Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Polychroni <upb_moniodis AT ONLINE.EMICH.EDU>]

I have proposed a translation of a very commonly used OT verse in
the Orthodox Christian Church that differs from the accepted
translation.  It has not been well received.  The verse, translating
from the LXX is:

    ~EulogEmenos ho erkhomenos en onomati Kyriou~
     (Ps.  117:26a (LXX); 118:26a (MT).

The accepted translation is:

    Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

Every layman I’ve asked to explain what this phrase means to him
says words to the effect that:  the one coming in the Lord’s name
[that fellow] is blessed.

But I don’t believe the Greek can bear this meaning.

~erkhomenos~ is a present middle participle, being used as a
substantive, per the article, and ~eulogEmenos~ is a prefect middle
participle.

Whereas ~eulogEmenos~ lies outside the ‘definite
article+substantive’ combination, it must stand in the predicated
position, i.e., “The Coming One is blessed…”

Recasting the whole verse, we have:  “He that comes is blessed in
the name of the Lord.”  The meaning being very different, not that
the person is coming in the name of the Lord, but that he is blessed
in the name of the Lord.

So anyway, some have, giving up on the Greek argument,  having
claimed that the Hebrew does not support my translation.  Well, I
know almost no Hebrew, so I’m turning to this list for help.

Thanks in advance,

Polychroni Moniodis