The Children of Promise, Part 2

Paul wrote, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.1 In another essay I asked, “So, if God did not allow [Abimelech] to touch Sarah, why didn’t He do the same for Pharaoh and Sarai?” I’m hoping that a thorough study of the story of Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah will give me a richer understanding of Paul’s contrast between the children of the flesh and the children of promise, as well as an answer to that question. The next two verses in Genesis, a literary forerunner of the cinematic montage, follow:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 12:8, 9 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:8, 9 (NET)

Genesis 12:8, 9 (NETS)

Genesis 12:8, 9 (English Elpenor)

And [Abram] removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, and called upon the name of HaShem. Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord. And from there he withdrew to the mountain to the east of Baithel and set up his tent there—Baithel towards the sea and Haggai to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. And he departed thence to the mountain eastward of Baethel, and there he pitched his tent in Baethel near the sea, and Aggai toward the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord.
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South. Abram continually journeyed by stages down to the Negev. And Abram set out, and as he traveled he encamped in the wilderness. And Abram departed and went and encamped in the wilderness.

This is how Abram saw the land that God promised I will show you:2 he movedand pitched his tenthe built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord,3 day after week after month after year. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place4 he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land5 as though it were a foreign country, living in tents6 You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.7

In another essay I thought the Lord’s first promise to Abram began in verse 2. Until I got to verse 8 I completely missed the little one verb promise in the first verse: אַרְאֶֽךָּ (rā’â), I will show thee (Tanakh), and σοι δείξω in Greek in the Septuagint, I will show you (NETS). The Greek verb δείξω is a form of δεικνύω: “to show, point out, make known; to explain, prove; to cause to be seen; to point to; to bring to light, display; to demonstrate.”

So what was it about verse 8 that triggered me to find God’s promise in verse 1? Abram’s faithfulness wandering in the promised land day after week after month after year. As I wrote in another essay: “The enabling grace of God, implicit in his call or command, is manifest among the children of promise as obedience to his word.”

The writer of Hebrews began his remarks about Abraham with five beautiful words: Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν. It is a brilliant shorthand that has taken me a lifetime to begin to understand, mostly through trial and error. The first word Πίστει is a dative form of πίστις: “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.”8 By faith is an acceptable translation but it is clearly shorthand for, by being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.9

The Greek word translated as a passive verb phrase being sure was actually a noun, ὑπόστασις: “sustenance, support, subsistence; foundation (of a building); substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality; possessions, property; situation, condition; existence; rebellion, resistance; good chance of (something happening); realization; mutually agreed tariff; troops stationed at a military base.” I understand why the author chose it: For this reason I tell you, Jesus said, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.10 But I can also see that if anyone understood the writer of Hebrews to be suggesting that faith is the “substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality,” then James’ faith was perfected by works11 was a welcome corrective.

The NET translators’ passive verb phrase being convinced of was another noun in Greek, ἔλεγχος: “rebuttal, refutation, reproach; proof, proving; act of questioning; conviction (of a sinner); reproof, censure, correction; something that deserves open criticism.” This noun coupled with the passive verb phrase chosen by the NET translators implies a long history of divine instruction from unbelief to disbelief to faith, as does Abram’s response to the Lord’s simple promise: I will show you:12 It makes my question seem unnecessary, but I’ll ask it anyway: was this faith, Abraham’s certainty and conviction, something which originated with Abraham, or Abram?

Consider James again: You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.13 The Greek words translated his faith were πίστις; literally “the faith.” Perhaps “the faithfulness” is a better way to understand it: You see that the faithfulness was working together with his works and the faithfulness was perfected by works. In other words, Abraham’s acts of obedience to God’s word brought faithfulness to its intended conclusion. So, if the apparent faithfulness of Abraham didn’t originate with Abraham, then from what place or what source did it originate?

For from him and through him and to him are all things, Paul wrote of God. To him be glory forever! Amen.14 This is an important key to understanding the Scriptures. And so, I will understand Πίστει here as shorthand for “By God’s faithfulness.” The next word in the writer of Hebrews’ shorthand was καλούμενος.

