From: Williams, Wes (Wes.Williams@echostar.com)
Date: Tue Mar 24 1998 - 12:43:22 EST
Rob asked:
> In response to the previous post, I would like to ask a related
> question.
>
> Rev 5:10- kings on the earth (KJ,NIV etc.)
>
> Other translations favour 'over' for epi. Does 'tes ges' being
> genitive
> have any bearing on this, or is this driven by theological bias.
>
Dear Rob,
You ask a very proper question on the proper translation of Rev 5:10. I
was trying to avoid introducing theology in my previous post by focusing
on LXX usage of BASILEUW + EPI. Coming to the GNT of BASILEUW + EPI with
the LXX as background, here are my thoughts on Rev 5:10 "on the earth"
versus "over the earth."
Usage of EPI followed by BASILEUW in the 53 instances in the LXX and in
the other three GNT instances (Luke 1:33; Luke 19:14, 27) favor "over"
as extent of the rulership. I find no instances to support the
conversion of EPI to a locative "upon".
Revelation itself has some instances of EPI + genitive following the
idea of extent of dominion. They are:
Rev 9:11 EXOUSIN EP AUTWN BASILEA
They have a king over them
Rev 17:18 hH EXOUSA BASILEIAN EPI TWN BASILEWN THS GHS
which has a kingdom over the kings of the earth
The NIV Study Bible cites three references in a footnote on the Rev 5:10
phrase "they will rule as kings on the earth." Curiously, EPI is
translated "over" (extent) in those verses where EPI appears in them:
Rev 2:26 DWSW AUTW EXOUSIAN EPI TWN EQNWN
I will give them authority over the nations
Rev 20:6 EPI TOUTWN hO DEUTEROS QANATOS OUK ECEI EXOUSIAN
over them the second death has no authority
We have the preposition EN (not EPI) to express location in Micah 4:7
with BASILEUW
Micah 4:7 KAI BASILEUSEI EP AUTOUS EN OREI SIWN
and he will rule as king over them in/on Mount Sion
2 Kings 11:3 and 2 Chron 22:12 say that Athaliah (GOQOLIA) EBASILEUSEN
EPI THS GHS. Here "over the land" instead of "on the earth."
In short, I find little evidence for rendering the EPI in BASILEUW EPI
as a locative even though many translations do so. Following the above
line of evidence, "They will rule as kings over the earth" is difficult
to overcome. "On the earth" could give the reader the misconception that
the Rev 5:10 phrase is expressing location rather than the extent of
rulership. Darby and some others translate Rev 5:10 as "over the earth"
to show the extent of rulership and it appears to me to be correct.
Sincerely,
Wes Williams
>
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