EXCHANGE

THE

SOLECISMS OF THE APOCALYPSE

BY
T.

COWDEN LAUGHLIN

A DISSERTATION

PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
1902

C. 6.

PRINCETON, N. J.
ROBINSON & CO., UNIVERSITY PRINTERS

THE

SOLECISMS OF THE APOCALYPSE

BY
T.

COWDEN LAUGHLIN

A DISSERTATION
PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
1902

C. 8.

PRINCETON, N. J.
ROBINSON & CO., UNIVERSITY PRINTERS

THE SOLECISMS OF THE APOCALYPSE

BIBLIOGRAPHY
The leading works consulted
tion are the following

in the preparation of this disserta-

BLASS, "Grammatik des neutestamentlichen Griechisch." Gottingen, 1896.

" Die
Otfenbarung Johannis." 5 Aufl. Gottingen, 1896.
BOUSSET,
BUP.TON, "Syntax of the Moods and Tenses in New Testament Greek." Chicago, 1893.

CHEYNE & BLACK,

"

EBRARD,

New

Encyclopaedia Biblica."

EBRARD, "Das Evangelium Johannis."

York, 1899-1903.

Ziiruch, 1845.

" Wissenschaftliche Kritik der

evangelischen Geschichte."

Aufl. Frankfurt a. M., 1868.

"
EUSEBIUS, " Ecclesiasticae Historiae

EWALD, " Commentarius

in

MIGNE,

"

Dritte

Patrologia Graeca."

Apocalypsin Johannis Exegeticus

et Criticus."

Lipsiae, 1828.

EWALD, "Grammatik

der hebraischen Sprache des A. T."

Zweite Aufl.

Leipzig, 1835.

EWALD, "Die Johanneischen

Schriften iibersetz

und

erklart."

Gottingen,

1861-1862.

GREEN, "A Grammar of the Hebrew Language." New York, 1889.

"
GUILLEMARD, Hebraisms in the Greek Testament." Cambridge, 1879.

HARNACK,
HASTINGS,

Article on

"

Word

" Revelation " in "

Encycl. Brit.," Vol.
New York, 1898-1902.

XX.

Dictionary of the Bible."

"
Essays in Biblical Greek." Oxford, 1889.
London and New
LIGHTFOOT, "St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians."
York, 1900.
" Versuch einer
LtiCKE,
Vollstandigen Einleitung in die Offenbarung Johannis
und in die gesammte apokalyptische Litteratur." Bonn. 1852.
" Discussions on the
MILLIGAN,
Apocalypse." London, 1893.
MOULTON & GEDEN, "A Concordance to the Greek Testament." 2d Edition,

HATCH,

New
SALMON,

York, 1900.

"A

Historical Introduction to the

Testament."

Study of the Books of the

New

9th Edition, London, 1899.

SPITTA, "Die Offenbarung des Johannes." Halle, 1889.

SWETE, "An Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek." Cambridge, 1900.
SWETE, "The Old Testament in Greek according to the Septuagint." 3 vols.

Cambridge, 1887-1894.

THAYER, "Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament." New York,

" Novum Testamentum Graece."
TISCHENDORF,
Lipsiae, 1872.
TOY,

"

Quotations in the

New

Testament."

New

1887.

York, 1884.

"
YITEAU, Etude sur le Grec du Nouveau Testament." Paris, 1893-6.
WESTCOTT, "The Gospel According to St. John." London, 1894.
WESTCOTT & HORT, "The New Testament in the Original Greek." London

and Cambridge, 1885.

WINER, "A Grammar

(The references in

this dissertation are to this text.)

of the Idiom of the

Edition, Andorer, 1874.

239329

New

Testament."

Thayer's

I he Solecisms of

the

Apocalypse.

THE SOLECISMS OF THE APOCALYPSE.

The Greek

of the Apocalypse

is

marked by

a series of most

long been recognized, are due

striking peculiarities which,
in large part to the influence of the Hebrew idiom. They appear
as has

in passages imitating the style of the Hebrew Prophets

(with
whose writings the Apocalyptist was so familiar 2) or in sentences
*

or phrases transferred
Testament or from its

directly from the Hebrew of the Old

translation
the LXX. 3 The fol-

Greek

lowing pages present the evidence of this Hebrew influence in

sufficient volume and with sufficient discussion of detail to make,
4
hoped, a complete demonstration.
considered under three heads.

it is

The

solecisms will be

1
Ebrard, in speaking of the more glaring solecisms of the Apocalypse, says,
that " dieselben nicht unvvillkiihrlich, sondern in halbabsichtlicher Nachahmung
des Colorits der a. t. Sprache entstanden sind.
Der Autor der Apokalypse vvollte

die Sprache und der Stil der a. t. Propheten war

ihm allein in ihrer grossartigen Sehlichtheit geniigte, das Ungeheure wiederzugeben, was er geschaut hat." (" Wissenschaftliche Kritik der evangelischen
Geschichte." Dritte Ann. Frankfurt a. M. 1868, S. 1106.)

offenbar hebraisirond schreibcn

es,

die

Ewald,

The

" Die Johannei ; chen Schriften."

LXX translation

Bd.

II., S. 52.

more Hebraic than the N. T. and does not represent

a type of Greek established and in actual currency at the time it was made, but " its
distinctive character is due rather to the translators' exaggerated deference to the
Hebrew sacred text and their mechanical reproduction of it." (Thayer on " Language of the New Testament" in Hasting's " Dictionary of the Bible," Vol. Ill,
p. 40.)

It

is

is

not surprising, then, that solecisms are found in the

writings of those

who quoted

or

made

LXX

nor in the

use of that translation.

4
There are no less than 460 O. T. passages made use of in the Apocalypse.
Westcott and Hort give a list of these in their " N. T. Greek," pp. 612 ff. and
under the heading " Quotations from the O. T." but the Apocalypse contains no
quotations proper, although a great part of its language is taken from the O. T.
;

(Toy, "Quotations in the N. T.,"

O. T. in Greek," pp. 392 and 404.)

p.

253.

Cp. Swete,

"An

Introduction to the

The Solecisms of

the

Apocalypse.

I.

PECULIAR WORDS.

by a Nominative without verb.

of the Old Testament prophecies invariably

ISo v.~ It

1.

often followed

is

LXX

The

uses ISov (1) as a translation of the Hebrew word PUPI (behold,

Thus, for example, in such passages as Gen. 12:19 f]^f]
lo).
the LXX. of which is KOI vvv ISov rj yvvrj aov (evavriov

-|f^^,

Gen. 16 6
:

<rov).

which

elirev

is

LXX
Ps.

'ISov

el-jrev

teal

is

^dpav 'ISov

?n&O

'I8ov,

'I

(2)

So v

is

the

HJH

&c.

evXoyelre TOV

of the

Hebrew word
passages as
the Hebrew

Dan. 2 31,
:

three words

^)

passages in the Apocalypse contain 18 ov direct

Many

from the

^^1

olicov,

l8ov

^*|K (behold), which is from the Chaldaic, in such

Dan. 7:5, 6, 7 and 13. It is the translation (3) of
I^N (behold), which is also from the Chaldaic, in
The LXX translation of each of these
for example.
and
always ISov.
(mil,
(a)

crov

6 Se ctTroicpiOek

^1^-^
y

LXX of

7ratSi(7icri

KK\Lvare Trpbs TOV

icvpioi,

LXX translation also

the

r}

LXX

PlJPl

Gen. 19:2

m>T"n^ *D*O PUH LXX

134:1

tcvpLov.

18:9

ry a^vr).

elTrev

"HEr^N D*nK,

Trpbs

'A/3pafJi

"Gen.

aov).

