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3 Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments Herausgegeben von Jan Christian Gertz, Dietrich-Alex Koch, Matthias Köckert, Hermut Löhr, Joachim Schaper und Christopher Tuckett Band 241 Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

4 Et sapienter et eloquenter Studies on Rhetorical and Stylistic Features of the Septuagint Edited by Eberhard Bons and Thomas J. Kraus Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

5 Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über abrufbar. ISBN ISBN (E-Book). Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Das Werk und seine Teile sind urheberrechtlich geschützt. Jede Verwertung in anderen als den gesetzlich zugelassenen Fällen bedarf der vorherigen schriftlichen Einwilligung des Verlages. Printed in Germany. Druck und Bindung: b Hubert & Co., Göttingen Gedruckt auf alterungsbeständigem Papier.

6 Table of Contents Preface Eberhard Bons/Thomas J. Kraus... 7 Rhetorical ornamentation in the Septuagint: The case of grammatical variation Jan Joosten Stylistic Invention and Rhetorical Purpose in the Book of the Twelve Jennifer M. Dines Translating the Septuagint Psalms some Lesefrüchte and their value for an analysis of the rhetoric (and style) of the Septuagint (Psalms) Thomas J. Kraus Rhetorical Devices in the Septuagint Psalter Eberhard Bons Griechisches im Griechisch der LXX Knut Usener English abstract The Poetics of Wisdom: Language and style in the Wisdom of Solomon Alexis Léonas Periphrastic Tense Forms with and in the Septuagint of Ezekiel Katrin Hauspie Index of Ancient Sources Index of Modern Authors Index of Important Subjects

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8 Preface In recent years, Septuagint studies seem to have come into vogue. During the last two decades, not only have several translations of the Septuagint into the most common modern languages been published, but also an important number of monographs dealing with specific biblical books or subjects. To these works might be added numerous articles focussing on a large range of issues, e.g. divergences between the extant Hebrew sources and the Septuagint, crucial passages in the Greek text, text criticism and text history. Judging by the entries in bibliographies, the number of publications on the Septuagint is still increasing. However, it is beyond any doubt that recent Septuagint research is dominated by some fundamental questions that have intrigued scholars for a long time. Strictly speaking, these questions arose as early as the beginning of text critical studies in the epoch of Humanism when scholars were confronted with two different versions of the Bible text. After the discovery of the Qumran manuscripts, the problem is still more faceted: Does the Septuagint present a Bible text that can be considered at least in specific quotations, sections or even books more original and more reliable than the extant Hebrew texts, including the Qumran biblical manuscripts? Can one therefore have recourse to the Greek text in order to correct the Hebrew Bible when the latter offers puzzling or enigmatic expressions? As can be expected these questions did not produce unanimous answers. In some cases the Septuagint text might turn out to be more original than the Hebrew text, in other cases the contrary seems to be true. Obviously, whatever the result of such an investigation, it requires a meticulous analysis of the text-critical, semantic and grammatical data of each individual text and its variants. Nevertheless, this approach to the Septuagint texts can be characterized as follows: The Septuagint text is analysed from the point of view of the Hebrew text, above all where it presents different or allegedly better readings. On the other hand, this approach does not pay attention to another series of questions deserving consideration. In fact, it is worthwhile to analyse the Septuagint especially on the level of morphology, vocabulary and syntax on the assumption that its Greek language displays linguistic features other than those of a Semitic language. In particular, how do the translators take advantage of specific Greek features e.g. verbal forms unknown in He-

