[B-Greek] Question For Discussion Abou EIMI

Bryant J. Williams III bjwvmw at com-pair.net
Wed Jan 2 18:40:44 EST 2008


Dear Hugh & Robert,

I have finally moved and now have some of my resources available to me to use
again. One of those sources is the NIV Triglot (Hebrew, LXX and NIV). In
searching Isaiah I found the following which may be of interest to this
question.

Isaiah 41:4,
    MT - 'ani hu', LXX - EGW EIMI, NIV - I, the LORD (yhwh)-with the first of
them and with the last-I am he(EGW EIMI).
41:10,
    MT - kiy-'ani 'eloheyka, LXX - EGW GAR EIMI QEOS SOU, NIV - ...do not be
dismayed for I am (EGW EIMI) your God, ...
41:13,
    MT - kiy 'ani yhwh 'eloheyka, LXX - hOTI EGW hO QEOS SOU, NIV -For I am
(EGW) the LORD, your God, ...
42:6, MT - 'ani yhwh, LXX - EGW KURIOS hO QEOS, NIV - I am the LORD...
43:3,
    MT -kiy 'ani yhwh 'eloheyka, LXX - hOTI EGW KURIOS hO QEOS SOU, NIV - For I
am (EGW) the LORD, your God, ...
43:11,
    MT, 'anoki anoki yhwh , LXX - EGW hO QEOS, NIV - I, even I, am the LORD, ...
43:15,
    MT - 'ani yhwh, LXX - EGW KURIOS hO QEOS, NIV - I am the LORD, ...
43:25,
    MT - 'anoki 'anoki hu', LXX, EGW EIMI EGW EIMI , NIV- I, even I, ...

This is, of course, just a small sampling of Isaiah. These could be multiplied
more. But I think that you get the general trend. It appears that EGW EIMI is
the equivalent for the Hebrew 'ani hu' or 'anoki hu' . I know that some will
take Exodus 3:14-15 as being behind Jesus' quotes, but it is more likely that
Isaiah is behind the quotes of Jesus. Even then, I find that the LXX translator
of Isaiah in 41:4, 10; 43:15, 25 is inconsistent in how he translates 'ani hu'
or 'anoki hu' especially when doubled. Maybe Albert or Ken can elucidate a
little more?

En Xristwi,

Rev. Bryant J. Williams III

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Newman" <rob at designceramics.co.uk>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 4:38 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] Question For Discussion Abou EIMI


> Hello Hugh,
>
> Does the LXX really translate Gods name specifically as EIMI?
>
> I see no examples of this.
>
> You refer to the translation of the Hebrew 'haya ashser haya' which seems to
> be an explanation/pun/or etymology of the divine name YHWH.
>
> As you quote the LXX translates
> EGO EIMI hO WN
>
> Brenton translates "I am THE BEING" (see below)
>
> hO WN 'The Being' is the predicate nominative of the clause and in the next
> line hO WN is used again as the verbal subject. So EIMI is not the name of
> the one sending Moses, it is hO WN 'The Being'. EIMI is just being used as a
> copula verb, not as a name.
>
> If John has this verse in mind as you suggest, wouldn't he have used hO WN?
>
>
>
> Brenton's translation:
> Exodus 3:13-14 13 And Moses said to God, Behold, I shall go forth to the
> children of Israel, and shall say to them, The God of our fathers has sent
> me to you; and they will ask me, What is his name? What shall I say to them?
> 14 And God spoke to Moses, saying, I am THE BEING; and he said, Thus shall
> ye say to the children of Israel, THE BEING has sent me to you.
>
>
> Warm Regards
> Robert Newman
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Hugh Donohoe Jr." <justusjcmylord at yahoo.com>
> To: "blist greek" <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 9:45 PM
> Subject: [B-Greek] Question For Discussion Abou EIMI
>
>
> > I've wondered for a while now about the EGW EIMI
> > construction found in John's Gospel. It is used in a
> > variety ways. The phrase functions as our idiom "It's
> > me" in Jn. 6.20 and 8.58. In many other places it
> > functions in an enigmatic way. I'm sure much ink has
> > been spilled about its meaning. I cannot help but
> > think John has in mind the LXX translation of God's
> > memorial name EGW EIMI hO WN (or Jesus had the
> > Tetragramaton when he was speaking Aramaic). I was
> > wondering if EIMI being used in translation of God's
> > name warranted a mention in BDAG? I confess I am
> > traveling right now and only have the Shorter Lexicon.
> > But the contents are usually very similar. The Shorter
> > has a disclaimer: "There are obviously many other
> > possible translations of EIMI in various contexts".
> > Should "the name of God" be added to the usages of
> > EIMI in BDAG? I am not arguing for it, I just wondered
> > what others thought. Of course if the BDAG does in
> > fact mention this fact then my question is moot.
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> >
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