Bible Encyclopedia: Armenian

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ARMENIAN VERSIONS, OF THE BIBLE

ar-me'-ni-an vur'-shuns, bi'-bl.

I. ANCIENT ARMENIAN

1. Circumstances under Which Made

2. The Translators

Apocrypha Omitted

3. Revision

4. Results of Circulation

5. Printed Editions

II. MODERN ARMENIAN VERSIONS

1. Ararat-Armenian

2. Constantinopolitan-Armenian

III. ARMENIAN LANGUAGE

LITERATURE

I. Ancient Armenian.

1. Circumstances under Which Made:

Armenia was in large measure Christianized by Gregory Lousavorich ("the Illuminator": consecrated 302 A.D.; died 332), but, as Armenian had not been reduced to writing, the Scriptures used to be read in some places in Greek, in others in Syriac, and translated orally to the people. A knowledge of these tongues and the training of teachers were kept up by the schools which Gregory and King Tiridates had established at the capital Vagharshapat and elsewhere. As far as there was any Christianity in Armenia before Gregory's time, it had been almost exclusively under Syrian influence, from Edessa and Samosata. Gregory introduced Greek influence and culture, though maintaining bonds of union with Syria also.

When King Sapor of Persia became master of Armenia (378 A.D.), he not only persecuted the Christians most cruelly, but also, for political reasons, endeavored to prevent Armenia from all contact with the Byzantine world. Hence his viceroy, the renegade Armenian Merouzhan, closed the schools, proscribed Greek learning, and burnt all Greek books, especially the Scriptures. Syriac books were spared, just as in Persia itself; but in many cases the clergy were unable to interpret them to their people. Persecution had not crushed out Christianity, but there was danger lest it should perish through want of the Word of God. Hence several attempts were made to translate the Bible into Armenian. It is said that Chrysostom, during his exile at Cucusus (404-407 A.D.), invented an Armenian alphabet and translated the Psalter, but this is doubtful. But when Arcadius ceded almost all Armenia to Sapor about 396 A.D., something had to be done. Hence in 397 the celebrated Mesrob Mashtots and Isaac (Sachak) the Catholicos resolved to translate the Bible. Mesrob had been a court secretary, and as such was well acquainted with Pahlavi, Syriac and Greek, in which three languages the royal edicts were then published. Isaac had been born at Constantinople and educated there and at Caesarea. Hence he too was a good Greek scholar, besides being versed in Syriac and Pahlavi, which latter was then the court language in Armenia. But none of these three alphabets was suited to express the sounds of the Armenian tongue, and hence, an alphabet had to be devised for it.

2. The Translators:

A council of the nobility, bishops and leading clergy was held at Vagharshapat in 402, King Vramshapouch being present, and this council requested Isaac to translate the Scriptures into the vernacular. By 406, Mesrob had succeeded in inventing an alphabet-practically the one still in use-principally by modifying the Greek and the Pahlavi characters, though some think the Palmyrene alphabet had influence. He and two of his pupils at Samosata began by translating the Book of Proverbs, and then the New Testament, from the Greek Meanwhile, being unable to find a single Greek manuscript in the country, Isaac translated the church lessons from the Peshitta Syriac, and published this version in 411. He sent two of his pupils to Constantinople for copies of the Greek Bible. These men were present at the Council of Ephesus, 431 A.D. Probably Theodoret (De Cura Graec. Affect., I, 5) learned from them what he says about the existence of the Bible in Armenian. Isaac's messengers brought him copies of the Greek Bible from the Imperial Library at Constantinople-doubtless some of those prepared by Eusebius at Constantine's command. Mesrob Mashtots and Isaac, with their assistants, finished and published the Armenian (ancient) version of the whole Bible in 436. La Croze is justified in styling it Queen of versions Unfortunately the Old Testament was rendered (as we have said) from the Septuagint, not from the Hebrew. But the Apocrypha was not translated, only "the 22 Books" of the Old Testament, as Moses of Khorene informs us. This was due to the influence of the Peshitta Old Testament.

