Biblical Hebrew Forum

[ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben and Jo Crick)]

On Wed 27 Mar 2002 (10:55:19 +0300), peter_kirk AT sil.org wrote:
> The Vulgate is similarly useful, for Jerome translated from Hebrew with
> the help of Hebrew speakers and so his translation is based on their
> 4th century CE understanding of Hebrew, also well before Rashi. Does anyone
> have the Vulgate text available to check?
>
 Here it is, Peter:


INCIPIT LIBER BRESHIT ID EST GENESIS

1 in principio creavit Deus caelum et terram
2 terra autem erat inanis et vacua et tenebrae super faciem abyssi et spiritus
 Dei ferebatur super aquas
3 dixitque Deus fiat lux et facta est lux
4 et vidit Deus lucem quod esset bona et divisit lucem ac tenebras
5 appellavitque lucem diem et tenebras noctem factumque est vespere et mane
 dies unus
(Genesis 1:1—5 Biblia Sacra Vulgata)

 You will notive the absence of punctuation. Just like legal documents!
 And you'll notice all those -que's and et's for the conjunction W:.

 The opening of the Gospel of Mark also has an anarthrous ARCH -
 ARCH TOU EUAGGELIOU IHSOU CRISTOU, ktl.

 Happy Festival to you all,

 Ben
--
 Revd Ben Crick BA CF, and Mrs Joanna (Goodwin) Crick
 <ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk>
 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
 http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm