279 THE ADDITIONS LXX JOB 2,9A-E IN a) Verse 9 tmw μyho a ËrB ÚtMtB qyijm Úd[ oTça ol rmao "14 u ; Il ı ´; , ; u ˆ z' ' ˆo w ˆ oi w , Tw ˆ 9. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die”. Xronoy de polloy probebhkotov eıpen ayt√ h gynh aytoy ¥ ù ˜ ¥ ® ß Ω ùߘ Mexri tınov karterhseiv legwn ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ 9. Then after a long time had passed, his wife said to him, “How long will you persist and say” There are three prominent differences between MT and LXX. Firstly, as stated already, the phrase Xronoy de polloy probebhkotov has no ¥ ù ˜ ¥ equivalent in the Hebrew. I think it is an endeavour by the translator to create the literary effect that time elapsed before the wife reacted. This leaves the impression that Job’s wife contemplated her reactions. Secondly, it is striking that ÚtMtB is not translated in verse 9. As a ,;uˆ matter of fact MT has corresponding phrases in verses 3 and 9 that are approached differently by the Greek translator. MT verse 3 reads otMtB w ;uˆ qyijm WNd[w “ He still persists in his integrity”, LXX has eıpen de o kyriov ® ùΩ ¥ z' ' , o ˆ ˆ prov ton diabolon Prosexev oyn t√ uerapont¥ moy Iwb, oti oyk ù ù ¥ ¥ ® ¥ ı ™ ß estin katà ayton twn epù thv ghv anurwpov akakov, alhuinov, ¶ ßù ˜ ßı ˜ ˜¶ ¶ ß ¥ amemptov, ueosebhv, apexomenov apo pantov kakoy ; eti de exetai ¶ ¥ß ¥ ßù ù ˜¶ ù¶ akak¥av, sy de e®pav ta yparxonta aytoy dia kenhv apolesai. ùùı ùΩ¥ ߘù ˜ß ¥ ß ı Then the Lord said, “So did you notice my attendant Job — that there is no one of those on earth like him, an innocent, genuine, blameless, religious man, staying away from all wrong, And he still maintains his innocence, though you said to destroy all his possessions for no reason”. For the related phrase ÚtMtB qyijm Úd[ “ Do you still persist in your , ; u ˆ z ' ' ˆo ˆ integrity ? ”, in verse 9 LXX has Mexri tınov karterhseiv legwn ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ “ How long will you persist and say?” The translator thus renders two relatively similar Hebrew phrases differently. The difference between the Hebrew phrases is that different persons are referred to; 2nd person sg you/your in verse 9 and the 3rd person sg “he/his” in verse 3. The Greek corresponds as far as this aspect is concerned in both verses. However, the translator interpreted the phrase ÚtMtB. In the first case it is translated by means of akak¥a ß ı ,;uˆ “ innocence ”. This noun occurs in Job 2,3; 27,5; 31,6 and 36,10 and 7 times in the Psalms, always in connection with μT. The Hebrew root is ; used in Job 1,1 (alhuinov) and 8 (amemptov) ; 2,3 (akakov) ; 9,20 ß ¥ ¶ ¶ (amemptov) and 21 (hsebhsa ?), as well as is 4,6 (akak¥a) and 21,23 ¶ ߥ ß ı (Theodotion). The translation of verse 9 is therefore seemingly an endeavour by the translator to stress the immoral attitude of Job’s wife. For the Hebrew and Greek versions I used the Libronix Library texts. 14 The translation of the Hebrew is the NRSV and that of the Greek NETS. Heb Bless. 100