The Text-Criticism of Psalm 80—Revisited

Abstract

AbstractThe first part of this essay reviews cases of doublets in the Biblical texts, in order to substantiate the claim that Ps 80:16,18 represent a full-verse doublet. However, none of its components submits the original text. For the hypothetical reconstruction of the primary reading one must rely on a secondary textual witness—paraphrasis. For that reason, the use of that class of witnesses, also comprising quotations and allusions, is explored. One paraphrasis of Ps 80:13 in Ps 89:41-42 was detected long ago by H. P. Chayes. Building on his finding, it is maintained here that a primary text, lying behind Ps 80:16,18, was paraphrased in Ps 89:22. The reconstruction of that text is offered, followed by the restoration of the last stanza (vss. 15-20) of Psalm 80.