1 Thessalonians 4:16: Voice of the archangel or voice of the trumpet?
Posted: June 7th, 2019, 7:26 pm
Translations I'm familiar with seem to render 1 Thessalonians as having "voice" referring to "of the archangel" but it appears to me that "voice" is feminine while "archangel" is masculine so the one does not refer to the other:
1 Thessalonians 4:16 ὅτι αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος ἐν κελεύσματι ἐν φωνῇ ἀρχαγγέλου καὶ ἐν σάλπιγγι θεοῦ καταβήσεται ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ἀναστήσονται πρῶτον
“trumpet” is also feminine. Despite the odd word order, isn't this the “voice of the trumpet” as in standard Hebrew idiom?:
[Exo 19:16, 19 ASV] (16) And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled. ... (19) And when the voice of the trumpet waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
[Exo 20:18 ASV] (18) And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off.
[Job 39:24 ASV] (24) He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; Neither believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet.
[Isa 58:1 ASV] (1) Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and declare unto my people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins.
[1Co 14:8 ASV] (8) For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war?
[Heb 12:19 ASV] (19) and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them;
[Rev 1:10 ASV] (10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet
[Rev 4:1 ASV] (1) After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter.
[Rev 8:13 ASV] (13) And I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 ὅτι αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος ἐν κελεύσματι ἐν φωνῇ ἀρχαγγέλου καὶ ἐν σάλπιγγι θεοῦ καταβήσεται ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ἀναστήσονται πρῶτον
“trumpet” is also feminine. Despite the odd word order, isn't this the “voice of the trumpet” as in standard Hebrew idiom?:
[Exo 19:16, 19 ASV] (16) And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled. ... (19) And when the voice of the trumpet waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
[Exo 20:18 ASV] (18) And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off.
[Job 39:24 ASV] (24) He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; Neither believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet.
[Isa 58:1 ASV] (1) Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and declare unto my people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins.
[1Co 14:8 ASV] (8) For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war?
[Heb 12:19 ASV] (19) and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them;
[Rev 1:10 ASV] (10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet
[Rev 4:1 ASV] (1) After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter.
[Rev 8:13 ASV] (13) And I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.