[B-Greek] FW: Isaiah 54:16 LXX

McCarthy, Brian S. UTRC McCartBS at UTRCCT.res.utc.com
Mon Mar 3 10:03:49 EST 2003


(resubmitted with correct -- I think -- transliteration.  Mea culpa, as we
say in Greek!)

NASB in general agreement with other English versions has Isaiah 54:16 as:

"Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals
          And brings out a weapon for its work;
          And I have created the destroyer to ruin. 

LXX has:

54:16 IDOU EGW KTIZW SE OUC WS CALKEUS FUSWN ANQRAKAS KAI EKFERWN SKEUOS EIS
ERGON EGO DE EKTISA SE OUK EIS APWLEIAN FQEIRAI

I'm trying to understand who's being created in the LXX.  It's looking to me
through the very dark glass of my Greek understanding like it's saying
something like "Behold I create you not as the smith blowing on the coals
and bringing out a utensil unto work. I created you not as the destroyer to
[ruin?]"

Am I reading this right?  Is there a reason why the LXX seems to be
disagreeing with the consensus of English versions about "I [have] create[d]
*you*"?

The Vulgate seems through a glass equally dark to be agreeing with the
English versions:

54:16   ecce ego creavi fabrum sufflantem in igne prunas et proferentem vas
in opus suum et ego creavi interfectorem ad disperdendum

(In the process of looking at this I've realized that for the first time in
my life the Greek has become easier for me to read than the Latin!  Hooray!)


Brian McCarthy
mccartbs at utrc.utc.com



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