Exodus 21:22

[IreneY]

Hi all,

I recently read on another forum quite a few translations of Ex 21:22.

The one below is the Greek one (up to 22:25 where I encountered the first full stop)

22 á¼￾ὰν δὲ μάχωνται δύο ἄνδÏ￾ες καὶ πατάξωσι γυναῖκα á¼￾ν γαστÏ￾ὶ ἔχουσαν καὶ á¼￾ξέλθῃ τὸ παιδίον αá½￾τῆς μὴ á¼￾ξεικονισμένον, á¼￾πιζήμιον ζημιωθήσεται· καθότι ἂν á¼￾πιβάλῃ á½￾ ἀνὴÏ￾ τῆς γυναικός, δώσει μετὰ ἀξιώματος· 23 á¼￾ὰν δὲ á¼￾ξεικονισμένον á¾–, δώσει ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς, 24 ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, χεῖÏ￾α ἀντὶ χειÏ￾ός, πόδα ἀντὶ ποδός, 25 κατάκαυμα ἀντὶ κατακαύματος, Ï„Ï￾αῦμα ἀντὶ Ï„Ï￾αύματος, μώλωπα ἀντὶ μώλωπος.

Now two questions:
a) do you think this is a good translation?
b) I understand á¼￾ξεικονισμένον as meaning "fully" formed, looking like a human. Do you think I've got it right?

[Bert]

Now two questions:
a) do you think this is a good translation?

Do we think the Greek is a good tranlation of the Hebrew?

[modus.irrealis]

b) I understand á¼￾ξεικονισμένον as meaning "fully" formed, looking like a human. Do you think I've got it right?

I'd say that's the default meaning of á¼￾κ + είκονίζω as a compound and unless the word was attested elsewhere with a different meaning (and I couldn't find any examples after a cursory look), I don't see what else it could mean especially since this meaning fits this context pretty well.

As for good translation or not, I wouldn't know, but the (one) English translation I looked at was pretty different, but I don't know what that means. You also have to consider the possibility that the text underlying the LXX for this passage is different from the one that is now the Hebrew bible, just to further complicate the issue.

[IreneY]

Bert yes, as modus said (thanks modus ) there are different translations. Quite different really. Different meaning actually (apart from the "the one who hit will pay the amount etc".

Modus thanks again

[gospel777]

Hi Im do not know Greek so I cannot say nothing about the Greek translation but Im know Hebrew and on Hebrew there is written (this is one good translation) "If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart [from her], and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges [determine].


Exd 21:23 And if [any] mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life"


"woman with child" that is mean on her womb

[IreneY]

Thank you Gospel! So the original is a bit more vague I see and it looks like we've added something there in translation.