[B-Greek] translation of Urim and Thummim in LXX?
Albert Pietersma
albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Fri Mar 19 00:45:02 EST 2004
Dear Jonathan,
To begin with your second question, all representations in the LXX are
translations based on assumed etymology. The two Hebrew roots
involved are )WR 'be(come) light' etc. for Urim and TMM ' be complete'
etc. for Thummim.
As for specifics:
1. Ex 28:26(30) and Lev 8:8 give DHLWSIS (URIM) and ALHQEIA (THUMMIM).
DHLWSIS is a deverbative noun (< DHLOW) meaning 'clarification' or
'explanation'. ALHQEIA means 'truth' or 'reality'.
2. Num 27:21 and 1Sam (1Rgns) 28:16 have DHLOI for URIM; and Deut 33:8
has DHLOI and ALQEIA for THUMMIM and URIM, though the parent text of
Greek Deut probably had the terms in reverse order from MT. Since DHLOI
is masculine plural it ought to mean 'clear/manifest ones' . Not
surprisingly Muraoka simply defines it as 'some device used for
discovering God's will'.
3. 2Esdras (Ezra) 2:63 renders the clause 'there should be a priest to
consult Urim and Thummim' (NRSV) as E(/WS A)NASTH^i I(EREU\S TOI^S
FWTI/ZOUSIN KAI\ TOI^S TELEI/OIS; and 2Esdras 17:65 (Neh 7:65)
translates 'until a priest with Urim and Thummim should come' (NRSV) as
E(/WS A)NASTH^i I(EREU\S FWTI/SWN.
In 2:63 it is difficult to know whether one should read masculine or
neuter. If one takes one's cue from 17:65 one would opt for the masc.
and the line might be glossed as 'until a priest arise for those that
enlighten and those that are perfect'.
17:65 I would gloss as 'until a priest arise that is to enlighten'.
In sum, it is clear (DHLON ESTIN :-)) that the LXX translators had
little if any understanding of what URIM and THUMMIM meant. As a
result, they decided to represent the source text rather than to
interpret it. Next step: rather than transcribe they opted for an
etymological translation.
Such was the production of the Greek text; what reception history did
with it is another story.
Al
On Mar 18, 2004, at 9:31 PM, Jonathan Walther wrote:
> How does the LXX render the words Urim and Thummim? What are their
> Greek
> meanings? Did the LXX writers just do a direct transliteration, or did
> they do a translation?
>
> Jonathan
>
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—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm
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