(evavTiov

PUPl

-jPHD^

Se

LXX

as, for

example

Rev. 1

5 o v epxercu peTa

rwv

(LXX) 7:13 KOI ISov eVl TUV

which
the
Aramaic
follows
wi',
original (Toy) and the Heb.
Rev 14:14 KOI elSov, ical ISov
"UJJTDJ? TIKIThis follows Dan.

\ev/cij) fcal

This follows the

rov ovpavov

a)?

eVl

rrjv veffreXyv /caBijfievov O/JLOLOV vlov avdpoyjrov.

LXX

of Dan. 7

v to? av0pa)7rov, the

13

/cal

Hebrew

ISov eVt

of which

ra>v ve(f>e\a)v

is

These can scarcely be called solecisms in strictest sense, yet they are peculiar
especially to the Apocalypse, whose author quotes them from the
2
Ebrard, in refuting Hitzig, who regards the Gospel of Mark and the Apoca-

LXX.

Nachahlypse as written by the same author, speaks of /5ov in the Apocalypse as

mung des Prophetenstiles ..... wer mochte da das oftmalige I5o6 c. ptc. fur ein
"
unwillkuhrliches, zufalliges halten ? (" Evangelium Johannis," S. 166.)
' '

The Solecisms of

LXX

and the

(Cp. also Kev. 21

37

7:7 and

ISov

is
roi)

<r/n?i^

6>otWt9

o>?

Q-JN ^2
which

0eoO

OIDID PUPP
follows Ezek.

3 /cal ISov Spd/ccov

e^ow /ce(f)a\a<$ eTrra
which follows direct the Hebrew "H^ of Dan.
of the LXX of Dan. 7:8.
:

Seiea,

iSoi>

other passages in the Apocalypse are imitations of

usage. Rev. 6 2, 5 and 8 /cal elSov, teal IBov ITTTTO?

Many

(b)

the

97

Apocalypse.

KOI

of which

3 tSov

Rev. 12

57).

KOI Kepara

10:16

of Dan.

Hebrew

av6p(b7rov, the

the

LXX

teal IS oft fonro?

TTTTTO? irvppd?

Xeiwo'?;

/-ie'Xa9

ISov ITTTTO? xXfi>/xfc, which are from the LXX of Zech. 1: 8

KOI ISov avr)p e7ri/3e/37)K(jt)<z eTrl ITTTTOV irvppov &c., to which pas-

teal

1
sages the Apocalyptist here refers.
2
The influence of the
2. TlavTOKparcop.

the use of this word.

LXX

explains

found in the following Apocalyptic

Rev. liStcvpios 6 #eo9, (o &>v /cal 6 fy /cal

Rev. 4.8 a^ios #7409 ayios icvpios, 6
Travro/cpdrciyp
Travr/cpdrayp (o rjv /cal 6 cov /cal 6 ep^o^evo^. Rev. 11:17

passages
6

It is

Kvpie,

#eo9,

(Me^aXa

TravTo/cpdr&p

wv

(6

/cal

OavfJiaara ra epya o-ou), /cvpie,

Rev. 16:7 (vat) /cvpie, 6 #eo9,

/cal

/cpdraip.

Rev. 16:14

r]v).

Rev. 15:3

#eo9, o Travro-

Travro/cpdrcop.

Oeov

TOV

TT avro/cpdrcop.
Rev. 19:6 'AXX^Xou^a, on eftaaiXevo-ev /cv)0to9, 6 #eo9, 6 iravRev. 19 15 r^9 opyrjs TOV Oeov TOV 7ravTO/cp dro/cpdrcop.
Rev.
21: 22 (/cal vabv ov/c elSov ev avTrj) 6 jap /et;/uo9, o
T op 09.

rfjs

(rjfiepas

fjLeydXrjs)

TravTO/cpaTcop vaos avTrjs ea-Tiv. Cp., also, 2 Cor. 6: 18.

In every one of the passages just specified, the expression
of
/ci5/uo9, 6 #eo9, 6 TravTo/cpaTcop is direct from the

#eo'9, o

LXX

1
In other books of the New Testament, and especially in the Gospels, 1806 is
found in quotations from the LXX. of the Old Testament as, Matt. 1 :23 I dot i]

irapdtvos tv yaffrpl 2ei KCU

the

LXX

from Isaiah

T^erat vl6v, Kal Ka\taov<ri.v rb ftvopa. avrov 'E(j.fj.avovr]\. This is

21 5
Matt. 11 10 Idod tyu
7 14 (Cp. Matt. 12 18
:

Pet. 2
2

New

LXX

dTroo-rAXw rbv &yye\6v ^uoy, &c., which is the

Heb. 2
Lk. 7 27 ; Jno. 12 15 Kom. 9 33

for

13

Mai. 3

1.

Cp.

Mk. 1:2;

Heb. 8:8; Heb. 10

7,

6.)

ILavroKpdrup

Testament,

i.

is

not found in John's Gospel and only once elsewhere in the

2 Cor. 6 18, where it occurs in a quotation from the LXX.

e. t

The Solecisms of

Amos

is

turn,

13 Kvpios

the

Apocalypse.

TravTOKpdrwp (ovopa avTw), which, in

the translation of the Hebrew of the same passage, i. e.,
:

6 #eo9, o

nKT^

13 (1QEO
Hin v
" Jerusalem "
3. In the Apocalypse, we always find the word
written 'le/jovcraX^/i (indeclinable), but in the Gospel (and
Acts, &c. , where quoted) it invariably has the form 'lepoa-oXvpa.

Amos

But this difference is easily ac(Cp. Thayer's "Winer, p. 68.)

counted for when we note that the writing of the word in the
Apocalypse is the same as that of the LXX (from the Hebrew
D/2nT) from which the Apocalyptist so often quotes. The
Apocalyptic passages in which tbe word appears and the LXX.
passages from which they are quoted follow Rev. 21:2 nal TTJV
:

7rd\iv TTjv dyfav

Isa.

ay

52:1

av

Rev. 21

fa.

So'fazTc-oi;,

.....

foSvfffU rrjv

10 KOI

*lepovcra\r) p

TO ovo/jia

pocro\v /JLO)V

the

&dav
JJLOI

aov,

quoted from

Iepov(ra\r) JJL, TTO\W

rrjv TTO\LV TTJV dyfav

LXX of Isa.
Tro'Xt?

is

rj

rov 6eov

52

/ecu

av

17

'lepovcraevSvo-cu

Rev. 3: 12 KOI

dyia.

Kawr\s 'Iepovcra\rj JJL

IJLOV , TT}?

Thus we have: Jno. 1:19 ol 'lovSaloi cf

2:13 Kal aveflrj ew *Iepo<rd\v fjua 6

Jno.

2:23 'H? 8e fjv ev rot? 'le/ooo-oXv/Ltot?

Jno.
All
Xeyere cm ev 'lepoo-oXv/xot? earlv 6 TOTTO?.
other instances in John's Gospel show the declinable

20

This

icaivrfv elSov.

Jno.

'Irjcrovs.

r?}9 TroXeoj?

Cp. Ezek. 48:35.

*Ie

eSeigev

which follows the

&c.,

XTJ/J,

KOLI

lepov<ra\r) /A

/cal v/iet?

If

'lepoo-oXvpa.

use of the

John wrote the Apocalypse,

direct

and conscious

LXX form is the only possible explanation

of the vari-

ation of this word.

