[B-Greek] Re: YALLW and ADW

B. Keith Brumley bkbrumley at yahoo.com
Wed Sep 17 13:19:21 EDT 2003


Thanks Ken. This is very interesting, indeed. I admit to having only studied one year of Hebrew and not having kept up with it (I know, shame on me). So, this is helpful.
 
Question -- given that the LXX was produced ca. 200 yr. before Christ, and IF it is fair to say YALLW at the time of Christ/apostles (among the Jews primarily) meant sing w/o accompaniment of instruments, THEN was there some sort of semantical shift from the time of the LXX translators and NT writers (and post-apostolic/patristic writers)? 
 
If not, how do we account for the aversion to instrumental music in the post-apostolic and patristic church? If not how is it that ADW is used specifically with harps (even if figuratively) in Rev. 5:8-9; 14:2-3; 15:2-3?
 
And while I'm throwing out questions -- can ADW be used singing with instumental accompaniment based on  Psa. 136:1-3 (LXX), i..e, the Jewish exiles hung their harps and refused to ADW even though the captors demanded it?
 
Thought I had a good hypothesis going (ha) ... now I'm just confused again!
 
Grace & Peace,
Keith Brumley


Ken Penner <pennerkm at mcmaster.ca> wrote:
Hi Keith,

In the LXX Psalter, YALLW translates Hebrew ZMR (one can ZMR using
instruments); ADW translates Hebrew ShYR (vocal). The translators kept the
two very distinct, in a way incompatible with your proposal.

Ken Penner, Ph.D. (cand.), McMaster University
Vocabulary Memorization software:
http://socserv.socsci.mcmaster.ca/westerholm/flash or
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flash_pro/join 

Keith wrote:

> I've also looked into the pairing of YALLW and ADW in the LXX 
> (Psa. 32:15; 56:8; 67:5,33; 97:4; 103:33; 107:2; 143:9; and 
> 104:2). It seems to me that the terms are synonomous to a 
> real degree and, with Paul quoting often from the LXX in his 
> letters, perhaps this is what is going on in the Eph. 5:19 
> passage? I.e., if ADW is used in the sense of "sing w/ 
> instrumental accompaniment" then even if YALLW primarily 
> meant w/o instruments at this time (which you question, I 
> understand), then where YALLW may restrict the practice of 
> instrumental accompaniment, ADW permits it? 


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