9 8 Eberhard Bons Thomas J. Kraus brew, more or less synonymous words, technical vocabulary, idiomatic phrases in order to render their source text? In other words, to what extent does the Greek Bible text present linguistic and stylistic features of its own, and how can they be classified? Furthermore, can we find rhetorical devices the translators have employed, probably with the intention of lending a certain ornatus to the text in the target language? Thus, we are in search of phenomena that cannot be explained by the underlying Hebrew text, the so called Vorlage. On the contrary, the question is whether these phenomena are rather to be explained by the translators endeavour to give the Greek text a specific stylistic profile. A closer inspection of Septuagint bibliography leads to the conclusion that the aforementioned questions have been more or less neglected in the past. It is the aim of the present book to draw due attention to these stylistic and rhetorical issues. Needless to say the following articles cannot cover the full range of stylistic and rhetorical features present in the Septuagint. In singling out specific cases, they raise the question of whether analogous instances are to be found elsewhere in the Septuagint. Once we gather more material of this kind a fresh look at other questions debated for a long time should be undertaken: What idea had the translators of their task as well as of their liberty in translating? Can one draw closer conclusions concerning their education and their milieu as well as the original Sitz im Leben of the translated books? The following articles deal with different topics within the broad field of stylistic and rhetorical issues and of vocabulary: Not without underlining the fact that the style of the Septuagint writings is often unpolished, Jan Joosten raises the question of whether their translators cared about the literary quality of their text. However, despite appearances, translators were not unaware of stylistic necessities as shown by the instances of grammatical variation. Jennifer M. Dines investigates the phenomena of variation and new verbal patterns in the Book of the Twelve Prophets. These observations lead to some considerations about the cultural milieu and purpose of the Septuagint version of this collection of prophetical books. The following two papers are dedicated to the Septuagint Psalter: Thomas J. Kraus addresses a series of selected Psalm verses as well as the Greek translation of Psalm 21. He argues for the hypothesis that rhetorical and stylistic features in contrast to the Masoretic Text are deliberate. Consequently, the Greek Psalter is more than simply a literal translation of a Hebrew Vorlage. Presenting cases of hyperbaton, alliteration and paronomasia in the Greek Psalter, Eberhard Bons aims to provide evidence for the hypothesis that the Psalter translation cannot be considered a slavish translation of a

10 Preface 9 Hebrew Vorlage. On the contrary, the spread of rhetorical devices proves the degree of liberty translators obviously possessed in diverging from their Hebrew source text. From the point of view of classical studies, Knut Usener presents some Septuagint passages that obviously show the influence of Greek literature. Although these observations are to be corroborated by further investigations, they shed some light on the translators cultural horizon as well as their milieu. Alexis Léonas turns to a book that according to scholarly consensus was written in Greek, i.e. the Wisdom of Solomon. He seeks to identify the elements of Septuagint language and style used by the author of this late biblical book. Léonas detailed study leads to the conclusion that the Wisdom of Solomon employs some elements of Septuagint idiom whereas others are dismissed. To what extent translators allowed themselves latitude between a wordfor-word-rendering and a translation that met Greek grammatical standards, is finally illustrated by Katrin Hauspie. Focusing on periphrasis in the Septuagint of Ezekiel, she points out the manner in which the Greek translation follows its Hebrew source text or diverges from it, e.g. by inserting a copula. Four of the articles collected in the present volume (Bons, Dines, Kraus, Usener) are reworked versions of papers read at a panel on the style of the Septuagint. The panel was included in the program of the 2007 Congress of the International Society of Septuagint and Cognate Studies, held at Ljubljana University, Slovenia. In order to complete these approaches to Septuagint language, we deemed it advisable to invite three colleagues (Hauspie, Joosten, Léonas) to contribute articles to this volume. We are grateful to the authors for allowing their papers to be published, despite an unforeseeable delay that occurred between the 2007 congress and publication. We would also like to express our gratitude to the editors of the series Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments, in particular to Christopher M. Tuckett, to Jörg Persch, Christoph Spill and Maike Linne, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Verlag. Strasbourg (France) Neumarkt i.d.opf. (Germany), 29/11/2010 Eberhard Bons and Thomas J. Kraus

