[B-Greek] Is PALIN in Heb 1:6 ambiguous?

Elizabeth Kline kline_dekooning at earthlink.net
Mon Dec 11 16:05:32 EST 2006


On Dec 11, 2006, at 4:45 AM, Kimmo Huovila wrote:

> Heb. 1:6
> hOTAN DE PALIN EISAGAGHi TON PRWTOTOKON EIS THN OIKOUMENEN, LEGEI;
>
> It seems that many commentators and translators consider that PALIN  
> in Heb 1:6
> is ambiguous and could be used either to indicate that there is one  
> more
> quotation to the series or to mark the coming specifically not the  
> first
> coming. Is this supposed ambiguity real?

Judging by the amount of discussion and disagreement this has  
generated in the more scholarly commentaries it seems reasonable to  
conclude that the ambiguity is real. If you have access to Henry  
Alford (Greek Testament) he shows how the ancient commentators lined  
up on this question.


> The word order places PALIN within
> the subordinate clause (hOTAN DE PALIN, not PALIN DE hOTAN). Does  
> this allow
> PALIN to be taken as a sentence connector instead of an adverbial to
> EISAGAGHi? Are there any parallels where PALIN refers to the whole  
> sentence,
> but is placed within a subordinate clause?

I wonder if it is a good idea to think of a discourse marker (or  
sentence connector) which is postponed as being within a clause?  
Clearly, the easy reading with regard to syntax is to link PALIN with  
EISAGAGHi but take a look the RSV rendering of Wisdom 14:1

WIS. 14:1 PLOUN TIS PALIN STELLOMENOS KAI AGRIA MELLWN DIODEUEIN  
KUMATA TOU FERONTOS AUTON PLOIOU SAQROTERON XULON EPIBOATAI

Wis. 14:1 ¶ Again, one preparing to sail and about to voyage over  
raging waves calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the ship  
which carries him.

Here PALIN precedes STELLOMENOS so why not: "preparing again to sail" ?



Elizabeth Kline







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