Names Of False Gods.

[napsnsnacks]

Some of you are good on looking at the scriptures compared to the original language.

In reference to this thread:

http://bibleforums.org/showthread.ph...imes&p=2341773

It's important to know, in the original language, if he who wrote it down at that time, actually used the names of these false Gods to represent groups of stars such as Pleiades, Orion, et al.

I'm no historian going back that far so it's important to know whether or not if these names are part of the original text and pre-existed Greek mythology.

If these names are not actually part of the original text then they were added by the translators.

If they are part of the original text then that means the authors of the Greek gods of the day stole these names.

Which came first, this defunct Greek religion or the text of Job?

[markedward]

In Job 38.31-32:

"Pleiades" is given as the translation of Kiymah, from the root word meaning "jewel".
"Orion" is given as the translation of Kciyl, from the root word meaning "fat, stupid, silly".
"Mazzaroth" is given as the translation of Mazzarah, seemingly from the root word meaning "to set apart".
"Arcturus" (or "the Bear") is given as the translation of 'Ayish, from the root word meaning "to hasten".


In other words: Pleiades, Orion, Mazzaroth, and Arcturus are not mentioned by those names in the book of Job. They are called Kiymah, Kciyl, Mazzarah, and 'Ayish in the Hebrew.

[Radagast]

Some of you are good on looking at the scriptures compared to the original language.

In reference to this thread:

http://bibleforums.org/showthread.ph...imes&p=2341773

It's important to know, in the original language, if he who wrote it down at that time, actually used the names of these false Gods to represent groups of stars such as Pleiades, Orion, et al.

I'm no historian going back that far so it's important to know whether or not if these names are part of the original text and pre-existed Greek mythology.

If these names are not actually part of the original text then they were added by the translators.

If they are part of the original text then that means the authors of the Greek gods of the day stole these names.

Which came first, this defunct Greek religion or the text of Job?

For Job 38:31-32, The NIV has:

"Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?
Can you loose the cords of Orion?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
or lead out the Bear {or, Leo} with its cubs?"

The translators, of course, have tried to replace names of stars and star-patterns by their modern equivalents. We have (click on the word-links for more info):

1. Pleiades -- the Hebrew seems to mean "star cluster," but the Greek version of the O.T. translated by Jews in 300 BC has "Pleiades." This is certainly a very noticeable star-cluster.


2. Orion -- the Greek version of the O.T. has "Orion." The phrase "loose the cords" suggests the ancient Hebrews saw the figure of Orion as a giant chained up, and essentially asks "Can you move the stars?"


3. constellations -- the Hebrew has "Mazzaroth" (which is a plural). This may mean the constellations of the Zodiac, or it may mean constellations generally. The phrase "in their seasons" seems to refer to the annual apparent movement of the constellations as the Earth goes around the sun. Again, "Can you move the stars?" The Greek version of the O.T. uses the Hebrew word untranslated, as does the KJV.


4. Bear/Leo -- the KJV has "Arcturus" and the Greek version of the O.T. has "evening star," but the phrase "with its cubs" suggests a star-pattern that looks like an animal with its children, making "Bear" likely. It is not certain that it's the same star-pattern we call "Bear." Once more, "Can you move the stars?"


There is nothing here that I can see that refers to "false gods."

[David Taylor]

the translators have done no different in Job's modern Constellation naming than Genesis' river modern naming.

KJV Gen 2:14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel
NIV Gen 2:14 The name of the third river is the Tigris

[Radagast]

the translators have done no different in Job's modern Constellation naming than Genesis' river modern naming.

KJV Gen 2:14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel
NIV Gen 2:14 The name of the third river is the Tigris

And for the same reasons -- when the Hebrew word refers to a thing with an English name, proper translation uses that English name (only if you don't know what the name means do you leave the Hebrew as is). For Gen 2:14, the NIV is again following the Greek translation of the O.T. done in 300 BC, figuring that back then they had a good idea of what the Hebrew words meant.

The Greek O.T. leaves the Hebrew "Mazzaroth" in Job untranslated, so presumably they weren't quite certain as to what it meant. Which is why the NIV uses the very general "constellations," while the ESV has "Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season?", leaving the Hebrew untranslated, but at least indicating it's a plural.