Why do the ancient texts differ in their translations of אמצים in Zechariah?

Abstract

Throughout history, the holy scripture has been translated into different languages. One of the purposes of Bible translation is to give readers who do not have knowledge of Hebrew or Greek access to the biblical text. Translators of the Bible are often faced with problems of interpretation, especially when there are Hebrew words that are used only once. Ancient translations of the Hebrew text can assist translators in understanding how their translators understood a problematic word. The ancient translations, however, leave some challenges, especially when they render problematic words differently. These variants may derive from different purposes while translating or a different vorlage. This article argues that the different translations of ‘אמצים’ in Zechariah 6:3 and 6:7 among ancient texts – LXX, Peshitta, Targum and Vulgate – are because of different purposes.

Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research is a combination of textual criticism with translations.