Old Testament copies Homer

Lee Magee

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Homer's Iliad 2.90
And in their midst blazed forth Rumour (ὄσσα δεδήει) messenger of Zeus (Διὸς ἄγγελος), urging them to go; and they were gathered.

Exodus 3:2 KJV
The angel of the Lord (מלאך יהוה) appeared unto him in a flame of fire (בלבת־אש) out of the midst of a bush (מתוך הסנה)

There is no bush, מתוך הסנה means εἴσωθεν τάς σκηνάς "from within the tabernacle". see Deuteronomy 31:35 Lord appeared in the tabernacle (באהל) (ἐν αὐλίδι).

Homer never writes "messenger Hermes" but "messenger of Zeus" without naming the messenger, as it does in the Old Testament. If Homer was translated bible-style, then Διὸς ἄγγελος would also be "angel of the Lord". Coincidentally, מלאך means ἐργάτας; workman, a name of Hermes. cf. מלאכה ἔργμα 'business'. Note that both ἔργμα and מלאכה are from an unused root לאך ἔργω in both languages.


Homer Odysseus 14.191
Fates of death bore him away to house of Hades his proud sons divided among them his substance and cast lots therefor (κλήρους ἐβάλοντο)

Psalm 22:18
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture (יפילו גורל)

The Septuagint renders יפילו גורל into ἔβαλον κλῆρον, which is the identical phrase used in Homer. Casting lots for the dead is a Greek tradition.

Homer's Odyssey 3.446
Then the old man, Nestor, driver of chariots, began the opening rite of hand-washing and sprinkling with barley grains, and earnestly he prayed to Athena, cutting off as first offering the hair from the head, and casting it into the fire.

Numbers 6:18
Shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire.

The Nazarene ritual is Nestor's ritual.
 
LSJ. the Homeric ψυχή is rather warm blood than breath.
- Deuteronomy 12:13 - הדם הוא הנפש "blood is life"
 
Aeschylus, Agamemnon 160
Zeus, whoever he may be (ὅστις ποτ᾽ἐστίν). If by this name it pleases him to be invoked, by this name I call to him

Exodus 3:14
Whoever i may be (אהיה אשר אהיה)

Exodus 6:3
I appeared to Abraham ... by the name of Zeus (אל שדי), but by my name Paean (יהוה) was I not known to them

Genesis 35:11
God said to him, I am Zeus (ויאמר לו אלהים אני אל שדי) (εἶρεν αὐτῷ θεός ἐγὼ ὁ Ζεύς)
 
The phrase "the gates of Hades" is from Homer and is also found in Old and New Testament.

Hom. Il. 9.312
“For hateful to me as the gates of Hades is he who hides one thing in his heart and says another”

Homer, Iliad 5.645 - the gates of Hades πύλας Ἀΐδαο
Isaiah 38:10 - the gates of Hades שערי שאול
Matthew 16:18 - the gates of Hades πύλαι ᾅδου

In the Hebrew scripture שאול is Hades and the name Saul, two homonyms.
1. ἀίτας, αἰτητός שאול a beloved youth
2. ἀίδας שאול the underworld, grave

Styx also appears in the Old Testament.

Psalm 55:23 - the well of Styx באר שחת φρέαρ Στυγός

Στύξ - a well of fatal coldness in Arcadia (LSJ)

Herodotus 6.74
the chief men of Arcadia to the city of Nonacris and make them swear by the water of the Styx

Genesis 21:31
I have digged this well, wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.

φρέαρ Στυγός באר שבע

Hom. Il. 14.270
Come now, swear to me by the inviolable water of Styx
νῦν μοι ὄμοσσον ἀάατον Στυγὸς ὕδωρ

ὄμοσσον נשבעת

Job 33:22
His life draws near unto Styx
πελάσσας ἐς στύγα ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ותקרב לשחת נפשו
 
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In Homer, ἔθνος means swarms, flocks (of animals)

Homer, Iliad 2.85
Even as the tribes of thronging bees go forth from some hollow rock
- ἔθνεα μελισσάων "swarm of bees"

Judges 14:8 - עדת דבורים "swarm of bees"
- ἔθνεα μελισσάων / ἔθνεα ξουθόπτερων

Exodus 35:1 - ויקהל משה את־כל־עדת "Moses assembled all the people"
= συνεκάλεσεν Μάντῖς πᾶσαν ἔθνος
 
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