Apocrypha Omitted.

Not till the 8th century was the Apocrypha rendered into Armenian: it was not read in Armenian churches until the 12th. Theodotion's version of Daniel was translated, instead of the very inaccurate Septuagint. The Alexandrine text was generally followed but not always.

3. Revision:

In the 6th century the Armenian version is said to have been revised so as to agree with the Peshitta. Hence, probably in Matthew 28:18 the King James Version, the passage, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you," is inserted as in the Peshitta, though it occurs also in its proper place (John 20:21). It reads "Jesus Barabbas" in Matthew 27:16, 17 -a reading which Origen found "in very ancient manuscripts." It contains Luke 22:43, 44. As is well known, in the Etschmiadzin manuscript of 986 A.D., over Mark 16:9-20, are inserted the words, "of Ariston the presbyter"; but Nestle (Text. Criticism of the Greek New Testament, Plate IX, etc.) and others omit to notice that these words are by a different and a later hand, and are merely an unauthorized remark of no great value.

4. Results of Circulation:

Mesrob's version was soon widely circulated and became the one great national book. Lazarus Pharpetsi, a contemporary Armenian historian, says he is justified in describing the spiritual results by quoting Isaiah and saying that the whole land of Armenia was thereby "filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." But for it, both church and nation would have perished in the terrible persecutions which have now lasted, with intervals, for more than a millennium and a half.

5. Printed Editions:

This version was first printed somewhat late: the Psalter at Rome in 1565, the Bible by Bishop Oskan of Erivan at Amsterdam in 1666, from a very defective MS; other editions at Constantinople in 1705, Venice in 1733. Dr. Zohrab's edition of the New Testament in 1789 was far better. A critical edition was printed at Venice in 1805, another at Serampore in 1817. The Old Testament (with the readings of the Hebrew text at the foot of the page) appeared at Constantinople in 1892.

II. Modern Armenian Versions.

There are two great literary dialects of modern Armenian, in which it was necessary to publish the Bible, since the ancient Armenian (called Grapar, or "written") is no longer generally understood. The American missionaries have taken the lead in translating Holy Scripture into both.

1. Ararat-Armenian:

The first version of the New Testament into Ararat Armenian, by Dittrich, was published by the British and Foreign Bible Society at Moscow in 1835; the Psalter in 1844; the rest of the Old Testament much later. There is an excellent edition, published at Constantinople in 1896.

2. Constantinopolitan-Armenian:

A version of the New Testament into Constantinopolitan Armenian, by Dr. Zohrab, was published at Paris in 1825 by the British and Foreign Bible Society. This version was made from the Ancient Armenian. A revised edition, by Adger, appeared at Smyrna in 1842. In 1846 the American missionaries there published a version of the Old Testament. The American Bible Society have since published revised editions of this version.

III. Armenian Language.

The Armenian language is now recognized by philologists to be, not a dialect or subdivision of ancient Persian or Iranian, but a distinct branch of the Aryan or Indo-European family, standing almost midway between the Iranian and the European groups. In some respects, especially in weakening and ultimately dropping "t" and "d" between vowels, it resembles the Keltic tongues (compare Gaelic A (th)air, Arm. Chair = Pater, Father). As early as the 5th century it had lost gender in nouns, though retaining inflections (compare Brugmann, Elements of Comp. Greek of Indo-German Languages).

LITERATURE.

Koriun; Agathangelos; Lazarus Pharpetsi; Moses Khorenatsi (= of Chorene); Faustus Byzantinus; Chhamchheants; Chaikakan Hin Dprouthian Patm; Chaikakan Thargmanouthiunk'h Nak'hneants; The Bible of Every Land; Tisdall, Conversion of Armenia; Nestle, Textual Criticism of the Greek New Testament; Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible (five volumes); N.Y. Cyclopaedia of Biblical. and Theol. Lit.; Hauck, Real-encyklopadie fur protest. Theol. und Kirche.