It is a passive form of καλέω: “Grammatical voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), or the subject is the recipient of the action (passive voice). If the subject of the sentence is being acted upon, then the verb is referred to as being in the passive voice.”15 The translation, when he was called, is fine and adding Paul’s key to the Scriptures, Life, the Universe and Everything is not anything I’ve ever heard debated: when he was called by God: “By God’s faithfulness, when he was called by God, Abraham (Ἀβραὰμ)…”

The fourth word is ὑπήκουσεν, a form of ὑπακούω, translated obeyed in the NET. That feels like a short circuit to me. This whole word string is an admirable description of the obedience of faith (ὑπακοὴν πίστεως) that Paul considered the hallmark of his apostleship (Romans 1:5 NET):

Through [Jesus Christ our Lord] we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name.

The word string, to bring about the, may be a lot to ask of εἰς. I would be willing to modify it: grace and…apostleship “into” or “unto” or “for” obedience of faith or “faith’s obedience.” What I’m calling a “short circuit,” leaping to obeyed as a translation of ὑπήκουσεν alone, is what adults do to children.

Adults have neither time nor patience for children to learn the fruit of the Spirit, or to walk or live by the Spirit, the obedience of faith in other words. Adults expect to be obeyed immediately in the flesh. And that’s how children learn to obey—or not. It’s quite a culture shock if they bring this kind of “obedience in the flesh” to Jesus and He calls them actors, pretending to righteousness. For my purposes in this essay I’ll translate ὑπήκουσεν as he listened. Adding Paul’s key would render it: “he listened to God.”

So, that gives me: “By God’s faithfulness, when he was called by God, Abraham listened to God.” The final word of this beautiful word string is ἐξελθεῖν, an infinitive form of ἐξέρχομαι, to go out. And again, adding Paul’s key would render it, “to go out in the power of God.” So, I have this word string as a beautiful description of the obedience of faith practiced by the children of promise:

The obedience of faith practiced by the children of promise

Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν

“By God’s faithfulness, when he was called by God, Abraham listened to God to go out in the power of God”

For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God.16 So he journeyed to a land God promised: I will show you.17 It seems fairly obvious now that this promised land was a shadow cast by the new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.18 And that insight makes a definition of what I’ll call the obedience practiced by the children of the flesh possible.

The obedience practiced by the children of the flesh

“By my faith in my own calling, I listened to my own inner voice to go out in my own strength”

This is the life trajectory projected by the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires19 to a wished-for-land of my own ambition, to make my name great for my own praise and my own glory. And this innate belief, the natural inheritance of our flesh, can taint or corrupt, distort or pervert even such beautiful words as Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν. I’ll pick up where I left off in Genesis as the plot begins to thicken.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 12:10, 11 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:10, 11 (NET)

Genesis 12:10, 11 (NETS)

Genesis 12:10, 11 (English Elpenor)

And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land [Table]. There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay for a while because the famine was severe. And a famine occurred upon the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine prevailed upon the land [Table]. And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, because the famine prevailed in the land.
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife: ‘Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon [Table]. As he approached Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman. And it came about when Abram drew near to enter into Egypt that Abram said to his wife Sara, “I do know that your are a woman beautiful in countenance [Table], And it came to pass when Abram drew nigh to enter into Egypt, Abram said to Sara his wife, I know that thou art a fair woman.

This concern occurred to him at the border of the promised land. But that promised land, with boundaries and borders one might draw on a map, was only a shadow. I want to focus this time on that land God promised: I will show you.20

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 12:12, 13 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:12, 13 (NET)

Genesis 12:12, 13 (NETS)

Genesis 12:12, 13 (English Elpenor)

And it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say: This is his wife; and they will kill me, but thee they will keep alive [Table]. When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive. it will be, therefore, that should the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’, and they will kill me, but you they will keep for themselves [Table]. It shall come to pass then that when the Egyptians shall see thee, they shall say, This is his wife, and they shall slay me, but they shall save thee alive.
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee’ [Table]. So tell them you are my sister so that it may go well for me because of you and my life will be spared on account of you.” Say, therefore, ‘I am his sister’, so that it may go well with me because of you, and my soul will live on your account” [Table], Say, therefore, I am his sister, that it may be well with me on account of thee, and my soul shall live because of thee.

This doesn’t sound like faith to me. That’s really the only thing I need to recognize here. But since I’m approaching things differently this time, I wonder: Why have I always been waylaid here, focused on Abram’s fear and unbelief? And I think I have an answer: I talk a good game. I can write things like:

Πίστει is shorthand for “By God’s faithfulness.”

