by pressing the tongue against the teeth with the lips open, and sounding the letters—tsz. In others, it is usual to begin with the lips compressed, and without closing the teeth, thus making the sound of the letters psh—but in both, the sibilant sound predominates, and is heard to a considerable distance, while its peculiarity instantly attracts attention from all that are within hearing; and this is no doubt the sense of the term, as here used. The Hebrew closely resembles, and probably gives the etymology of the English word, shriek. (See Parkhurst.)
Verse 11. :ועבר בים צרה והכה בים גלים
And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves of the sea.
This mode of rendering gives a turn to the sense of the passage, which is wholly uncalled for, if not unwarranted by the original: which would be more literally translated: And affliction shall come over the sea, &c. But the Jew's mode of rendering is equally correct, and better accords with the context, thus: He shall cause trouble to pass in the sea, and shall smite the waves of the sea. The latter expression amplifying and explaining the former.