Jesus' post-Resurrection greeting in Aramaic

28:9a. "Hi!" chairete. ... The word can translate the Hebrew shalom (see at 26:49), but it is not as dignified as the Greek eirene hymin ("Peace be with you") used in Luke's and John's accounts of the Risen One's greetings (Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 26), nor it is anywhere near as august as the Old English [sic] "All hail" used here by the King James Version. The word's closest modern American equivalent, I think, because it is closest to what we most often say in meeting, is the extremely simple "Hi!" This earthiness is wonderful!

- Frederick Dale Bruner, Matthew: A Commentary: The Churchbook, Matthew 13-28

Bruner's excellent rhetorical observations on Christ's post-resurrection greeting (from which my pastor usefully drew an entire Easter sermon last Sunday)--particularly his note about the Hebrew--made me wonder about the Aramaic greeting here, specifically whether it was a cognate of the Hebrew shalom.

Sure enough, Peshitta's interlinear gives the greeting in Matt 28:9 as s-l-m:

CAL glosses the noun as "peace" and the verb as "to be whole" (not sure about interjectory or salutary use).

So in this greeting I hear a linguistic echo of the new creation order of shalom that the resurrection itself so gloriously established!

The problem with 'textual surgery'

From JSNT:

The contemporary biblical scholar Stephen Moore, who has jettisoned the source- and form-critical scalpels of his former training in textual surgery, confesses his disenchantment with mainstream critical methods in this way:

For seventeen years I have aspired to be a biblical scholar. By the end of my first year I had learned to use a knife, although not a table knife. I had learned not to devour the book, nor even the Word, to internalize them, to become one with them. Instead I had learned to dissect the book and the Word (Moore 1996: 39).

This sums up my wariness about beginning academic study of the biblical languages, though I would say--or at least hope--that dissecting can be one way to, as Eugene Peterson says, "eat this book."

JSNT on the rhetorical assumptions of indentations (or: how not to identify a hymn)

From JSNT:

In the vast field of scholarship surrounding New Testament hymns, consider the list of rationales that have been offered for construing a text as a poem or hymn. First, here are some of the rationales that should be discounted immediately, since they are vague and applicable to too many kinds of texts: parallelism,7 a series of threes (Lohmeyer 1927–28: 5-6), unusual vocabulary,8 figurative language (Bailey and Vander Broek 1992: 76-82), theological or Christological concepts,9 and my favorite, ‘it is a carefully constructed passage’ (Hooker 1975: 159).

no 'silliness' in Ephesians 5:4?

Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Eph. 5:4, NRSV

The list of evils continues in v. 4 with three words for sins of speech, all of which occur only here in the NT. The first, aischrotes, "obscenity," is similar to aischrologia, which occurs in Col. 3:8. The second, morologia, means literally the words or language of a fool. It refers not to speech that lacks intelligence or education but to speech that lacks wisdom or a godly perspective on life. The third, eutrapelia, had both positive and negative connotations. In the former case it means wittiness and pleasantry (see Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, 4.8, 1128a), even factiousness, but in a negative context such as here it refers to coarse humor, sexual innuendoes, or even dirty jokes. These are not the kind of things which should come out of Christian mouths, which should be used to express thanksgiving.

- Ben Witherington, commentary on Ephesians

Gk
καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία

Gk (xlit)
kathôs prepei hagiois, kai aischrotês kai môrologia ê eutrapelia, ha ouk anêken, alla mallon eucharistia.

Vulg
sicut elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem, ut essemus sancti et immaculati in conspectu ejus in caritate

Wycliffe
ethir filthe, or foli speche, or harlatrye, that perteyneth not to profit, but more doyng of thankyngis.

Tyndale
nether filthynes nether folishe talkyng nether gestinge which are not comly: but rather gevynge of thankes

Luther
Auch schandbare und närrische oder lose Reden stehen euch nicht an, sondern vielmehr Danksagung.

Coverdale
nether fylthines, ner folish talkynge, ner ieastynge (which are not comly) but rather geuynge of thakes.

Geneva
Neither filthinesse, neither foolish talking, neither iesting, which are things not comely, but rather giuing of thankes.

DRB
Or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose; but rather giving of thanks.

KJV
neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

ASV
nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks.

RSV
Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving.

GNT
Nor is it fitting for you to use language which is obscene, profane, or vulgar. Rather you should give thanks to God.

