[B-Greek] LALEW as "babbling" in Biblical literature?
Larry Overton
lgo at larryoverton.com
Tue Aug 7 18:05:16 EDT 2007
BAGD points out that from Sophocles on down, the verb LALEW in classical
Greek usually meant "chatter, babble," and that this verb is found in
secular authors not nearly as frequently as in LXX (BAGD, p. 463; cf. also
Liddell-Scott, p. 872).
I have recently set about searching to see if I could find examples of LALEW
having this sense of "chattering" or "babbling" in Biblical/Apocryphal
Greek. Thus far, I have a couple of possible candidates.
1. In 2 Samuel 19:29 (v. 30, Heb & LXX), David says to Mephibosheth, hINA TI
LALEIS ETI TOUS LOGOUS SOU? In verses 26-28 (27-29), Mephibosheth was
prattling on in his address to David, throwing in flowery speech in his
attempt to curry favor with the king. In his reply, David essentially cuts
to the chase and says "Why do you yet speak [LALEIS ETI] of these matters of
yours?" It would seem to me (unless I'm missing something) that in this
context LALEW could have the sense of prattling on, babbling.
2. In 1 Esdras 3:21, the debilitating effects of wine are mentioned,
including a statement that wine PANTA DIA TALANTWN POIEI LALEIN, "it makes
all to speak by talents" (or "makes everyone talk in millions." RSV, NRSV;
cf. NEB, REB). It seems to me that this statement is an idiomatic expression
indicating that wine can make a man prattle on and/or babble.
I would welcome input on my impressions here, whether in the form of
corroboration or correction. Also, I would appreciate list members pointing
out other possible examples in Biblical Greek of LALEW as "babbling."
Larry G. Overton
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