Philo Judaeus, De Mutatione Nominum, ed. Paul Wendland, 15

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[15] 3 μήτ’ οὖν διαπόρει, εἰ τὸ τῶν ὄντων πρεσβύτατον ἄρρητον, ὁπότε καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ κυρίῳ ὀνόματι οὐ ῥητὸς ἡμῖν· καὶ μὴν εἰ ἄρρητον, καὶ p. 581 M. ἀπερινόητον καὶ ἀκατάληπτον· ὥστε τὸ „ὤφθη κύριος τῷ Ἀβραὰμ“ (Gen. 17,1) λέγεσθαι ὑπονοητέον οὐχ
ὡς ἐπιλάμποντος καὶ ἐπιφαινομένου τοῦ παντὸς αἰτίου — τίς γὰρ ἀνθρώπειος νοῦς τὸ μέγεθος τῆς φαντασίας ἱκανός ἐστι χωρῆσαι; —, ἀλλ’ ὡς μιᾶς τῶν περὶ αὐτὸ δυνάμεων, τῆς βασιλικῆς, προφαινομένης· ἡ γὰρ κύριος πρόσρησις ἀρχῆς καὶ βασιλείας ἐστί.

De Mutatione Nominum. Philo Judaeus. ed. Paul Wendland. Germany. 2014.

Funding provided by European Social Fund Saxony.

Current edition First1KGreek

De Mutatione Nominum (Greek) (Philo Judaeus. Opera quae supersunt, Volume 3. Wendland, Paul, editor. Berlin: Reimer, 1898.)

Translations (1)

On the question why certain Names in the Holy Scriptures are changed First1KGreek (The works of Philo Judaeus, the contemporary of Josephus, Volume 2. Yonge, C. D., translator. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1854.) — 15 focus

Therefore do not doubt either whether that which is more ancient than any existing thing is indescribable, when his very word is not to be mentioned by us according to its proper name. So that we must understand that the expression, "The Lord was seen by Abraham," ¹ means not as if the Cause of all things had shone forth and become visible, (for what human mind is able to contain the greatness of his appearance?) but as if some one of the powers which surround him, that is to say, his kingly power, had presented itself to the sight, for the appellation Lord belongs to authority and sovereignty.

Philo Judaeus De Mutatione Nominum 15

ed. Paul Wendland

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