Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 4

This is a continuation of a consideration of the differences between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint.  My working assumption is that the Masoretic text is a revision of the Hebrew scriptures made in accordance with Jewish tradition and that the Septuagint is a Greek translation of an earlier Hebrew text, before Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah.  Again, I must thank Jim Searcy for reminding me that a manuscript of Isaiah was found among the dead sea scrolls.

My Hebrew still sucks but it’s good enough to spot a word in a wordstring, especially if that wordstring is printed.  The final clause of the first verse under consideration follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Isaiah 53:10d (Tanakh) Table Isaiah 53:10d (NET) Isaiah 53:10d (NETS)

Isaiah 53:11a (Elpenor English)

and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him. And the Lord wishes to take away the Lord also is pleased to take away from

In another essay I looked at the Hebrew word translated the pleasure (Tanakh) and purpose (NET): וְחֵ֥פֶץ (chephets).  It was translated with the Greek conjunction καὶ and verb βούλεται (a form of βούλομαι) in the Septuagint.

The Hebrew word בְּיָד֥וֹ (yad), translated in his hand (Tanakh) and through him (NET), seemed to have no counterpart in Greek in the Septuagint.  It does occur however in the Isaiah scroll from the dead sea scrolls.  “The Great Isaiah Scroll and the Masoretic Text,” by Jeff A. Benner on The Ancient Hebrew Research Center online was a great introduction for me.

Near the end of the article there is an “Interlinear of Isaiah 53.”  The interlinear in this case is printed Hebrew text and verse numbers superimposed upon a photograph of the 53rd chapter of the Isaiah scroll.  It was much easier to decipher and provided a handy key to pursue other verses in the online version of the scroll.  “The Isaiah scroll from the Dead Sea Caves has been dated to around 200 B.C.” Mr. Benner wrote.

I had begun to consider the thirteen (twelve other) negative examples, this particular difference between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint, in Isaiah.  I’m straining the limits of my eyesight but I’m pretty sure יָדִי֙ (yad) is also found in Isaiah 10:13 in the Isaiah scroll.  “Dating from ca. 125 BCE, [“The Great Isaiah Scroll”] is also one of the oldest of the Dead Sea Scrolls,” according to the introductory material in “The Great Isaiah Scroll” on The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls online.

I quoted the different dates on purpose.  This is normal in historical research.  I don’t tend to get too excited about artifact dating, but these dates would push back a portion of the Masoretic text to before the time of Christ.  I’ll quote the explanation from “The Great Isaiah Scroll” in a little detail:

Masoretic Version of the Hebrew Bible
The evidence emerging from the Qumran scrolls is that there were several concurrent versions of the biblical text, though one – now referred to as the proto-Rabbinic or proto-Masoretic – enjoyed a special status by the Greco-Roman period (3rd century BCE – 1st century CE). That apparently became the authoritative text for mainstream Judaism toward the end of the Second Temple, as evidenced by ancient parchment fragments of several biblical books (1st-2nd century CE) discovered in other parts of the Judean Desert (Masada, Wadi Murabba’at, Nahal Hever, and Nahal Tze’elim).

Through the activity of generations of sages (known as “Masoretes”), who faithfully preserved and transmitted the sacred words across centuries, an authoritative or Masoretic version of the Hebrew Bible gradually evolved, containing its definitive correct text, proper vocalization, and accentuation marks. The Aleppo Codex, transcribed by the scribe Solomon son of Buya’a and annotated by the scholar Aaron ben Asher in the 10th century CE in the Galilean city of Tiberias, is considered the finest extant example of this version.

My original hope that the differences between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint would be limited to disputes over Jesus as Messiah hasn’t panned out anyway.  I’m kind of lazy at heart, but have grown to realize that this is a bigger project than I first imagined.  So, the next negative example follows:

Masoretic Text Septuagint
Isaiah 19:25 (Tanakh) Isaiah 19:25 (NET) Isaiah 19:25 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:24b, 25 (Elpenor English)

Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work (וּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֚ה) of my hands (יָדַי֙), and Israel mine inheritance. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work (ma`aseh, ומעשׁה) of my hands (yad, ידי), Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!” that the Lord Sabaoth has blessed, saying, “Blessed be my people that are in Egypt and among the Assyrians, even Israel my heritage.” which the Lord of hosts has blessed, (25) saying, Blessed be my people that is in Egypt, and that is among the Assyrians, and Israel mine inheritance.