4. 'AXXT/Xoina.
In Rev. 19:1. 3, 4 and 6 we have the
word 'AXX^Xoma. This word is taken from the LXX of Pss.
106:1; 146:1; 147:1; 148:1; 149:1; 150:1 and 6.
A XX 77X0 in a is the Greek translation of the Hebrew fV

1
For examples ofltpowaXfo in the LXX, cp. Zech. 3:2; 9:9; Josh. 10: 1
Ezek. 1:2; 2:8; 2 Chron. 12 2, 9, 13 19 1, 4, 8 20 18, 27, 28, 31 21 5
13 20 22 1, 2 23 2 et al.
2
In view of the possible common authorship of the Apocalypse and John's

its

declin-

Gospel, it may be noted that in the Gospel the

able form 'Iepoff6\vfM.

word

is

always written in

The Solecisms of

In Rev. 12

5.

we have

jroipaiveiv Tcavra ra eOvrj.

line

and apcrev

is

Cp.

the

Apocalypse.

/cal eTi/cev

Isa.

66

vldv, apcrev, 05

7.

The word

neuter.

Here vl6v

is

mascu-

"male"

is

either

for

6 apcrrjv (masc.) or
(Cp. Thayer's Greek
Lex.) In this verse, the writer uses the neuter form while in vs.
13 of the same chapter he employed the masc. (i. e., eSLwgev TTJV
Since he did not use the
yvvalKa -?rt9 eritcev TOV apcrev a).
rather expect the maswe
should
in
both
form
neuter
sentences,

TO apcrev (neut.)

culine in the

which

it is

in case).

instance in connection with the masc.

and the neut. together)

em Sonn em mannliches."

masc.
*"DT

first

of

vldv,

an appositive (although an appositive need only agree

But as Ewald suggests, "vlov, apcrev" (i. e., the
" bloss

is

("

Nachahmung von

Die Joh. Schriften." Bd.

II.

S. 53).*
II.

PECULIAR PHRASES.
1.

In Rev. 15:5, (Cp. Acts 7 44), occurs the phrase " -n}?
TOV papTvpiov" or more fully, "6 vabs TT)? o-K^vrj^ TOV
ev TQ> ovpavw."
This is a very striking statement, but
:

such passages
simply the Greek translation of 1JJ1D /!""!&
is
as Ex, 40 34, the Hebrew of which
^nKTlN
DD n l
it is

*"1JJ1Q

the

LXX

pJ?H

for this

is,

/cal

eKd\vtyev

fj

ve<f)e\r)

TTJV cr/crjvrjv

TOV papTvptov and Rev. 15 5 quotes it.

Cp., also, Lev. 24 3
ev
TOV
Num.
Ty o-Krjvf}
papTvpiov;
(LXX) 17:7 and 8
(LXX)
ev Ty crfcrjvfj TOV papTvpiov ; Ex. (LXX) 27 21 is ev Trj cr/crjvfj TOV
:

papTvptov

Ex. 40 22
:

It is also the

40 24 and
:

LXX

Num.

17

49.

translation of

nV"!J/n"?DEPD i
passages as Num. 1: 50 (LXX) enl Trjv crfcrjvrjv TOV
Num. 1:53 (LXX) KV/C\Q) TT}? CT/CIJVTJ^ TOV fJiapTVpiov.
Num.
10:11 (LXX) f) ve<f>e\7j ano TT}? cricrjvrjs TOV
piov.
*

is x<^Ko\t^avov (Eev. 1
15 and 2 18). It
author, who here follows the Hebrew of Dan.
10 6. (Cp. Toy, " Quotations in the N. T., p. 254.) Notice, also, the compound
words 7rora/io06/3?7Tos (Kev. 12 15) and fj.e<rovpav^a (Rev. 8 13 14 6 19 17)].

is

[NOTE.

Another interesting word

compound word coined by the

The Solecisms of

the

Ex. 38:21 (LXX)

fjiapTVpiov.

Apocalypse.

a-uvra^ TT}?

77

TOV

a-tcrjvfj^

fjuapTvp iov.
It is further

18
24

(LXX)
(LXX)

19

LXX translation

airevavTi TT)?

cr

#771/779

Num

in

iov.

Strings of genitives hanging on one

Rev.
or on one another are frequent in the Apocalypse.

15

rrjv \7jvbv

TOV olvov TOV Ovpov

Rev. 14

tcpaTepos.

.....

6eov TOV

10 KOI avTos

TOV Oeov TOV iravTO-

TOV otvov TOV Ovpov TOV

etc

0/377)9

dVTOV.

Rev. 16 19 TO

Rev. 18

ReV. 14 8
T

3 ort

$)

K TOV

TOV otvov TOV

e/c

(Cp., also, Rev. 22: 19

iropveCas avTrjs, &c.

TT)?

TT}? 0/37779

irierai

ev TO) TTOTTJPLO) TT}? 0/37779 CLVTOV.

TTOTrjplOV TOV OLVOV TOV 0V/JLOV T1JS

otvov TOV Ovfjiov rr)? Tropveias.
Ovfjiov

nnjBT*?ftH

rov paprvp

rrjv a KTJ vrjv

et?

of

TOV paprvpiov. 2 Chron.

Strings of Genitives.

2.

noun

the

avro

T<MZ/

Cp. Rev. 21 6.)

The passages above are not only imitations of the LXX, but
are all more or less directly quoted from the
of Jer. 25 15
\dycov TOV fttfiXfov

rr)? 7rpo(f>7)TeLas

TavTys.

LXX

Which

Cp. Isa. 51 17.

37 Repetition of Prepositions before a series of nouns, as in
Rev. 16 13 teal elSov etc TOV o-To'^taT09 TOV SpdrcovTos /cal etc TOV
TO TTOTr)plOV TOV olvOV TOV CLKQCLTQG TOVTOV.

is,

TOO 07)pfov KOi K TOV

13 CLTTO ava,TO\ri<$ TrvX&ves

<7To'/iaT09

21

VOTOV

fcal CLTTO

17:6
teal etc

ITT

teal

T/aet9,

KOI CLTTO floppa

elftov

yur) Trverj

irav SeSpov.

eo*TWT779

teal

Rev.

TOV aifAaTOS TCOV ay lew

(Cp. Rev. 9 21.) Rev.

etc

ev&TTiov T&V ayyeXcov avTOv.

is

7:9

teal

two examples, an unusual preposition. 1

The preposition e v & TT i o v is very

translation of the Hebrew words TJ73
1

Rev.

evcoTTiov TOV apviov.

(Cp.
displayed not only a repetition of

TOV 6povov

Here
10, &c.)
prepositions, but, in the last
:

T/3et9,

avepos errl T^9 77)9 piJTe ITT I T7}9 Qa\ao-Q-T)<s fJLiJTe

Rev. 3 5 teal 6fAO\oyij<rci) TO ovopa avTOv eva>7Ti,ov

evtoTTiov

4 5 and 4

7ru\(wz/e9

ReV.

ftov

7raT/?o9

TOV ^TevSoTTpO^TOV.

Trv\a)ve<s T)0t9, teal CLTCO ^va-fJLwv 7ru\wz/e9 T/3t9.

TTJV <yvvaitca peOvovarav

TOV ai/u,aT09 TMV /jiapTvpcov 'lycrov.

1 iva

TOV

O~To'/l,aT09

common
and

''JsS.

in the

LXX

and

is

the Greek

Thus, for example, the word

3:9 occurs in the LXX of Isa. 66:23 i. e., et Tracra <r<i/> rou
ev&iriov tfwv ev'Iepova-aX^fj., from which it is quoted, V&TTLOV being the
LXX of 'J3S from the phrase rP7T "I3 ' J 3 S mnn^nS "l^-^D K13 of Isa. 66 23.
Cp. Isa. 49 23 60 14.
(Cp. e v 6 TT i o v in Bev. 15 4, which is quoted from Ps.
86 9).
Wherever this word occurs in the Apocalypse (and it occurs thirty-one
S
times) it is the LXX translation direct, or in imitation of the Hebrew word J27.
IVUTUQV in Rev.

irpocrKvvija-ai

-.

