[B-Greek] eyw eimi egw eimi Isaiah 43:25
Albert Pietersma
albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Mon Jan 2 12:19:58 EST 2006
Good question, the answer to which would seem to be No.
EGW EIMI EGW EIMI occurs three times in Esaias (Isaiah): 43:25, 45:19,
51:12.
(1) In 43:25 Hebrew ANOCHI (2x) + HU + participle is rendered as EGW
EIMI (2x) + article + participle.
(2) In 51:12 Hebrew ANOCHI (2x) + HU + participle + suffix is rendered
as EGW EIMI (2x) + article + participle+ pronoun (acc).
(3) In 45:19 Hebrew ANI (1x) + noun + participle + noun is rendered as
EGW EIMI (2x) + noun + participle + noun
Hebrew ANOCHI ANOCHI of 43:25 and 51:12 is commonly (perhaps
universally) read as appositional rather than equative, therefore "I am
i.e. I am" rather than "I am = I am." Greek EGW EIMI EGW would more
than likely be intended and understood likewise, though reading it as
equative is perhaps no stranger that it is in English (I AM am I AM).
What is no doubt telling is that in the very few Patristic comments TLG
provided, so such use is made of it.
Of further interest is 45:19 where reading the repetition as equative
would yield I AM am I AM (the) Lord when I speak righteousness.
Thus my No to Bert's first question. As for his second question:
Theoretically, making the one EGW EIMI arthrous and leaving the second
one anarthrous would produce an S-V-SC. Perhaps the NETS translator of
Esaias (who is on this list) has a view at variance with mine.
Al
while in 45:19 MT has ANI (1x) + noun.
On Jan 2, 2006, at 9:19 AM, Bert de Haan wrote:
> Isaiah 43:25; EGW EIMI EGW EIMI hO EXALEIFWN TAS ANOMIAS SOU...
> Can the double EYW EIMI mean; I am (the) I am, the one washing your
> transgressions...or would it need an article before the second EYW?
> Thank you.
> Bert de Haan.
>
>
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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
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