[B-Greek] EGW EIMI hO WN (LXX of Exodus 3:14)
Eric S. Weiss
papaweiss1 at yahoo.com
Thu Mar 27 15:17:42 EDT 2008
Are there any thoughts about whether the Septuagint rendering of God's name as EGW EIMI
hO WN in Exodus 3:14 accurately translates the Hebrew ehyeh asher ehyeh? This may
cross over into B-Hebrew, but a discussion about this there would cross over into B-Greek,
so I'm asking it here since I am more familiar with Greek.
I.e., is something lost or changed, and/or is something added? (And perhaps gained - i.e.,
just because a Greek rendering may add a nuance or clarification that the Hebrew doesn't or
can't express doesn't automatically mean that the translation into Greek has wrongly added
something to the text.)
Some of my thoughts:
If the Hebrew ehyeh asher ehyeh means "I am that I am," then the Greek (EGW) EIMI
hO/hOS (EGW) EIMI might be more accurate - but there would be the problem of deciding
whether to use the neuter hO or the masculine hOS; the Hebrew asher (who/which/that) is
not gender-specific. For the Greek translator to have to pick either hO or hOS means having
to make a translation and meaning choice that is not necessary in the Hebrew. Is that
perhaps why the LXX reads EGW EIMI hO WN - i.e., because there is no literal Greek
equivalent to the Hebrew that maintains the Hebrew ambiguity?
If ehyeh asher ehyeh means "I will be who/what I will be" - which may be supported by the
nearby uses of ehyeh in "I will be with you" in Exodus 3:12 and 4:12,15 ("I will be with your
mouth") - then the Greek (EGW) ESOMAI hO/hOS (EGW) ESOMAI may be more
"accurate." Interestingly, the LXX only uses ESOMAI in 3:12; it says "I will open your
mouth" in 4:12,15.
Did rabbinical or Greek philosophical traditions influence the LXX rendering of Exodus 3:14?
Because of the identification of Jesus with hO WN in this passage, as well as the use of
this phrase in His halo in icons of Christ, the LXX rendering has had a significant impact on
church history, theology and worship.
Eric S. Weiss
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