But when I want to do good, evil is present with me.21 Doubts and arguments come to mind: No, Abram’s faith is what matters. God’s faithfulness, though beyond dispute, is not the issue here. Such doubts and arguments arise even as I write this essay, but this time I can ignore them by focusing my attention on the land God promised: I will show you.22

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 12:14-17 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:14-17 (NET)

Genesis 12:14-17 (NETS)

Genesis 12:14-17 (English Elpenor)

And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair [Table]. When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. And it came about when Abram entered into Egypt—as the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful— [Table] And it came to pass when Abram entered into Egypt– the Egyptians having seen his wife that she was very beautiful–
And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house [Table]. When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh, that then the rulers of Pharao saw her and praised her to Pharao and brought her into Pharao’s house [Table]. that the princes of Pharao saw her, and praised her to Pharao and brought her into the house of Pharao.
And he dealt well with Abram for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels [Table]. and he did treat Abram well on account of her. Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. And for her sake they dealt well with Abram, and he had sheep and calves and donkeys, male and female slaves, mules and camels [Table]. And they treated Abram well on her account, and he had sheep, and calves, and asses, and men-servants, and women-servants, and mules, and camels.
And HaShem plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife [Table]. But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. And God tried Pharao and his house with great and grievous trials because of Sara, Abram’s wife [Table]. And God afflicted Pharao with great and severe afflictions, and his house, because of Sara, Abram’s wife.

This is utterly offensive to the religious mind. It believes, or wants me to believe, that all that transpired for Abram was the result, or should have been the result, of Abram’s faith or faithfulness rather than God’s (since I refuse to be thrown off the scent this time as Abram prospers pimping his beautiful wife). But the religious mind tips its hand here. I should probably say plainly that what I am calling the religious mind is a masquerade, an act, put on by the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires.23 It would prefer to persuade me to believe that nothing transpired for Abram, because Abram as revealed in the Bible never existed, because the Bible lies about everything that’s written in it, especially God, because there is no God but mee.g., the old man.

If I pay attention instead to the land God promised: I will show you,24 what does that land look like? God’s promise, and be thou a blessing,25 you will exemplify divine blessing,26 and you shall be one blessed,27 and thou shalt be blessed,28 didn’t fail because Abram was faithless. It didn’t cease in response to Sarai’s apparent adultery in obedience to her husband’s command. This becomes another confirmation that Πίστει truly is the writer of Hebrew’s shorthand for “By God’s faithfulness.”

And I see something else, too (Romans 9:22, 23 NET).

But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction? And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory…

This story of Abram, Sarai and Pharoah, as well as my own confusion about this story, helps me see that the objects of wrath prepared for destruction which God has endured with much patience refers, not only to Pharoah but, to something within Abram and Sarai as well: the old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires.29

I’ll continue with this in another essay.

Tables comparing Genesis 12:8 and 12:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Genesis 12:8 and 12:9 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Hebrews 11:8, 9 in the NET and KJV follow.

Genesis 12:8 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:8 (KJV)

Genesis 12:8 (NET)

And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, and called upon the name of HaShem. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord.

Genesis 12:8 (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 12:8 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ ἀπέστη ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος κατ᾽ ἀνατολὰς Βαιθηλ καὶ ἔστησεν ἐκεῖ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ Βαιθηλ κατὰ θάλασσαν καὶ Αγγαι κατ᾽ ἀνατολάς καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ θυσιαστήριον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου καὶ ἀπέστη ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος κατὰ ἀνατολὰς Βαιθὴλ καὶ ἔστησεν ἐκεῖ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ, Βαιθὴλ κατὰ θάλασσαν καὶ ᾿Αγγαὶ κατὰ ἀνατολάς· καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ θυσιαστήριον τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου

Genesis 12:8 (NETS)

Genesis 12:8 (English Elpenor)

And from there he withdrew to the mountain to the east of Baithel and set up his tent there—Baithel towards the sea and Haggai to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. And he departed thence to the mountain eastward of Baethel, and there he pitched his tent in Baethel near the sea, and Aggai toward the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord.

Genesis 12:9 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:9 (KJV)

Genesis 12:9 (NET)

And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. Abram continually journeyed by stages down to the Negev.

