[B-Greek] Re: B-Greek Digest, Vol 5, Issue 24
Mike Gainor
jmgainor at ec.rr.com
Sun May 25 15:46:00 EDT 2003
> Mike Gainor
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Iver Larsen" <iver_larsen at sil.org>
> To: "Mike Gainor" <jmgainor at ec.rr.com>; <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2003 6:05 AM
> Subject: RE: [B-Greek] Matthew 16.18
>
>
> > > 1. Why is the reading petros/petra, rather than petros/petros, if
> > > the two were "interchangeable" at the time (as, e.g. Cullman)?
> >
> > It can hardly be correct to say that these two words are
interchangeable.
> > PETRA is the normal word for a solid rock. Louw&Nida says "bedrock" in
the
> > short gloss and give the following longer explanation: "bedrock
(possibly
> > covered with a thin layer of soil), rocky crags, or mountain ledges, in
> > contrast with separate pieces of rock normally referred to as LIQOS."
> > LIQOS is the normal word for a stone. PETROS is a rare word for stone,
and
> I
> > could not find any instances of PETROS in the LXX until 2 Maccabees
(1:16,
> > 4:41). My parser suggests that the plural genitive PETRWN in the LXX is
> > derived from PETROS, but it seems to me that it is more likely derived
> from
> > PETRA. PETRA translates any of two common words for rock in Hebrew (tzur
> and
> > selah).
>
> My first inclination is to agree with the parser re PETRWN on the basis of
> the gender. What reason is there to derive the masculine noun from a
femine
> root, when there is the masculine root?
>
> Additionally, I find 4 instances of PETROBOLOS in the LXX, in I Samuel,
Job,
> and Ezekiel, and once in the Apocrypha (Wisdom).
>
> I find PETRWN 10 times in the LXX O.T., and once in the Apocrypha, and
> PETROS twice in the Apocrypha.
>
> That makes derivatives of PETROS 14 in the LXX O.T., and 4 in the
Apocrypha;
> I find PETRA and derivatives 88 times in the LXX O.T., and 5 in the
> Apocrypha.
> That totals PETROS & derivatives:18; and PETRA & derivatives: 93.
>
> So, while PETROS is less common, it is a a bit of a stretch to call it
> 'rare'.
>
Please excuse my ineptitude. I have not kept up on my Greek, and it shows
here. The LLX O.T. instances of PETRWN could as well be derivatives of
feminine PETRA as of masculine PETROS, and perhaps the pointing indicates
that they are, in fact, feminine. Your parser may have indicated PETRWN as a
derivative of PETROS on the basis that PETRA is also considered a derivative
of PETROS.
Best regards,
Mike Gainor
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