To Perpetuate A Memory

[Mr. M]

The Hebrew word zakar [H2142] is normally translated ‘remember’, or 'remembered’.
This English word fails to fully transmit the meaning of the word, which is;
'To perpetuate a memory’. Therefore, we find in the first usage of the word;
Genesis 8:1. Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.

We are informed that by way of the ark, God perpetuated man and every other animal
with him on the ark. We can as individuals remember things, but only in passing on those
memories do we fulfill the intent of zakar.

Memorial and Remembrance

Now we can easily understand the word memorial [H2146] as anything that functions to help
perpetuate a memory. Here is the first use of zikrown, in reference to the Passover Feast.

Exodus 12:14. So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.
The First Memorial

Complications arise with the word zeker [H2143]-remembrance. The inconsistency in translating these words are often explained as varying by way of the context. This is as faulty an explanation as the inconsistency itself. Here are both words used in the same verse;

Exodus 17:14. Then the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in the book and recount in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

We can with ease see how something written in a book will serve as a memorial. The complications, therefore, center around a correct comprehension of the word remembrance.
Perpetuating Memories

 

[Mr. M]

Here is the first use of zeker, and the first inconsistency of translation,
The Name Of Remembrance

Further clarification is gained by studying the use of silver trumpets>
Trumpets Of Memorial And Remembrance

The need to correctly comprehend memorial and remembrance becomes
critical when considering the Last Supper.
In Remembrance Of Me

King David in the Psalms speaks of the power of remembrance.
The Remembrance Of His Holiness

 

[Der Alte]

The Prayers and Almsgiving of the righteous create a memorial on their behalf.
Acts 10:
1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously
to the people, and prayed to God always.
3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and
saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”
So he said to him, Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
Malachi 3:16. Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened
and heard. So a book of *memorial* was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.
*often mistranslated as 'remembrance'.

1917 Jewish Publication Society translation Malachi 3:16
16 Then they that feared the LORD spoke one with another; and the LORD hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name.
Bauer, Danker, Arndt, Danker Hebrew/Caldee Lexicon

H2146. zikkaron
זִכָּרֹן זִכָּרוֺן, noun masculineEcc_1:11 memorial, remembrance (compare LgBN 199, 200) — absolute זִכָּרוֺן Jos_4:7 +; זִכָּרֹן Exo_28:12 (twice in verse); Exo_28:29; construct זִכְרוֺן Ecc_1:11 Ecc_1:2t.; suffix זִכְרוֺנֵךְ Isa_57:8; plural הַזִּכְרֹנוֺת Est_6:1; suffix זִכְרֹנֵיכֶם Job_13:12; —
1 memorial, reminder:
a. memorial-day Exo_12:14 (P).
b. memorial-usage Exo_13:9 (JE).
c. memorial-objects, altar-plates Num_17:5 (P); stones in Jordan Jos_4:7 (JE); crowns in temple Zec_6:14; ׳ז in Isa_57:8 is symbol of strange god (Di), or perhaps phallus-image, as sign of harlot (Che), compare > Du (who proposes זְכָרוֺן, from זָכָר).
d. memorial-record; in a book Exo_17:14 (E); compare זִכָּרוֺן סֵפֶר Mal_3:16, ׳ס הימים דברי הַזִּכְרֹנות Est_6:1; memorial, as proof of citizenship Neh_2:20 (|| צְדָקָה חֵלֶק,); reminder of Israel, י ׳לִפְנֵי, of הַכִּמֻּרִים כֶּסֶף Exo_30:16; spoils of war Num_31:54; inscribed stones of ephod Exo_28:12, Exo_28:29, called ז ׳אַבְנֵי Exo_28:12 = Exo_39:7; blowing of trumpets Num_10:10 (foregoing all P), compare תְּרוּעַה זִכְרוֺן Lev_23:24 (H; where, however, no י ׳לפני, see Di); (ה)זכרון מִנְחַת Num_5:15, Num_5:18 (P); memorial-sentence, apophthegm Job_13:12. **אֵפֶר מִשְׁלֵיֿ זִכְרֹנֵיכֶם Job_13:12 your memorial words are ashen sayings (i.e. worthless), compare Bu Du; Margolis (privately) suggests that ᵐ5 seems to have read לְאֵפֶר יִמָּשֵׁל [? < רָנְּכֶם] רָנְיְכֶם your exultation shall be like ashes.
2 remembrance Ecc_1:11 (construct before preposition Ges§ 130, 1), Ecc_1:11; Ecc_2:16.​

An earlier edition of BDAG can be D/L at Internet Archives.