Here the phrase וּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֚ה (ma`aseh), andthe work, יָדַי֙ (yad), of my hands, was not translated in the Septuagint.  My working assumption is that it was not in the Hebrew version the rabbis used to translate the Septuagint.  (It is in the Isaiah scroll dated 200-125 BC.)  I turned Rashi’s commentary on in the Tanakh on Chabad.org, hoping for some reason why the Masoretes might have added it:

Whichblessed them: [lit. him,] i.e., Israel.

Blessed is My people: Israel, whom I chose for Myself as a people when they were in Egypt.

and the work of My hands: I showed them with the mighty deeds I performed wondrously against Assyria, and through those miracles they will repent and be as though I just made them anew, and they will be My heritage, Israel. Jonathan paraphrased this in a similar manner. 

With the exception of the blessing on the work of God’s hands, Rashi’s commentary reads in a way similar to the way I read the Septuagint: Blessed be my people that is in Egypt, and that is among the Assyrians, and Israel mine inheritance.  The “work of my hands” that Rashi had in mind concerning Assyria was “the miracle that will be performed for Hezekiah” (2 Kings 18:13-19:37).  Isaiah 19:24 and Rashi’s commentary follow:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Isaiah 19:24 (Tanakh) Isaiah 19:24 (NET) Isaiah 19:24 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:24 (Elpenor English)

In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth. On that day Israel will be third among the Assyrians and among the Egyptians, blessed in the land In that day shall Israel be third with the Egyptians and the Assyrians, blessed in the land which the Lord of hosts has blessed,

Israel shall be a third to Egypt and to Assyria: for a blessing, since there was no prominent nation in the world at that time like Egypt and like Assyria, and the Jews were humble in the days of Ahaz and in the days of Hoshea the son of Elah. And the prophet states that, through the miracle that will be performed for Hezekiah, Israel’s name will be greatly magnified, and they will be as prominent as one of these kingdoms in regards to blessing and greatness.

If I understand verse 23 as the rabbis who translated the Septuagint understood it I can date the fulfillment of this prophecy to a time when Assyria conquered Egypt.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Isaiah 19:23 (Tanakh) Isaiah 19:23 (NET) Isaiah 19:23 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:23 (Elpenor English)

In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria.  The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria.  The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. On that day there will be a way from Egypt to the Assyrians, and the Assyrians will enter Egypt, and the Egyptians will go to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians will be subject to the Assyrians. In that day there shall be a way from Egypt to the Assyrians, and the Assyrians shall enter into Egypt, and the Egyptians shall go to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians shall serve the Assyrians.

The Wikipedia article, “Assyrian conquest of Egypt,” reads:

…Esarhaddon [the son of Sennacherib] took and sacked Memphis, where he captured numerous members of the royal family. Although the Pharaoh Taharqa had escaped to the south, Esarhaddon captured the Pharaoh’s family, including his son and wife, and most of the royal court, which were sent back to Assyria as hostages. Esarhaddon reorganized the political structure in the north, governors loyal to the Assyrian king were placed in charge of the conquered territories, and he established Necho I as king at Sais….

The Babylonian Chronicles retells how Egypt “was sacked and its gods were abducted”.[12] The conquest resulted in the relocation of a large number of Egyptians to the Assyrian heartland.[13]

A note (41) in the NET reads:

The text could be translated, “and Egypt will serve Assyria” (cf. NAB), but subjugation of one nation to the other does not seem to be a theme in vv. 23-25. Rather the nations are viewed as equals before the Lord (v. 25). Therefore it is better to take אֶת (ʾet) in v. 23b as a preposition, “together with,” rather than the accusative sign. The names of the two countries are understood to refer by metonymy to their respective inhabitants.

A translation decision made for thematic considerations has consequences.  Neither the 8th nor the 7th century BC came up for consideration when Claude Mariottini wanted to use this passage to demonstrate that the “Bible is not completely negative about the Assyrians.”[1]

In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth (Isaiah 19:24).

In this passage, the prophet affirms that in the last days Israel, Egypt, and Assyria will be united as one people under God. Instead of being enemies, they will be united and instead of having different religions, they shall all worship the same God. Israel, together with Assyria and Egypt, will become a blessing to other nations because from them the true religion of God will be extended unto other nations.

Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance (Isaiah 19:25).

In this passage, God calls Assyria “the work of my hands.” This expression is used in parallelism with “my people,” and “my inheritance.” Since Israel is also the work of God’s hand (Isaiah 64:8), the prophet is saying that in God’s hand, Assyria will be a means of blessing to others.

Dr. Mariottini didn’t think of “the work of [God’s] hands” applied to Assyria in quite the way Rashi described it.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
2 Kings 19:35, 36 (Tanakh) 2 Kings 19:35, 36 (NET) 4 Reigns 19:35, 36 (NETS)

4 Kings 19:35, 36 (Elpenor English)

And it came to pass that night, that the angel of HaShem went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. That very night the angel of the Lord went out and killed 185,000 in the Assyrian camp.  When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses. And it happened, while it was night, that an angel of the Lord went out and struck one hundred eighty-five thousands in the camp of the Assyrians, and they rose early in the morning, and behold, all were dead bodies. And it came to pass at night that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand: and they rose early in the morning, and, behold, [these were] all dead corpses.
So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. So King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and went on his way.  He went home and stayed in Nineveh. And Sennacherim, king of the Assyrians, left and went and returned and lived in Nineue. And Sennacherim king of the Assyrians departed, and went and returned, and dwelt in Nineve.

It makes some sense that “the work of [God’s] hands” would mean retribution to Rashi and redemption to Dr. Mariottini.  In his article online Dr. Mariottini quoted an anonymous comment from another article.[2]

…no one mentions the accomplishments and the civilization that the ancient Assyrians left for the world, in addition to being the first people to believe in the message of salvation and spreading it as far as India, Mongolia, Soumatra, Japan, China, Azerbaijan, and so on with their monuments being witnesses to that great effort long before Marco Polo or the Roman Catholic Church set foot in those remote lands, the missionaries of the Holy Church of The East a.k.a. The Holy Apostolic Assyrian Church of The East, held a Cross in one hand and the Bible in the other and went on foot to preach the Gospel with Christian brotherly love and not coercion….Since their historical lands in what’s today known as Iraq amongst other parts of the Middle East were invaded by Persians, Arabs and Mongols the indigenous Assyrians have paid a highest price over the centuries just to preserve their identity, culture, language and history and they continue to suffer.

Does this history of The Holy Apostolic Assyrian Church of The East justify, even require, the Masoretes’ addition of the phrase וּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֚ה (ma`aseh), andthe work, יָדַי֙ (yad), of my hands, along with Dr. Mariottini’s interpretation of that phrase as opposed to Rashi’s?  I think I have a better option.

Jesus said (John 12:32 NET and parallel Greek):

καγὼ ἐὰν ὑψωθῶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς, πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν (And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all…to myself.)

There is no serious dispute over the text.  The NET parallel Greek agrees with the contemporary Nestle-Aland critical text, the received text and the Byzantine Majority Text.

John 12:32 (NA28)

John 12:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 12:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)

κἀγὼ ἐὰν ὑψωθῶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς, πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν καγω εαν υψωθω εκ της γης παντας ελκυσω προς εμαυτον καγω εαν υψωθω εκ της γης παντας ελκυσω προς εμαυτον

No particular scholarship is required, only that one believe Jesus.  And even those who don’t believe that He meant all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς), tend to believe that forms of πᾶς are “generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts — some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted His redemption to either Jew or Gentile … (C.H. Spurgeon from a sermon on Particular Redemption)”[3]

This is more than sufficient to account for the history of The Holy Apostolic Assyrian Church of The East cited in the comment above without resorting to a late, potentially spurious, addition to the Hebrew text coupled with a contemporary interpretation of that addition that runs counter to a commentator closer to the time (and closer to the mind) of those who made that potentially spurious addition in a prophecy that may have been fulfilled 2,700 years ago.

I want to conclude this essay by contrasting a positive example in close proximity to the negative one I’m considering here.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Isaiah 19:16 (Tanakh) Isaiah 19:16 (NET) Isaiah 19:16 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:16 (Elpenor English)

In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand (יַד) of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it. At that time the Egyptians will be like women.  They will tremble and fear because the Lord of Heaven’s Armies brandishes his fist (yad, יד) against them. But on that day the Egyptians will be like women in fear and trembling before the hand (τῆς χειρὸς) of the Lord Sabbaoth, which he will lay on them. But in that day the Egyptians shall be as women, in fear and in trembling because of the hand (τῆς χειρὸς) of the Lord of hosts, which he shall bring upon them.

