Re: [b-greek] Luke 1:14 EPI THi GENESEI AUTOU

From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Thu Aug 02 2001 - 07:34:56 EDT


At 7:21 AM -0400 8/2/01, Jonathan Robie wrote:
>Luke 1:14 KAI POLLOI EPI THi GENESEI AUTOU XARHSONTAI
>
>Zerwick says that GENNAW in the above passage means "to bear". Most
>translations say that many will rejoice "at his birth", which seems like
>the most obvious meaning. If I wanted to translate it "to bear", I think I
>would read the phrase as something like "and he will bring joy to many",
>but my brain is having a hard time coercing EPI THi GENESEI into that
>meaning. Or perhaps this phrase could be read as "at his prompting"?
>
>So here are my questions:
>
>1. How do you think Zerwick would interpret the phrase as a whole, if he
>believes the GENNAW means "to bear"?
>2. What are the range of natural interpretations for the phrase EPI THi
>GENESEI?
>3. Is there any reason to be dissatisfied with the traditional translation
>"many will rejoice at his birth"?

Jonathan, I'm not sure you've read aright what Zerwick says (but, if the
truth be told, I don't have Zerwick before me): the form GENNHSEI in verse
13 is indeed future 3d sg. of GENNAW, "give birth to/generate" but GENESEI
in verse 14 is dative sg. from the noun GENESIS, "birth." Does Zerwick
REALLY say that GENESEI in verse 14 is from GENNAW?
--

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
Most months: 1647 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu OR cwconrad@ioa.com
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/



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