Mazmur 68:15-16

68:15 The mountain of Bashan ¹  is a towering mountain; ² 

the mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks. ³ 

68:16 Why do you look with envy, ⁴  O mountains ⁵  with many peaks,

at the mountain where God has decided to live? ⁶ 

Indeed ⁷  the Lord will live there ⁸  permanently!

[68:15]  ¹ sn The mountain of Bashan probably refers to Mount Hermon.

[68:15]  ² tn Heb “a mountain of God.” The divine name is probably used here in a superlative sense to depict a very high mountain (“a mountain fit for God,” as it were). Cf. NIV “are majestic mountains”; NRSV “O mighty mountain.”

[68:15]  ³ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term, which appears only here in the OT, is uncertain. HALOT 174 s.v. גַּבְנוֹן suggests “many-peaked,” while BDB 148 s.v. גַּבְנִן suggests “rounded summit.”

[68:16]  ⁴ tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb רָצַד (ratsad), translated here “look with envy,” is uncertain; it occurs only here in the OT. See BDB 952-53. A cognate verb occurs in later Aramaic with the meaning “to lie in wait; to watch” (Jastrow 1492 s.v. רְצַד).

[68:16]  ⁵ tn Perhaps the apparent plural form should be read as a singular with enclitic mem (ם; later misinterpreted as a plural ending). The preceding verse has the singular form.

[68:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “[at] the mountain God desires for his dwelling place.” The reference is to Mount Zion/Jerusalem.

[68:16]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew particle אַף (’af) has an emphasizing function here.

[68:16]  ⁸ tn The word “there” is supplied in the translation for clarification.