ELWI ELWI LEMA SABAXQANI (Mk 15,34 / Ps 22,2)

From: Rolf Furuli (furuli@online.no)
Date: Sun Dec 21 1997 - 19:06:49 EST


Dear Ulrik and others,

Let us first compare the three texts:

Psalm 22:1 has `ELI `ELI LAMA `AZABTANI

Matt 27:46 has ELI ELI LEMA SABACQANEI

Mark 15:34 has ELWI ELWI LAMA SABACQANEI

There are some variation in the NT manuscripts as you note between ELWI and
ELI.

It is clear that the verb `AZAB is Hebrew and SHABAQ is Aramaic; thus the
verb of Ps 22:1 is Hebrew while the verb used by both Matthew and Mark is
Aramaic. It is further clear that ELI is Hebrew (`EL "god" and I "my"). The
form ELWI is more difficult. Most commentators view it as Aramaic because
the verb of the clause is Aramaic. However, the normal Aramaic form would
have been `ELAHI with a Greek transcription ELAI. The letter "a" (qamets)
in Aramaic was realized as "o" in Hebrew, so it may be that Aramaic `ELAHI
was pronounced as `ELOHI and transcribed in Greek as ELWI. On the other
hand is there a Hebrew word for God «ELOAH which together with "my" would
be `ELOHI with a Greek transcription ELWI. So whether ELWI is Aramaic or
Hebrew cannot be decided with certainty, but most commentators view it as
Aramaic, as Brian has shown.

We should also note that LEMA is Aramaic while LAMA is Hebrew. Mark`s use
of LAMA together with ELWI (if this is the correct reading) can suggest a
Hebrew approach on the part of Mark rather than an Aramaic one. When Grimm
Wilke/Thayer says that ELWI is Syriac I suppose "Syriac" is used in the
sense for which we would use "Aramaic". In the Syriac Peshitta we find the
following text:

Matt 27:46 `EL `EL LEMANA SHABAQTANI (`EL is written as `EYL)
Mark 15:34 `ALAHI `ALAHI LEMANA SHABAQTANI

Regards
Rolf

Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo
furuli@online.no



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