ἔγειρε semantics and orthography--how would you parse this?
Posted: September 23rd, 2021, 6:35 pm
There is a tricky question at the confluence of semantics, morpho-syntax, and phonology.
Our Greek texts list many occurrences of ἔγειρε [pronounced έyirε, to use a non-tech greek-english notation] and typically treated as meaning 'get up!'. The typical parsing in a Greek program or lexical resource is "present [sic] active [sic] imperative".
However, in Greek ἐγείρασθαι/ἐγερθῆναι would normally mean 'to get up, arise קום' and it occurs in singulative/aorist/perfective contexts, and is in a non-active voice. The active voice ἐγείρειν/ἐγεῖραι is a transitive 'to raise something up' [להקים] and includes an object, whether explicit or implied.
See for example Matt 10.8 νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε, λεπροὺς καθαρίζετε "as for the dead be raising them up [active, transitive!], as for the lepers, be cleansing them."
So what do we make of the following texts? Luke 7.14 is clearly good and correct Greek. ἐγέρθητι.
But John 5.8 ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττόν σου καὶ περιπάτει is funny reading:
"be raising [something] up and take your mat and start walking around [continuative/imperfective aspect, appropriately]!
The first imperative appears to be in an unexpected voice (active, transitive) and in a less-expected aspect, continuative/imperfective instead of the more expected aorist/perfective.
The phenomenon is common in the NT
Μαθθαῖον 9·5 τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν· ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν· ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει;
Μάρκον 2·9 τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν τῷ παραλυτικῷ· ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν· ἔγειρε καὶ ἆρον τὸν κράβαττόν σου καὶ περιπάτει;
Μάρκον 2·11 σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττόν σου καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
Μάρκον 3·3 καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ τὴν ξηρὰν χεῖρα ἔχοντι· ἔγειρε εἰς τὸ μέσον.
Μάρκον 5·41 καὶ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ παιδίου λέγει αὐτῇ· ταλιθα κουμ, ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον· τὸ κοράσιον, σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε.
Μάρκον 10·49 καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· φωνήσατε αὐτόν. καὶ φωνοῦσιν τὸν τυφλὸν λέγοντες αὐτῷ· θάρσει, ἔγειρε, φωνεῖ σε.
Λουκᾶν 5·23 τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν· ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου, ἢ εἰπεῖν· ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει; 24 ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας _ εἶπεν τῷ παραλελυμένῳ· σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε καὶ ἄρας τὸ κλινίδιόν σου πορεύου εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου
Λουκᾶν 6·8 αὐτὸς δὲ ᾔδει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν, εἶπεν δὲ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ξηρὰν ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα· ἔγειρε καὶ στῆθι εἰς τὸ μέσον· καὶ ἀναστὰς ἔστη.
Λουκᾶν 7·14 καὶ προσελθὼν ἥψατο τῆς σοροῦ, οἱ δὲ βαστάζοντες ἔστησαν, καὶ εἶπεν· νεανίσκε, σοὶ λέγω, ἐγέρθητι.
Λουκᾶν 8·54 αὐτὸς δὲ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς ἐφώνησεν λέγων· ἡ παῖς, ἔγειρε.
Ἰωάννην 5·8 λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττόν σου καὶ περιπάτει.
Πράξεις 3·6 εἶπεν δὲ Πέτρος· ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον οὐχ ὑπάρχει μοι, ὃ δὲ ἔχω τοῦτό σοι δίδωμι· ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου [ἔγειρε καὶ] περιπάτει.
Ἐφεσίους 5·14 πᾶν γὰρ τὸ φανερούμενον φῶς ἐστιν. διὸ λέγει·
ἔγειρε, ὁ καθεύδων,
καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν,
καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός.
Ἀποκάλυψις 11·1 Καὶ ἐδόθη μοι κάλαμος ὅμοιος ῥάβδῳ, λέγων· ἔγειρε καὶ μέτρησον τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας ἐν αὐτῷ.
All of the above ΕΓΕΙΡΕ are exact homophones with a correct form that actually means "get up" [intransitive].
The meaning and intent is ΕΓΕΙΡΑΙ, ἔγειραι pronounced correctly in the first century all over the Mediterranean as [ἐyirε {again using Greek-English transcription for a non-tech audience)].
I would contend that when our NT manuscripts have ἔγειρε, the audience, speakers, and writers were thinking and understanding what we would normalize in writing as ἔγειραι, the aorist middle [intransitive] imperative.
Look at the Byz text:
Ματθαῖον 9·5 τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, Ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι· ἢ εἰπεῖν, Ἔγειραι καὶ περιπάτει;
Μάρκον 2·9 τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν τῷ παραλυτικῷ, Ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν, Ἔγειραι, καὶ ἆρόν σου τὸν κράββατον, καὶ περιπάτει;
Μάρκον 2·11 Σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειραι, καὶ ἆρον τὸν κράββατόν σου, καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
Μάρκον 3·3 καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ ἐξηραμμένην ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα, Ἔγειραι εἰς τὸ μέσον.
