From: Ben Crick (ben.crick@argonet.co.uk)
Date: Sun May 02 1999 - 01:39:50 EDT
On Sat 1 May 99 (17:47:39 +0100), mauros@iol.ie wrote:
> Not just rabbinical: the Jerusalem Bible footnote 'g' to Is. 6:2
> reads "euphemism for sexual organs"
Dear Maurice,
We seem to be straying a bit from the parameters of b-greek, IMHO.
But with regard to the euphemistic use of PODES in the LXX of Isaiah 6:2,
there is a clearer example in Isaiah 7:20, XURHSEI KURIOS...KAI TAS TRICAS
TWN PODWN KAI TON PWGWNA AFELEI. Here is the sort of gross physical
indignity often perpetrated on captives, the shaving off of the facial and
the pubic hair. This shaving of both visible and invisible hair expresses
the *totality* of the judgment against Ahaz and Judah.
The interpretation of 'genitals' for the feet of angels would still appear
inappropriate to me in Isaiah 6:2, in spite of the deuterocanonical and
pseudepigraphical passages you cite. But with respect to *men* as opposed
to angels there is the example of King Eglon in Judges 3:24 (APOKENAI TOUS
PODAS AUTOU in LXX) and of King Saul in 1 Samuel 24:3<4> (PARASKEUASASQAI
in LXX) and 'relieving themselves'. SKEUOS is used in 1 Thessalonians 4:4
(TO hEAUTOU SKEUOS KTASQAI EN hAGIASMWi KAI TIMHi) as a euphemism for the
penis. The sign of Circumcision reinforces this usage.
So yes: I will allow the interpretation; but I will point out that
POUS, PODOS also means the actual 'foot'! At a psychology seminar I
once attended, the lecturer lit a large cigar and held it up in his
hand watching the smoke curl upwards. "I know what you are thinking,"
he said, "this cigar is a phallus. But let us remember that it is also
just a cigar".
ERRWSQE
Ben
-- Revd Ben Crick, BA CF <ben.crick@argonet.co.uk> 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK) http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm--- B-Greek home page: http://sunsite.unc.edu/bgreek You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-329W@franklin.oit.unc.edu To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu
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