Isaiah 9:5-6

[Kenneth Greifer]

In Isaiah 9:5-6, the child's name is usually translated as "wonderful counselor, mighty God, father of eternity, ruler of peace."
I don't think it can say that. I have a few alternatives that I doubt I ever put here:

"A wonder is planning G-d, the being strong of my father while a ruler of peace"

"A wonder is planning G-d, the being strong of my father while (until) peace is ruling"

"A wonder is planning G-d the mighty, father of eternity, ruler of peace."

After this, it says "for the increase of government and for peace there is not an end on the throne of David..."

I have a few more ideas. I also have a video on YouTube about this and many more unusual alternative translations and ideas about the Hebrew Bible, if one of the many users of B-Hebrew is interested. My channel is my name.

I used to participate here a lot. I decided to come back for a little bit to see how good old B-Hebrew is doing and to show some of my ideas. I now have around 300 or 350 verses that I have redivided the letters into words differently. All together I have around 2400 pages of new and unusual ideas about the Hebrew Bible and textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible in my self-published books.

Kenneth Greifer
https://www.youtube.com/@kennethgreifer5123

[cvkimball]

The Sefaria JPS Tanach 1985 has:

"“The Mighty God is planning grace; *As in 25.1.

so Isaiah 25:1 should be considered, too.

Chris Kimball
Redding, CT
USA

[Kenneth Greifer]

The Sefaria translation seems kind of strange to me. I don't like their translations. I don't think I have ever seen it before, and I don't plan to use it. Thanks for pointing it out though. It is interesting to see the different translations out there.

Kenneth Greifer

[cvkimball]

To be precise, the translation is by the Jewish Publication Society (JPS), not by Sefaria.

The JPS Hebrew-English Tanach (1999) contains a section "Preface to the 1985 English edition", p xxi-xxvii, explaining the translation.

Chris Kimball
Redding, CT
USA

[Kenneth Greifer]

Thanks for letting me know. I don't really like the later JPS translation. I prefer their 1917 one, but I am sure that is not a perfect one since they are all based on lots and lots of guessing.

Kenneth Greifer
https://www.youtube.com/@kennethgreifer5123