[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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