ENQUMEOMAI

Steven Craig Miller scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Sun Mar 5 08:43:59 EST 2000


To: Neil Booth,

<< 1. Am I correct in thinking that the verb used in both instances -- 
ENQUMEOMAI -- must once have had a QUMOS content -- anger? >>

The term QUMOS has a wide range of meaning including: "breath, life, 
spirit, strength, soul, desire, mind, temper, courage, anger" etc.

<< 2. If so, had that content completely disappeared by the time Matthew 
came to use the verb? 3. If not, would it be permissible to translate the 
verb as "to fret" or even "to fume" in both instances? >>

Actually, the basic meaning of ENQUMEOMAI (according to LSJM) appears to be 
to "ponder," only secondarily does it also mean "angry."

But as for Mt 1:20, depending on how one views the context, the translation 
"while he was upset about these things" appears to make more sense than the 
neutral translation "while he thought on these things" (KJV) as if Joseph 
was merely an unfeeling stoic.

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller at www.plantnet.com
FWIW: I'm neither a clergy-person, nor an academic (and I have no post-grad 
degrees).




More information about the B-Greek mailing list