NIV
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving

NJB
There must be no foul or salacious talk or coarse jokes--all this is wrong for you; there should rather be thanksgiving.

NRSV
Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving.

ESV
Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving

WEB
nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks.

NET
Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving.

CEV
Don't use dirty or foolish or filthy words. Instead, say how thankful you are.

GNT
Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

Msg
Don't talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn't fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.

Witherington
and filth and foolish chatter or dirty jokes which are not proper, but rather thanksgiving.

'euthus' in Mark

From Rodney Decker:

Due to the frequent and distinctive use of εὐθύς [EUTHUS] in Mark,<1> greater space is devoted to this deictic marker.<2> The semantic field of εὐθύς may refer to sequential action (with either the connotation of a short intervening duration of time between two events or of no intervening event/s) or it may suggest the rapidity with which an event occurs.<3> It may, in addition to these meanings, function as a conjunction with a meaning not greatly different from καί. In this case it may add a nuance of sequence (though not necessarily temporal sequence, but in the sense of, "the next thing I want to say is…"),<4> or it may be "otiose, and a mere mannerism."<5> Both adverbial and conjunctive uses are considered together in this section.

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Update: Much more, including a comparison/contrast of euthus in Matthew and Mark, from alefandomega.

Alliteration in Hebrews 1:1

The book of Hebrews begins not just with a thought, but with a sound, the sound of a preacher's voice. When the first phrase of Hebrews is read aloud in the original Greek, we can hear with the ear what could easily be missed with the eye alone: the richness of its tones and the rise and fall of its melody ... this has the unmistakable sound of a sermon. ...

Like the initial line of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address ... these opening words of Hebrews display the cadence, the alliteration, and the keen awareness of the musical flow of beautifully spoken language that signal a carefully and poetically crafted oral event, a style that is sustained throughout the book.

- Thomas Long, Hebrews

Gk

 

 

Gk (xlit)
PolumerÔs kai polutropÔs palai ho theos lalêsas tois patrasin en tois prophêtais

Vulg
Multifariam, multisque modis olim Deus loquens patribus in prophetis

Wycliffe
God, that spak sum tyme bi prophetis in many maneres to oure fadris,

Tyndale
God in tyme past diversly and many wayes spake vnto the fathers by Prophetes

Coverdale
God in tyme past dyuersly & many wayes, spake vnto ye fathers by prophetes

Geneva
At sundry times and in diuers maners God spake in the olde time to our fathers by the Prophetes

KJV
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

ASV
God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners,

RSV
In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets;

GNT
In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets

NIV
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

NJB
At many moments in the past and by many means, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets

NRSV
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets

ESV
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets

NET
After God spoke long ago(1) in various portions(2) and in various ways(3) to our ancestors(4) through the prophets,

1) Or “spoke formerly.”

2) Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).

3) These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.

4) Grk “to the fathers.”

CEV
Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors.

Msg
Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries.

Long
In many fashions and in many fragments in former times ...

"favor" or "beauty" in Psalm 90:17?

Heb
ויהי נעם אדני
אלהינו עלינו
ומעשה ידינו כוננה
עלינו ומעשה ידינו
כוננהו׃

Heb (xlit)
17 wîhî| nō‘am ’ăḏōnāy ’ĕlōhênû ‘ālênû ûma‘ăśēh yāḏênû kwōnənâ ‘ālênû ûma‘ăśēh yāḏênû kwōnənēhû:

LXX
και εστω η λαμπροτης κυριου του θεου ημων εφ' ημας
και τα εργα των χειρων ημων κατευθυνον εφ' ημας

LXX (NETS)
Let the splendor of the Lord our God be upon us
and prosper upon us the work of our hands

Vulg
Et sit splendor Domini Dei nostri super nos,
et opera manuum nostrarum dirige super nos,
et opus manuum nostrarum dirige.

Wycliffe
And the schynyng of oure Lord God be on vs; and dresse thou the werkis of oure hondis on vs, and dresse thou the werk of oure hondis.

Coverdale
And the glorious maiesty of the LORDE oure God be vpon vs: O prospere thou the worke of oure hondes vpon vs, o prospere thou oure hondy worke.

Geneva
And let the* beautie of the Lord our God be vpon vs, & direct thou the worke of our hands vpon vs, euen direct the worke of our handes.

* Meaning, that is was obscured when he ceases to do good to his Church.

