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Even in the Septuagint the word euangelion is quite rare. Within the Septuagint it is used for the good tidings of victory (2 Sam. 31:9), the good tidings at the birth of a child (Jer. 20:15), and sometimes simply of tidings of any kind.# Its only noun usage in the Septuagint, positively, occurs in 2 Samuel 4:10 where it is used in its classical sense of "a reward given for good tidings." However, in the Septuagint euangelion has two usages "which are faint foretastes of its New Testament use."# First, in the Psalms the corresponding verb is used to relate the righteousness and salvation of God (Ps. 40:10; 96:2). Second, it appears in Isaiah 40:5; 52:7 to refer to the glad tidings of the coming of God's Anointed One to His people.# .
Outside of Christian literature, both noun and verb occurrences are very rare. It is found in an ancient calendar inscription from Priene about 9 BC.# It also appears in a papyrus letter from an Egyptian official of the third century AD.# In another instance the verb (euaggelizesthai) is used of a slave coming with news of a general's victory. Furthermore, the noun is used in an inscription, which says that the birthday of the Roman Emperor Augustus was the beginning of good tidings for the world.# In fact, the meaning of the word euangelion in the sense of "good news" is a fairly late usage. It is not until the writings of the apostolic fathers# that a transition can be detected to the later Christian usage of euangelion referring to the four gospel accounts.# Despite, the value of examining Septuagint usage and extra-biblical occurrences, the word euangelion is most meaningful in its New Testament appearances. In fact, Barclay says that "it is when we come to the New Testament that euangelion becomes a tremendous word."#.
Summary Comments Regarding Etymology.
Despite the notion that etymological research is not one of the most exciting aspects of Bible study, these things are still important.