Καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ὑετὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσαράκοντα νύκτας (Genesis 7:12 LXX)
וַֽיְהִ֥י הַגֶּ֖שֶׁם עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יֹ֔ום וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָֽיְלָה׃
Repetition, Judgment, and Liturgical Rhythm
Genesis 7:12 repeats a central refrain in the Flood narrative: the precise duration of divine judgment. This verse employs biblical numerical parallelism to convey duration and completeness—forty days and forty nights. Both the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint preserve this structure, but the Greek introduces smoother coordination and lexical variation that gently shifts the style while keeping theological weight intact.
Grammatical Focus: Existential Clauses and Temporal Expression
The Hebrew begins with the classic wayyiqtol existential phrase: וַֽיְהִ֥י הַגֶּ֖שֶׁם (“and the rain was…”). The Septuagint matches this with καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ὑετός, using the aorist of γίνομαι to express the same becoming or occurring. The time phrases—אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יֹ֔ום וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָֽיְלָה and τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσαράκοντα νύκτας—match with remarkable fidelity in structure and tone, demonstrating the LXX translator’s sensitivity to rhythm and repetition.
Hebrew-Greek Morphological Comparison
| Hebrew Word | Greek Translation | Grammatical Notes | Translation Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיְהִ֥י | καὶ ἐγένετο | Wayyiqtol 3ms of היה → aorist indicative 3sg of γίνομαι | Standard existential match |
| הַגֶּ֖שֶׁם | ὁ ὑετός | Definite noun → article + noun | Lexical substitution (rain): גֶּשֶׁם → ὑετός |
| עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ | ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς | Preposition + definite noun → preposition + article + noun (genitive) | Literal spatial equivalence |
| אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יֹ֔ום | τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας | Numeral + singular noun → same in Greek accusative | Direct numerical rendering |
| וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָֽיְלָה | καὶ τεσσαράκοντα νύκτας | Coordinated numeral phrase → same in Greek | Preservation of poetic balance |
Stylistic and Theological Notes
- Lexical Harmony: The LXX chooses ὑετός for “rain,” a formal Greek term used in Homeric and classical literature, maintaining solemnity while matching Hebrew גֶּשֶׁם.
- Time Structure: Both Hebrew and Greek preserve the forty + forty parallelism—symbolizing divine completeness, testing, or judgment. The Greek does not alter this rhythm, showing its liturgical sensitivity.
- Existential Tense: Hebrew וַֽיְהִ֥י and Greek ἐγένετο both function existentially (“there was”/“it came to be”), signaling an event’s initiation. The Septuagint translator maintains this tense-function fidelity.
The Grammatical Amen
Genesis 7:12 stands as a testament to literary symmetry in divine judgment. The Septuagint translation shows careful stewardship of both form and content. The Hebrew thunders in simplicity—rain for forty days and nights. The Greek repeats this rhythm with clarity and flow, showing how even in translation, divine precision becomes poetic memory. Through rain and language alike, God’s purposes unfold.