The Solecisms of

10

the Apocalypse.

LXX

This repetition of prepositions is in imitation of the

usage
which shows it constantly. Note, for example, Zech. 6:10 Aa/3e
ra eK rrjs at%^a\&>o-ta9 Trap a r&v ap%dvr(0v ical Trap a r&v xprjZech. 1 4
o-ifjicov
avrfjs /cal Trap a r&v eTrejvcoKorcov avrrjv.
:

A.Tro(rrpetyare arro rwv oSwv

eTrir'rjSevfjidrcov

vfJL&v

r&v

TravroKpdra)p 'I8ou eyew

o-a>fa>

KVpios TravTO/cpdrcop rov

Kara

ra TrLT7]^ev^ara

vfjiwv

rov \adv

43

/JLOV

aTrb rwv

Kal

7 TaSe \eyei Kvpios

airo 7^5 avaro\wv

Zech. 1

5.)

/ca0a)<;

ical

TrapareraicTai

tear a ra? o8ou? f)p&v

rj^fav

Troifjo-ai

Trovrjp&v

Zech. 8

TTOV7)pa>v.

(Cp. Isa.

CLTTO 77}? Sva-pwv.

ra)v

/cal

rjpcov.

Not only

are prepositions repeated in the Apocalypse, but other words as well. The follow4.

Repetition of Other Words.

ing examples
fiao-iXecov ical

may be
ddp as

given:

Rev. 19:18 Iva

ical a-

ic

as
a dp K as

$d<yr)Te era pic

d pic as

ical

%i\idp%a)V
K al (rap teas.
(Op. Ezek. 39 17, 18.) Rev. 16:13 ical
ical e/c
teal etc (rrduaros
elSov IK rov (no paras
:

Rev. 8:12

TOV arroparos.

r p irov ..... TO

TO rpirov.
/cal

/cat

rpirov
(Cp. Rev. 8

eTT\tjjrj

Rev. 14: 1

/cal.

TO

TO rpirov

TO rpirov
TO rpirov
ical
Rev. 18:2 ical
9.)
%ov<rai

TO

ovopa

avrov

Kal TO ovofjua rov irarpos avrov.

This recurrence of special words is " preeminently character"
In the
istic of Oriental expression
(Thayer's Winer, p. 606).
Apocalyptic passages just quoted, it is due to the influence of the

LXX which
6

14

/cal

6 Be

rots

8 wo- e

Cp. Zech.
again reproduces the Hebrew original.
ecrrai
r
/calrols
ois
vrro/Jievovo-iv
are^avos
xprjaifjiois avrrjs
(Cp. Zech. 6 10.) Zech. 8 12
UT^?, /cal fj 77} Scbaei ra yevijfjiara

rbv /caprrov
6 ovpavos 5c6o~et rrjv
i

Travro/cpdrwp

eTreyvcoicocriv.

Spda-ov

vrjareia

rj

Zech.

avrov.

rerpas

/cal

8:19

vrjo^reia

97

a/^TreXo?

avrr)S,

\eyei
f)

/cal

icvpios

TreuTrrij /cal

VTjareia rj efiSdfATj /cal vrjareia 77 Seicdrrj e&ovrai TO) oi/cqy 'lovba.

5. Another anomalous phrase is found in Rev. 12 14 /caipbv
:

ical

Kaipovs Kal
1

'

tf/jiiov

Kaipov.

Liicke

speaks of this phrase as

"Einleitung in die Offenbarung des Johanes," Bd. II,

Quotations in N. T.," p. 264.)

S. 455.

(Cp. Toy,

The Solecisms of
"

vollig eigenthiimlich

the

11

Apocalypse.

und anomalisch. Hier

1st /caipoix; so viel als

zwei Zeitraume, Jahre, aber dies 1st der technische apokalyptische

Sprachgebrauch aus Daniel 7:25; 12 7 genommen, wo die
:

LXX F*

durch Amjow iibersetzt."

m.
PECULIAR CONSTRUCTIONS.
1.

in

In Rev. 2

14 occurs the expression 65 eSiSaa-rcev ra> fia\dtc

is followed by a Dative of person in

which the word " teach "

imitation of the

Hebrew 7

word

also

&Sao7co>

Job 21 22,
:

Ewald, "gr. Hebr.,"

-2.

TJV

KOI 6 epxdjjievos.
1

(Q>. Thayer's Lexicon on the

1

i.

e.,

HJ? "!

IDT

^fc^i"!

an(l

p. 588.)

The Preposition airo with

KOI 6

cov

""ID/-

Rev. 1

the Nominative.

This solecism

is

curb 6

striking in the

Some

authors have tried to soften the expresBut this would not

sion by inserting the article roO after airo.
"
the
omnino
anomaly here, quod scriptor
praepositiones
explain

highest degree.

cum nominative jungere

is

soleat." 2

The phrase 6 wv /cal 6 fy /cal

Greek equivalent for the Hebrew name

the

1
Guillemard speaks of this as " an anomalous construction clearly traceable to
absence of inflexion in Hebrew nouns which made such a violation of grammar less

startling to a
2

Jew

writing Greek."

"

Com.
Ewald,
Ebrard regards

in

Apoc.,"

this

(" Hebraisms in the Greek Testament, p. 116.)

p. 46.

phrase as intentional on the part of the writer, saying of

" die absichtliche

Behandlung der ganzen Formel 6 uv KO! 6 yv Kal 6 fyx<Wi/os als

unveranderlichen nom. propr. wo das erste 6 sowie das zweite und dritte als integrirender Theil des Namens betrachtet wird, liegt hier gar zu klar am Tage"
("Evangelium Johannis," S. 165-166) and Harnack, in speaking of the same
phrase, says, "the gross violations of Greek grammar are not to be explained from
"
ignorance."* ("Encycl. Brit." on word
Revelation.")
it,

ano

The proper construction

rStv

ema.

irvev)j.a.ru>v,

through ignorance.

of a
with the Genitive occurs in the same verse (i. e., 1 4),
proving that the author did not use curb with the Nominative
:

The Solecisms of

12

Liicke regards

Jehovah.

it

nach Rabbinscher Deutung

bezeichnet wird." 1

'O

Ex. 3 14 KOI

6 #eo9

elirev

Kal

Oimo?

elirev

e/oet?

the

Apocalypse.

" als ein

Begriff anzusehen, wodurch
des Namens Jehova der ewige Gott

tbv is

Trpbs

M.cova'fjv

rot? viols 'Icrpafa 6

\eycov

&v

LXX of

from the

directly quoted

'70) dpi

& v.

aTrearaX/cev pe

TT/JO?

the phrase o a>v being the translation of *^fc$ rPi"lN

Thus the Apocalyptist used the expression o o> v directly

a9,

LXX

and does not change the form to the Genitive

Naturally the other words or parts of the phrase,
6
namely, rjv ical 6 epxpnevos, are in the same construction as 6 &v
" da es kein
Particip des Praeteritums von elvai giebt, so ist
schwer einzusehen, wie der Yerfasser das 6 fjv (der war) anders

from the
after

a IT 6.

hatte ausdriicken sollen."

The Genitive and Accusative joined by Kal, instead of two

Genitives, after a Word of Fullness. The use of the accusative after
3.

the idea of fullness

%ovaa
T(ov

is

Hebrew

TTOTrjpiov xpvcrovv ev

/cal

ra a/cdOapra

ra a/cdOapra instead of

rrj

rfjs

^ipl

after the
ITT
fjiov)

LXX

word " filled," thus

yefiov /38e\vyfid(Cp. Jer. 51 7).

