Biblical Hebrew Forum

[fred burlingame <tensorpath AT gmail.com>]

Hello Barry:

Thanks for your comments.

Please allow me to respond.

I agree with all of your comments in paragraph "1" of your post.

As to your questions in paragraph "2," I offer the following.

Isaiah 61:1 furnishes one piece of evidence (millions may exist) supporting
a hebrew new testament autograph. Hebrew Isaiah 61:1 utilized Strong's
number 6495 (derived from Strong's number 6491) to express the thought
"opening" of ones bound (with fetters).

The customary hebrew usage of Strong's 6491 however, occurs in opening the
eyes. A hebrew language speaker would know that. A greek language speaker
would not appreciate the richness of meaning through the lens of a greek
word carrying a single other meaning of opening chains.

It's obvious the LXX translator struggled to convey this dual hebrew usage
into a single greek word. The LXX translator accordingly opted to change
Hebrew Isaiah 61:1 to recite in greek: "to the blind, recovery of sight."

The subsequent new testament ("n.t.") translator recognized this problem
again. He opted for keeping the prevalent hebrew usage of Strong's 6491 in
Luke 4:18 (and as his predecessor had so added to the LXX). The n.t.,
translator also restored the lost hebrew usage with the clause "to free
those oppressed."

The resulting imbalance with 5 total clauses in the n.t. translation
(instead of two couplets) caused the n.t. translator to delete the clause:
"to heal the ones being brokenhearted."

This sequence of events (from hebrew to first greek translation of o.t., and
thence to second greek translation of n.t.) vividly testifies to and argues
for a hebrew original n.t.

The foregoing discussion also shows the authority of a later re-translation
over an earlier suppoed "original" document.

I hope that these comments answer your questions, even if you disagree.

Regards,

fred burlingame


On Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 7:07 PM, Barry H. <nebarry AT verizon.net> wrote:

>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "fred burlingame" <tensorpath AT gmail.com>
>
>
> To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2010 11:46 AM
>
> Subject: [b-hebrew] the hellenization of isaiah
>
>
>   Isaiah 61:1 appears in classical hebrew format.
>>
>> A. An introductory clause: "spirit of Lord of me on me because:"
>>
>> B. followed by a couplet in parallel: (i) "He annoints me to bear tidings
>> to
>> afflicted ones; and (ii) He sends me to bind up ones being broken of
>> heart;"
>>
>> C. followed by a couplet in parallel: (i) "to proclaim to ones being
>> captive, liberty; and (ii) to ones being bound, opening."
>>
>> The subsequent, septuagint, greek, translation, in its wisdom, alters the
>> original hebrew and changes clause "C(ii)" to: "to the blind, recovery of
>> sight."
>>
>> The subsequent, greek, translation of the original hebrew new testament in
>> luke 4:18 then proceeds to further change the hebrew by: (1.) retaining
>> the
>> septuagint old testament, new clause "C(ii);" (2.) deleting clause
>> "B(ii);"
>> and adding another new clause "C(iii):" "to send to ones being oppressed a
>> release."
>>
>> With the symmetry, balance and substance lost in and by the hellenization
>> of
>> the hebrew new testament, a question arises. Why is the hebrew new
>> testament
>> discussed not here? Does the opinion continue to hold sway that the new
>> testament orginally authored in greek?
>>
>
> Two observations, Fred:
>
> 1) I would be careful about drawing too many conclusion from LXX and the
> NT. We don't know, for instance, if the LXX translator was using the same
> Vorlage.  Another factor, of course, is theology -- are the translators, and
> especially the NT writers, bringing out what they think is the the
> theological meaning of the text for their own context?
>
> 2) What Hebrew NT?  What authority do you think a later translation has
> over an original text?
>
> N.E. Barry Hofstetter, semper melius Latine sonat...
> Classics and Bible Instructor, TAA
> http://www.theamericanacademy.net
> (2010 Salvatori Excellence in Education Winner)
> V-P of Academic Affairs, TNARS
> bhofstetter AT tnars.net
> http://www.tnars.net
>
> http://my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog
> http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry
>
>