[B-Greek] Matt. 13:6 and voice

John Adams seamus at horadrim.net
Wed Feb 11 05:14:06 EST 2004


Jonathan,

	Your question may be answered by a rule I remembered and then confirmed
in one of my grammars: (Dana and Mantey, "A Manual Greek Grammar of the New
Testament," p. 165) which says this: "A seeming exception to the above principle
of syntax [verb and subject agreeing in person and number] is the fact that a
neuter plural subject regularly takes a singular verb."  John 9:3 is cited as an
example.  The subject of those passive verbs (EKAUMATISQE and EXERANQE) would be
the hA (neuter and plural) from the previous verses.  And thus in this passage a
neuter plural subject can take singular verbs which rightly appear as plurals
when translated into English.  I hope this helps.

John Adams


-----Original Message-----
From: b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of John Colby
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 5:25 PM
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [B-Greek] Matt. 13:6 and voice


Matthew 13:6 reads:

hHLIOU DE ANATEILANTOS EXAUMATISQH KAI DIA TO MH ECEIN hRIZAN EXHRANQH.

A normal translation (NASB, ESV) would go somethings like this, "After the sun
rose they [the seeds that sprouted] were scorched and because they did not have
root they became dried."

(These third person, singular, aorist, "passive" verbs are translated as plural
because the "seeds" are neuter plural). But after the discussions about the QH
conjunction, I thought twice about this. What would stop this from being
translated:

"And after the sun rose, it scorched (the plants) and because they did have
root, the sun withered (the plants)."? I am guessing that the second translation
is inferior because of the context and the genitive absolute (hHLIOU DE
ANATEILANTOS). Wondering what you think.

Jonathan Colby,
Guyana, South America

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