Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <Yigal.Levin AT biu.ac.il>]

Hello all,

 

According to Abijah's speech in 2 Chr. 13:7, Jeroboam was joined by אנשים 
רקים בני בליעל, which I would translate literally as "empty men, sons of no 
worth". The KJV, following the Vulgate, translates "vain men, the children of 
Belial". More modern translations have "worthless scoundrels" (NRSV), 
"riffraff and scoundrels" (NJPS) and the like. 

However the LXX has,  <http://lexicon.katabiblon.com/?search=??????> ἄνδρες  
<http://lexicon.katabiblon.com/?search=??????> λοιμοὶ  
<http://lexicon.katabiblon.com/?search=????> υἱοὶ  
<http://lexicon.katabiblon.com/?search=?????????> παράνομοι. "Paranomoi", 
"lawless", or "outlaw" for "beli-ya'al" I get. But where does "lomoi", 
"pestilent", come from? How does that translate "reqim"?

 

Thank you and excuse the cross-posting.

 

Yigal Levin

The Israel and Golda Koschitzky

Department of Jewish History

Bar-Ilan University

Ramat Gan. 52900

ISRAEL

Yigal.Levin AT biu.ac.il