To: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: "Biblica" on-line articles available
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 21:29:36 +0100
Fascicle 2 of this year's volume of Biblica has recently been posted on the
web-site:
http://www.bsw.org/?l=7183
Three contributions may be of interest to list members:
Joseph A. FITZMYER, «The sacrifice of Isaac in Qumran literature» , Vol.
83(2002) 211-229.
Gen 22,1-19 the account of Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his
son Isaac, is discussed first in its Hebrew and Old Greek form; then as it
was developed in the Book of Jubilees 17,1518,16, and especially in the
form of Pseudo-Jubilees, as it is preserved in 4Q225 2 i and ii (4QPs-Juba
2 i 7-14, 2 ii 1-14), in order to ascertain how much of the development of
the account can be traced to pre-Christian Palestinian Jewish tradition
prior to the New Testament. Finally, building on such evidence, the article
traces the development in other texts of the first Christian century and in
the later targumic and rabbinic tradition about the Aqedah.
Trevor V. EVANS, «Some Alleged Confusions in Translation from Hebrew to
Greek» , Vol. 83(2002) 238-248.
Two remarkable passages in the Greek translation of Numbers have
recently been identified by Anssi Voitila. Both show a clear influence from
Hebrew verbal forms on the translators choices of Greek verbal forms which
overrides the semantic indicators of the broader context. Confused
translations result. Are they isolated phenomena or representative of
translators habits in general? Voitila argues for the latter
interpretation. He seeks to demonstrate a number of additional instances in
the Greek Pentateuch and sees here support for the theory of segmentation
in translation technique, as developed by the Helsinki School. The present
paper reassesses his examples and draws the opposite conclusion.
and
Thijs BOOIJ, «Psalm 133: "Behold, how good and how pleasant"» , Vol.
83(2002) 258-267.
The opening line of Psalm 133 is, literally, about a social
practice; the comparisons following it suggest that in fact a gathering of
YHWHs worshippers is meant. The latter is confirmed by the final line. V.
3a has a bridging function in that its last words ("on the mountains of
Zion"), although belonging to the imagery of the comparison, are actually
direct expression, relating to the statement of v. 1 (inversion). The
situation hinted at can hardly be other than the gathering in Jerusalem on
the occasion of a religious festival. In view of the subtle structure and
inner cohesion of Psalm 133, it is scarcely plausible that its present
meaning is due to some form of adaptation.
Maurice A. O'Sullivan
[Bray, Ireland]
"Apply yourself wholly to the text; apply the text wholly to yourself."
- Johann Albrecht Bengel
"Biblica" on-line articles available,
Maurice A. O'Sullivan, 06/28/2002