70 Jerome H. Neyrey study of the motif, not only in the Hebrew bible, but also in Assyro- Babylonian, Egyptian, Ugaritic religion (30). 4. Uniqueness in the LXX To what extent was Israelite praise of God influenced by Greek idiom? Most aspects of incomparability just observed were simply translated into Greek and contain none of the Greek rhetorical buzz words for uniqueness. (1) Commonly we read negations that God has any peer or rival, such as “... that you may know that there is not another such as I (oujk e[stin wJ" ejgw; a[llo") in all the earth” (Exod 9,14). (2) We find rhetorical questions, such as: “O Lord, who is like you (tiv" o{moiov" soi)?” (Ps 35,10) or “What God is there in heaven or on earth, who will do as you have done?” (Deut 3,23). (3) Other expressions of incomparability contain the frequently appearing formula “no other besides you”, such as: “To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him (oujk e[stin e[ti plh;n aujtou')” (Deut 4,35) (31). Although 2 Maccabees was not part of the LXX, it contains some striking amplifications of God’s uniqueness. It claims that God “alone” (movno") is Lord (or virtuous, mighty, etc.). In some cases, “alone” or “only” (movno") are part of a monotheistic confession, as in Hezekiah’s prayer: “You are the only God (qeo;" movno") in all the kingdoms of the earth” (2 Kgs 19,15) (32). But occasionally it qualifies God’s virtues, such as we find in this prayer: O Lord, Lord God, creator of all things, Who art awe-inspiring and strong and just and merciful, Who alone (movno") art King and art kind, Who alone (movno") art bountiful, Who alone (movno") art just and almighty and eternal (2 Macc 1,24-25). Repeated labeling of God as “only” (movno") is a Greek, not Israelite, rhetoric of praise. Similarly, titles such as “almighty” (pantokratwr) and abstract predicates such as “eternal” (aijwvnio") are v appropriations of Hellenistic god-talk. Thus, except for 2 Maccabees, the LXX gives little evidence of the influence of Greek rhetoric of (30) LABUSCHAGNE, Incomparability of Yahweh, 33-63. (31) For example, Deut 4,39; 1 Sam 2,2; 1 Kgs 8,23; 2 Kgs 5,15; Isa 43,10-13; 45,5-6 LXX. (32) See also: Deut 6,13; 10,20; Judg 10,16; 1 Sam 7,3; 1 Kgs 18,37; Pss 71,16; Isa 37,16.