“Kyrios” historical usage

[adf417]

The KJV translates Strong’s G2962 in the following manner: Lord (667x), lord (54x), master (11x), sir (6x), Sir (6x), miscellaneous (4x). - Source: Blue Letter Bible (non-Catholic source)

1. Can someone give a through explanation as to why we would have these different translations of this specific word?
2. Do we know if the septuagint use Kyrios in all instances from whatever the hebrew source was?

Peace!!!

 

[Mintaka]

There are a lot of status and politeness terms in most languages that come directly from household terms. Baal means the master of the house or husband before it means lord or master of other things. Lord in English comes from loaf-guard and lady comes from loaf giver.

So yes, kyrios means the guy in charge of the household, who can be a master or lord to just his immediate hired men, or to thousands of soldiers. It is also a modern Greek form of address equivalent to Mr. or sir, if I recall correctly.

 

[BartholomewB]

In the Septuagint, including the deuterocanonical and apocryphal books, the word kyrios occurs something like 10,000 times. It is used to translate a dozen or more different Hebrew words, including Yahweh, the name of God, which was never spoken aloud in Judaism, except once a year by the High Priest, standing alone in the presence of God in the Holy of Holies. When the Scriptures were read aloud, whether privately or in the course of synagogue worship, the name Yahweh, every time it occurred in the scroll, was read aloud as “Adonai”, meaning “Lord”, and the translators of the Septuagint used kyrios in its place accordingly.

 

[adf417]

In the Septuagint, including the deuterocanonical and apocryphal books, the word kyrios occurs something like 10,000 times. It is used to translate a dozen or more different Hebrew words,…

So we start with a dozen or so hebrew words translate them into one greek word “kyrios” translate it into multiple words, correct?

Why? Was the greek language that insufficient? Did the latin render multiple translations of kyrios?

Pece!!!

 

[BartholomewB]

So we start with a dozen or so hebrew words translate them into one greek word “ kyrios ” translate it into multiple words, correct?

Not necessarily. There were Hebrew words that in some places were translated as kyrios and in other places as something else. It happens all the time, in translations of the Hebrew OT into English, as well. There can’t be many words that have an invariable one-for-one equivalent in Hebrew and English.

 

[Bithynian]

An interesting question!

To avoid confusion, I interpret your question as: (1) why do we have multiple English translations of a single Koine Greek word κύριος; and (2) did the translators of the Septuagint (LXX) only use κὐριος to translate its Hebrew original.

(1) The Greek word κύριος has a wide semantic range. It can simply be used as a polite form of address (this is a feature of both Modern and Koine Greek); it could refer to the person who has authority over a household of men, women, children and servants; and it can have a specific theological meaning when used to refer to God.

Early Christian speakers of Koine Greek would’ve distinguished the usage of κύριος based on context, and modern translators often use different English words in order to capture this nuance (especially where it relates to God) as it wouldn’t be apparent to modern readers.

(2) This is a difficult question as there is no single original. Κύριος is used in the LXX to translate about 13 or 14 different Hebrew and Aramaic words. Many of these words in Hebrew and Aramaic also refer to God, most famously as a vocal substitute for the tetragrammaton. But it can also have more mundane uses. For example, in Ex 28:21 the LXX translates the Hebrew “the ba’al of the bull” (in the sense of “owner”) using κύριος.

Insofar as I know, the LXX translators were very consistent and particular in their usage of κύριος when translating various names and titles that referred to God.

Why? Was the greek language that insufficient? Did the latin render multiple translations of kyrios?

This is a feature of all translations of Hebrew when referring to God. Hebrew words such as 'el, 'elah, 'elohim, 'eloah, ba’al (amongst several others) that refer to God have no direct and separate correspondents in any other language.

The Latin Vulgate, if I’m remembering correctly, is quite consistent about translating the LXX and New Testament κὐριος into dominus. As for the Old Testament, I’m unsure where he differed with the LXX in respect to translating the various different Hebrew and Aramaic terms used to refer to God. The scholarship is muddy because we’re unsure of what texts (Greek or Hebrew) Jerome used as the basis for his Old Testament translation. This is in contrast to modern translations that use the Masoretic Text which date several centuries after Jerome.

 

[otjm]

Specific words in one language are often subject to multiple words in the next language. There generally is no one-to-one translation; the original word may have several meanings depending on how it is used. Or it may be a general term, and the language translated to may have multiple words which, in a specific given circumstance, may vary.

Further, one translator may translate one way and another uses a different way; one striving for literal and another, for example, a dynamic equivalent.

As to your second question, no clue.

 

[Hodos]

Kurios has a wide range of semantic meanings. Lord, Sir, and Master are all within the range of usage for the word Kurios. However, the word Kurios is a loaded word. It is frequently used as a substitute for YHWH in the Septuagint. This is why in the Old Testament, you frequently see the word LORD (all caps with smaller font for ORD). This indicates where the word Kurios is being substituted in the Old Testament for the divine name. So when you see places in the New Testament where Jesus is called Lord, in a very emphatic way, such as in Acts 10:36 for example, this is extremely significant. In places it is a divine claim. Other significant places include Hebrews 1 where the author is quoting Psalms pertaining to Christ that specifically use the divine use of the word Kurios and applies it to the Son.

 

[adf417]

Thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

Peace!!!