Though the Masoretic text and the Septuagint don’t agree exactly on what the Lord did with his hand (NET: fist), this seems to confirm that יַד (yad) was part of the original Hebrew text, translated τῆς χειρὸς by the rabbis.  The next verse follows with Rashi’s commentary.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Isaiah 19:17 (Tanakh) Isaiah 19:17 (NET) Isaiah 19:17 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:17 (Elpenor English)

And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it. The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt.  Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is planning to do to them. And the land of the Judeans will become a terror to the Egyptians.  As for everyone who should mention it to them—they will fear because of the plan that the Lord has planned against it. And the land of the Jews shall be for a terror to the Egyptians: whosoever shall name it to them, they shall fear, because of the counsel which the Lord of hosts has purposed concerning it.

And the land of Judah shall be to Egypt for a dread: When those remaining in Egypt from the captivity of Sennacherib hear of his downfall, that he will fall in the land of Judah without any physical warfare, they will know that the Divine Presence is manifest in Israel and that their Savior is mighty, and they will fear and be frightened of the land of Judah.

a dread: Heb. לְחָגָּא, an expression of a breach and fear and fright, similar to (Psalms 107: 27): “They were frightened (יָחוֹגוּ) and wander like a drunkard,” similarly (Song 2:14), “In the cracks of (בְּחַגְוֵי) the rock.”

because of the plan of the Lord of Hosts which he planned against him: to cause him to fall into the hands of Sennacherib, and Judah will escape from his hand.

This could be the kind of parallelism that inspired the Masoretes to add the phrase וּמַֽעֲשֵׂ֚ה (ma`aseh), andthe work, יָדַי֙ (yad), of my hands, to the passage about Assyria.  Granted this late addition to the text is only problematic to those who regard the “original autographs” with some precedence.

Only the original autographs (the original manuscripts written by the apostles, prophets, etc.) are under the divine promise of inspiration and inerrancy.[4]

I did attest some fidelity to these imaginary “original autographs” one of the last times I joined a church, and still think this assertion has some reasonable merit.  Those who think that “the Authorized Version, the KJV Holy Bible, [is] the true, inerrant, more sure, God promised PERFECT written word of God”[5] will not be bothered by differences between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint that occurred prior to 1611Mr. Searcy posted (if not wrote):

THE Bible, the KJV, the Authorized Version, is God’s Bible in English and all the others could be called Jesuit bibles, pope bibles, or Lucifer’s bibles. At the turn of the 17th century only God could know that English would be the international language of the last days before the return of The Lord Jesus Christ.[6]

I’ll continue to consider the other negative examples in another essay.

Tables comparing Isaiah 19:25; 19:24; 19:23; 2 Kings 19:35; 19:36; Isaiah 19:16 and 19:17 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Isaiah 19:25; 19:24; 19:23; 2 Kings (4 Reigns, 4 Kings) 19:35; 19:36; Isaiah 19:16 and 19:17 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing 1 Timothy 3:16 in the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 19:25 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 19:25 (KJV)

Isaiah 19:25 (NET)

Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!”

Isaiah 19:25 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 19:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἣν εὐλόγησεν κύριος σαβαωθ λέγων εὐλογημένος ὁ λαός μου ὁ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ ὁ ἐν Ἀσσυρίοις καὶ ἡ κληρονομία μου Ισραηλ ἣν εὐλόγησε Κύριος σαβαὼθ λέγων· εὐλογημένος ὁ λαός μου ὁ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ ὁ ἐν ᾿Ασσυρίοις καὶ ἡ κληρονομία μου ᾿Ισραήλ

Isaiah 19:25 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:24b, 25 (English Elpenor)

that the Lord Sabaoth has blessed, saying, “Blessed be my people that are in Egypt and among the Assyrians, even Israel my heritage.” which the Lord of hosts has blessed, (25) saying, Blessed be my people that is in Egypt, and that is among the Assyrians, and Israel mine inheritance.