 

[Mr. M]

1917 Jewish Publication Society translation Malachi 3:16
16 Then they that feared the LORD spoke one with another; and the LORD hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name.
Bauer, Danker, Arndt, Danker Hebrew/Caldee Lexicon
H2146. zikkaron

Yes, most translate as in the JPS

d. memorial-record; in a book Exo_17:14

Compare to:
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
the remembrance of Amalek [H2143] remembrance. This inconsistency carries over to
Exodus 3:15. Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.
My memorial [H2143] as in "the remembrance of Amalek.
The name was given to call upon "to be remembered"- a remembrance in time of need. As in:
Psalm 50:
14 Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

Call upon me with the name given in Exodus 3, which is no longer used. We have a new name,
any surprise why people argue incessantly on how to say it? 2 Corinthians 2:11

 

[Der Alte]

Yes, most translate as in the JPS
Compare to:
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
the remembrance of Amalek [H2143] remembrance. This inconsistency carries over to
Exodus 3:15. Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.
My memorial [H2143] as in "the remembrance of Amalek.
The name was given to call upon "to be remembered"- a remembrance in time of need. As in:
Psalm 50:
14 Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.
15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.
Call upon me with the name given in Exodus 3, which is no longer used. We have a new name,
any surprise why people argue incessantly on how to say it? 2 Corinthians 2:11

Oh yes, you know more about it, than the native Hebrew speaking Jewish scholars who translated the T'nach in 1917 and the 200-300 years of scholarship in the BDAG.
.....I see a lot of this, anonymous people who don't know a hithpael from a hat rack trying to contradict the many native Hebrew speaking Jewish scholars who have been doing it for a living for years.
See list of scholars at this link.
JPS Author List | The Jewish Publication Society

 

[Mr. M]

Oh yes, you know more about it, than the native Hebrew speaking Jewish scholars who translated the T'nach in 1917 and the 200-300 years of scholarship in the BDAG.

I am aware of this scholarship. I read the first edition JPS, with massive notes, including a large number of emendations, which I am sure you are well aware of the controversy surrounding that exploration into translation. They have been removed in later editions.
I may not know a "hithpael from a hat rack", but I can read the translators notes throughout a translation. This was the most common:
*Hebrew uncertain.
Second,
*emendation yields....
You can get as high minded as you want about "scholarship", and define American Jewish scholars as
"native Hebrew speaking Jewish scholars", but then what does "native Hebrew speaking" have to do
with Old Testament Hebrew?
I love you and the work you do on this forum, and I am very familiar with your credentials, as you
like to mention them often. Sometimes helpful, more often off-putting. Do you think that you are
provoking me? Jeremiah 7:19.
I spent 6-7 months studying every scripture using [H2143, H2146] and when I see these inconsistencies
in translation, I don't ask a scholar, no offense intended. I pray until I get an understanding, and I can
assure you that the confusion and inconsistency comes from the understanding of remembrance. I have no concern at all that you made no use of the links to the many essays I wrote on the subject. I do not need or desire your respect, but I do expect your consideration. Please do not come onto a thread
that I originated just to make snide comments and flaunt your education. I am not impressed.

 

[Der Alte]

I am aware of this scholarship. I read the first edition JPS, with massive notes, including a large number of emendations, which I am sure you are well aware of the controversy surrounding that exploration into translation. They have been removed in later editions.
I may not know a "hithpael from a hat rack", but I can read the translators notes throughout a translation. This was the most common:
*Hebrew uncertain.
Second,
*emendation yields....
You can get as high minded as you want about "scholarship", and define American Jewish scholars as
"native Hebrew speaking Jewish scholars", but then what does "native Hebrew speaking" have to do
with Old Testament Hebrew?
I love you and the work you do on this forum, and I am very familiar with your credentials, as you
like to mention them often. Sometimes helpful, more often off-putting. Do you think that you are
provoking me? Jeremiah 7:19.
I spent 6-7 months studying every scripture using [H2143, H2146] and when I see these inconsistencies
in translation, I don't ask a scholar, no offense intended. I pray until I get an understanding, and I can
assure you that the confusion and inconsistency comes from the understanding of remembrance. I have no concern at all that you made no use of the links to the many essays I wrote on the subject. I do not need or desire your respect, but I do expect your consideration. Please do not come onto a thread
that I originated just to make snide comments and flaunt your education. I am not impressed.

If anything has been removed in "later editions" a few examples would be most helpful.
Where are these translator's notes you are talking about? I don't recall seeing any in the JPS.
.....What does "native Hebrew speaking Jewish scholars" have to do with anything? Everything!
Hebrew is not and has never been a dead language. Their language and customs have been passed down from father to son since the time of Moses. There is very little about Hebrew or Jewish customs that native Hebrew speaking Jews are in doubt about.
.....I only mention my creds when people state or imply that I don't know what I am talking about, when just the opposite it often true.
When you were doing all the studying you claim which if any language resources did you use? Did you e.g. use BDAG, or any other peer reviewed lexicon, or any peer reviewed Hebrew grammars?
.....You quoted some Strong's numbers. Strong's is a concordance not a lexicon. Strong's does not define words it only lists where they occur and how they are translated in the KJV about 100 years ago.
....Unfortunately virtually every heterodox religious group ever, e.g. LDS, JW, OP, UPCI, WWCG, INC etc. claims that they have prayed about it and they know that they alone have the the correct interpretation and anyone/everyone who disagrees with them is [dead] wrong.
.....I rely on peer reviewed, published resources such as the ones I have referred to, not the writings of anonymous people online whose writings very likely have not been peer reviewed.

