Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Judges 9:8 Septuagint and EPI

Judges 9:8-Use of Epi

Greek LXX: πορευόμενα ἐπορεύθησαν τὰ ξύλα τοῦ χρῗσαι ἑαυτοῗς βασιλέα καὶ εἶπον τῇ ἐλαίᾳ βασίλευσον ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν

Brenton:
"The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive, Reign over us."

NETS: "Going out, the trees went out to anoint a king over themselves. And they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'"

5 comments:

Duncan said...

That's a very interesting passage that I have never really noticed before:-

https://www.andrews.edu/services/jacl/current_issue/parable-of-the-bramble.html

https://youtu.be/5r13x3lmIhI

The bramble cannot rule over, only support under the trees to avoid fire.
This account in Judges has ecological observation.

Edgar Foster said...

Thanks Duncan. I was trying to obtain more info about this verse.

Duncan said...

https://schoolofpermaculture.com/permaculture-tip-day-7-layers-forest/

Forests have a predictable structure. Certain trees are usually "over" others. No other tree was as large as the cedar of Lebanon in the region.

So it seems like a good illustration.

Even ones planted in the UK that are only 200-300 years old are enormous. Sequoiadendron giganteum are taller but I am not sure that have more total mass.

Edgar Foster said...

Good points and I like the Latin. Judges 9 also discusses olive trees and has this gem:

“But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’ (NIV)

Duncan said...

Nice, there is some good observation here.

See:- https://permies.com/t/67883/trees-arbor-grapes