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Greek Lessons
- Moved to Speak: Temporal Setting and Genitive Absolute in Mark 8:1
- The Hour Had Not Yet Come: Divine Timing and Aorist Action in John 7:30
- Because of This Word: Perfect Tense and Power at a Distance
- The Greatest and the Least: Superlative Contrast and Kingdom Inversion in Luke 7:28
- Who Made You Judge? Participle and Aorist in the Voice of Rejection
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Category
Category Archives: Septuagint Greek
If It Touches and Eats: Conditional Clauses and the Syntax of Sacred Separation
Καὶ ψυχή ἣ ἂν ἅψηται παντὸς πράγματος ἀκαθάρτου ἢ ἀπὸ ἀκαθαρσίας ἀνθρώπου ἢ τῶν τετραπόδων τῶν ἀκαθάρτων ἢ παντὸς βδελύγματος ἀκαθάρτου καὶ φάγῃ ἀπὸ τῶν κρεῶν τῆς θυσίας τοῦ σωτηρίου ὅ ἐστιν κυρίου ἀπολεῖται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῆς (Leviticus 7:21 LXX)
A Law of Boundaries
Leviticus 7:21 LXX sets strict boundaries around ritual purity and participation in sacred meals. The verse’s intricate Greek syntax reflects its seriousness: it is a finely structured conditional law, involving relative clauses, modal particles, and a strong apodosis of judgment. The syntax does not merely prohibit — it guards the holiness of the covenant community.… Learn Koine Greek
Fifteen Cubits Above: Passive Elevation and the Grammar of Submersion
Δέκα πέντε πήχεις ἐπάνω ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπεκάλυψεν πάντα τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλά (Genesis 7:20 LXX)
Overview: The Flood’s Final Reach
Genesis 7:20 LXX captures the climax of divine judgment in the flood narrative — the point at which even the highest mountains vanish beneath the rising waters. This brief but potent verse is constructed with precision of measurement, a divine passive, and a telling combination of accusative objects that mark the totality of submersion.
Δέκα πέντε πήχεις ἐπάνω ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ: Passive Elevation Beyond Earth Literal Rendering:“Fifteen cubits above the water was raised.”
Grammatical Components:– δέκα πέντε πήχεις: “fifteen cubits” — accusative plural, measurement of length – ἐπάνω: “above” — functioning adverbially, denoting vertical distance – ὑψώθη: aorist passive indicative, 3rd person singular, from ὑψόω (“to lift up, raise”) – τὸ ὕδωρ: nominative subject — “the water”
Syntax and Semantics:– Though δέκα πέντε πήχεις appears first, it modifies the verb ὑψώθη by indicating the degree of elevation.… Learn Koine Greek
The Waters Took Dominion: Imperfect Verbs and the Theology of Rising Judgment
Καὶ ἐπεκράτει τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπληθύνετο σφόδρα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπεφέρετο ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος (Genesis 7:18 LXX)
A Triple Ascent in the Flood Narrative
Genesis 7:18 LXX presents the crescendo of the flood: rising water, multiplying force, and the ark lifted from the earth. The verse is a rhythmic triplet of imperfect verbs, each building a sense of motion, dominance, and theological weight. The grammar does more than describe — it carries the narrative upward.
Imperfect Verbs of Motion and ContinuityAll three main verbs are imperfect indicatives, conveying continuous or progressive action in the past — fitting for a scene where increase, expansion, and floating define the visual frame.… Learn Koine Greek
Declensions in the Shade: Grammatical Depth in Ecclesiastes 7:12
Ὅτι ἐν σκιᾷ αὐτῆς ἡ σοφία ὡς σκιὰ τοῦ ἀργυρίου, καὶ περισσεία γνώσεως τῆς σοφίας ζωοποιήσει τὸν παρ᾽ αὐτῆς. (Ecclesiastes 7:12 LXX)
For in its shadow wisdom is like the shadow of silver, and the abundance of knowledge of wisdom will give life to the one who is from her.
Wisdom, Wealth, and the Power to Give LifeThis poetic LXX verse intertwines metaphor and syntax, showing wisdom as both protective and life-giving. The verse revolves around a contrast between wisdom and silver, expressed through careful declension patterns: genitives of comparison, nominatives of identity, and accusatives of effect. Let’s explore how these forms illuminate the theology and imagery.… Learn Koine Greek
Equal Portions at the Altar: Perfect Participles and Distributive Justice
Καὶ πᾶσα θυσία ἀναπεποιημένη ἐν ἐλαίῳ καὶ μὴ ἀναπεποιημένη πᾶσι τοῖς υἱοῖς Ααρων ἔσται ἑκάστῳ τὸ ἴσον (Leviticus 7:10 LXX)
A Ritual of Sharing: Syntax as Sacred Equity
Leviticus 7:10 LXX prescribes the priestly handling of grain offerings — whether mixed with oil or dry — and decrees their equal distribution among Aaron’s sons. Though brief, this verse hinges on two grammatical pillars: perfect participles and a distributive formula that encodes ritual equality. It is not just priestly regulation — it is grammar woven into justice.