Μάρκον 5·41 καὶ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ παιδίου, λέγει αὐτῇ, Ταλιθά, κοῦμι· ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον, Τὸ κοράσιον, σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειραι.
Μάρκον 10·49 καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτὸν φωνηθῆναι· καὶ φωνοῦσι τὸν τυφλόν, λέγοντες αὐτῷ, Θάρσει· ἔγειραι, φωνεῖ σε.
Λουκᾶν 5·23 τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, Ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου, ἢ εἰπεῖν, Ἔγειραι καὶ περιπάτει; 24 ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας (εἶπε τῷ παραλελυμένῳ), Σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειραι, καὶ ἄρας τὸ κλινίδιόν σου, πορεύου εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
Λουκᾶν 6·8 αὐτὸς δὲ ᾔδει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ εἶπε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ ξηρὰν ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα, Ἔγειραι, καὶ στῆθι εἰς τὸ μέσον. ὁ δὲ ἀναστὰς ἔστη.
Λουκᾶν 7·14 καὶ προσελθὼν ἥψατο τῆς σοροῦ· οἱ δὲ βαστάζοντες ἔστησαν. καὶ εἶπε, Νεανίσκε, σοὶ λέγω, ἐγέρθητι.
Λουκᾶν 8·54 αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκβαλὼν ἔξω πάντας, καὶ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς, ἐφώνησε λέγων, Ἡ παῖς ἐγείρου.
Ἰωάννην 5·8 λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Ἔγειραι, ἆρον τὸν κράββατόν σου, καὶ περιπάτει.
Πράξεις 3·6 εἶπε δὲ Πέτρος, Ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον οὐχ ὑπάρχει μοι· ὃ δὲ ἔχω, τοῦτό σοι δίδωμι. ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου, ἔγειραι καὶ περιπάτει.
Ἐφεσίους 5·14 διὸ λέγει, Ἔγειραι ὁ καθεύδων καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός.
Ἀποκάλυψις 11·1 Καὶ ἐδόθη μοι κάλαμος ὅμοιος ῥάβδῳ, καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος εἱστήκει, λέγων, Ἔγειραι, καὶ μέτρησον τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας ἐν αὐτῷ.
Only Luke 8.54 has something different Ἡ παῖς ἐγείρου, which is a continuative MIDDLE imperative meaning "be getting up [to continue doing what you would do]".
Phonology, Semantics, Morphology, yea these three, and the greatest of them, . . . are all three.
[[PS: I suspect that there would be discussion of this in 17-19th century commentaries, I haven't checked. In the meantime pls do a courtesy of referencing this discussion if citing the phenomenon.]]
Our Greek texts list many occurrences of ἔγειρε [pronounced έyirε, to use a non-tech greek-english notation] and typically treated as meaning 'get up!'. The typical parsing in a Greek program or lexical resource is "present [sic] active [sic] imperative".
However, in Greek ἐγείρασθαι/ἐγερθῆναι would normally mean 'to get up, arise קום' and it occurs in singulative/aorist/perfective contexts, and is in a non-active voice. The active voice ἐγείρειν/ἐγεῖραι is a transitive 'to raise something up' [להקים] and includes an object, whether explicit or implied.
See for example Matt 10.8 νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε, λεπροὺς καθαρίζετε "as for the dead be raising them up [active, transitive!], as for the lepers, be cleansing them."
So what do we make of the following texts? Luke 7.14 is clearly good and correct Greek. ἐγέρθητι.
But John 5.8 ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττόν σου καὶ περιπάτει is funny reading:
"be raising [something] up and take your mat and start walking around [continuative/imperfective aspect, appropriately]!
The first imperative appears to be in an unexpected voice (active, transitive) and in a less-expected aspect, continuative/imperfective instead of the more expected aorist/perfective.
The phenomenon is common in the NT
Μαθθαῖον 9·5 τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν· ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν· ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει;
Μάρκον 2·9 τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν τῷ παραλυτικῷ· ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν· ἔγειρε καὶ ἆρον τὸν κράβαττόν σου καὶ περιπάτει;
Μάρκον 2·11 σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττόν σου καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
Μάρκον 3·3 καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ τὴν ξηρὰν χεῖρα ἔχοντι· ἔγειρε εἰς τὸ μέσον.
Μάρκον 5·41 καὶ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ παιδίου λέγει αὐτῇ· ταλιθα κουμ, ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον· τὸ κοράσιον, σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε.
Μάρκον 10·49 καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· φωνήσατε αὐτόν. καὶ φωνοῦσιν τὸν τυφλὸν λέγοντες αὐτῷ· θάρσει, ἔγειρε, φωνεῖ σε.
Λουκᾶν 5·23 τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν· ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου, ἢ εἰπεῖν· ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει; 24 ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας _ εἶπεν τῷ παραλελυμένῳ· σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε καὶ ἄρας τὸ κλινίδιόν σου πορεύου εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου
Λουκᾶν 6·8 αὐτὸς δὲ ᾔδει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν, εἶπεν δὲ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ξηρὰν ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα· ἔγειρε καὶ στῆθι εἰς τὸ μέσον· καὶ ἀναστὰς ἔστη.
