Valleys and ditches

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Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [kjv]

φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους του θεου ημων [lxx]

Luke 3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. [kjv]

ως γεγραπται εν βιβλω λογων ησαιου του προφητου φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου [gnt]

Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: [kjv]

πασα φαραγξ πληρωθησεται και παν ορος και βουνος ταπεινωθησεται και εσται παντα τα σκολια εις ευθειαν και η τραχεια εις πεδια [lxx]

Luke 3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; [kjv]

πασα φαραγξ πληρωθησεται και παν ορος και βουνος ταπεινωθησεται και εσται τα σκολια εις ευθειας και αι τραχειαι εις οδους λειας [gnt]

The ancient Greek word "βουνός" ≈ "hill. heap, mound, altar".

Isaiah 40:3

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KJV: The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Hebrew: קול קורא במדבר פנו דרך יהוה ישרו בערבה מסלה לאלהינו׃

Greek: φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους του θεου ημων

Isaiah 40:4

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KJV: Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Hebrew: כל גיא ינשא וכל הר וגבעה ישפלו והיה העקב למישור והרכסים לבקעה׃

Greek: πασα φαραγξ πληρωθησεται και παν ορος και βουνος ταπεινωθησεται και εσται παντα τα σκολια εις ευθειαν και η τραχεια εις πεδια

Luke 3:4

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KJV: As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Greek: ως γεγραπται εν βιβλω λογων ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου

Luke 3:5

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KJV: Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

Greek: πασα φαραγξ πληρωθησεται και παν ορος και βουνος ταπεινωθησεται και εσται τα σκολια εις ευθειαν ευθειας και αι τραχειαι εις οδους λειας

Latin: omnis vallis implebitur et omnis mons et collis humiliabitur et erunt prava in directa et aspera in vias planas

Luke 3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; [kjv]

A valley is a low area surrounded by higher areas through which runs (or could run) a stream from one (higher) end to the other (lower) end. Luke talks about every valley being filled.

The English phrase "hill and dale" means "hill and valley".

Psalms 23 has a valley of shadows and darkness.

Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. [kjv]

εαν γαρ και πορευθω εν μεσω σκιας θανατου ου φοβηθησομαι κακα οτι συ μετ εμου ει η ραβδος σου και η βακτηρια σου αυται με παρεκαλεσαν [lxx]

From where comes the "valley"?
From where comes the "shadow"?

More: Psalms 23:1-6 A valley of shadows and darkness

Luke 3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; [kjv]

Hebrew poetry often rhymes by meaning in pairs (similarity, contrast, etc.).

Rivers are usually in valleys as contrasted with hills as in "hill and valley" or "hill and dale".

The Middle English word "dale" ≈ "valley".
The Old English word "doel" ≈ "valley".
The German word "Tal" ≈ "valley".

hill

dale

What might the official song of the U.S. Army, "The caissons go rolling along", written in 1908, have to do with Christmas?
The song was written by Edmund "Snitz" Gruber, a descendant of Franz Gruber, who composed "Silent Night" in 1818, 90 years earlier.

More: Song: Silent night

More: Song: Caissons go rolling along

A redundant place name is a name that, over time, has become redundant even though most people do not realize it.

At one time, the German "Tal" was pronounced as (English) "thal". A valley in Germany was named for Joachim Neander, who wrote many songs.

The valley was the "Neander-thal" valley which is a redundant place name. The term "Neanderthal Valley" means the "Neander valley valley"

Hundreds of years later, bones were discovered in the "Neander-thal" valley and the people from whom these bones came were named "Neanderthals".

More: Song: Praise to the Lord

More: Matthew 6:7-8 Vain repetitions of vain repetitions

2 Kings 3:16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. [kjv]

και ειπεν ταδε λεγει κυριος ποιησατε τον χειμαρρουν τουτον βοθυνους βοθυνους [lxx]

A ditch is a pit that is like a valley but smaller.

This word for "ditches" is used in the LXX (Septuagint) in a reflexive and self-similar way (as in a fractal).

2 Kings 3:16

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KJV: And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.

Hebrew: ויאמר כה אמר יהוה עשה הנחל הזה גבים גבים׃

Greek: και ειπεν ταδε λεγει κυριος ποιησατε τον χειμαρρουν τουτον βοθυνους βοθυνους

Latin: haec dicit Dominus facite alveum torrentis huius fossas et fossas

Wycliffe: Make ye the wombe, ether depthe, of this stronde dichis and dichis.

Luther: Und er sprach: So spricht der Herr: Machet hie und da Graben an diesem Bach!

2 Kings 3:16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. [kjv]

και ειπεν ταδε λεγει κυριος ποιησατε τον χειμαρρουν τουτον βοθυνους βοθυνους [lxx]

… Graben … Bach! [lu]

… dichis … dichis. [wy]

Notice the repetition of the phrase for "ditch" in a self-similar way. Wycliffe and Luther use the more modern convention of not using the same word repetitively, even if the original did use the same word.

Try the following with your favorite English teacher.

A tasteful taste of it tasted tasty.

See how many points are deducted for not following acceptable English rules of writing. The style of repeating the same word in different parts of speech was more common in ancient writing.

*G999 *3 βόθυνος (both'-oo-nos) : akin to G900; a hole (in the ground); specially, a cistern:--ditch, pit.

Usage

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βοθυνον *3

Matthew 12:11 ... it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not ...
Matthew 15:14 ... both shall fall into the ditch.
Luke 6:39 ... both fall into the ditch?