[B-Greek] EGW EIMI hO WN (LXX of Exodus 3:14)

Kevin P. Edgecomb kevin at bombaxo.com
Fri Mar 28 18:01:10 EDT 2008


George Somsel wrote:
>> No, it really isn't totally accurate.  The Hebrew has the imperfect 
>> (prefix form) of the existential verb twice and would more accurately 
>> be translated "I will be who / what I will be."  I think I'll leave 
>> the Greek to your own efforts. It would almost seem that the LXX was 
>> translated under some Platonic influence.

I write:
The Hebrew imperfect form is not restrictively a future tense, but a
present/future aspect.

It seems reasonable that the LXX reflects a different underlying text
(perhaps Albert Pietersma can say more about this) which would've included
the Tetragrammaton in the hO WN position, the Hebrew being perhaps simply:
)HYH YHWH, "I am YHWH" which was simply literally translated EGW EIMI hO WN.
hO WN is certainly a passable translation of YHWH, "He Is", and is likewise
understood thus in patristic texts and iconography.

Regards,
Kevin P. Edgecomb
Berkeley, California





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