[B-Greek] Revelation 7:10

Harold R. Holmyard III hholmyard at ont.com
Fri Sep 3 14:44:35 EDT 2004


Dear Henry,

>A question regarding the shout of the innumerable multitude:
>
>H SOTERIA TWi QEWi HMWN TWi KAQHMENWi EPI TWi QRONWi KAI TWi ARNIWi.
>
>The datives TWi QEWi HMWN ... TWi ARNIWi are generally rendered as 
>"to our God ... to the Lamb."  As I was reading today, it occurred 
>to me that they could be instrumental datives, and be rendered "by 
>our God ... by the Lamb."  The NIV has "belongs to our God ...", and 
>Charles B. Williams has "is due to our God ...", which latter has an 
>instrumental flavor to it.
>
>What do the list members think of the instrumental possibility?

HH: I think the parallel of verse 10 with verse 12 militates against 
the instrumental in verse 10. You are probably concerned about the 
idea of God needing salvation, but I suspect SWTHRIA has a less 
common meaning here. Liddell & Scott give "bodily health, well-being" 
as the fifth meaning of the word. I assume that SWTHRIA is used with 
some broad sense like that as part of this wish or declaration of 
rights.

				Yours,
				Harold Holmyard



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