The Influence of Post-Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic on the Translator of Septuagint Isaiah

Description

For many years, scholars have noted that post-biblical Hebrew and Aramaic may have influenced some of the renderings in the ancient Greek versions of the Hebrew Bible, but examination of this has usually been done only in passing with little or no discussion and scant evidence. Seulgi L. Byun examines the ancient Greek version of Isaiah, commonly referred to as LXX (Septuagint) Isaiah, and examines a number of possible cases in depth in order to determine the degree to which semantic change within Hebrew, as well as the spread of Aramaic already in the Second Temple period, may have influenced the translator. The book begins with an overview of key issues (semantic change; the development (or non-development) of the Hebrew language; previous scholarship; issues in the study of LXX Isaiah; and methodological considerations). This is followed by four larger sections representing various categories of examples where post-biblical Hebrew or Aramaic may have influenced renderings in the text, each offering specific examples. The first section contains examples where post-biblical Hebrew may have influenced LXX Isaiah; the second section offers examples of Aramaic influence; the third section addresses examples where the influence is not clear (possibly both post-biblical Hebrew and Aramaic); and the fourth section discusses the possibility of word manipulation – cases where the translator of LXX Isaiah ‘manipulated’ the Hebrew with a post-biblical Hebrew or Aramaic meaning/word in mind. Cover Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Abbreviations Section 1: Introduction 1. Semantic Change 2. The Development of the Hebrew Language 3. Previous Scholarship 4. LXX Isa 5. Methodological Considerations Section 2: Post-biblical Hebrew Influence 1. Introduction 2. The Influence of PBH on LXX Isa Chapter 1. הקדצ 1. Introduction 2. הקדצ in BH 3. הקדצ in PBH and Aramaic 4. The Meaning of ἐλεημοσύνη 5. LXX Isa and הקדצ 6. Conclusion Chapter 2. לשכ 1. Introduction 2 לשכ in BH and PBH 3. LXX Renderings of לשכ as “Be Weak” 4. LXX Renderings of לשכ as “Stumble, Fall” 5. The Greek Revisions and לשכ 6. LXX Isa and לשכ 7. Conclusion Chapter 3. *ררב 1. Introduction 2. ררב in BH and PBH 3. The Peshitta and ררב 4. The Targums and ררב 5. The Vulgate and ררב 6. The LXX and ררב 7. Aquila and ררב 8. The LXX and Other ר-ב Lexemes 9. Conclusion Section 3: Aramaic Influence 1. Introduction 2. Grammatical Influence 3. Lexical Influence 4. The Influence of Aramaic on LXX Isa Chapter 1. אכד 1. Introduction 2. אכד in BH 3. אכד in PBH and Aramaic 4. The LXX and אכד 5. Conclusion Chapter 2. הער/יער 1. Introduction 2. הער in BH 3. הער in PBH, Aramaic and Syriac 4. LXX Isa and הער 5. Conclusion Section 4: Post-biblical Hebrew and Aramaic Influence 1. Introduction Chapter 1. רשא 1. Introduction 2. רשא in BH 3. רשא in PBH and Aramaic 4. The LXX and רשא 5. Conclusion Chapter 2. ששח 1. Introduction 2. ששח/שוח in BH 3. ששח/שוח in PBH, Aramaic and Syriac 4. The Versions and Manuscripts 5. שֲַשׁח and LXX Isa 6. Conclusion Chapter 3. חמצ and יבצ 1. Introduction 2. חמצ in BH, PBH and Aramaic 3. יבצ in BH, PBH and Aramaic 4. Conclusion Section 5: Word Manipulation 1. Introduction 2. Word Manipulation in LXX Isa 3. Root Confusion and PBH/Aramaic Meanings in LXX Isa Chapter 1. שְׂכִיּוֹת 1. Introduction 2. שְׂכִיּוֹת and הכש in BH 3. יכס in PBH and Aramaic 4. LXX Isa 2.16 and *שְׂכיִּהָ 5. Conclusion Chapter 2. רמכמ אותכ 1. Introduction 2. ואת and רמכמ in BH 3. ואת and רמכמ in PBH and Aramaic 4. LXX Isa 51.20 and רמכמ אותכ 5. Conclusion Chapter 3. ללג/םימד 1. Introduction 2. Previous Scholarship on Isaiah 9.4 3. Aramaic Influence on the Rendering of BH םימד 4. Toward a Solution: Parallelism and PBH Section 6: Conclusion 1. Summary 2. Concluding Observations Appendices 1. Index of Examples in LXX Isa 2. ררב in the Ancient Versions 3. Other רב Lexemes Rendered as “Choice, Choose” Bibliography Index of References Index of Authors