[B-Greek] 70 X 7 or 77 Mt 18.22 (was Luke 18:22)

George F Somsel gfsomsel at juno.com
Sat Feb 11 23:26:08 EST 2006


On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 01:35:33 +0000 "Bert de Haan" <b_dehaan at sympatico.ca>
writes:
> Does hEBDOMHKONTAKIS hEPTA in Matthew 18:22 mean 'seventy times + 
> seven' or 
> 'seventy times x seven'?
> 
> Bert de Haan
____________

LEGEI AUTWi hO IHSOUS, "OU LEGW SOI hEWS hEPTAKIS ALLA hEWS
hEBDOMHKONTAKIS hEPTA

Regarding hEBDOMHKONTAKIS BDAG expresses the opinion that it should be 77
based on Gen 4.24 where it reads

hOTI hEPTAKIS EKDEDIKHTAI EK KAIN, EK DE LAMEX hEDOMHDONTAKIS hEPTA

Here we have the advantage of having the Hebrew text of which the LXX is
a translation.  The Hebrew reads 

K.iY $iB:(fTaYiM YuQ.aM_QfYiN W:LeMeK $iB:(iYM W:$iB:(fH

Whereas there may be some doubt as to how the Greek should be read, there
is no doubt regarding the Hebrew.  It can only be read "If Kain is
avenged seven times then Lamek will be avenged seventy and seven (i.e.
"seventy-seven").  If we assume (as appears to be the case) that the
translator attempted a literal translation of the Hebrew then the Greek
must likewise be read as "seventy-seven."  

george
gfsomsel
___________


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