[B-Greek] PSALM 131 (132):11 and QHSOMAI
Carl Conrad
cwconrad2 at mac.com
Thu Mar 17 13:26:12 EDT 2011
On Mar 17, 2011, at 1:02 PM, Blue Meeksbay wrote:
> 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)*
I don't know why youre even contemplating a direct reflexive here. God is
not proposing to put HIMSELF on the throne of David; rather the object is
clearly indicated by the partitive expression EK KARPOU THS KOILIAS
SOU: "one of your offspring."
As for the direct reflexive in the middle voice, we see it in KEIROMAI,
"get a haircut," LOUOMAI, "bathe (oneself)," etc.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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