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12 Jan Joosten Rhetorical ornamentation in the Septuagint: The case of grammatical variation* Diametrically opposed views have been expressed on the quality of the Greek Bible as a literary work. Ever since Antiquity, the cultural and religious eminence of the Greek version has led many of its readers to hold that its linguistic form too should, so to speak, be canonical. The Letter of Aristeas recounts: After the books had been read, the priests and the elders of the translators and the Jewish community and the leaders of the people stood up and said, that since so excellent and sacred and accurate a translation had been made, it was only right that it should remain as it was and no alteration should be made in it (Ep. Arist., 310). Although the Letter purports to be the work of a Greek eyewitness to the events, in reality it expresses the views of Hellenistic Jews of a somewhat later age. The words attributed to the Jews of Ptolemy s time reflect the attitude of a generation that had grown up with the Septuagint. However, this reverential attitude towards the language of the Greek Bible is not shared by all the ancients. Although few of their writings are extant, we know from the Church Fathers polemics against them that Celsus, Porphyry, Hierocles and Julian deplored the pedestrian quality of the biblical writings. 1 These pagan philosophers found the Septuagint essentially un-greek. Tellingly, the Fathers do not usually contradict the philosophers on this point, attempting instead to excuse the admitted vileness and simplicity of Scripture. 2 It appears the pagan readers were on to something. Both positions that the style of the Greek Bible is perfectly adapted to its purpose, and that it is intolerably unpolished are still defended today. 3 * Thanks are due to Jason Dean who corrected the English style of an earlier draft of this article. 1 See A. Léonas, L aube des traducteurs (Paris: Cerf, 2007), See N. Fernández Marcos, Introducción a las versiones griegas de la Biblia (Madrid: CSIC, ), For the first position, see, e.g., P. Harlé / D. Pralon, Le Lévitique. Traduction du texte grec de la Septante, Introduction et Notes (La Bible d'alexandrie 3; Paris: Cerf, 1988), 47 81; Léonas, Aube, passim. For the second position, see, e.g., A. Pietersma, A New Paradigm for Addressing

13 12 Jan Joosten The controversy is due to the complexity of the issue as much as to substantial differences of opinion. Before approaching our subject, it will be useful to disentangle the problem of the Septuagint s style to some extent. Two alienating factors in the Greek Bible Whether by brilliant design or by clumsy incompetence, the style of the Greek version is unlike that of any comparable text written originally in Greek. The Septuagint clearly fails to conform to Greek norms usually applied to literature on similar subject matter. It is important to realize that the unwonted character of the text is due to two distinct factors. Although these factors cannot always be kept apart entirely, they should be distinguished on a theoretical level. The first factor is the literal translation technique underlying most of the books of the Septuagint. The style of the version is strange to the extent that the Greek slavishly follows the Hebrew. Extensive research has demonstrated that the Septuagint s literalism exhibits great diversity. 4 In practically all its forms, however, it entails a large amount of carry-over from the Semitic source text into the translation. Lexical stereotyping can lead to the unidiomatic use of Greek words, as in the well-known, David inquired after the peace of the war (2 Kings 11:7). The close adherence to the Hebrew word order often induces unusual syntax in Greek one might think of the everrepeated use of in the connection of main clauses, for instance. The word-for-word rendering of Hebrew idioms and expressions occasionally creates strange collocations. In some cases, Hebrew words are not translated at all but simply transcribed into Greek. These and other types of transfer confer a strange appearance to the target text. The second factor is the use of colloquial Greek. The vocabulary, the grammar and the syntax of the Septuagint are not representative of classical Greek, nor of the literary koine used by Hellenistic authors such as Polybius, but stands closer to the non-literary language of contemporary documentary papyri. Forms like (Gen 47:4, instead of ) and words like, donkey (Gen 36:24, instead of ), are singular Old Questions: The Relevance of the Interlinear Model for the Study of the Septuagint, in J. Cook (ed.), Bible and Computer. The Stellenbosch AIBI-6 Conference (Leiden: Brill, 2002), See J. Barr, The Typology of Literalism in Ancient Biblical Translations (MSU 15; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1979); E. Tov, The Text-Critical Use of the Septuagint in Biblical Research (Jerusalem: Simor, 1981),