Isaiah 19:24 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 19:24 (KJV)

Isaiah 19:24 (NET)

In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth.
Isaiah 19:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 19:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔσται Ισραηλ τρίτος ἐν τοῗς Ἀσσυρίοις καὶ ἐν τοῗς Αἰγυπτίοις εὐλογημένος ἐν τῇ γῇ Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνη ἔσται ᾿Ισραὴλ τρίτος ἐν τοῖς ᾿Ασσυρίοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις εὐλογημένος ἐν τῇ γῇ

Isaiah 19:24 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:24 (English Elpenor)

On that day Israel will be third among the Assyrians and among the Egyptians, blessed in the land In that day shall Israel be third with the Egyptians and the Assyrians, blessed in the land which the Lord of hosts has blessed,

Isaiah 19:23 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 19:23 (KJV)

Isaiah 19:23 (NET)

In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria.  The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.

Isaiah 19:23 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 19:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔσται ὁδὸς Αἰγύπτου πρὸς Ἀσσυρίους καὶ εἰσελεύσονται Ἀσσύριοι εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι πορεύσονται πρὸς Ἀσσυρίους καὶ δουλεύσουσιν οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τοῗς Ἀσσυρίοις Τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνη ἔσται ὁδὸς ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου πρὸς ᾿Ασσυρίους καὶ εἰσελεύσονται ᾿Ασσύριοι εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι πορεύσονται πρὸς ᾿Ασσυρίους, καὶ δουλεύσουσιν Αἰγύπτιοι τοῖς ᾿Ασσυρίοις

Isaiah 19:23 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:23 (English Elpenor)

On that day there will be a way from Egypt to the Assyrians, and the Assyrians will enter Egypt, and the Egyptians will go to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians will be subject to the Assyrians. In that day there shall be a way from Egypt to the Assyrians, and the Assyrians shall enter into Egypt, and the Egyptians shall go to the Assyrians, and the Egyptians shall serve the Assyrians.

2 Kings 19:35 (Tanakh)

2 Kings 19:35 (KJV)

2 Kings 19:35 (NET)

And it came to pass that night, that the angel of HaShem went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. That very night the angel of the Lord went out and killed 185,000 in the Assyrian camp.  When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses.

2 Kings 19:35 (Septuagint BLB)

4 Kings 19:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐγένετο ἕως νυκτὸς καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἄγγελος κυρίου καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων ἑκατὸν ὀγδοήκοντα πέντε χιλιάδας καὶ ὤρθρισαν τὸ πρωί καὶ ἰδοὺ πάντες σώματα νεκρά Καὶ ἐγένετο ἕως νυκτὸς καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ ᾿Ασσυρίων ἑκατὸν ὀγδοηκονταπέντε χιλιάδας· καὶ ὤρθρισαν τὸ πρωΐ, καὶ ἰδοὺ πάντες σώματα νεκρά

4 Reigns 19:35 (NETS)

4 Kings 19:35 (English Elpenor)

And it happened, while it was night, that an angel of the Lord went out and struck one hundred eighty-five thousands in the camp of the Assyrians, and they rose early in the morning, and behold, all were dead bodies. And it came to pass at night that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand: and they rose early in the morning, and, behold, [these were] all dead corpses.

2 Kings 19:36 (Tanakh)

2 Kings 19:36 (KJV)

2 Kings 19:36 (NET)

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. So King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and went on his way.  He went home and stayed in Nineveh.

2 Kings 19:36 (Septuagint BLB)

4 Kings 19:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀπῆρεν καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν Σενναχηριμ βασιλεὺς Ἀσσυρίων καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν Νινευη καὶ ἀπῇρε καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἀπέστρεψε Σενναχηρὶμ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ασσυρίων καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν Νινευῆ

4 Reigns 19:36 (NETS)

4 Kings 19:36 (English Elpenor)

And Sennacherim, king of the Assyrians, left and went and returned and lived in Nineue. And Sennacherim king of the Assyrians departed, and went and returned, and dwelt in Nineve.

Isaiah 19:16 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 19:16 (KJV)

Isaiah 19:16 (NET)

In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it. In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it. At that time the Egyptians will be like women.  They will tremble and fear because the Lord of Heaven’s Armies brandishes his fist against them.

