fredag, juni 16, 2006

Leviticus 18:19-23 - the LXX version

For your edification I will now post the (probably Cultic) Taboos of Leviticus 18:19-23 in Greek, Latin, KJV and the French 1955 Bible de Jérusalem – the only translation where the word “Bed” actually occurs…

This is to give you an example of what has happened to the Sacred Texts of the Old and New Testaments in 2nd Millennium European platonizing Academia, and to show something of how this accommodation to the Social Policies of the Powers of this World has been achieved, from Ezraic times (398 BC) to the present – and continuing…

You are to look for the 3 Beds. They stand in verses 20, 22 and 23. I mark them blue for identification Bed.

Explanations:
I mark what I think are probably Ezraic glosses with red,
Yellow marks the dittographic gloss in the latter part of verse 23 (repeating the first part of the verse ;=)
Underlined are different words from those of the Greek Text, that is changes deliberate or no,
Bold words are added by the translators,
I mark green what are correct translations.
Greek words appearing in transcript in a translation mean that the translators somehow jumped them.

As the interpretation (admitted or no) of the Bible generally, the reading of the Taboos of Leviticus 18 depend on having some knowledge of the cultural and intellectual millieu of these pre-modern Sacred texts.

Koítän; the Bed, was the only bed found in most Households in Antiquity, being reserved for Master and Mistress. Well into the 17th century, male Household members generally slept on cots or mattresses on the floor, if not on the roof, and later – in colder climates – in basements or attics.

tetrápoun is probably kynä; a bibasthänai, that is "strong" or well endowed, male Temple prostitute, who spends his life on 4 legs… Nothing to do with later “bestiality”, but Cult; II Commandment; ... Don't have, don't worship, don't serve!

Here comes the Text - and again, you are to look for the 3 Beds.


The LXX Greek of the early 4th century Codex Vaticanus, according to Brenton 1852:

19 Kaì pròs gunaika en xårismå akatharsías autäs
ouk eiselísä, apokalúpsai tän asxämosúnän autäs.

20 Kaì pròs tän gynaîka toû pläsíon sou
ou dåseis Koítän Spérmatós sou,
amarthänai pròs autän.

21 Kaì apò toû Spérmatós sou ou dåseis latreúein Árxonti,
kaì ou bebälåseis tò ónoma tò Ágiån,
egå Kúrios.

22 Kaì metà ársenos ou koimethäsä Koítän gunaikeían,
bdélygma gàr estín.

23 Kaì pròs tän tetrápoun ou dåseis tän Koítän sou eis Spermatismòn,
ekmianthänai pròs autó.
Kaì gynä ou stäsetai pròs pân tetrápoun bibasthänai;
mikstaròn gàr esti
.

Gynaikeían in verse 22 is actually not in the Vaticanus, but Brenton accomodating to the 12th century Parisian Versio vulgata of the Scholastics, who exchanged the noun "wife" for an adjective - which, however, does not change the Greek reading... it's still the bed of (the) wife.


My own translation of the same Taboos (2006-06-13):

19 And you shall not approach a woman who has gone aside
for the cleansing of her impurity, to uncover her secret parts.

20 And to the woman of your Neighbour,
you shall not give your Seed’s Bed.
You miss the mark thereby.

21 And of your Seed you shall not give to the worship of the Mighty,
and you shall not profane the Name of the Holy.
I am the LORD.

22 And with a man you shall not lay yourself in the Bed of a wife.
Impurity is therein.

23 And to no quadruped shall you give your Bed to get children.
you dishonour thereby.
And a wife shall not give herself to the strong quadruped
:
it is mixing.

Note, that verse 21 talks of the Mighty One and of the Name of the Holy One, of God: I am the LORD. No mention of a lesser god Moloch, even less of "going trough the fire"....

And remember Ezraic verse 24, which concludes verses 19-23:

Mä miaínesthe en pâsi toútois,
en pâsi gàr toútois emiánthesan tà éthnä, à Egå eksapostéllå prò prosåpou umån


Do not dishonour yourselves with any of these;
for in all these the Nations were dishonoured, which I drove out before your face…

Which expresses the Social Policies of the Persian inspired, Ezraic Ethnic cleansing, in the guise of the imagined Conquest of yore.

4 kommentarer:

Caelius sa...

As I read the LXX, it says something like, "You shall not be on the d.l."

I'm sorry. That's an American term. It means having a wife or girlfriend but sleeping with men on the side.

Göran Koch-Swahne sa...

I would say so too, Caelius, and particularly not in the one Bed!

The Taboos of verses 7-18 seem to be centred on Authority, on non disturbance to the workings of the Household, cf Commandments V-VII.

Verses 19-23 seem to combine social concerns (the Neigbour's wife in verse 20) and notions of impurity, that is impediments to cultic participation, I-IV Commandments.

There were clearly 2 big cults in the Temple, concieved by the Ezraic reformers to be mutually exclusive.

Göran Koch-Swahne sa...

A double-post, repeating the same.

Same thing written (grafein) twice (ditto).

;=)

Göran Koch-Swahne sa...

Yea, you never know ;=)