Λουκᾶν 7·14 καὶ προσελθὼν ἥψατο τῆς σοροῦ, οἱ δὲ βαστάζοντες ἔστησαν, καὶ εἶπεν· νεανίσκε, σοὶ λέγω, ἐγέρθητι.
Λουκᾶν 8·54 αὐτὸς δὲ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς ἐφώνησεν λέγων· ἡ παῖς, ἔγειρε.
Ἰωάννην 5·8 λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττόν σου καὶ περιπάτει.
Πράξεις 3·6 εἶπεν δὲ Πέτρος· ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον οὐχ ὑπάρχει μοι, ὃ δὲ ἔχω τοῦτό σοι δίδωμι· ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου [ἔγειρε καὶ] περιπάτει.
Ἐφεσίους 5·14 πᾶν γὰρ τὸ φανερούμενον φῶς ἐστιν. διὸ λέγει·
ἔγειρε, ὁ καθεύδων,
καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν,
καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός.
Ἀποκάλυψις 11·1 Καὶ ἐδόθη μοι κάλαμος ὅμοιος ῥάβδῳ, λέγων· ἔγειρε καὶ μέτρησον τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας ἐν αὐτῷ.
All of the above ΕΓΕΙΡΕ are exact homophones with a correct form that actually means "get up" [intransitive].
The meaning and intent is ΕΓΕΙΡΑΙ, ἔγειραι pronounced correctly in the first century all over the Mediterranean as [ἐyirε {again using Greek-English transcription for a non-tech audience)].
I would contend that when our NT manuscripts have ἔγειρε, the audience, speakers, and writers were thinking and understanding what we would normalize in writing as ἔγειραι, the aorist middle [intransitive] imperative.
Look at the Byz text:
Ματθαῖον 9·5 τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, Ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι· ἢ εἰπεῖν, Ἔγειραι καὶ περιπάτει;
Μάρκον 2·9 τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν τῷ παραλυτικῷ, Ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν, Ἔγειραι, καὶ ἆρόν σου τὸν κράββατον, καὶ περιπάτει;
Μάρκον 2·11 Σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειραι, καὶ ἆρον τὸν κράββατόν σου, καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
Μάρκον 3·3 καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ ἐξηραμμένην ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα, Ἔγειραι εἰς τὸ μέσον.
Μάρκον 5·41 καὶ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ παιδίου, λέγει αὐτῇ, Ταλιθά, κοῦμι· ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον, Τὸ κοράσιον, σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειραι.
Μάρκον 10·49 καὶ στὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτὸν φωνηθῆναι· καὶ φωνοῦσι τὸν τυφλόν, λέγοντες αὐτῷ, Θάρσει· ἔγειραι, φωνεῖ σε.
Λουκᾶν 5·23 τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, Ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου, ἢ εἰπεῖν, Ἔγειραι καὶ περιπάτει; 24 ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας (εἶπε τῷ παραλελυμένῳ), Σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειραι, καὶ ἄρας τὸ κλινίδιόν σου, πορεύου εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
Λουκᾶν 6·8 αὐτὸς δὲ ᾔδει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ εἶπε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ ξηρὰν ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα, Ἔγειραι, καὶ στῆθι εἰς τὸ μέσον. ὁ δὲ ἀναστὰς ἔστη.
Λουκᾶν 7·14 καὶ προσελθὼν ἥψατο τῆς σοροῦ· οἱ δὲ βαστάζοντες ἔστησαν. καὶ εἶπε, Νεανίσκε, σοὶ λέγω, ἐγέρθητι.
Λουκᾶν 8·54 αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκβαλὼν ἔξω πάντας, καὶ κρατήσας τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς, ἐφώνησε λέγων, Ἡ παῖς ἐγείρου.
Ἰωάννην 5·8 λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Ἔγειραι, ἆρον τὸν κράββατόν σου, καὶ περιπάτει.
Πράξεις 3·6 εἶπε δὲ Πέτρος, Ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον οὐχ ὑπάρχει μοι· ὃ δὲ ἔχω, τοῦτό σοι δίδωμι. ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Ναζωραίου, ἔγειραι καὶ περιπάτει.
Ἐφεσίους 5·14 διὸ λέγει, Ἔγειραι ὁ καθεύδων καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός.
Ἀποκάλυψις 11·1 Καὶ ἐδόθη μοι κάλαμος ὅμοιος ῥάβδῳ, καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος εἱστήκει, λέγων, Ἔγειραι, καὶ μέτρησον τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας ἐν αὐτῷ.
Only Luke 8.54 has something different Ἡ παῖς ἐγείρου, which is a continuative MIDDLE imperative meaning "be getting up [to continue doing what you would do]".
Phonology, Semantics, Morphology, yea these three, and the greatest of them, . . . are all three.
[[PS: I suspect that there would be discussion of this in 17-19th century commentaries, I haven't checked. In the meantime pls do a courtesy of referencing this discussion if citing the phenomenon.]]