SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.24 issue2Connais mon coeur! Nouvelle étude structurelle du Psaume 139Descriptive varieties of philosophical commentary author indexsubject indexarticles search
Home Pagealphabetic serial listing  

Services on Demand

Article

Indicators

Related links

  • On index processCited by Google
  • On index processSimilars in Google

Share


Old Testament Essays

On-line version ISSN 2312-3621
Print version ISSN 1010-9919

Old testam. essays vol.24 n.2 Pretoria  2011

 

The profile and some theological aspects of the Old Greek of Job - Resurrection and life after death as points in case1

 

 

Johann Cook

Stellenbosch

Correspondence

 

 


ABSTRACT

This article will demonstrate aspects of the unique profile of OGJOB. The theological implications of this profile will be determined based upon a contextual analysis of chs. 1, 14, 19 and 42. The OG of Job is one sixth shorter than the Masoretic text. Scholars differ as to the reasons for this shorter text. Some argue that it is the result of a differing Hebrew Vorlage - unfortunately there is no external evidence available. Others ascribe the differences to the translator. OGJob is one of the more freely translated units in the corpus of Septuagint translations. In Cox's words "OGJob is one of a kind in the Septuagint corpus."(2007:667) Since the translator interpreted his parent text, it opens the possibility to determine theological aspects concerning this unit. In the past, scholars (Gard, and others) have overstated their case in this regard and were criticised by Orlinski (and others). What is clear is that OGJOB has a unique and different profile compared to the MT and other textual witnesses. In Job 1, for example, the translator renders the parent text creatively. On the one hand, he clears God from direct involvement in the maltreatment of Job. In conjunction with this the fundamental goodness and omnipotence of God is stressed. On the other hand, Job is depicted as a saint, he is blameless, genuine, religious, keeping away from every evil thing (v. 8). In chapter 2 Job is questioned in a unique manner by his unbelieving wife.


 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abegg, Martin G., Peter W. Flint, and Eugene Charles Ulrich. The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible. The Oldest Known Bible Translated for the First Time into English. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1999.         [ Links ]

Cavallin, Hans C. C. An Enquiry into the Jewish Background. Part 1 of Life After Death: Paul's Argument for the Resurrection of the Dead in I Cor 15. Coniectanea biblica: New Testament Series 7,1; Lund, Sweden: Gleerup, 1974, 103-111.         [ Links ]

Cook, Johann. The Septuagint of Proverbs - Jewish and/or Hellenistic Proverbs? Concerning the Hellenistic Colouring of LXX Proverbs. Vetus Testamentum Supplements 69. Leiden: Brill, 1997.         [ Links ]

_____. "Inter-textual Relations Between the Septuagint Versions of the Psalms and Proverbs." Pages 218-228 in The Old Greek Psalter - Studies in Honour of Albert Pietersma. Edited by Robert J.V. Hiebert, Claude E. Cox and Peter J. Gentry. Sheffield: Sheffield University Press, 2001.         [ Links ]

_____. "The Translator(s) of LXX Proverbs." TC: a Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism 7 (2002): 1-50.         [ Links ]

_____. "The Translator of the Septuagint of Proverbs - is his Style the Result of Platonic and/or Stoic Influence?" Pages 544-558 in Die Septuaginta - Texte, Kontexte, Lebenswelten. Edited by Martin Karrer & Wolfgang Kraus, Tübingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 2008.         [ Links ]

_____. "Are the Additions in LXX Job 2,9a-e to be Deemed as the Old Greek Text?" Biblica 19/2 (2010): 275-284.         [ Links ]

_____. "Towards the Formulation of a Theology of the Septuagint." Pages 621-640 in Congress Volume Ljubljana 2007. Vetus Testamentum Supplements 133. Edited by André Lemaire, Leiden: Brill, 2010.         [ Links ]

Cox, Claude E. "Tying it All Together: The Use of Particles in Old Greek Job." BIOSCS 38 (2005): 41-54.         [ Links ]

_____. "The Historical, Social, and Literary Context of Old Greek Job." Pages 105-116 in XII Congress of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies, Leiden 2004. Edited by Melvin K.H. Peters. Septuagint and Cognate Studies 54. Atlanta: SBL, 2006.         [ Links ]

_____. "Job." Pages 667-696 in A New English Translation of the Septuagint: A New Translation of the Septuagint and the Other Greek Translations Traditionally Included Under That Title. Edited by Albert Pietersma & Benjamin G. Wright. Oxford and London: Oxford University Press, 2007.         [ Links ]

Dhorme, Edouard. A Commentary on the Book of Job. Translated by Harold Knight. Nashville: Westminster, 1967.         [ Links ]

Gard, Donald H. "The Concept of the Future Life According to the Greek Translator of the Book of Job," JBL 73 (1954): 137-143.         [ Links ]

Gehman, Henry S. "The Theological Approach of the Greek Translator of Job 1-15," JBL 68 (1949): 238-255.         [ Links ]

Gentry, Peter J. The Asterisked Materials in the Greek Job. Society of Biblical Literature Septuagint and Cognate Studies 38. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1995.         [ Links ]