14 Rhetorical ornamentation in the Septuagint: Grammatical variation 13 in literary texts, as are such syntactic peculiarities as the recurrent use of a genitive absolute whose subject is also the subject of the main clause (as in Num 3:4, And Nadab and Abiud died before the Lord when they were bringing strange fire before the Lord. 5 Elements like these must have been shocking to cultivated readers, Jews and non-jews alike. 6 Both factors affect the style of the Septuagint. It must be asked, however, whether they are stylistic in the sense that they proceed from the conscious choice of the translators. The answer to this question is that they probably do not. At least in regard to the second factor, its artless nature is rather self-evident. The use of non-literary Greek hardly reflects a deliberate option on the part of the translators. 7 It is true that, in modern literature, books may be written in colloquial language. In English literature, Catcher in the Rye is a good example. Telling the story from the point of view of a teenager, the author, J. D. Salinger, recreated the common speech of youngsters of his day. An ancient analogue of this can be found in the Greek comedians, who have their characters speak colloquial and street language, as the plot requires. 8 In these instances, the use of non-literary language in literature reflects the artistry of the author; it is a kind of style-switching. However, the use of vernacular Greek in the Septuagint cannot be explained in this way. In the Greek version, non-literary words and forms are not limited to characters speech, but equally distributed over the entire text. 9 Since the biblical text must have had high prestige for the translators, it makes no sense to suppose that they intentionally cast the translation in 5 See F.C. Conybeare/S.G. Stock, Grammar of Septuagint Greek (Boston: Ginn, 1905), There are no testimonies from Jewish readers on the stylistic inadequacy of the Septuagint. It is striking to note, however, that Jewish Hellenistic writers quoting the Septuagint often try to improve upon its language. See H.B. Swete, An Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1914), This statement may be true only for the translators of the Pentateuch. At least some of the translators of the later books appear to have adopted this level of style under the influence of the Pentateuch even although they would themselves have been able to use a higher literary register. 8 On the affinity of the Septuagint s vocabulary to that of the Greek comedians, see H.A.A. Kennedy, Sources of New Testament Greek (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1895). 9 Exceptionally, one finds a somewhat higher stylistic register in speech attributed to God. Thus John Lee has pointed to the two occurrences of classical to make it rain in divine speech, Exod 9:18; 16:4, while elsewhere in the Septuagint the Hellenistic is used in this meaning. See J.A.L. Lee, A Lexical Study of the Septuagint Version of the Pentateuch (SCS 14; Chico CA: Scholars Press, 1983),

15 14 Jan Joosten substandard language. 10 If they used colloquial words and forms, they did so unwittingly. They wrote Greek as well as they were able. The case of Hebraizing is more difficult to decide. Strangeness is not necessarily pejorative. As a literal translation, the Septuagint openly admits its foreign origin. Readers are reminded that this is not a Greek text, but a Hebrew one in translation. While Greek readers unfamiliar with the Bible and with Jewish religion may have experienced some confusion in reading the version, Jewish readers, who possessed some familiarity with the Bible, may have appreciated the exotic quality of the Septuagint. Tell-tale signs of its Hebrew origin may have authenticated the writing in their eyes. Thus, the slavish imitation of Hebrew expressions may stem from the conscious choice of the translators. Many scholars think that the literalism of the translators reflects awe for the sacred words. 11 Although the resulting Greek text is at times difficult to understand, this may actually have made it more attractive: divine revelation ought to be slightly mysterious. 12 Other scholars, however, have explained the literal translation technique of the Septuagint differently. In many passages, the translation appears to have been made by small segments: clauses, and sometimes parts of clauses, were translated one by one according to an easy technique. 13 This explanation accounts for the numerous cases of anacoluthon and broken constructions in the Greek version. The translators appear to have rendered the Hebrew word for word because this was for them the most expedient way. 14 According to this view, the Hebraisms of the Septuagint do not represent a conscious effort at creating a stylized text. At least in regard to the Pentateuch, the latter view would seem to be closer to the mark than the first It has recently been argued that the Septuagint originated as an interlinear aid facilitating the study of the Hebrew Bible text. If this were true, the prestige of the text would have been rather low for those who created it. For a variety of reasons, however, the interlinear paradigm is probably to be rejected, see J. Joosten, Reflexions on the interlinear Paradigm in Septuagintal studies, in A. Voitila/J. Jokiranta (ed.), Scripture in Transition. Essays on Septuagint, Hebrew Bible, and Dead Sea Scrolls in Honour of Raija Sollamo (JSJ.S 126; Leiden: Brill, 2008), See S.P. Brock, The Phenomenon of the Septuagint, OTS 17 (1972) 11 36, in part See Léonas, Aube, See Barr, Typology. 14 See T. van der Louw, Approaches in Translation Studies and Their Use for the Study of the Septuagint, in M.K.H. Peters (ed.), XII Congress of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies Leiden, 2004 (SCS 54; Leiden: Brill, 2006) To be sure, in some parts of the Septuagint the literalism is too consistent to be the result of simple expedience. What may have begun as an easy technique, in the Pentateuch and some historical books, at some point turned into a deliberate process. The translators of the kaige sections in Kingdoms, if not the translators of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve and Psalms, actively