W. St. Clair Tisdall

ARMENIAN; ARYAN; RELIGION

ar-me'-ni-an, ar'-i-an. This greatly resembled that of Persia, though Zoroastrianism and its dualistic system were not professed. We are thus enabled to judge how far the religion of the Avesta is due to Zoroaster's reformation. Aramazd (Ahura Mazda), creator of heaven and earth, was father of all the chief deities. His spouse was probably Spandaramet (Spenta Armaiti), goddess of the earth, who was later held to preside over the underworld (compare Persephone; Hellenistic). Among her assistants as genii of fertility were Horot and Morot (HaurvataT and AmeretaT), tutelary deities of Mt. Massis (now styled Ararat). Aramazd's worship seems to have fallen very much into the background in favor of that of inferior deities, among the chief of whom was his daughter Anahit (Anahita), who had temples in many places. Her statues were often of the precious metals, and among her many names were "Golden Mother" and "Goddess of the Golden Image."

Hence to the present day the word "Golden" enters into many Armenian names. White heifers and green boughs were offered her as goddess of fruitfulness, nor was religious prostitution in her honor uncommon. Next in popularity came her sister Astghik ("the little star"), i.e. the planet Venus, goddess of beauty, wife of the deified hero Vahagn (Verethraghna). He sprang from heaven, earth, and sea, and overthrew dragons and other evil beings. Another of Anahit's sisters was Nane (compare Assyrian Nana, Nannaea), afterward identified with Athene. Her brother Mihr (Mithra) had the sun as his symbol in the sky and the sacred fire on earth, both being objects of worship. In his temples a sacred fire was rekindled once a year. Aramazd's messenger and scribe was Tiur or Tir, who entered men's deeds in the "Book of Life." He led men after death to Aramazd for judgment. Before birth he wrote men's fates on their foreheads. The place of punishment was Dzhokhk'h (= Persian Duzakh). To the sun and moon sacrifices were offered on the mountain-tops. Rivers and sacred springs and other natural objects were also adored. Prayer was offered facing eastward. Omens were taken from the rustling of the leaves of the sacred Sonean forest. Armavir was the religious capital.

Among inferior spiritual existences were the Arlezk'h, who licked the wounds of those slain in battle and restored them to life. The Parikk'h were evidently the Pairakas (Peris) of Persia. The Armenian mythology told of huge dragons which sometimes appeared as men, sometimes as worms, or basilisks, elves, sea-bulls, dragon-lions, etc. As in Persia, the demons made darts out of the parings of a man's nails to injure him with. Therefore these parings, together with teeth and trimmings of hair, must be hidden in some sacred place.

LITERATURE.

Eznik Goghbatzi; Agathangelos; Moses of Khorene; Eghishe; Palasanean; Faustus Byzantinus; Chhamchheantz; Plutarch; Strabo; Tacitus. See my "Conversion of Armenia," R.T.S.; The Expositor T, II, 202.

W. St. Clair Tisdall

Strong's Hebrew

4508. Minni -- a region of Armenia
... Usage Minni (1). Minni. Of foreign derivation; Minni, an Armenian province --
Minni. 4507, 4508. Minni. 4509 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/4508.htm - 5k

Library

Ep. Lxii. The Armenian Referred to is Probably Eustathius Bishop ...
... Division III. Miscellaneous Letters. Ep. LXII. The Armenian referred to
is probably Eustathius Bishop of Sebaste� (The Armenian ...
/.../select letters of saint gregory nazianzen/ep lxii the armenian referred.htm

The Document and Its Value
... [1] The work now before us, The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching, has recently
been found in an Armenian translation, and no portion of it seems to ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/i the document and its.htm

Introduction.
... But in recent times Aristides has again "swum into our ken." Armenian literature,
which has done service to Christendom by preserving so many of its early ...
/.../kay/the apology of aristides the philosopher/introduction.htm

Preface
... But it has quite recently reappeared in an Armenian manuscript together with
Books IV and V of the greater work. The Armenian translation ...
/.../irenaeus/the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/preface.htm