:

the Hebrew.

found in 2 Sam. 23:7

is

this

passage has followed the

TT

\rjpes
of Ezek. 39
/cal

17: 46

avrfjs.

ra>v a/caOdprcov, imitates

Even the LXX translation of

Hebrew entirely, namely, /cal
Again, the

avrijs

iropveias

capital illustration of this usage

SdpaTos.

Thus, Rev.

idiom.

a-iSijpov /cal %v\ov

20 has the accusative

jOTXi?<rdipr<F0(&r2 r^? irpaire^

7rov Kal ava/BttTrjv Kal ytyavra.

The same thing

is

^^0111, the LXX of which has

The
avrovs.
accusative is the usual con7r\rj0vvev
fj 77}
" Worter wie
struction after a word of fullness in Hebrew.
J^Q
gewohnlich mit dem Accusative ..... sich verbinden." (Ewald,
"Die Joh. Schriften," S. 53.) In further proof of this, cp.

found in Ex. 1

DDK SIKH

8e

2
3

"

Einleitung in die Offenbarung des Johannes," S. 462.

Isa. 41 4 KIH-^K

Cp.

Cp. Thayer's Winer, p. 68.

"
Liicke,
Einleitung in die OflEenbarung des Johannes," 2 Aufl.,

S. 462.

The Solecisms of
Gesenius'

the

"Hebrew and Eng. Lex." on

Also Liicke,

"

Einleitung u.

in question)
(the passage

is

constructions, the Genitive

13

Apocalypse.

w."

word &OD,

the

P- 473.

S. 461.

Eev. 17 46, then,

a mixture of

Greek and Hebrew

s.

pSeXvypdrcov

after yefjiov

being a

Greek construction while the accusative TO, a/cdOapra is

Hebrew.
The word \rjvds (wine-press) is given a
4. A Double- Gender.
double gender in Rev. 14: 19 and 20. Thus, teal efta\ev eZ? rrjv
\rjvbv TOV dvfjLov TOV deov TOV peyav [the great wine-press] /cal
CTrarijOrj

\rjvbs e^coOev

rj

TT}?

7ro^,ea)9

the feminine Trjv \rjvov

This construction

and then the masculine TOV peyav [\rjvdv].

is found in Isa. 63:3, from which this verse

^>*o DDVJNI TIN .....

is

suggested

thus

Tom mis

na^

Here {O1B is feminine and 22*1*1^ is masculine. Thayer remarks that this is a variation in gender which can hardly be
matched in Greek though not rare in Hebrew.
1

Feminine nouns are frequently

5. Disagreement in
Gender.
followed by an adjective or participle in the masculine. Rev. 4 1
:

/cal

77

fywvr)

rj

7Tp(x)T7) r]V

..... X e 7

rj/covaa

a)

(jxovrj is

followed

Rev. 9:13 and 14 KOI

participle \eycov.
eK
T&V
.....
^iav
\6yovra TO) KT(o a
/cepdrcov

by the masculine
TJKOvaa

(f)(0V7jv

\eyovra instead of X^yovcrav.

Rev. 11:4 al

CT T O) T
VO)7TIOV TOV KVptOV TJJS 77}?
follows the feminine noun e\alai.

/jieydXcu ev

17

/cal

TW

ovpavq), Xeyoi^re?

Svco

e\alai

<TT(t>T$ instead

Rev. 11

15

KCLI

Xeyoi'Te? following

eyevovTo (fxoval
(j>covai.

Rev.

elSov yvvai/ca /caOrj /JLCVWV eTrl Orjpiov KQKKLVOV,

Rev. 17 3

fcal elSov yvval/ca

..... e%ovTa Ace<^>aXa? eTrra /cal /cepaTa
7 7.) Such neglect of agreement in gender, as
above described, follows the Hebrew structure. On this Green
remarks " Masculines are often used in Hebrew when females
are spoken of or when the nouns to which they refer are feminine, from a neglect to note the gender where no stress is laid

ovd/JiaTa

ft\aa-<f)TjfJLias.

..... ye/JLOVTa
Se/ca.
(Cp. Dan.

ovofjiaTa
:

lu Greek
Eng. Lex.
p. 359.

of N. T.," p. 377; Cp., also, Green's

"Heb. Gram.",

14

The Solecisms of

the

Apocalypse.

The Apocalyptist imiHis

construction in the passages just given.
defiance of grammar in those instances was intentional.
He
it."

upon

("Heb. Gram.,"

359.)

p.

Hebrew

tates this

for example, that the feminine adjective should agree

knew,

with

the feminine noun, as a number of texts show.

This is seen
in Rev. 6 9 and 10, where there is a feminine noun followed by a
:

masculine participle and also a feminine noun followed by a

feminine adjective, namely, (jxovfj fjLeydXrj. The same expression

7:2; 14:7 and 18. Cp. 16:1, 3, 17;

The disagreement in gender is clearly due to

occurs also in Rev.

18

&c.

4,

2,

Hebrew

influence and Liicke in speaking of such constructions

" Diese Anomalien losen sich
says,
grosstentheils durch die
Annahme einer constructio ad sensum, wie sie auch den besten

fremd

Schriftstellern nicht

ist."

Nominative replaced by an
Disagreement in Case.
(1)
Rev. 7:9 ecrroiTe? evcoTriov TOV dpovov /cal evcoTriov

6.

Accusative.

TOV apviov,

11:3

teal

Rev. 10

\r}/jievov<;.

/cal

teal

\evicds.

%i\tas

rjfjuepas

tfxovr)

f)

Again Rev.
..... 7re/u/3e/3..... \a\ova-av /aer' e'/LtoO

(rroXa?

7repi/3eft\7j (Aevovs

7rpo(f)7)Tevaov(7LV (they)

\eyovo-av.

An

(2)

Kuth

Accusative replaced by a Nominative.

Rev. 5 6 /cal
apviov ..... e%cov /cepara eTrra ..... Rev. 14:
.

Neglect of gender
1

is

very frequent

(a) in

pronouns referring

to females.

Thus

The word DDDy

D'JlDn-Djr DIVE^ "W&O 1DH DDD.P nirr TWy.
used although the reference is to Kuth and Orpah also DJVBfJ? (masc.),

HDjn

(masc.) is
reference still being to

Ruth and Orpah. This is illustrated again in Exodus 1 21.

DTD on ? tyjn DTiSurrrw rnVnn IRT-O ^n^i, the word mVnn being feminine
and DnS masculine. Cp., also, Ex. 2:17; Num. 36 6 Jud. 11 34 19 24
:

Sam.

Sam

22

Jud. 21

12.

Neglect of gender is most frequent in pronouns (masc.) referring to feminine

11:6 IHDDI ..... 1HD3 *\vnK ..... nSi:
nnTP. Here the word

(b)

nouns, as Ex.
is

71pJ?

Hp^V

feminine
nirrS

Bnp-rVJT
nine and 13DD
2 "

is

and 1HDD

UDD

to

(referring

np^Y)

1K SD ..... nDm-DKI.

}n
masculine.*

is

Levit.

masculine.

Here the word nnrD

is

27

femi-

Einleitung in die Oflenbarung des Johannes," S. 463.

Cp. for similar disagreement in gender, the Hebrew of Ex. 22 25 Lev. 6:8; 27 9
3 27, 33 Deut. 27 5 1 Sam. 10 18 Isa. 34 17, &c., and for further lack of agreement
in adjectives and participles, cp. 1 Kings 22 13 Ps. 119 137 and 2 Chron. 3 11. Cp. Green's

Num.

" Heb.
Gram.," pp. 357-359.

The Solecisms of
6

and
:

fcal

bvp^voi

15

Apocalypse.

ayyeXov ..... \eya>v .....

a\\ov

7 a teal elSov

19 14

the

ra a-rparev/jLaTa .....

ftvcro-ivov \evicov tcadapov.

avrat

rjicoKovdet,

Cp., also,

Rev.

