In a word: No. As we've already noted, it's a citation from Dt 32:35 and the parallel clause to Ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, here in Rom 12:19 and again in Heb 10:30 is ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω: "It my job to avenge; I'll do the repaying."Danny King wrote:Carl, when I first thought it should be translated "Vengeance is for me", I was thinking of the Dative of Advantage, i.e., an advantage (or like you say, privilege) reserved only for God. Do you think this applies?
The dative of advantage (perhaps better termed "dative of advantage and disadvantage" points to the person whose interests are affected positively or negatively.
Wallace's grammar is not without its virtues. One of the principal complaints voiced here from time to time is that it seems composed not so much with a view to helping us to understand the Greek as Greek but rather with a view to helping us understand the Greek in terms of English grammar, perhaps with a view to translation into English. That may sound odd, but it has often seemed that the Greek text has been explained in such a way as to help us see what the Greek author would have said if it were being said in English.Smyth §1481 wrote:Dative of Advantage or Disadvantage (dativus commodi et incommodi).—The person or thing for whose advantage or disadvantage, anything is or is done, is put in the dative. The dative often has to be translated as if the possessive genitive were used; but the meaning is different.
ἐπειδὴ αὐτοῖς οἱ βάρβαροι ἐκ τῆς χώρᾱς ἀπῆλθον after the barbarians had departed (for them, to their advantage) from their country T. 1. 89, ἄλλο στράτευμα αὐτῷ συνελέγετο another army was being raised for him X. A. 1. 1. 9, ἄλλῳ ὁ τοιοῦτος πλουτεῖ, καὶ οὐχ ἑαυτῷ such a man is rich for another, and not for himself P. Menex. 246 e, στεφανοῦσθαι τῷ θεῷ to be crowned in honour of the god X. H. 4. 3. 21, Φιλιστίδης ἔπρᾱττε Φιλίππῳ Philistides was working in the interest of Philip D. 9. 59, τὰ χρήματʼ αἴτιʼ ἀνθρωποῖς κακῶν money is a cause of misery to mankind E. Fr. 632, οἱ Θρᾷκες οἱ τῷ Δημοσθένει ὑστερήσαντες the Thracians who came too late (for, i.e.) to help Demosthenes T. 7. 29, ἥδε ἡ ἡμέρᾱ τοῖς Ἕλλησι μεγάλων κακῶν ἄρξει this day will be to the Greeks the beginning of great sorrows 2. 12, ᾱ̓́ν τίς σοι τῶν οἰκετῶν ἀποδρᾷ if any of your slaves runs away X. M. 2. 10. 1..