meaning of בעוד in the Bible

Via Dolorosa

Member
English - USA
Hi

It is customary to translate בעוד as "in X amount of time", but in Psalm 104, 33 (אשירה ליהוה בחיי אזמרה לאלהי בעודי) what does it mean? I think it translates as "as long as: I will sing as long as I exist.

Thank you so much
 
  • אָשִׁ֣ירָה לַיהֹוָ֣ה בְּחַיָּ֑י
      אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה לֵאלֹהַ֣י בְּעוֹדִֽי׃

    (תהלים קד לג)

    Let me sing for Y----- in my life
      Let me sing for my God as long as I am.

    What makes you think the cohortative doesn't mean what it usually means here?
     
    Hi

    It is customary to translate בעוד as "in X amount of time", but in Psalm 104, 33 (אשירה ליהוה בחיי אזמרה לאלהי בעודי) what does it mean? I think it translates as "as long as: I will sing as long as I exist.

    Thank you so much
    One of the main characteristics of the Biblical poetry are such verses where the statement is repeated twice: some times in the same way (אשרי האיש אשר לא הלך בעצת רשעים ובדרך חטאים לא עמד), sometimes in its negative form (כי יודע ה דרך צדיקים ודרך רשעים תאבד); both quotations from the first chapter of Psalm.
    In this case (Psalm 104 33) it obviously repeats the same statement (אשירה = אזמרה, ליהוה = לאלוהי, בחיי = בעודי).
     
    Back
    Top