Sunday, August 7, 2022

JST Matthew 5:24 (KJV Matthew 5:22) and "Rabcha"

  

KJV

BOM Printer’s Manuscript (= 3 Nephi 12:22)

1867 Inspired Version (RLDS)

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

but I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment & whososoever shall say to his brother Raca shall be in danger of the council & whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of Hellfire

But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of his judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, or Rabcha, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

 

New Testament Manuscript 1, p. 10:

 



 

but I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgement and whosoever shall shall say to his brother Raca or Rabcha shall be in dan=ger of the council and whosoever shall say to his brother thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire.

 

New Testament Manuscript 2, folio 1, p. 8:

 



 

<24/> But I say unto you, that whosoever is angery with his brother, shall be in danger of his Judgement; & whosoever\shall say to his brother, Raca, or Rabcha, shall be in danger of the Council; and whosoever shall say to hi[s]<s> brother, Thou fool, <25/> shall be in <danger of> hell fire.

 

Both NT 1 and NT 2 of the JST has “Raca, or Rabcha,” although the Book of Mormon, following the KJV, has “Raca.” There is a textual variant in the JST manuscripts. On page 10 of the 1866-1867 RLDS Committee Manuscript, it reads "Rabcah," not "Rabcha":

 



 

<{24}> But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall  be in danger of his judgement; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, or Rabcah, shall be in danger of the council; and whoso-ever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

 


The word “Rabcha” is unusual. Firstly, it does not come from Adam Clarke. His entry for Matt 5:22 reads thusly:

 

Raca — ריקה from the Hebrew רק rak, to be empty. It signifies a vain, empty, worthless fellow, shallow brains, a term of great contempt. Such expressions were punished among the Gentoos by a heavy fine. See all the cases, Code of Gentoo Laws, chap. 15: sec. 2.

 

Greek ρακα (raka) is a transliteration of Aramaic רֵיקָא or רֵיקָה which means "empty one." They would be transliterated rêqāʾ and rê·qā(h) respectively. Perhaps I can see qoph being pronounced/transliterated as ch, but where the b comes from is beyond me, so this has be scratching my head. Perhaps Joseph Smith was trying his hand at what he may have believed to have been the “proper” transliteration/pronunciation of the Aramaic loan word but erring along the way?

 

Still, if anyone has any better suggestions,, do let me know.

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