Category Archives: Septuagint Greek

Septuagint Greek refers to the form of Koine Greek used in the translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, traditionally dated to the 3rd–2nd centuries BC. It often preserves Semitic idioms and syntax, reflecting its Hebrew source material, and sometimes deviates from classical Greek norms. The style can range from highly literal to more interpretive, depending on the book or translator. It serves as a vital linguistic bridge between Hebrew thought and the Greco-Roman world, influencing early Jewish diaspora communities and becoming the primary Old Testament for early Christians.

You Shall Rule, Not Be Ruled: Future Verbs and Asymmetry in Divine Promise

ὅτι Κύριος ὁ θεός σου εὐλόγησέν σε ὃν τρόπον ἐλάλησέν σοι καὶ δανιεῖς ἔθνεσιν πολλοῖς σὺ δὲ οὐ δανιῇ καὶ ἄρξεις σὺ ἐθνῶν πολλῶν σοῦ δὲ οὐκ ἄρξουσιν (Deuteronomy 15:6 LXX) The Architecture of a Blessing

Deuteronomy 15:6 LXX offers a covenantal vision of Israel’s future — not merely of abundance, but of sovereignty and freedom from dependence. This promise is embedded in a rich network of future indicative verbs, personal pronouns, and sharp syntactic asymmetries that reveal the nature of divine favor.

This verse is not only eschatological in content, but also predictive in form: nearly every key clause uses the future tense, projecting a vision of Israel’s destiny in grammatical time.… Learn Koine Greek

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Seventy-Five Souls: Syntax and History in Acts 7:14

Ἀποστείλας δὲ Ἰωσὴφ μετεκαλέσατο τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ Ἰακὼβ καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν συγγένειαν αὐτοῦ ἐν ψυχαῖς ἑβδομήκοντα πέντε (Acts 7:14)

Then Joseph sent and summoned his father Jacob and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all.

The Aorist Participle: ἀποστείλας

The participle ἀποστείλας comes from the verb ἀποστέλλω, meaning “to send.” It is an aorist active participle, nominative masculine singular, agreeing with Ἰωσὴφ — “Joseph.” In Greek, the aorist participle often conveys an action prior to the main verb. Thus, “having sent” introduces the cause or means for what follows.

Joseph, having sent a message or delegation, performs the next action: he summons.… Learn Koine Greek

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