σῖτος / σιτίον Acts 7:12 - (cf. σπέρμα)
Posted: September 10th, 2014, 5:49 am
Is there enough a difference in sense between σῖτος, ὁ with a heteroclitic plural σῖτα, τά and σιτίον, τό to affect the intended meaning of the textual variant in Acts 7:12? While both mean grain as a potential foodstuff and also the foods derived from them (or even food in general), I'm wondering if the eclectic text's σιτία has more of the nuance of food than the Byzantine text's σῖτα has.
I am interested to actively extend my own understanding of the meanings of σῖτος / σιτίον to "food" in an intelligent way. Has anybody looked at this?
Acts 7:12 Byzantine text wrote:Ἀκούσας δὲ Ἰακὼβ ὄντα σῖτα ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, ἐξαπέστειλεν τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν πρῶτον.
There is of course a very obvious difference - in Greek, as in English - between the grain that we will eat - σῖτος (grain) and the one that we will plant - σπέρμα (seed grain). In my case at least, I am stressing the difference in meaning between these two in my learning of the words, and paying too little attention to the extenstion of the meaning of σῖτος / σιτίον to "food", which is more particular to Greek, and not so easily taken in English.Acts 7:12 Eclectic text wrote:Ἀκούσας δὲ Ἰακὼβ ὄντα σιτία εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ἐξαπέστειλεν τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν πρῶτον.
I am interested to actively extend my own understanding of the meanings of σῖτος / σιτίον to "food" in an intelligent way. Has anybody looked at this?