Cultural interferences in the translation of the Hebrew terms for the Canaanite Goddess "Asherahʺ in the Septuagint

Abstract

English: In this study the cultural interferences that influenced the way in which the Septuagintal translators translated the Hebrew term (see PDF full text) referring to the goddess Asherah is examined. In the Septuagint the Hebrew term is translated with three different terms: (grovels); (tree) and (Astartels). In order to understand why the translators translated the Hebrew term in this way is necessary to examine the various cultural frames which may have influenced their translation choices. In order to do so narrative frame theory was applied which offered a mechanism whereby the possible cultural interferences that influenced the translation of the Septuagint could be described and explained within relative frames and compared to the contextual frames of the Hebrew source text. Before examining the contexts wherein the goddess functioned within the Hebrew Bible, it was first necessary to understand how the goddess Asherah was perceived in the broader frame of the ancient Near East. In order to do so the most relevant extra-Biblical textual, iconographic and archaeological data in Asherah studies is presented. The various extra- Biblical texts presented indicated that Asherah was a distinguished goddess, the consort of the chief deity of the Canaanite pantheon and mother to the minor deities. These textual data provides a "textual" frame wherein Asherah is understood as being more than a mere image, which is the case in the Septuagint. Even though the iconographic and archaeological data was inconclusive, it did provide a "visual" frame wherein goddesses were depicted in human form. Secondly a contextual examination of the Hebrew term (see PDF full text) referring to the goddess Asherah in the Hebrew Bible as well as its translation in the Septuagint is conducted. It showed that the Hebrew term referring to the goddess functioned only as a common noun (reducing the goddess to a mere image) in the Hebrew Bible and was also translated as such in the Septuagint, except for two instances where the latter translates with "Astartels". The contexts wherein the Hebrew term functioned within the Hebrew Bible did not in all instances lend favour to the Septuagint's renderings thereof. The only evidence in the Hebrew Bible indicating that the image may have been a tree of some sort (supporting the Septuagint's translation) is the verses referring to it being cut down/felled, burnt, planted and pulled out. Thirdly in order to understand the Septuagint's translation of the Hebrew term the sociocultural frames wherein the Septuagint originated was examined. The Septuagint originated in Alexandria and Palestine, both greatly influenced by Hellenistic culture during the centuries wherein the translation process was conducted. The translators of the Septuagint functioned as agents of cultural mediation between the context wherein the Hebrew Bible originated and the context wherein they lived, but because of this great cultural divide it is questionable whether they were still familiar not only with the goddess Asherah, but also with the other deities referred to in the Hebrew Bible. Lastly the way in which deities in general were translated by the Septuagintal translators are examined. When considering the inconsistent and confusing way in which deities are rendered in the Septuagint it is clear that cross-cultural recognition of deities are not resent in the Septuagint. This lack in cross-cultural knowledge of deities' questions the validity of the Septuagint's rendering of the Hebrew term (see PDF full text) referring to the goddess Asherah. In conclusion it is suggested that the socio-cultural frame wherein the Septuagint originated as well as the lack of cross-cultural knowledge of deities influenced the manner in which the Septuagintal translators translated the Hebrew term (see PDF full text) referring to the goddess Asherah.

Afrikaans: In hierdie studie word die kulturele interferensies wat bygedra het tot die Septuagint se vertaling van die Hebreeuse term (sien PDF volteks) wat na die godin Asjera verwys ondersoek. In die Septuagint word die Hebreeuse term met drie verskillende terme vertaal: (bos/se); (boom) and (Astarte/s). Om te verstaan hoekom die vertalers die Hebreeuse term op hierdie wyse vertaal het, is dit nodig om die verskillende kulturele rame wat hulle vertaal keuses beïnvloed het te ondersoek. Narratiewe raam teorie word in die verband aangewend, omdat dit 'n meganisme bied waardeur die moontlike kulturele interferensies wat die Septuagint se vertaling kon beïnvloed het, kan beskryf en verduidelik binne relatiewe rame wat vergelyk kan word met die kontekstuele raam van die Hebreeuse bronteks. Voordat die kontekste waarin die godin binne die Hebreeuse Bybel funksioneer, ondersoek kan word, is dit eerstens nodig om die groter raam waarin die godin gefunksioneer het, naamlik die ou Nabye Ooste, te ondersoek. In die verband is die mees relevante buite- Bybelse tekstuele, ikonografiese en argeologiese data in Asjera studies aangebied. Die buite-Bybelse tekstuele data dui dat Asjera 'n gesiene godin was, die gade van die hoofgod van die Kanaanitiese panteon, en die moeder van die mindere gode. Hierdie data bied 'n "tekstuele" raam waarin Asjera meer as net 'n blote beeld verstaan word, wat wel die geval is in die Septuagint. Alhoewel die ikonografiese en argeologiese data onoortuigend was, bied dit wel 'n "visuele" raam waarin godinne uitgebeeld word in menslike vorm. Tweedens is 'n kontekstuele ondersoek van die Hebreeuse term wat verwys na Asjera, sowel as die vertaling van die term in die Septuagint, gedoen. Daar is aangedui dat die Hebreeuse term slegs as 'n selfstandige naamwoord (dus gereduseer na bloot 'n beeld) funksioneer binne die konteks van die Hebreeuse Bybel, en dat dit ook as sulks vertaal is in die Septuagint, behalwe vir twee gevalle waar "Astarte/s" gebruik is. Die kontekste waarin die Hebreeuse term in die Hebreeuse Bybel gefunksioneer het, het nie ten alle tye steun verleen aan die Septuagint se vertaling daarvan nie. Die enigste bewyse in die Hebreeuse Bybel wat aandui dat die beeld moontlik die voorkoms van 'n boom kon gehad het (en so die Septuagint se vertaling steun) is die verse wat aandui dat die beeld afgekap, verbrand, geplant en uitgepluk is. Derdens is die sosio-kulturele raam waarin die Septuagint sy oorsprong het, ondersoek, om op so 'n wyse insig te bekom aangaande die Septuagint se vertaling van die Hebreeuse term. Die Septuagint het sy oorsprong in Aleksandrië en Palestina, waarvan beide grootliks beïnvloed was deur Hellenistiese kultuur. Die Septuagint vertalers het as agente van kulturele mediasie opgetree tussen die konteks waarin die Hebreeuse Bybelontstaan het, en die konteks waarin hulle hulself bevind het. Die aansienlike kulturele skeiding bevraagteken egter of hulle steeds bekend was nie net met die godin Asjera nie, maar welook met die ander godhede waarna daar in die Hebreeuse Bybel verwys word. Vierdens is die wyse waarop godhede in die algemeen deur die Septuagint vertalers vertaal is, ondersoek. Die inkonsekwente en verwarrende wyse waarop godhede in die Septuagint vertaal is, dui daarop dat daar geen duidelike trans-kulturele herkenning van godhede in die Septuagint aanwesig is nie. Hierdie tekortkoming bevraagteken die geldigheid van die Septuagint se vertaling van die Hebreeuse term wat na Asjera verwys. Die gevolgtrekking wat gemaak word is dat die wyse waarop die Septuagint vertalers die Hebreeuse term wat na Asjera verwys vertaal het beïnvloed is deur die sosio-kulturele raam waarin die Septuagint ontstaan het. Hierdie wyse van vertaling is ook beïnvloed deur die tekort aan trans-kulturele herkenning van godhede in die Septuagint.