Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] LORD

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: furuli AT online.no
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] LORD
  • Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 15:08:55 +0100


Dear Walter,

Any Bible translation is colored by the theology and philosophy of the translators. Research (and other work) without presuppositions is impossible (Rudolph Bultmann), but one should always stick to basic linguistic and translational rules. Thus, translators should strive to refrain from making choices on the part of the readers whenever possible. In other words, a good translation is one where the readers can make informed choices as to the meaning of a text; a bad one is when a particular theology is forced upon the readers.

Liz is correct. The OT should not be "christinized"! A primary reason why Bible translations from the days of Luther and up to the present have used "the Lord" rather than a transcription of YHWH, is Christian doctrine. This has been explicitly expressed at different congresses of Bible translators where this question has been discussed. If there are two proper names, YHWH and Jesus, it is implied that there are two different individuals as well. While there is no problem for the central Christian doctrine about God of dealing with two different "persons", two different *individuals* collides head on with that doctrine. Therefore it is not desirable to have two different proper names. However, if the appellative "the Lord" is used both for YHWH and for Jesus, there is no problem of two different individuals. Interestingly, the reason why "the Lord" is chosen, is to open for a double reference, the very opposite of what the translational rule demands: A proper name should be transcribed, in order to maintain the reference to the one person bearing the name.


Best regards

Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo


Liz wrote:

"Translators should put in YHWH, IMO
because otherwise CHristian readers tend to think
it's Jesus the text is talking about !"

Liz,

I am "confused" by the logic of your statement. Surely you are aware that
Christians understand that it was Christ who made the world in 6 days and
rested on the 7th day, and that it was Christ who appeared to Moses at Mount
Sinai giving the Law to Israel ? So, why would it make any difference
whether a word is translated YHWH or not for Christian interpreters of the
Old Testament ?

Regards, Walter
Walter Reinhold Warttig Mattfeld, M.A. Ed.
www.bibleorigins.net








Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page