Isaiah 40.13,the Masoretes,Syntax and Literary Structure: A Rejoinder to Reinoud Oosting

Abstract

This study discusses Isa. 40.13, as interpreted in a recent article by Reinoud Oosting (JSOT 32 [2008]: 353-82). In his work, Oosting presented a new interpretation of the Isaiah text, arguing that the accentuation of the verse suggests that the Masoretes misinterpreted the text as a question and answer: `Who has directed the spirit? Yhwh!' It is demonstrated that Oosting's representation of the Masoretic accentuation and its meaning is based on a misunderstanding. Moreover it is argued that the classical interpretation of the Hebrew text, rendering the text—`Who has measured the spirit of Yhwh, and [who is] his counsellor, that has made him know?'—which is rejected by Oosting, is based on solid ground and should be preferred.

Keywords

Masoretic accentuation corpus-linguistics yiqtol/qatal structural analysis poetry.

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