Isaiah 19:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 19:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔσονται οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ὡς γυναῗκες ἐν φόβῳ καὶ ἐν τρόμῳ ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς χειρὸς κυρίου σαβαωθ ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπιβαλεῗ αὐτοῗς Τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἔσονται οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ὡς γυναῖκες ἐν φόβῳ καὶ ἐν τρόμῳ ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς χειρὸς Κυρίου σαβαώθ, ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπιβαλεῖ αὐτοῖς

Isaiah 19:16 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:16 (English Elpenor)

But on that day the Egyptians will be like women in fear and trembling before the hand of the Lord Sabbaoth, which he will lay on them. But in that day the Egyptians shall be as women, in fear and in trembling because of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shall bring upon them.

Isaiah 19:17 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 19:17 (KJV)

Isaiah 19:17 (NET)

And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it. And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it. The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt.  Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is planning to do to them.

Isaiah 19:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 19:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔσται ἡ χώρα τῶν Ιουδαίων τοῗς Αἰγυπτίοις εἰς φόβητρον πᾶς ὃς ἐὰν ὀνομάσῃ αὐτὴν αὐτοῗς φοβηθήσονται διὰ τὴν βουλήν ἣν βεβούλευται κύριος ἐπ᾽ αὐτήν καὶ ἔσται ἡ χώρα τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις εἰς φόβητρον· πᾶς, ὃς ἐὰν ὀνομάσῃ αὐτὴν αὐτοῖς, φοβηθήσονται διὰ τὴν βουλήν, ἣν βεβούλευται Κύριος σαβαὼθ ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν

Isaiah 19:17 (NETS)

Isaiah 19:17 (English Elpenor)

And the land of the Judeans will become a terror to the Egyptians.  As for everyone who should mention it to them—they will fear because of the plan that the Lord has planned against it. And the land of the Jews shall be for a terror to the Egyptians: whosoever shall name it to them, they shall fear, because of the counsel which the Lord of hosts has purposed concerning it.

1 Timothy 3:16 (NET)

1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)

And we all agree, our religion contains amazing revelation: He was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ὁμολογουμένως μέγα ἐστὶν τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον· ὃς ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί, ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι, ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις, ἐκηρύχθη ἐν ἔθνεσιν, ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ, ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ και ομολογουμενως μεγα εστιν το της ευσεβειας μυστηριον θεος εφανερωθη εν σαρκι εδικαιωθη εν πνευματι ωφθη αγγελοις εκηρυχθη εν εθνεσιν επιστευθη εν κοσμω ανεληφθη εν δοξη και ομολογουμενως μεγα εστιν το της ευσεβειας μυστηριον θεος εφανερωθη εν σαρκι εδικαιωθη εν πνευματι ωφθη αγγελοις εκηρυχθη εν εθνεσιν επιστευθη εν κοσμω ανεληφθη εν δοξη

[1] “Blessed be . . . Assyria the work of my hands” (Isaiah 19:25). Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

[2] In this other article, Jonah and His God, Dr. Mariottini also mentioned that “a policy of mass deportation was reintroduced by Tiglath-pileser.”  This was in the mid 8th century BC about three quarters of a century before “Esarhaddon [the son of Sennacherib] took and sacked Memphis.”

Dr. Mariottini continued, “This policy of mass deportation meant that after conquering a nation, Tiglath-pileser took the survivors of the upper class along with professional and skilled people of that nation and relocated them to other parts of the empire. Then, he would bring war prisoners from other nations and settle them in the conquered nation.”

[3] From the definition of πάντας in the NET.

[4]Does the inerrancy of the Bible only apply to the original manuscripts?,” from Got Questions: Your Questions. Biblical Answers

[5] Who Am I? Part 10

[6]The Attack,” from More Sure Word

James L. Melton wrote: “I believe the King James Bible is the preserved and infallible words of God. It doesn’t merely “contain” the word of God: it IS the word of God. I’m absolutely sure of it…”  In his article, “How I Know The King James Bible is the Word of God,” on Dial-the-Truth Ministries online he described “twelve reasons how I know that the KJV is the word of God.”

Terry Watkins has an interesting article on changes to the New Testament on the same site: “The Attack on the Bible”   Take 1 Timothy 3:16 [Table above] as an example.   Where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had θεος (KJV: God), the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὃς (NET: He).

The extremely long notes (24) in the NET do come off like a bit of a guilty conscience.  Even if the argument has some validity, is it pushing the concept of “original autographs” too far?  The counter argument is that the KJV translators had most of these same manuscripts at their disposal and preferred θεός.