Comments on: Translating 1 Samuel 6.19

By: Calvin

Calvin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:02:44 +0000

Jill is correct. The only reason I mention Josephus in this instant is because of the English translations in the tradition of the RSV which remove/ignore the larger number.

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:58:39 +0000

I don’t think Calvin was suggesting the Josephus provides evidence of a better Hebrew text. I think he was simply saying that the best evidence for the removal is Josephus, but not that this is neccessarily evidence is convincing enough to break with the MT and other major witnesses.

By: Hebrew Student

Hebrew Student — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:07:18 +0000

Be careful, though, when you use Josephus as ‘evidence’ of a ‘better’ Hebrew text. If you read Edwin Thiele’s Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, he shows that sometimes Josephus (and the LXX) ‘corrects’ what appear to be ‘obvious’ mistakes in the Hebrew text, yet Thiele proves that the Hebrew is correct after all!