 

[Mr. M]

1917 Jewish Publication Society translation Malachi 3:16
16 Then they that feared the LORD spoke one with another; and the LORD hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name.
Bauer, Danker, Arndt, Danker Hebrew/Caldee Lexicon

H2146. zikkaron
זִכָּרֹן זִכָּרוֺן, noun masculineEcc_1:11 memorial, remembrance (compare LgBN 199, 200) — absolute זִכָּרוֺן Jos_4:7 +; זִכָּרֹן Exo_28:12 (twice in verse); Exo_28:29; construct זִכְרוֺן Ecc_1:11 Ecc_1:2t.; suffix זִכְרוֺנֵךְ Isa_57:8; plural הַזִּכְרֹנוֺת Est_6:1; suffix זִכְרֹנֵיכֶם Job_13:12; —
1 memorial, reminder:
a. memorial-day Exo_12:14 (P).
b. memorial-usage Exo_13:9 (JE).
c. memorial-objects, altar-plates Num_17:5 (P); stones in Jordan Jos_4:7 (JE); crowns in temple Zec_6:14; ׳ז in Isa_57:8 is symbol of strange god (Di), or perhaps phallus-image, as sign of harlot (Che), compare > Du (who proposes זְכָרוֺן, from זָכָר).
d. memorial-record; in a book Exo_17:14 (E); compare זִכָּרוֺן סֵפֶר Mal_3:16, ׳ס הימים דברי הַזִּכְרֹנות Est_6:1; memorial, as proof of citizenship Neh_2:20 (|| צְדָקָה חֵלֶק,); reminder of Israel, י ׳לִפְנֵי, of הַכִּמֻּרִים כֶּסֶף Exo_30:16; spoils of war Num_31:54; inscribed stones of ephod Exo_28:12, Exo_28:29, called ז ׳אַבְנֵי Exo_28:12 = Exo_39:7; blowing of trumpets Num_10:10 (foregoing all P), compare תְּרוּעַה זִכְרוֺן Lev_23:24 (H; where, however, no י ׳לפני, see Di); (ה)זכרון מִנְחַת Num_5:15, Num_5:18 (P); memorial-sentence, apophthegm Job_13:12. **אֵפֶר מִשְׁלֵיֿ זִכְרֹנֵיכֶם Job_13:12 your memorial words are ashen sayings (i.e. worthless), compare Bu Du; Margolis (privately) suggests that ᵐ5 seems to have read לְאֵפֶר יִמָּשֵׁל [? < רָנְּכֶם] רָנְיְכֶם your exultation shall be like ashes.
2 remembrance Ecc_1:11 (construct before preposition Ges§ 130, 1), Ecc_1:11; Ecc_2:16.​

An earlier edition of BDAG can be D/L at Internet Archives.

I don't see any discrepancies from what I used and this lexicon you provided. There remains the task
of assigning English words to the respective Hebrew. Exodus 17:14 contains both, and provides a usable
baseline. If the Lord tells Moses "to write in a book for a memorial", you can easily see how something
written down would function as a memorial i.e. an aid in remembering. The same would be true, for Malachi 3:16, yet it is translated remembrance, rather than memorial. Acts 10:4 was used to show how
a memorial in heaven functions on behalf of someone who has been faithful in prayers and giving.
Of course, this is not Hebrew, the comprehension of the idea is served. When I say that understanding
remembrance as an idea, it is not learning the Hebrew language, It is the relationship to memorial and
remember [zakar], which is more accurately understood as "to pass on or perpetuate a memory".
Hence, the Passover feast is described as a Memorial to all generations. There is clearly something
the Lord wants to be passed on to successive generations. Pretty clear. A remembrance, on the other
hand, is the effect that memory has on a people. The Memorials of Torah were primarily to keep
the people close to their God by shared memories and experiences. But what of the remembrance of
Amalek? What do you think is being blotted out? Is this a command to commit genocide?
This is covered in one of the essays.
As to changes to the JPS Tanakh, the latest or NJPS 1985 is a completely new translation from 1917, with no emendations included in the first five books.
There is quite a bit of information on the JPS of America's work. I won't be getting into any more
discussion about them in this thread.

 

[Mr. M]

Here is the first use of zeker, and the first inconsistency of translation,
The Name Of Remembrance

Further clarification is gained by studying the use of silver trumpets>
Trumpets Of Memorial And Remembrance

The need to correctly comprehend memorial and remembrance becomes
critical when considering the Last Supper.
In Remembrance Of Me

King David in the Psalms speaks of the power of remembrance.
The Remembrance Of His Holiness