[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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