View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by British Columbia's network of post-secondary digital repositories TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION IN THE SEPTUAGINT VERSION OF THE BALAAM ACCOUNT by KYLE ALLEN BIERSDORFF A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Master of Arts in Biblical Studies We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard ............................................................................... Dr. Robert J.V. Hiebert, Ph.D.; Thesis Supervisor ................................................................................ Dr. Larry J. Perkins, Ph.D.; Second Reader TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY December 2014 © Kyle Allen Biersdorff Contents Acknowledgments......................................................................................................................................5 Abstract......................................................................................................................................................9 Introduction..............................................................................................................................................10 1. Sources................................................................................................................................................10 2. Proposal...............................................................................................................................................11 Chapter One: The Greek Version of the Balaam Account.......................................................................13 1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................................13 2. The LXX Version of the Balaam Account..........................................................................................14 3. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................35 Chapter Two: The Divine Name in the LXX Balaam Account................................................................37 1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................................37 in Numbers.....................................................................................................................41 יהוה θεός for .2 2.1.Outside of the Balaam Account....................................................................................................41 2.2.The Divine Name in the Balaam Account....................................................................................44 2.3. Summary.....................................................................................................................................49 in the LXX Pentateuch.................................................................................49 יהוה Clusters of θεός for .3 3.1. Genesis 4:1-16: Cain and Abel....................................................................................................49 3.2. Genesis 6-8: The Flood Narrative...............................................................................................52 3.3. Genesis 13: Abram and Lot Divide the Land..............................................................................54 3.4. Exodus 3-6: Moses and the People..............................................................................................55 3.5. Exodus 16: Israel Complains.......................................................................................................56 2 3.6. Exodus 19: Israel at Sinai............................................................................................................58 3.7. Exodus 24: Theophany................................................................................................................60 3.8. Summary.....................................................................................................................................62 4. Extra-biblical Evidence.......................................................................................................................64 5. Conclusion: the Divine Name in the Balaam Account........................................................................66 Chapter Three: Messianic Intepretation in the LXX Balaam Oracles.....................................................69 1. Background.........................................................................................................................................69 2. Definition and Method........................................................................................................................72 3. τὰ ἔνδοξα ἀρχόντων ἐν αὐτῷ (23:21)..................................................................................................73 in 23:22 and 24:8.................................................................................................76 ראם μονόκερως for .4 5. Numbers 24:7......................................................................................................................................79 5.1. ἐξελεύσεται................................................................................................................................80 5.2. ἄνθρωπος.....................................................................................................................................81 5.3. ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ............................................................................................................82 5.4. καὶ κυριεύσει.............................................................................................................................82 5.5. ἐθνῶν πολλῶν.............................................................................................................................83 5.6. Γώγ..............................................................................................................................................83 5.7. βασιλεία αὐτοῦ...........................................................................................................................85 5.8. καὶ αὐξηθήσεται.........................................................................................................................85 5.9. Numbers 24:7: Evaluation...........................................................................................................85 6. ἄνθρωπος in LXX Numbers 24:7, 17: A Messianic Title?..................................................................86 6.1. Numbers 24:7..............................................................................................................................86 6.2. Numbers 24:17............................................................................................................................87 3 6.3. Similar Context: Genesis 49:10...................................................................................................90 6.4.ἄνθρωπος in the Septuagint and “Man” in the Old Testament....................................................90 7. Conclusion: Messianic Interpretation in the LXX Balaam Oracles....................................................94 Conclusion: Translation and interpretation in The LXX Version of the Balaam Account.......................96 Bibliography.............................................................................................................................................97 1. Editions, Translations, and Computer Software..............................................................................97 2. Secondary Literature.......................................................................................................................97 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to Dr. Robert J. V. Hiebert for his careful and critical engagement with my thesis, and for providing expert insight and guidance. I would also like to express my gratitude to Dr. Larry J. Perkins for his willingness to be involved in this project, and for his insightful feedback. I would be remiss if I did not also thank Dr. Peter Flint for his involvement in the conceptualization and development of this thesis, and for his sage advice and encouragement along the way. For her dedicated love, patience, and support I dedicate this thesis to Tanya, beloved wife and best of friends. 5 SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS cod. codex DSS Dead Sea Scrolls LXX Septuagint Lat Latin MS Manuscript MT Masoretic Text OG Old Greek OT Old Testament (both the Hebrew and Greek versions) SP Samaritan Pentateuch ANCIENT TEXTUAL AND LITERARY SOURCES 16 Greek minuscule manuscript of the C group 46 Greek minuscule manuscript of the cII group 100 An Old Latin manuscript 129 Greek minuscule manuscript of the f group 426 Greek minuscule manuscript of the O group 551 Greek minuscule manuscript of the cII group Aeth Ethiopic version Aq Aquila Arm Armenian version Bo Bohairic version Dead Sea Scrolls 1QM War Scroll (1Q33) 1QSb Rule of Blessing (1Q28b) 4Q23 4QLeviticus-Numbersa 4Q27 4QNumbersb 4Q175 4QTestimonia CD The Damascus Document (4Q266-273) 6 Irenaus Adv. Haeres. Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies) Demonstr. Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching Justin Martyr 1 Apol. First Apology Dial. Dialogue with Trypho Philo Abr. De Abrahamo (On the Life of Abraham) Her. Quis rerum divinarum