[B-Greek] hWSANNA

Albert Pietersma albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Fri Feb 17 21:10:08 EST 2006


On Feb 17, 2006, at 8:16 PM, Jim West wrote:

>
>
> Bert de Haan wrote:
>> I read that hWSANNA is a Hebrew word that means something like -oh 
>> save-
>> which sounds like an imperative.
>
> It's actually two Hebrew words- "hoshi annah" = Save! Now!  (both
> imperative forms).
>
>> I was wondering how this came to be an exclamation of praise in 
>> hWSANNA TWi
>> hUIWi DAUID
>
> Hebrew to Greek transliteration is always a dicey affair.  The LXX is
> full of examples where the sound of the word was altered because Greek
> letters don't handle Hebrew sounds very well sometimes.
Jim is certainly correct. A point not to be forgotten, however, is that 
Masoretic pointing does equal Classical Hebrew. Thus in some cases the 
LXX reflects Classical Hebrew pronunciation.
Al
>
>> It is an exlamation of praise is it not? It can't really mean Oh save 
>> (us)
>> son of David because then the dative does not make sense.
>> Is this similar to the Nazi salute Heil Hitler? (Obviously I only 
>> mean to
>> compare hosanna and heil, and not the persons.)
>
> It isn't really a request so much as a statement of fact.  Imperative 
> in
> essence but statements more than requests.
>
>> I think that Heil has a meaning similar to save or salvation as well. 
>> (I am
>> comparing heil to a Dutch word for saviour, Heiland.)
>
> Heil in German is in fact the same as "save" in English.  But Heilige
> means "Holy".  "Heilsgeschichte" = "salvation-history", etc.
>
>>
>> One more question about this word. Had this word become a common 
>> exclamation
>> that it did not get translated into Greek, in the same way that amen 
>> did?
>
> I'm not sure but I think it was basically the same as "amen" which in
> Hebrew means "may it so be" or the like.  I.e., yes, it was just a loan
> word that was transliterated but not translated.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Jim
>
> -- 
> Jim West
>
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>
—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm


—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm


—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm


—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm


—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm


—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm


—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm




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