.....

Rev. 13

vSe-

14 :14

17:3 and 20:4. This neglect of agreement in case is common

enough in Hebrew. Especially when clauses intervened, accurate
constructions were thus neglected.
7. Anomalous Use of Apposition.
The well-known rule that
an appositive agrees with its noun in case, is broken many times
1

by the language of the Apocalypse.

Rev. 1 5

Nominative in Apposition with Genitive.

(1)

from the

The phrase

'I^croO ^pto-ToO, o (j,dpTV<; 6 TricrTds.

/cal airo

6 /jLaprvs 6 TTICTO?

LXX

of Ps. 89 :37. (Cp. Prov. 14:5).

"
Ebrard says of this,
das scheint mir beabsichtigt, scheint mir
Manier zu sein," 2 and Liicke (speaking of this and similar anom" sie scheinen ihren Grund ..... in dem rhetorischen
is

directly quoted

alies) says,

charakter der Apokalypse zu haben." 3

This occurs again in Rev. 3:12 TO ovopa

TT}?

6eov fiov

e/c

TT}? /caivfjs

'Iepovcra\ijfjLj

rj

KcnaftaivovGa

TroXew?

TOU

TOV ovpavov

f)
Karapaivovcra, instead of a Genitive, in apposition with TT}?
y
Another instance of this is found in Rev.
Kcuvrp Iepovo-a\rifjL.

14 :12 wSe
ol

97

VTTOJJLOVTJ

ro)v dytcov ecrriv, ol rijpovvres ra?

eWoXa?,

povvres where we should expect ra>v rrjpovvrcov

TTJ

&c.,

in ap-

position with TWV dyicov.

(2)
TO) e/cro)

Rev. 9:14 \eyovra

Nominative in Apposition with Dative.

ayyeXw,

%cov

rrjv (raXTriyya.

(3) Nominative in Apposition with Accusative.

a\\a %co Kara aov OTL ac^efc Trjv yvval/ca 'Iefa/5eX,

eavrrjv Trpo^rfTLV.

Rev. 20

:2 /cal efcpdrrjo-ev rov

Cp.

Green's '-Hebrew

(Cp. Rev. 16:5).

Gram.."

p.

357.

Cp.,

rj

also,

2:20

\eyovo-a

Spafeovra,

(4) Nominative in Apposition with Vocative.

icvpie, 6 0eo'?, o TravroKpaTcop.

Rev.

6 o

Rev. 16:7 Nat,

Rev. 11:7.
Ewald,

"Die Job.

Schriften," Bd. II., S. 53.

2 "
3

Toy's

Evangelium Johannis," S. 165.

Einleitung in die Offenbarung des Johannes," Bd. II, 2 AufL, S. 459.

'

"

Quotation in the N. T.,"

p. 253.

Cp.

The Solecisms of

16

the

Apocalypse.

Rev. 15:3

XapLo-rovfjiev COL, /cvpie, 6 #eo'?, o Travro/cpdrcop.

o TravTO/cpdrcop, as in

fleo'?,

the

LXX of Zech,

3 :8 a/cove

77,

/cvpie, 6

'I^troO?

In the above examples, we find the

Nominative in apposition with every single oblique case. In each
of these examples (except Nominative in apposition with Vocative),
o lepovs 6 fieyas, crv

/cal,

&c.

the connection between the preceding substantive and the adjective clause describing it, is a loose one.
This is especially true
of the

first

in
to

two examples under

(1)

and the second, under

(3).

Ewald writes, " Cujus dictionis causa licet

In regard
hebraismo casus non distinguente quaerenda sit."
the examples under (4), we may say that the name Jehovah

Of these

constructions

appears in the Nominative as in apposition to the Vocative /cvpie

perhaps because it is a direct translation of a Hebrew proper

name, the author having in mind the appositive construction of

the Hebrew, where a more extended use is made of it than in
occidental languages 2 or, again, this construction may have been
used because the Greek article has no form for the Vocative case.
This is Ewald's view who says " denn da die Hebraer keine
Interjection fur den Vokativ haben, so steht das Nomen in
Anredeton ganz ungeandert ; " 3 or, further, the writer in these
;

two instances may have had in mind the Aramaic construction

which has no case endings. 4
Eev. 11:1 /cal
8. The Absolute Use of the Participle \ejcov.
X e <y co v, eyeipe /cal (jLerprjaov K. r. \. Rev.
eBoOr) fJLOi KakajJio^
19

/cal tf/covora o>9

/cal

(frtovrjv

\eryovres K.T.\. This

is

eyevrjOrj

Gen. 22:20
38 13
:

prjfjia

/cal

show: Gen. 15

avrjyye\r) TO> 'A/3/oaayu,

Heb. Gram.,"

1 pera Be ra

opd^aTi Xeycov, &C.

Xeyovres K.T.\. Gen.

p. 44.

p. 281.

" Gram. d. heb.

Sprache," S. 568.

Cp. Salmon,
Introd, to N. T.,"
Cp. Thayer's Winer, p. 536.

\eyovres

"
" Commentarius in
Apocalypsin,

"

ffpovT&v

icvpiov 717309 'Aftpaa/u, ev

/cal aTrrjyjeXrj OdfjLap

Cp. Green,

(frcovrjv

LXX usage, corresponding to

as the following examples

ravra

cb?

Cp. Zech. 3
p. 240.

8.

/c.

r.

\.

Gen. 40:16

The Solecisms of
KOI Sie/So^Or)

et?

(f)cov7)

f]

the

17

Apocalypse.

rbv OIKOV <&apaa> \e<yovTes K.

Gen.

r. X.

Xeyovres K. r. \. Josh. 10: 17

\eyovres K. r. X. Judges 16:2 KOI
1 Sam. 15:12 KOI
az/7777e'X77 rot? Fafat'ot? \6yovres /c. r. X.
2aoi>X
T.
X.
TW
K.
\eyovres
7777776X77
9. In Hebrew, very often the emphasized word stands at the
48: 2 a7rrjyj\rj Se

KOI

TO> 'Ia/c&>/3

7777776X77 TO> 'Irjaov

beginning of a sentence without any grammatical connection

with any word in that sentence. The accustomed order is restored by a demonstrative pronoun placed later in the sentence.
Examples of this are numerous, as in
Gen. 47:21 1PK
Jer.

25:31

miT'DKJ

UDQ b^n

Gen. 2:17

1 Sam. 25:29

jm 21D HJ?Tn

tib

y^pn ^D ^inD

"]^^

ftij^p'

The Apocalypse reproduces this peculiarity of structure Rev.

2:26 teal 6 VIK&V teal 6 rrjpwv a^pi reXov? ra epya /AOV, Scoo-o)
avrw K. T. X. Rev. 3:12 o VLKWV TTOLIJO-Q) avrov arvXov K. T. X.
Rev. 3:21 6 VIKMV Saxrco avra> KaQlvai K. T. X.Rev. 6:8 ical 6
:

eirdvw (avrov) ovojjLa avrca

[6] ddvaros.
10. Sentences Joined by /ecu.
Rev. 11:3 teal Sao-co rot? Svcrlv
LV fiov /cal 7rpo<f)r)TV(Tovcriv.
(Cp. Rev. 20:4; 9:4, 5.)

Rev. 3:9 has the same kind of a sentence, but with iva 1 and a
/cat following.
vijcrovcriv

evooTriov

isaiah 44:14

which

11. real

German

Rev. 13

rj^ovaiv KOI TTpoo-fcv-

"]*6K

Tinner

ev rat?

tv avTT)
:

Cp.

Hebrew of

"]^^

rj]j,pai<;

TT)?