Gerleman, Gillis. The Book of Job. Vol. 1 of Studies in the Septuagint. Lunds Universitets Arsskrift N.F. Avd. 1. Bd 43. Nr 2, Lund, 1946.         [ Links ]

Heater, Homer. A Septuagint Translation Technique in the Book of Job. Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series 11. Washington: The Catholic Biblical Association of America, 1982.         [ Links ]

Kitto, Humphrey D. F.. The Greeks. Middlesex: Harmondsworth, 1973.         [ Links ]

Lohse, Eduard. Die Texte aus Qumran: Hebräisch und Deutsch mit Massoretische Punktation. München: Kösel-Verlag, 1971.         [ Links ]

Marcos, N. Fernández. "The Septuagint Reading of the Book of Job." Pages 251-266 in The Book of Job. Edited by Wim A.M. Beuken. Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium 114. Leuven: Leuven University Press/Uitgeverij Peeters, 1994.         [ Links ]

Muraoka, Takamitsu. A Greek-English Lexicon of the Septuagint. Louvain-Paris-Walpole, Mass.: Peeters, 2009.         [ Links ]

Orlinsky, Harry M. "The Hebrew and Greek Texts of Job 14.12," JQR New Series 28 (1937): 57-68.         [ Links ]

_____. 1957. "Studies in the LXX of the Book of Job," HUCA 28 (1957): 53-74.         [ Links ]

_____. 1957. "Studies in the LXX of the Book of Job," HUCA 29 (1958): 229-271.         [ Links ]

_____. 1957. "Studies in the LXX of the Book of Job," HUCA 30 (1959): 153-167.         [ Links ]

_____. 1957. "Studies in the LXX of the Book of Job," HUCA 32 (1961): 239-268.         [ Links ]

_____. 1957. "Studies in the LXX of the Book of Job," HUCA 33 (1962): 119-151.         [ Links ]

_____. 1957. "Studies in the LXX of the Book of Job," HUCA 35 (1964): 57-78.         [ Links ]

_____. 1957. "Studies in the LXX of the Book of Job," HUCA 36 (1965): 37-47.         [ Links ]

Pietersma, Albert. Review of Joseph Ziegler, ed., Job in Septuaginta Vetus Testamentum Graecum; volume 11/4. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1982. JBL 104 (1985): 305-311.         [ Links ]

Prijs, Leo. Jüdische Tradition in der Septuaginta. Leiden: Brill, 1948.         [ Links ]

Reed, Annette Y "Job as Jobab: The Interpretation of Job in LXX Job 42:17b-e." JBL 120/1 (2001): 31-55.         [ Links ]

Remblay, P. Hervé. Job 19,25-27 dans la septante et chez les pères grecs: Unanimité d'une tradition. Paris: J. Gabalda et Cie, 2002.         [ Links ]

Schnocks, Johannes. "The Hope for Resurrection in the Book of Job." Pages 291-299 in The Septuagint and Messianism. Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium 195. Edited by Michael Anthony Knibb. Leuven: Peeters, 2006.         [ Links ]

Skehan, Patrick W., Eugene Ulrich, and Judith E. Sanderson. Qumran Cave 4 IV Palaeo-Hebrew and Greek Biblical Manuscripts. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1992.         [ Links ]

Swete, Henry B. An Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1912.         [ Links ]

Tov, Emanuel and Benjamin G Wright. "Computer-assisted Study of the Criteria for Assessing the Literalness of Translation Units in the LXX," Textus 12 (1985): 186-205.         [ Links ]

Van der Kooij, Arie. "The Old Greek of Isaiah 19:16-25: Translation and Interpretation." Pages 127-144 in LXX: VI Congress of the International Organisation for Septuagint and Other Cognate Studies, Jerusalem, 1986. Septuagint and Cognate Studies 23. Edited by Claude E. Cox. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1987.         [ Links ]

_____. "Ideas About Afterlife in the Septuagint." Pages 90-104 in Lebendige Hoffnung - ewiger Tod?! Jenseitsvorstellungen im Hellenismus, Judentum und Christentum. Edited by Michael Labahn & Manfred Lang. Arbeiten zur Bibel und ihrer Geschichte 24. Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 2007.         [ Links ]

_____. "Servant or Slave?: The Various Equivalents of Hebrew 'Ebed in the Septuagint of the Pentateuch." Pages 225-238 in XIII Congress of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies Ljubljana 2007. Edited by Melvin K. H. Peters. Septuagint and Cognate Studies 55. Atlanta: SBL, 2008.         [ Links ]

Ziegler, Joseph. Job. Vol. XI,4 of Septuaginta Vetus Testamentum Graecum: Auctoritate Scientiarum Gottingensis Editum. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1982.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Prof. Johann Cook
Department of Ancient Studies
University of Stellenbosch
Private Bag xi,
7602 Matieland
South Africa
Email: cook@sun.ac.za

 

 

1 This contribution is based on research conducted during 2009 in conjuction with Prof. Arie van der Kooij of the University of Leiden. I acknowledge financial and other assistance from the University of Stellenbosch, SANRF, NWO and the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust.

Creative Commons License All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License