Perhaps not altogether obvious, but the incense is the implicit but
elliptical object of DWSEI, while the PROSEUCAI in the dative constitute an
indirect object. In vs. 4 the dative evidently indicates the prayers that
the uprising smoke accompanies. It is a bit strange, I guess, unless your
cult culture really is heavily into using incense as part of the liturgy,
as is the case here. One could argue that it's a real dative-- "the smoke
of the incense went up FOR the prayers of the saints"--or one might avail
oneself of that wonderful category of dative I saw described last spring as
"Dativ von Ziel oder Richtung"--the smoke was rising TOWARD the prayers of
the saints." It does seem a bit peculiar, but perhaps no more peculiar than
"giving" incense to the prayers--maybe one should say "adding incense to
the prayers."
Hmm, yesterday an EAN + future indicative where a subjunctive would be
expected; and now hINA + future indicative where a subjunctive would be
expected. But then, nobody ever accused the author of Rev of following a
standard Greek syntax.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics/Washington University
One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018
Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu OR cconrad@yancey.main.nc.us
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/