[B-Greek] Mt 1:18 hEUREQH EN GASTRI ECOUSA
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at ioa.com
Thu Feb 2 06:47:26 EST 2006
On Feb 1, 2006, at 11:10 PM, Harold Holmyard wrote:
> RRedden604 at aol.com wrote:
>
>> It is really amazing how the little things are easily overlooked.
>> I never
>> saw a difficulty in the translation until I read all the comments!
>>
>> As often as the passive form occurs in the LXX (71x) and NT (17x)
>> perhaps
>> Matthew is suggesting something idiomatic. The LXX usually
>> translates a niphal
>> form of the Hebrew word, and the BDB gives "was found,"
>> "appeared," "were
>> recognized." Perhaps the word "find" is used similarly in most
>> languages
>> metaphorically and such is the case here. Philip "discovered" or
>> "recognized" he was
>> in Azotus, not that someone found him there (Acts 8:40). The
>> disciples
>> realized that Jesus was alone (Lk. 9:36). Mary recognized she was
>> pregnant. I go
>> with you middle of the roaders on this one!
>>
>>
>
>
> HH: If the middle voice is applicable, it would also be normal English
> to say that Philip found himself in Azotus. One can fall asleep on the
> train in New Jersey and wake up to find oneself in New York.
Having earlier found myself reluctant to accept Harold's claim that
"find oneself" is standard English, I must confess that I've thought
seriously enough about it to do some checking. Here's what I've found:
Webster's online gives, s.v. "find":
3 a : to discover by the intellect or the feelings : EXPERIENCE <find
much pleasure in your company> b : to perceive (oneself) to be in a
certain place or condition c : to gain or regain the use or power of
<trying to find his tongue> d : to bring (oneself) to a realization
of one's powers or of one's proper sphere of activity <must help the
student to find himself as an individual -- N. M. Pusey>
American Heritage online gives, s.v. "find":
11.a. To bring (oneself) to an awareness of what one truly wishes to
be and do in life.
b. To perceive (oneself) to be in a specific place or
condition: found herself at home that night; found himself drawn to
the stranger.
I think that Webster's 3b and AH 11b fill the bill and prove that
Harold is right about usage of "find oneself" -- and I think that
this is indeed "standard English usage."
But somehow, I don't think that's the whole story; I think that in
the present context of Mt 1:18 hEUREQH EN GASTRI ECOUSA "found
herself to be pregnant" is appropriate. But I'm not sure that exactly
the same sense fits ALL the QH forms of hEURISKOMAI -- I think that
in some of them we might well use "find oneself" idiomatically thus,
but the sense must be "turn out to be" or "appear unexpectedly." So
even in the passages I cited in an earlier post in this thread:
Rev 16:20 KAI PASA NHSOS EFUGEN KAI ORH OUC hEUREQHSAN -- Here the
sense must be "had ceased to exist" = "were nowhere to be found."
2 Cor 5:3 ... EI GE KAI EKDUSAMENOI OU GUMNOI hEUREQHSOMEQA -- Here
we MIGHT say "find ourselves naked" or "turn out to be naked."
Acts 8:40 FILIPPOS DE hEUREQH EIS AZWTON Here it's something like
"Philip appeared next in Azotus."
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/
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