(frcovfjs

TOV

e/BSo/jLOV

TTOIC? iravTas,

49

14.)

23 and 60

'

to the

Rev.

a<yye\ov orav
,

rous /itxpous <al roi/s /ueydXous

iva

5t6<r

*
14

Toy,

"

Cp. Thayer's "Greek Eng. Lex.",

Cp. Ewald,

Iva. is found in Rev. 13 12 Kal iroiei TTJV ?V

Iva irpoa'KVV'fiffovffiv rb 6~qpiov rb vpGrrov. Also,

KaTOtKovvras

16 Kal

Isa.

my*

(Hebrew ^) in the Apodosis.* It is similar

The following examples may be given

(Cp. Rev. 22
3

i^erv

iva

This follows the

A similar example of the use of

TOJ)S

is

airrovs

" so."

10:7 aXX'

Kal

Thus, ISoi) TTOLT^O-O)

TMV TroSwv crov.

Quotations in the N. T.", p. 257.

316 a f.

p.

Die Joh. Schriften," Bd. H,

S. 53.

ovrotj

The Solecisms of

18

9 and 10
oivov K.

ei

TL<$

Rev. 14

T. \.

irpocricvvel TO Bripiov ..... KOI az/ro? TrteVat e/c TOU

Rev. 3 :20 edv rt? aicovcrrj TT}? (fxovijs /JLOV ..... teal

elaekeva-opai Trpo? aroz>

exactly similar to

.....

This use of K a I in the apodosis

in such Hebrew passages as Gen. 3:5,

*)

DV3 ^ DTI ?** JTP ^D DD\TJ?

78:34 iniETm D^H"D^ Judges 4:8

DD^K
Ps.

Apocalypse.

o-a\7r{eiv, /cal erekeadr] TO fAv<TTijpt,ov TOV 6eov.

/jLe\\rj

is

the

12.

TTie

auro? Redundantly Used

Demonstrative

The Hebrew

Sentences.

relative

in Relative

pronoun, which always stands

at

the beginning of its clause, has only the one simple form-*") ?$>$which admits of no inflection to represent case. Consequently,
when this relative " is governed by a verb, noun or preposition,
this is

shown by appending an appropriate pronominal

1

the governing word", as for example, ir6t^

Hebrew may be

This use in

*)

VI

or

suffix to

Ijm

"Ifc^K

seen in the following examples

^ny htiw nn^ -nmm n^

isa. 41 g
A
^npinn n^^.
^nnnn

Dpjr
sni
splendid illustration

Dn*

irdvTa

The LXX follows

TO,

eQvr\

e<$>

Amos

found in

is

ov?

the

Hebrew

liriKetcK^Tai

9:12

i)E^np3 "1?K

exactly here, namely, KOI

TO ovofjid

/JLOV

evr*

a^rou?. 2

This Hebraism very often occurs in the LXX.

Examples of this redundant use of CLVTOS in relative sen4

Rev.
tences are found in the following Apocalyptic passages
3:8 i)v ovSels StWrat K\elaaL avTTJv. Rev. 7:2 ol? eSodrj aurot?
:

Trjv

Green,
This

" Heb.

LXX

Rev. 7:9 ov api& /juijaai, avTOV

yrjv K. T. X.

Gram.",

passage

is

p.

367; Cp. p. 106.

quoted in Acts 15

directly

writer of Acts employed Hebraisms

3
" Grk.

when quoting from

184.

17,

thus proving that the

LXX.

"
Offenbarung JohanEng. Lex.", p. 86 (5) Bousset,
ss.
647-648; Green, "Hebrew Gram.",
Cp. Ewald, "gr. hebr.",

Cp. Thayer's

nis," S.

the

p. 368.
4

Cp.,

for

example, Ex. 3:5;

14:9; 19:17; Josh. 2:

10.

Eccl.

10:17; Deut. 4:7,

8,

19,

32; Deut

The Solecisms of

the

19

Apocalypse.

13:8 ov ov yeypaTrrai TO OVO/JLCL avTOv ev TOJ

Rev. 13:12 ov eOepajrevdrj rj 77X77777 TOV Oavdrov avTOv.
/8t/3\to>.
Rev. 20:8 &v 6 apid/ibs avT&v &>9 r) afjL/j,o<$ TT}<? da\dao-T]^.
Cp.
Rev.

e&vvaro.

Rev. 17:9.

"Where a preceding adverb (or relative

pronoun) has "already attracted the verb, e/cel is added to this
verb pleonastically." 1 Examples of this in Hebrew may be found
13. Pleonastic etc el.

in

4:5

Deut.

translation of
pelv avrjv.

LXX

HptST^ HOB?

which

is e 1 9

Deut. 4:14

of which has

aintv. Deut. 4:26

and the

LXX

is

v/jLeis

u/iet9

"lEM

LXX

th ^

7ropevea-6e e/cei K\tjpovo-

elo-TropevecrOe

DH^
e/cel

"1^^, the
K\rjpovoiJLelv

pTiTPK 0^3 DHN 1^^

nn^nb HD
et? ^z/

hftV D^DJ?

PinCH^

69 fjv

D^3 DHK

v/tefc

^z>

Sia/Saivere rbv 'lopSdvrjv

efcel

K\rjp-

Examples of this Hebraism in the Apocalypse are Rev.

12:6 KOI r) <yvvrj efayev ek rrjv eprjjjLOV, oirov e%et e/cel TOTTOV
airo TOV Oeov.
Rev. 12 :14 ew TOV TOTTOV at>T?)9, OTTOV
e/cel K. T. \.
(Cp. Rev. 17:9.)
14. The Present Tense Passes into the Future.
The present
and future tenses are found coordinately in the same clause or
:

sentence where, according to the usage of the language, we should

expect the future of both verbs. Rev. 1:7 ISov ep^eTai ftera

Twv v&t>\&v, Kal o^freTai avrov

u oratio continuata in futurum

Ewald remarks

7ra9 6<f)0a\ijuk.

tempus abit, ut ISov e/>%erat KOI

prorsus hebraeum HX*)!

crot,

Rev. 2:16
avT&v
Kal

el

Kal /civrja-G)
Se

i*,^,

H/H JUH-"

TTJV \v)(yiav crov

ep^o^ai

o-ot

ra^u,

8e

/JLTJ,

TOV TOTTOV

TTO\ ep TJCTCO

Rev. 2:22 ISov j3d\\a) avrrjv et9 K\IVJ]V .....

airn)9 aTTOKTevo) ev OavaTO). Cp. Rev. 3:9; 17:13

Examples of this breach of grammar in

Zech. 2:9 SIOTI ISov eyo) ein^epco TTJV %elpd

14.

LXX
/JLOV

passages are
ITT aurou9, Kal
:

"
Thayer, "Greek Eng. Lex.", p. 194; Bousset,
Offenbarung Johannis,"

S. 184.
1

e/c

/col

el

K. T. \.

TO, Teicva

Rev. 2:5

" Commentarius in
Apocalypsin,"

p. 39.

20

The Solecisms of

ecrovrai ovcuXa

rot9

% o /x a i

eyob e p

the

Apocalypse.

Zech. 2:10

SovXevovcnv avrols.

ISov

StoVt

/cal KaracrKr]va)cr(i) ev pecra) crov.

