[B-Greek] Using future as imperative?

Curtis Hinson curtis at curtishinson.com
Thu Nov 10 04:15:57 EST 2005


Hi again.

In the American flavor of English, the difference between future and 
imperative has eroded quite a bit -- much like the Greek of the 
Septuagint I suppose.  In any case though let's not get too caught up in 
translations into this or that: in the Greek, the future IS being used 
as an imperative, as is common practice particularly in relation to the 
imperfect in Hebrew which is also read with imperative force.

I don't know what else to say about this that I or Carl didn't say.  I 
suggest not getting too rigid about form in Greek, "it's a future form 
so I'm gonna translate it that way, darn it" -- reading the Greek 
properly is to keep imperatival force no matter what your target language.

Bless the Name
Curtis Hinson

Waldemar Martens wrote the following on 11/10/2005 1:11 AM:

>Hi,
>OK, maybe I should refer to a german translation. In the Elberfelder Bilbe 
>this passage is definitely translated as imperative ("Du sollst den Herrn, 
>deinen Gott, anbeten und ihm allein dienen"). In the Greek there is no such 
>verb as "you will" or "you shall" in this passage. It's definitely a future 
>form.
>Actually my native language is german, so I'm not so familiar to the usage 
>of the verbs "you will" and "you shall" in England. In the German language 
>there is a considerable difference between the two.
>
>Waldemar Martens
>Student from Germany
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: <Daveat168 at aol.com>
>To: ""Waldemar Martens"" <waldemar_martens at web.de>
>Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 12:00 AM
>Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Using future as imperative?
>
>
>  
>
>><<"You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. " 
>>(AKJV) ?
>>I would translate this as.
>>"You WILL worship the Lord your God and will serve him only">>
>>
>>Actually Friend, you need to rethink your native language.
>>There is little difference in English, at least in England, between <you 
>>will>, and <you shall>.
>>The difference is so small that the conjugation of the two verbs, derived 
>>fron <willen> and <sollen>, from Germanic, have been mixed according to 
>>person.
>>It would not be surprising if a similar thing happenned in Greek.
>>
>>-- 
>>Best regards,
>>   Dave Smith.
>>   (B.A.2,1, Science & Technology, Open Univerity.)
>>   168 Bristol Road,
>>   Frampton Cotterell,
>>   Bristol, BS36 2AX,
>>   U.K.
>>eMail    <DaveAt168 at aol.com>
>>WWW:     <http://www.sangallen56.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk>
>>
>>    
>>
>
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>



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