DRB
And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

KJV
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us:
and establish thou the work of our hands upon us;
yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

ASV
And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

JPS
And let the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us;
establish Thou also upon us the work of our hands; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.

Lamsa
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; for the work of his hands made us, yea, he made us by the work of his hands.

RSV
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish thou the work of our hands upon us,
yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

GNT
Lord our God, may your blessings be with us.
Give us success in all we do!

NIV
May the favor* of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

* or 'beauty'

NJB
May the sweetness of the Lord be upon us, to confirm the work we have done!

NRSV
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and prosper for us the work of our hands—
O prosper the work of our hands!

ESV
Let the favor* of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!

* or 'beauty'

NET
May our sovereign God extend his favor to us!*
Make our endeavors successful!
Yes, make them successful!**

* Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם (no’am, “delight”) is used in Ps 27:4 of the Lord’s “beauty,” but here it seems to refer to his favor (see BDB 653 s.v.) or kindness (HALOT 706 s.v.).

CET
Our Lord and our God,
treat us with kindness
and let all go well for us.
Please let all go well!

Msg
And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,
confirming the work that we do.
Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!

Alter
And may the sweetness of the Master our God be upon us
and the work of our hands firmly found for us,
and the work of our hands firmly found!

Echoes of Deuteronomy 6 in Psalm 1

from JBL:

There is a further association of Psalm 1 with Deuteronomy 6:6-9. Since at least as far back as Ibn Ezra the negative forms of the verb "walk" [הלך], "stand" [עמד], and "sit" [ישב] in Ps 1:1 have been associated with the positive instruction of Deut. 6:7 to recite or repeat, that is, to meditate upon, the words of the law "when you 'sit' at home, when you 'walk' on the way, when you lie down, and when you 'arise'" [קום]. The activity enjoined in Deut 6:6-9 expresses a constant and total commitment to the law of the Lord comparable to what is pronounced the blessed way of the righteous in Psalm 1.

from "Deuteronomy and Psalms: Evoking a Biblical Conversation," by Patrick D. Miller, Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 118, No. 1. (Spring, 1999), p. 12.

The problem with sounding 'Bible-y'

My comment at the Better Bibles Blog:

I'm a believer in Peterson's rationale and results. We so often forget that the Bible was not supposed to sound "Bible-y," not lofty and ceremonial, not dull and distant, but is in fact the living breath of God. Just yesterday I was in a church that prayed the Lord's Prayer with "thy"'s and wondered why we cling so fiercely to archaisms--simply out of overwrought reverence, it seems to me.

I do think a few checks are in order:

1) First, many of the arguments made by supporters of formal equivalence hold some water when it comes to academic study of the text. A word-for-word emphasis is useful in this setting--of course, my preference in academic study is to consult the ultimate word-for-word: an interlinear.

2) Second, I should try to be as disappointed in dynamic equivalences & paraphrases that blur the distinctions between genres as I am in formal equivalent translations that make all biblical books sound the same. The Greek of Mark is not the Greek of Hebrews is not the Greek of Revelation; Hebrew poetry is a whole different world from Hebrew narrative. I haven't looked hard enough, or broadly enough, at the Message, to see how much Peterson varies his rhetoric according to the genre of the book. But how many translations make us feel like we're dealing with multiple books--which we actually are--rather than one monolithic big book?

Update: Lingamish introduces a relevant and useful distinction: boring vs. bizarre

JHS on 'ish' as a term of affilitation

From JHS:

The Noun איש (’îš) in Biblical Hebrew: A Term of Affiliation
David E. S. Stein
Journal of Hebrew Scriptures - Volume 8: Article 1 (2008)

Abstract

This article investigates one of the most frequent nouns in the Hebrew Bible, איש (’îš). Using paradigmatic (comparative) and syntagmatic (contextual) linguistic analysis, it finds that איש is a term that intrinsically conveys relationship. That is, איש serves to relate two referents to each other: one that it points to directly (the individual), and one that it points to indirectly (the group or party with which that individual is affiliated). Specifically, this noun variously signals three related nuances: membership or participation; representation as exemplar; and representation on behalf of others. At least 87% of biblical instances of איש can thus be accounted for, and some usages are best explained in this way. The article also cites evidence to suggest that the feminine counterpart noun, אשה (’îššâ), should likewise be construed as a term of affiliation. After noting that the primary sense of איש is probably not “adult male” as many lexicons state, it sketches some implications for glossing, translating, and interpreting איש.

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