[B-Greek] Re: Greek "zugos" translation

Steven Lo Vullo slovullo at mac.com
Sun Jul 4 18:47:27 EDT 2004


On Jul 3, 2004, at 11:51 PM, David Lowe wrote:

> Do you agree with the translation of "zugos" in Revelation 6:5 as 
> "pair of balances"?  I see that in the 5 other instances in which this 
> noun is used in the NT, it is translated as "yoke".  It comes from the 
> root "zeugnumi", which means to join or bind.  Why wouldn't this case 
> also be translated as "yoke", symbolizing bondage, slavery, 
> oppression?

Because that would have nothing to do with the context in which it is 
here used, which has to do with inflated prices for certain measures of 
grain, not bondage, slavery, or oppression. Otherwise there is a 
profound disconnect between vv. 5 and 6.

>  I'm wondering if you know of any other Greek writings (Illiad, 
> Odyssey, Strabo, etc, etc.) where this noun was ever translated as 
> pair of balances?  The best description of why this was translated as 
> such in Rev. 6:5 was because there is a crossbeam that binds together 
> a pair of scales for measuring grain (wheat/barley in v. 6).  Are 
> there any other Greek writers that have used "zugos" to describe a 
> balance scale?

ZUGOS (masc.) or ZUGON (neut.) are used in the sense of "balance" or 
"scales," both literally and metaphorically, many times in the LXX (Lev 
19.35; Ps 61.10; Prov 11.1; 16.11; 20.23; Job 6.2; 31.6; Sir 21.25; 
28.25; 42.4; Hos 12.8; Amos 8.5; Mic 6.11; Is 40.12, 15; 46.6; Jer 
39.10; Ezek 5.1; 45.10). In addition, see the references in BDAG 2, 
s.v. ZUGOS and LSJ IV, s.v. ZUGON.

Since ZUGOS and ZUGON ordinarily indicate something that "pairs," it is 
a natural extension of the word to indicate the beam of a balance 
"pairing" two pans or trays, and then the whole scale as a unit.
============

Steven Lo Vullo
Madison, WI




More information about the B-Greek mailing list