Elucidation.
... [Translated by the Rev. BP Pratten, BA] Elucidation. (See p.665, note 4. Also,
p.685, note 1, of Barsamya.) I found at the Armenian Convent of St. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the decretals/elucidation.htm

Prior to the fall of the Empire in the middle of the fifteenth ...
... The Armenian Church is in much the same position; but it has been termed even more
heretical than the Jacobite, a very erroneous charge against a Church which ...
//christianbookshelf.org/brownlie/hymns of the holy eastern church/ii.htm

The Bishops of Jerusalem from the Age of Our Saviour to the Period ...
... he became bishop in the fifteenth year of Trajan; according to the Armenian version,
in the twelfth year. ... The Armenian version of the Chron. ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter v the bishops of jerusalem.htm

Letter Xcix. To Count Terentius.
... I made peace between the Armenian bishops, and made them a suitable address, urging
them to put away their customary indifference, and resume their ancient ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter xcix to count terentius.htm

The Bishops in Jerusalem.
... [1532] Called Maximinus by the Armenian Chron., but all our other authorities
call him Maximus. [1533] The name is given G?ios in ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xii the bishops in jerusalem.htm

Last Journey and Death, 1858 --Concluding Remarks.
... thousands, standing, sitting, running, following, or pushing one against the other,
talking and shouting in the ceaseless noise of the Armenian, Turkish, Greek ...
/.../chapter xxi last journey and.htm

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (a.) Of or pertaining to Armenia.

2. (n.) A native or one of the people of Armenia; also, the language of the Armenians.

3. (n.) An adherent of the Armenian Church, an organization similar in some doctrines and practices to the Greek Church, in others to the Roman Catholic.

Thesaurus

Armenian
... 3. (n.) An adherent of the Armenian Church, an organization similar in some doctrines
and practices to the Greek Church, in others to the Roman Catholic. Int. ...
/a/armenian.htm - 18k

Bible
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ARMENIAN VERSIONS, OF THE BIBLE. ... MODERN ARMENIAN
VERSIONS 1. Ararat-Armenian 2. Constantinopolitan-Armenian III. ...
/b/bible.htm - 101k

Armenia (2 Occurrences)
... A little later he mentions as articles of Armenian tribute chariots, horses, mules,
silver, gold, plates of copper, oxen, sheep, wine, variegated cloths, linen ...
/a/armenia.htm - 21k

Aryan
... the Aryan languages. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ARMENIAN; ARYAN; RELIGION.
ar-me'-ni-an, ar'-i-an. This greatly resembled that ...
/a/aryan.htm - 9k

Semitic
... ordinary and most satisfactory identification is with Arrapachitis, Northeast of
Assyria at the headwaters of the Upper Zab in the Armenian highlands (so ...
/s/semitic.htm - 28k

Semites
... ordinary and most satisfactory identification is with Arrapachitis, Northeast of
Assyria at the headwaters of the Upper Zab in the Armenian highlands (so ...
/s/semites.htm - 27k

Separate (115 Occurrences)
... remarkable from the fact that it found a place, along with the letter which called
it forth, among canonical writings in the Syrian and Armenian churches after ...
/s/separate.htm - 71k

Euphrates (36 Occurrences)
... From its source in the Armenian mountains to the Persian Gulf, into which
it empties itself, it has a course of about 1,700 miles. ...
/e/euphrates.htm - 26k

Persian (4 Occurrences)
... tongue. In its ancient forms it is more closely connected with Vedic Sanskrit
than with any other language except Armenian. Most ...
/p/persian.htm - 45k

Zoology
... In Asia Miner are found the red deer, the chamois and the Armenian wild sheep, but
there is no proof that any of these ever ranged as far South as Palestine. ...
/z/zoology.htm - 18k

Subtopics

Armenian

Related Terms

Bible

Armenia (2 Occurrences)

Aryan

Semitic

Semites

Separate (115 Occurrences)

Euphrates (36 Occurrences)

Persian (4 Occurrences)

Zoology