July 27, 2006
NYC Letter: We're Not Saying, We're Just Saying
There is coincidence. And then there is synthetic irony.
"MIRACLE" FIND UNEARTHED IN IRELAND
July 26, 2006 (thefreedictionary.com) - A construction worker unearthed an ancient book of psalms while working in a bog in Ireland's midlands. The approximately 20-page book has been dated to the years 800-1000 and its discovery is being called a "miracle." Archaeologists say it could take months to identify the safest way to separate the fragile pages. The book was found open to Psalm 83, in which God hears complaints of other nations' attempts to wipe out the name of Israel.They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. Psalms 83:4
(The very same story reported by the NYT. Guess what's not fit to print.)
HEZBOLLAH: ISRAELI ONSLAUGHT A SURPRISE
BEIRUT July 25, 2006 (AP) - A senior Hezbollah official [Mahmoud Komati, deputy chief of the Hizballah's "political" arm] said Tuesday the guerrillas did not expect Israel to react with an all-out offensive after the capture of two soldiers, the first acknowledgment by the group that it had miscalculated the consequences of the raid two weeks ago."The truth is — let me say this clearly — we didn't even expect (this) response ... that (Israel) would exploit this operation for this big war against us," said Komati.
He said Hezbollah had expected "the usual, limited response" from Israel after the two soldiers were seized by guerrillas on Israel's side of the border on July 12.
"The response is unjustified," Komati said. He claimed the Israeli offensive was planned in advance, and Israel was only "waiting for the right time" to carry it out.
Poor Mr. Komati. How unfair that Israel should spoil Hizballah's strategy of a belligerent slow grind. And that Israel should plan in advance and pick its time, when Hizballah is just winging terrorism -- how sporting is that?
Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish.
Psalm 83:16-17
"THERE CAN NO LONGER BE A HEZBOLLAH"
Interview With Israel's Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni
July 25, 2006 (Der Spiegel) - Livni: Hezbollah is the long arm of Iran. They share the same horrible ideology. It's an ideology of hate that is fed by the wish to destroy Israel. Syria supports Hezbollah by, on the one hand, providing weapons and, on the other, acting as a conduit for weapons deliveries from other countries.It's not only about the goal of the military action but about the demands of the international community that we explicitly share. They are: there must be a government and an army in Lebanon. There can no longer be militias and terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah. Hezbollah must be completely disarmed. They should no longer have the ability to be armed by Syria and Iran. In southern Lebanon there can be no more Hezbollah bases. The Lebanese army must be stationed there in its place. The global community a while ago [scil., UNSCR 1559] demanded that the Lebanese government fulfill its responsibilities. It hasn't yet done so.
We're not saying...
This doesn't necessarily undermine your point, but it turns out that the Psalm 83 of book is based on the Vulgate, which numbers Psalms differently from modern Bibles based on the King James Bible. Therefore it does not refer to wiping out the name of Israel but rather the vale of tears:
DUBLIN (Reuters) - An ancient Irish manuscript found in a bog last week does not refer to ``wiping out Israel,'' the National Museum of Ireland said on Thursday, after a flood of enquiries wondering at the timing of the discovery.
The National Museum of Ireland announced on Tuesday what it said was one of the most significant Irish discoveries in decades; an ancient Psalter or Book of Psalms, written around 800 AD. It said part of Psalm 83 was legible.
In modern versions of the Bible, Psalm 83 is a lament to God over other nations' attempts to wipe out Israel and many commentators wondered at the coincidence of such a discovery at a time of heightened tension in the Middle East.
``The above mention of Psalm 83 has led to misconceptions about the revealed wording and may be a source of concern for people who believe Psalm 83 deals with 'the wiping out of Israel','' the museum said in its clarification.
The confusion arose because the manuscript uses an old Latin translation of the Bible known at the Vulgate, which numbers the psalms differently from the later King James version, the 1611 English translation from which many modern texts derive.
``The Director of the National Museum of Ireland ... would like to highlight that the text visible on the manuscript does not refer to wiping out Israel but to the 'vale of tears','' the museum said.
The vale of tears is in Psalm 84 in the King James version.
``It is hoped that this clarification will serve comfort to anyone worried by earlier reports of the content of the text,'' the museum said.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-ireland-psalms.html
