[B-Greek] AIWN in the plural
gfsomsel at juno.com
gfsomsel at juno.com
Sat Nov 13 08:19:00 EST 2004
On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 07:13:28 -0500 Steve Puluka <puluka at verizon.net>
writes:
>
> EIS TOUS AIWNAS TWN AIWNWN is picked up and used as the standard
> close to
> the doxology in Orthodox liturgy. This is normally put to English
> as "ages
> of ages" but some use "forever and ever." The first is more
> traditional and
> in keeping with other translations that bring the expression across
> pretty
> much word for word.
>
> I've been told that this is a Septuagintism. That the expression
> develops
> over time in the Septuagint translation. The Torah using the
> expression EIS
> TWN AIWNA XRONON and the later translations EIS TOUS AIWNAS TWN
> AIWNWN.
> This is supposed to be because Hebrew does not have a word for
> eternity. So
> the Greek is slavishly following the Hebrew expressions trying to
> speak of
> eternity without access to a single word.
>
> I have NOT taken the time to research or verify these comments so
> approach
> with caution.
>
> --
> Steve Puluka
______________
I'm not sure I would be too quick to accept this. The Hebrew uses the
term L:(oWLfM (or le'olam). Compare Zech 1.5
):aBoWT"YCeM )aY."H_H"M W:HaN.:Bi)iYM Ha(oWLfM YiX:YW.
(LXX: hOI PATERES hUMWN POU ESTIN? KAI hOI PROFHTAI MH TON AIWNA
ZHSONTAI)
Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?
george
gfsomsel
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