Page "Aramaic New Testament" Paragraph 17

Another proposed example concerns Matthew 24: 51 and Luke 12: 46.

Agnes Smith Lewis ( 1910 ) noted that the verb used in all of the Syriac versions " palleg " has the primary meaning of " cut in pieces " and the secondary one of " appoint to some one his portion.

" The primary sense leads to the possible problem of how someone cut to pieces could then be assigned to something else.

But, Smith argues, if we take the secondary meaning then we are may suggest that the Greek translator misunderstood a Syriac idiom by taking it too literally.

The translation would be " and shall allot his portion and shall place him with the unfaithful " instead of the Greek " shall cut him in pieces and shall place him with the unfaithful.

" Hugh J. Schonfield ( 1927 ) notes that the Hebrew verb " bahkag " means literally to " break forth, cleave asunder " and concludes that the Greek translator has failed to grasp the sense in which the Hebrew word is here used.

Again other commentators have seen " and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites.

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

" as apocalyptic language.