Latin and Greek letters within verse references of the Berit Olam

[Solly]

I have been working through Zechariah and referencing the Minor Prophets volume of the Berit Olam Series. Some verse references include Greek as well as Latin letters within the verse references. I think I see the connection to the New Jerusalem Bible and the Latin letters (like 4a, 4b, 4c, etc), but I am not able to determine the purpose of the Greek letters. The attached excerpt from the discussion on Zechariah 3 shows such references. I thought at first that these were errors, but I see the same references in the print version of this excerpt in the Berit Olam Series. Explanations will be appreciated.

 

"The structure of the passage follows a three-part narrative sequence in verses 1–2, 3–5bα, and 5bβ–10 in which the narrative portrayal of the scene introduces presentations of statements by the key figures. The first component appears in verses 1–2. Here, an unnamed party shows Zechariah the scene of Joshua ben Jehozadak standing between the angel of YHWH and Satan (verse 1), which introduces YHWH’s statement to Satan (verse 2). The second component appears in verses 3–5bα, which begins with the description of Joshua standing before the angel in filthy garments (verse 3). This introduces presentations of statements by the angel to those standing around Joshua (verse 4), and a statement by Zechariah calling for the dressing of Joshua in a clean turban and garments (verse 5a–bα). A reference to the angel of YHWH standing in verse 5bβ introduces the report of his transmission of YHWH’s oracular statement (verses 6–10). Although verses 8–10 are sometimes considered to be secondary, they constitute a part of the oracular statement by YHWH in verses 7–10 that is transmitted by the angel."

--Sweeney, Marvin A., The Twelve Prophets. Berit Olam. Accordance electronic ed. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2000.
accord://read/Berit_Olam#45360

 

Shalom,

Joseph

[Douglas Fyfe]

Hi Joseph

 

What they're doing is breaking the verse down into further sections.

So v5 can be broken down into 5a and 5b, and then 5b into 5bα and 5bβ.

 

Zech. 3.5a    Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.”

5b So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by. 

 

 5bα So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, 

5bβ while the angel of the LORD stood by. 

 

So that the next section about the angel of the Lord begins there.

 

Does that make sense?

D

[Solly]

Thank you for the reply, Douglas—you have confirmed my suspicions. Your explanation makes sense. I was not thinking that the divisions had to be based on English phrasing. The Berit Olam must then use this demarcation system with English texts; I can imagine different divisions made in the Hebrew text or other language texts. How well do these phrasing breaks translate to other languages? I know, I get one answer and another bunch of questions come to mind. Ever curious!

 

Thanks,

Joseph

[Douglas Fyfe]

It would normally be based on the divisions in the original language text. 

Happily, the NIV11 I posted above matches the divisions of the Hebrew:

 

Zech. 3.5a

וָאֹמַ֕ר יָשִׂ֛ימוּ צָנִ֥יף טָה֖וֹר עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ

 

5bα

 וַיָּשִׂימוּ֩ הַצָּנִ֨יף הַטָּה֜וֹר עַל־רֹאשׁ֗וֹ וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁ֙הוּ֙ בְּגָדִ֔ים 

5bβ

 וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָ֖ה עֹמֵֽד׃ 

 

 

[edited]

Edited February 15, 2017 by Douglas Fyfe

[Solly]

Excellent! Thank you Douglas—I was hoping the divisions were based on the original language text. This really clears up what is going on in the Berit Olam Series notation for verse segments. It is actually rather nicely done. Thank you for your explanations and patience with my questions. My original thinking was far from the mark. ;-)

 

Shalom,

Joseph