Perfect Participles: Completed Preparation with Ongoing StateTwo participles anchor the first half of the verse:
ἀναπεποιημένη — “having been prepared” or “having been mixed” μὴ ἀναπεποιημένη — “not having been prepared” Grammatical Analysis Both are perfect passive participles, feminine nominative singular, agreeing with θυσία (“sacrifice” or “offering”).… Learn Koine GreekInto the Ark Two by Two: Distributive Numerals, Gendered Pairs, and Obedient Syntax
Δύο δύο εἰσῆλθον πρὸς Νωε εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ καθὰ ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ ὁ θεός (Genesis 7:9 LXX)
The Structure of the Saving Procession
This compact verse from the Septuagint vividly captures the entrance of animals into Noah’s ark. The beauty of its grammar lies in repetition, distribution, and obedience, with every phrase tightly packed with theological and syntactic meaning. The central grammar revolves around distributive numerals, gender distinction, and a divinely commanded action.
δύο δύο εἰσῆλθον: Distributive RepetitionThe phrase δύο δύο (“two by two”) is an example of distributive numerals — a construction where repetition emphasizes pairing and order.… Learn Koine Greek
The Morning They Found It Razed: Perfect Participles and Sacred Surprises
καὶ ὤρθρισαν οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως τὸ πρωί καὶ ἰδοὺ κατεσκαμμένον τὸ θυσιαστήριον τοῦ Βααλ καὶ τὸ ἄλσος τὸ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ ἐκκεκομμένον καὶ ὁ μόσχος ὁ σιτευτὸς ἀνηνεγμένος εἰς ὁλοκαύτωμα ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ᾠκοδομημένον (Judges 6:28 LXX)
Setting the Scene with a Historical Present
The verse opens with καὶ ὤρθρισαν οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως τὸ πρωί — “And the men of the city rose early in the morning.” The aorist verb ὤρθρισαν (from ὀρθρίζω) sets the temporal and narrative pace. But the drama unfolds not in the main verb — but in a cascade of perfect participles that follow.
What they found is expressed not in straightforward narrative verbs, but in an overwhelming grammar of completion: participles in the perfect tense, each one loaded with theological and rhetorical force.… Learn Koine Greek
Temporal Particles and the Rhythm of Pursuit: ἐξελθόντων and the Syntax of Suspense in Genesis 44:4
We now enter the dramatic corridor of Joseph’s final test upon his brothers—a moment thick with irony, emotion, and grammatical precision. In this pivotal verse from Genesis, the LXX translator crafts a scene that hinges not only on action but on timing, using participle form and temporal syntax to shape tension and narrative rhythm.
ἐξελθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν πόλιν οὐκ ἀπέσχον μακράν καὶ Ιωσηφ εἶπεν τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ ἀναστὰς ἐπιδίωξον ὀπίσω τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ καταλήμψῃ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐρεῖς αὐτοῖς τί ὅτι ἀνταπεδώκατε πονηρὰ ἀντὶ καλῶνThis verse marks the turning point in Joseph’s emotional trial—his silver cup is sent after his brothers, and their return is engineered through language that blends urgency, accusation, and moral inversion.… Learn Koine Greek
Wisdom on Display: Subjunctive Clauses, Demonstratives, and Divine Reputation
Καὶ φυλάξεσθε καὶ ποιήσετε ὅτι αὕτη ἡ σοφία ὑμῶν καὶ ἡ σύνεσις ἐναντίον πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν ὅσοι ἐὰν ἀκούσωσιν πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα καὶ ἐροῦσιν ἰδοὺ λαὸς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων τὸ ἔθνος τὸ μέγα τοῦτο (Deuteronomy 4:6 LXX)
The Command and Its Consequence
This verse is an exhortation with deep theological and grammatical architecture. It commands Israel to obey the statutes of YHWH — not merely for inward holiness, but for a powerful external witness among the nations. The Greek Septuagint captures this with complex subordinate structures and precise use of demonstratives, subjunctives, and predicate nouns.
The central exhortation comes in the twin imperatives: – φυλάξεσθε — “You shall guard” – ποιήσετε — “You shall do”
These aorist middle imperatives address not just passive preservation, but active obedience to divine instruction.… Learn Koine Greek
In the Beginning, a Definite Beginning: The Grammar of Articles, Cases, and Cosmic Syntax
ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν (Genesis 1:1 LXX)
The Opening Word: A Dative Without an Article
The phrase ἐν ἀρχῇ begins the Septuagint with a striking grammatical choice — a preposition ἐν followed by a dative singular feminine noun ἀρχῇ, meaning “beginning.” Notably, it lacks a definite article, unlike its classical counterpart ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ which would be expected in Attic prose.
This anarthrous use opens interpretive and theological space. Grammatically, the omission likely reflects Semitic influence, mirroring the Hebrew בְּרֵאשִׁית (bəreshit), which is likewise without an article. Linguistically, it signals an absolute beginning — not just a specific, known beginning in time, but the very commencement of time itself.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Septuagint Greek
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