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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] how scholars debate controversial issues

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>
  • To: Rolf Furuli <furuli AT online.no>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] how scholars debate controversial issues
  • Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2007 22:42:43 +0100

On 28/03/2007 22:13, Rolf Furuli wrote:
... One example of this is Hebrews 11:17, where the force of the perfect is difficult. When the NIV render the perfect "offered," this is factually wrong and contradicts its rendering "was about to sacrifice". ...

No, Rolf, NIV is not factually wrong. Neither the English word "offer" nor the Greek word PROSFERW used in both cases here implies that the offering was accepted and the sacrifice completed. As you should certainly know, "offer" can mean "To present for acceptance or rejection ... To exhibit readiness or desire (to do something)" (selection of definitions from http://www.answers.com/offer&r=67). Abraham offered or presented Isaac and expressed his readiness to sacrifice him, but God did not allow him to complete the action. So NIV is factually correct, although "to sacrifice" is an unwarranted addition and "was about to sacrifice" is a poor rendering. As for Greek PROSFERW, here are the definitions from Louw and Nida: "(a) ... to carry or bring something into the presence of someone, usually implying a transfer of something to that person - to carry to, to bring (to). ... (b) ... to bring or lead into the presence of someone - to lead before, to bring into the presence of, to bring to. ... (c) ... to present something to someone, often involving actual physical transport of the object in question - to bring to, to present to. ..." So there is no suggestion in the Greek either that the action of PROSFERW was incomplete. The lexical meaning of the verb seems to imply a recipient, and in this case the implied recipient must be God.

Now I don't know what the distinction between perfect and imperfect is in this verse, but I don't think your claim that the action was incomplete is helpful in that respect. Here is my rather too literal rendering of the verse, with the additions which I would make for clarity in [...]:

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, brought (PERFECT) Isaac to [God]. He who received the promises was bringing (IMPERFECT) to [God] his one and only son.

It was of course part of the assumed background knowledge for this story that God's acceptance of this offering meant Isaac's death, and so that Abraham was offering to sacrifice Isaac. The NIV rendering, while not very literal, accurately portrays the actual scenario as the original readers would have understood it.

--
Peter Kirk
E-mail: peter AT qaya.org
Blog: http://www.qaya.org/blog/
Website: http://www.qaya.org/





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