[B-Greek] Josephus 1.10.2

George F. Somsel gfsomsel at juno.com
Wed Aug 11 12:45:59 EDT 2004


On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 12:40:02 -0300 "Lira" <rosangelalira at terra.com.br>
writes:
> Hello, B-Greekers.
> 
> I was in a discussion about the word Melchizedek, if it was a name 
> or a title. In one of the commentaries I read, it was said that 
> Josephus confirmed that Melchizedek was a NAME, and the reference 
> given was Antiquities 1.10.2, which says: ENTA hO THS SOLUMA 
> hUPODECETAI BASILEUS AUTON MELCISEDEK: SHMAINEI DE TOUTO BASILEUS 
> DIKAIOS. The translation says: "That name signifies, the righteous 
> king". The meaning of the verb SHMAINW is given in LSJ as "to shew 
> by a sign, indicate, make known, point out". Could someone please 
> clarify this translation to me? Thanks.   
> 
> Rosangela Lira
> 
> ---

Your reference is apparently given in the Whiston numbering.  The Loeb
numbering is 1.179-182 and may be found at 

http://tinyurl.com/5bp8n

The text reads

ABRAMOS DE TOUS SODOMITWN SWSAS AIXMALWTOUS hOI LHFQENTES EFQHSAN hUPO
TWN ASSURIW, KAI TON SUGGENH LWTON ANEZEUCEN META EIRHNHS.  APHNTHSE DE
AUTWi hO TWN SODOMITWN BASILEUS EIS TOPON TINA, hON KALOUSIN PEDION
BASILIKON.  ENQA hO THS SOLUMA hUPODEXETAI BASILEUS AUTON MELXISEDEK;
SHMAINEI DE TOUTO BASILEUS DIKAIOS; KAI hHN DE TOIOUTOS hOMOLOGOUMENWS,
hWS DIA TAUTHN AUTON AITIAN KAI hIERA GENESQAI TOU QEOU; THN MENTOI
SOLUMA hUSTERON EKALESEN hIEROSOLUMA. . . .

But when Abraham had rescued the captive Sodomites and his kinsman Lot,
who had previously been taken by the Assyrians, he restored [them] to
their proper places [lit. "reunited them in peace"]. The King of Sodom
met him at a certain place which they called the Royal Plain where
Melchizedek, the King of Salem--this signifies "King of Peace" which
confessedly he was since because of this he was made a priest of
God--received him.  Salem they later called Jerusalem.

george
gfsomsel


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