In the Apoca-

15. Neuter Plural Subject with Plural Verb.

lypse, neuter plural nouns are very frequently followed by plural

1
Rev. 4:5 a e I cr i v ra errrd rrvevpara rov deov. Rev. 4 8
verbs.
:

ra

<yepovcriv 6<j>Oa\fJLO)v. Rev. 4:9

Rev. 5:14 Kal ra recraepa
a
ovre
Rev.
:20
9
(B\erreLV S vva vrai K.r.\.
fa>a e\e<yov 'Aft^y.
Rev. 11:13 /cat aTre/crdvOrjo-av
bvopara /c. r. \. Rev.
18:23 e7r\avr)@r) a av rcavra ra edvrj. Rev. 16: 20 /cat oprj
/cat

recrcre

pa^wa

ra fa>a

Kal orav Scocrovcriv

K. r. \.

Rev. 20:12 /cat /#t/3Xt'a 77^0 i^Or] crav

evpeOrjo-av.
Dan.
from
7:10
Cp. Rev. 3: 2, 4; 11 2
(Hebrew)).
(quoted
neuter pleural with
The
&c.
16:14; 17:12; 17:15; 21:4,
usage, as may be seen in Zech. 2 :11 /cat
plural verb is also
ovx

LXX

Karatfrevgovrai eO
Zech. 10 7
:

e/ceivfj.

Ezek.

OijcrovraL.

dpi

icvpios.

/cat

Nahum

TroXXa e-TTt
ra re/cva avra>v

rov

Kvpiov ev ry rj^epa
6 -x/r o v r a i Kal ev (f) pav-

vrj

39:7 /cat yvtocrovrat, ra eOvrj

3:10 /cat ra v^ma avrrjs eSa

on,

LXX

U
II/>09
passages quoted by Justin Martyr in
Vol.
At
'lovSatov
Edition,
I,
1X0709." (Otto's
Tpv<j)a>va
But what is of special interest
pp. 408, 426, 434, 444, 480, &c.)
Cp., also,

the fact that this anomaly often occurs in passages quoted

This is true of the following: Rev.
directly from the LXX.

here,

is

15:4

ort rrdvra

ra e 9 v 77 e^ovcnv /cat rrpocricvvr)crova-i,v evcoTrtov

ra SiKaitb pard crov e^>avepa>Oj](T av a direct quo*
from the LXX of Ps. 86: 9 T dvra ra eOvrj (ocra err operas')

Kal

(TOV.

tation

r}%ovcrt,v Kal

evamov crov. (Cp. Isa.

rrdvra ra e0vr).
rrerrtoKav)

rrpoo-KWijcrovcriv

Rev. 18:3 rrerrrw Kav (or

LXX

51:7 (28:7)

of Jer.

Rev. 21:24

Sta TOVTO eora\ev6rj(Tav.

e6v7j 8ta TOU

TT o

/cat
TT

p 6 r f] r i aov.
1

The neuter

Kev. 2

27

This

(/>&)T09 auT7}9.

pevcr ovrai

8:3;

aTro rov oivov avrr\^

y8acrtXet9

Rev. 11 :18

is

/cat

irep
from the

ra

eQvrj

erriocrav eOvrj
arrj

LXX

Kal e

ra) (fxorl crov,

/cat

ire

66:23.)
This is

cr

of Isa. 60 :3
VTJ

& p 7 ia

ra

ouor iv

cr
rj

Xaft-

rfj

The

a v.

plural is often found, however, with singular verbs, as in Rev.

18 14 19 14 20 3, 5, 7, 12 21 12.
13 14 14 13 16 14
:

The Solecisms of

LXX

the

21

Apocalypse.

46 (45): 6 is erapaxOijcrav eQvr), e/cXivav

Ps.
patritetai. Cp.
(LXX) '2:1, i. e., ri eQpvagav e0vij. Rev.
This is
19 :21 real Trdvra opvea e^opTaOrjaav ex r&v aapicwv avrcov.
of Ezek. 39:1721, i. e., elwov jravrl bpvew Trereivy
from the
of

Ps.

LXX

fcal

Trpbs

irdma ra dypid rov

<t>dyecr0e

Trieade

sages show conclusively the

TreSiov

d^drjre KOI

efJLTrXrjo'Oija'eo-Oe

influence of the

ep%(r6e

Such

pas-

LXX upon the writer.

This completes our examination of the Solecisms of the Apoca1

lypse, which, as we have shown, are clearly due to the influence

which the prophetic writings of the Old Testament, either in their

Hebrew form or in that of their translation into Greek the
Septuagint
1

exerted upon the Author.

See Corollaries on next page.

The Solecisms of

22

the

Apocalypse.

COBOLLARIES.

We present the

following corollaries which grow out of the

discussions
preceding
1. Since the solecisms of the Apocalypse are to be accounted
:

no argument in favor
for the composition of the Apocalypse as
4
maintained by Westcott, 2 Lightfoot 3 and Salmon.
2. The Solecisms of the Apocalypse do not invalidate the
for in the

described, they form

manner just

"
of the " Early Date

testimony of Irenaeus

of the Apocalypse.
hold that John's Gospel and the

as to the composition

Those writers who

Apocalypse were written by the same author, need not infer that
an interval of from twenty to thirty years intervened between the two
7

3.

compositions.
4. Viewing the evidence as a whole, the impression is strong
and
that the author of the Apocalypse made use of the
Hebrew idiom in a conscious effort to reproduce the manner and

LXX

spirit of the ancient

correct

Prophets

was not through ignorance of

it

Greek usage.
The difference between the language of John's Gospel

NOTE.

to the solecisms of the latter, has

and the Apocalypse, due mainly

1

About

"The Gospel According

3
4

the year 68 A. D.

to St. John," p. Ixxxvi of the Introduction.

" St. Paul's
Epistle to the Galatians," Sixth Edition, p. 363.
"A Historical Introduction to the Study of the Books of the New Testament,"

Edition 1889, pp. 241-242.

5

treati.-e entitled

Cp. his

more familiar
dva<f>av56v T

title

of which

vvv /ccu/xp KijpvTTetrdai roivo/Jia avrov,

Kd\v\fsit> ea>/>cuc6Tos.

'yewas, irpbs T<

"'E\tyx ov Kc" &va-Tp6irr}s TTJS \f/evduvv/j.ov 7Pi6<rews," (the

"Contra Haereses "), where he says, "El yhp e5et

is,

Ou5d yap

r^Xet TTJS Ao/urtciJ'oD

dpx^ s -"

date (about 96 A. D
for the composition of the Apocalypse.
7
Referred to in corollary 1.
6

The Irenaean

5i'

eKelvov &v tpptdr) TOV KCU rrjv

irpb TroXXoG xpt> vov f^padrj,

Lib. V. 30,
is

d\Xa

<rxe86v

tirl

ATTO-

r^s rjfur^pas

3.

" Late Date "

usually spoken of as the

The Solecisms of

the

23

Apocalypse.

l
of the two
led to very different opinions as to the Authorship
2
of
Thus
besides
the
third
A. D.,
Dionysius
century
writings.

the following

writers,

Schleiermacher,

Credner,

De Wette,

Neander (David Mendel), Liicke, Bleek, Ewald and Diisterdieck,

hold that the Apostle John wrote the Gospel, hut not the Apocother writers, such as Kostliu, Zeller, Schwegler, Baur,
Davidson and Hilgenfeld, maintain that the Apostle wrote the
3
Apocalypse but not the Gospel.
alypse

The Authorship of the Apocalypse is discussed at length by Bousset in " Die

Offenbarung Johannis," SS. 33-51 and by Milligan in his "Discussions on the
1

Apocalypse," pp. 148-179.

2
3

" Eccl.
Eusebius,
Hist.", Lib. VII. 25.
other writers, for a different reason, or reasons, such as

Still

Keim, Volkmar,

Scholten, Lipsius, Harnack, Pfleiderer, Weizsacker and Bousset, regard the Apostle
John as the author of neither the Gospel nor the Apocalypse.*
*

"
Cp., for example, Bousset, in Die

Offenbarung Johannis," SS.

33-51.

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