This book, the first study of verbal syntax to address the entire Greek Pentateuch, investigates the value of these translations as evidence for the history of the Greek language. The nature and degree of Hebrew interference are assessed, including analysis of Hebrew text components underlying all Greek verbal forms in the Pentateuch. This data allows new conclusions to be drawn on natural Greek usage of aspect, tense, and mood. Their implications extend well beyond the special issues of translation Greek, casting significant light on the development of the verbal system in the Koine period,...

The modern rediscovery of the Greek and Latin papyri from Egypt has transformed our knowledge of the ancient world. We cannot, however, make the same claim in the specific area of language study. Although important studies of the language of the papyri have appeared sporadically over the past century, we are still dealing today with a linguistic resource of extraordinary richness which has hardly begun to be explored. Every scrap of papyrus and every ostracon (potsherd) or tablet unearthed has the potential to change some aspect of the way we think about the Greek and Latin languages. This...