Comments on: Once upon a time in the east…

By: Peter M. Lopez

Peter M. Lopez — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:55:00 +0000

A very correct observation in your post script, it is also very similar to what happens in Hebrew in many places – God uses similarly spelled words or words with the same roots in connection with similar or opposing concepts, a heavenly alliteration of sorts.

By: ElShaddai Edwards

ElShaddai Edwards — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 03:10:18 +0000

Thanks, Nathan. I agree about the NEB – it’s been fun to “rediscover” it as part of a new generation. I think that the REB is equally worthwhile, if still not more so, but am coming to understand why the translation revision team regarded it as almost a new translation from the NEB.

By: Nathan Stitt

Nathan Stitt — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:13:50 +0000

Wow, great post on the NEB. I haven’t spent nearly enough time with it, but I love the renderings in it and almost prefer it over the REB. They are fabulous translations and this just gives another example why. ElSh, keep it up with the refreshing posts.

By: Peter M. Lopez

Peter M. Lopez — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:23:07 +0000

Peter Kirk, you’re correct about “Once upon a time” becoming a marker for a fiction to follow, and I certainly never intended it that way (I should have been more careful about that, actually). But, I also think our idea of God dictating to Moses is somewhat askew (stormy night, thunder and lightning, a horrified Moses, etc.). I suspect God sat Moses down and said, “Okay, here goes…” And, I can just hear Moses saying, “Whoa! Really? Cool!

By: tc robinson

tc robinson — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:02:39 +0000

You guys are taking me back to school on Genesis. Good stuff, I say.

By: Weekly News - 9/12 « The Church of Jesus Christ

Weekly News - 9/12 « The Church of Jesus Christ — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:11:45 +0000

[...] Koinonia has an interesting posting on Hebrews word and the fact that we are still learning about some of them, the plural ‘you’ in 1st Corinthians 3.16-17. Speaking of biblical translation things, Bobby V. has an excellent post on the KJV…translators. BBB actually has a post up about other posts on Bible Translations from various ‘young’ bloggers. El-Shaddai has a post up on the ‘campfire’ stories in the bible. [...]

By: ElShaddai Edwards

ElShaddai Edwards — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:42:42 +0000

Thanks for the great thoughts and insight, Peter. I agree that “Once upon a time” has become a fictional indicator – I wonder if there are any markers from the King Arthur stories that would be a more suitable mix of Anglican literature and historical legend.

Interestingly, the NEB *does* use “Once upon a time…” to start the Judges 9:8-15 passage, while Job 1:1 starts, “There lived in the land of Uz…”, which also seems a literary idiom.

By: Peter Kirk

Peter Kirk — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:31:18 +0000

The problem with “Once upon a time” is that it has become a marker that the story that follows is fictional – in a particular fairy tale genre which is presumed not to be literally true. Perhaps that is what the NEB translators thought about the Babel story, but it is not going to be acceptable to evangelicals. In Hebrew there is probably an equivalent marker to “Once upon a time”, perhaps the interesting infinitive absolute construction found at the start of Judges 9:8 which is a Hebrew fairy tale, or, more controversially, ‘ish haya in Job 1:1. In these places, at least the former, “Once upon a time” would probably fit. They contrast with the normal introductions to stories presented as historical e.g. Ruth which start with a time marker. I wonder if John Hobbins or Iyov (who has Job 1:1 in Hebrew in his blog header) has anything to say about this one?