12-31-2014, 09:13 PM
I think you?re probably correct that hr (?mountain? or ?hill? or ?fortress?) is a kind of exegesis -- Greek scholars have differing opinions given all the different Greek manuscripts out there. See e.g., essay by John Day, The Origin of Armageddon, chronicling the opinions of different scholars on the question, and The OT Background to Armageddon (Rev 16:16 Revisited) by Marko Jauhiainen criticizing Day?s approach. Apparently about 80 Greek miniscules just read MAGEDON, but the majority go with HAR MAGEDDON.
Fortunately, the Aramaic consistently reads mgdu, so the Aramaic is in harmony with the gospel of Matthew and also the old testament.
Like David Bauscher, I think the evidence supports Revelation written originally in Aramaic by the Aramaic-speaking apostle John, sometime before Laodicea was destroyed by earthquake and fire around 66AD.
Fortunately, the Aramaic consistently reads mgdu, so the Aramaic is in harmony with the gospel of Matthew and also the old testament.
Like David Bauscher, I think the evidence supports Revelation written originally in Aramaic by the Aramaic-speaking apostle John, sometime before Laodicea was destroyed by earthquake and fire around 66AD.