[B-Greek] PSALM 131 (132):11 and QHSOMAI

Blue Meeksbay bluemeeksbay at yahoo.com
Thu Mar 17 13:02:17 EDT 2011


PSALM 131 (132):11 WMOSEN KURIOS TWi DAUID ALHQEIAN KAI OU MH AQETHSEI AUTHN EK 
KARPOU THS KOILIAS SOU  QHSOMAI  EPI TON QRONON SOU
 
Does anyone think QHSOMAI could be understood as a reflexive middle in this 
verse? If not, is it simply because this particular verb does not lend itself to 
such a reflexive connotation, or are there other reasons?
 
For those who are more versed in non-biblical Greek,  just how common was this 
use of the middle during the time of the LXX?  Robertson states the following 
concerning its use.
 
*It is not possible to tell whether the direct middle (reflexive middle) was the 
original use of the voice or not. The direct middle is comparatively rare in 
Homer and in the early Greek generally. It began in the koinh, to disappear, 
before the active and the reflexive pronoun (cf. N. T.), but the direct middle 
revived again as the indirect middle disappeared before the passive because of 
"its subtle meaning." Hence in Neo-Hellenic "almost every transitive verb, if 
active, admits of a direct middle." In modern Greek this direct reflexive is 
nearly the sole use of the middle. (R.806-07)*
 
Sincerely,
Blue Harris


      


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