In his commentary of Exodus, Dennis Prager makes this statement:
Hebrew does not have a word for the present tense of the verb "to be." In other words, there is no Hebrew word for "am" or "is" or "are." Therefore, in order to say "I am Joseph," for example, one would say "Ani Joseph" ("I Joseph")."
1
This seems to accurately describe passages where someone, regardless of who, self-identifies:
Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau (אנכי עשו)... (Genesis 27:19)
I am your first born son Esau (אני בנך בכרך עשו)
...I am Joseph (אני יוסף)... (Genesis 45:3)
God said to him, I am God Almighty (אני אל שדי)...(Genesis 35:11)
I am the God of Abraham (אנכי אלהי אברהם)...(Genesis 26:24)
I am the God (אנכי האל)... (Genesis 31:13)
When translating into Greek, "ἐγώ εἰμι ---" is the expected form. However, the LXX only selectively employs the verb εἰμι, often leaving the original expression, "ἐγώ ---" intact:
Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau (ἐγὼ Ησαυ)... (Genesis 27:19)
I am your first born son Esau (ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ υἱός σου)... (Genesis 27:32)
I am Joseph (ἐγώ εἰμι Ιωσηφ)... (Genesis 45:3)
This is true even when God is speaking of Himself:
God said to him, I am your God (εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ θεός ἐγὼ ὁ θεός σου)...(Genesis 35:11)
I am the God of Abraham (ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς Αβρααμ)...(Genesis 26:24)
I am the God (ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς)... (Genesis 31:13)
What is the significance of the selective use of εἰμι in expressions of self identification in LXX-Genesis? Is this simply for emphasis in those passages or does using εἰμι in an expression convey additional meaning beyond "am?"
1. Dennis Prager, Exodus: God, Slavery, and Freedom, Regnery Faith, 2018, pp. 44
