[B-Greek] Matthew 21:5

Elizabeth Kline kline_dekooning at earthlink.net
Sat Oct 7 16:25:20 EDT 2006


On Oct 7, 2006, at 12:24 PM, Sara Edwards wrote:

>
> The first donkey mentioned is written in the Accusative Singular  
> Feminine
> while the colt is in the Accusative Singular Masculine.  Does this  
> imply
> that the first donkey was female and the second a male?   If so,  
> how does
> one reconcile this with Zechariah's verse which states that the  
> king would
> ride a male donkey only?


ZECH. 9:9 CAIRE SFODRA QUGATER SIWN KHRUSSE QUGATER IEROUSALHM IDOU  
hO BASILEUS SOU ERCETAI SOI DIKAIOS KAI SWiZWN AUTOS PRAUS KAI  
EPIBEBHKWS EPI hUPOZUGION KAI PWLON NEON

MATT. 21:5 EIPATE THi QUGATRI SIWN: IDOU hO BASILEUS SOU ERCETAI SOI  
PRAUS KAI EPIBEBHKWS EPI ONON KAI EPI PWLON hUION hUPOZUGIOU.


Sara,

This is kind of complicated since the citation in Matt. is mixed, it  
follows both the Hebrew and the LXX in places. I don't see any  
problem with the gender markings. The colt is the son of his mother,  
right? As I read (with some difficulty) the Hebrew it seems like KAI  
in KAI EPI PWLON hUION hUPOZUGIOU could be understood as an adverb  
"even upon the colt of a pack-animal" (W.Hendriksen). On the other  
hand the colt could be ridden with the mother in attendance. These  
are cultural issues not syntax.

Elizabeth Kline







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