Genesis 12:9 (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 12:9 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ ἀπῆρεν Αβραμ καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐστρατοπέδευσεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ ἀπῇρεν ῞Αβραμ καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐστρατοπέδευσεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ

Genesis 12:9 (NETS)

Genesis 12:9 (English Elpenor)

And Abram set out, and as he traveled he encamped in the wilderness. And Abram departed and went and encamped in the wilderness.

Hebrews 11:8, 9 (NET)

Hebrews 11:8, 9 (KJV)

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Hebrews 11:8 (NET Parallel Greek)

Hebrews 11:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Hebrews 11:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τόπον ὃν ἤμελλεν λαμβάνειν εἰς κληρονομίαν, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν μὴ ἐπιστάμενος ποῦ ἔρχεται πιστει καλουμενος αβρααμ υπηκουσεν εξελθειν εις τον τοπον ον ημελλεν λαμβανειν εις κληρονομιαν και εξηλθεν μη επισταμενος που ερχεται πιστει καλουμενος αβρααμ υπηκουσεν εξελθειν εις τον τοπον ον ημελλεν λαμβανειν εις κληρονομιαν και εξηλθεν μη επισταμενος που ερχεται
By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

Hebrews 11:9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Hebrews 11:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Hebrews 11:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Πίστει παρῴκησεν εἰς γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσας μετὰ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς πιστει παρωκησεν εις την γην της επαγγελιας ως αλλοτριαν εν σκηναις κατοικησας μετα ισαακ και ιακωβ των συγκληρονομων της επαγγελιας της αυτης πιστει παρωκησεν εις την γην της επαγγελιας ως αλλοτριαν εν σκηναις κατοικησας μετα ισαακ και ιακωβ των συγκληρονομων της επαγγελιας της αυτης

1 Romans 9:8 (NET)

2 Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

3 Genesis 12:8 (NET)

4 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τον preceding place. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

5 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article την preceding land. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

6 Hebrews 11:8, 9a (NET)

7 James 2:22 (NET)

9 Hebrews 11:1 (NET)

10 Mark 11:24 (NET) Table

11 James 2:22 (NET)

12 Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

13 James 2:22 (NET)

14 Romans 11:36 (NET)

16 Hebrews 11:10 (NET)

17 Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

18 Ephesians 4:24b (NET)

19 Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

20 Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

21 Romans 7:21b (NET)

22 Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

23 Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

24 Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

25 Genesis 12:2b (Tanakh) Table

26 Genesis 12:2b (NET) Table

27 Genesis 12:2b (NETS) Table

28 Genesis 12:2b (English Elpenor) Table

29 Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

The Children of Promise, Part 1

[I]t is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; Paul wrote, rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.1 In another essay I asked, “So, if God did not allow [Abimelech] to touch Sarah, why didn’t He do the same for Pharaoh and Sarai?” I’m hoping that a thorough study of the story of Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah will give me not only a richer understanding of Paul’s contrast between the children of the flesh and the children of promise but an answer to this question as well.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 12:1 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:1 (NET)

Genesis 12:1 (NETS)

Genesis 12:1 (English Elpenor)

Now HaShem said unto Abram: ‘Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee [Table]. Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you. And the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country and from your kindred and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you [Table]. AND the Lord said to Abram, Go forth out of thy land and out of thy kindred, and out of the house of thy father, and come into the land which I will shew thee.

Here is the first contrast: the children of the flesh (NET note 18: “the natural offspring”) have a point of origin, a country, a kindred, a father’s house, while the children of promise are called by God: Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.2 As he3 was walking by the Sea of Galilee [Jesus] saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen) [Table]. He said to them, “Follow me (δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου).4 If you wish to be perfect, Jesus said to a young man who was very rich, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me (καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι).5

The first promise follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 12:2, 3 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:2, 3 (NET)

Genesis 12:2, 3 (NETS)

Genesis 12:2, 3 (English Elpenor)

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing [Table]. Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be one blessed [Table]. And I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed.
And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed’ [Table]. I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, so that all the families of the earth may receive blessing through you.” And I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse, and in you all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed” [Table]. And I will bless those that bless thee, and curse those that curse thee, and in thee shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed.

This contrast stands out clearly: the children of promise receive promises from God that are not received by the children of the flesh. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest, Jesus promised. Take my yoke on you and learn from me because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls [Table]. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.6

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 12:4 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:4 (NET)

Genesis 12:4 (NETS)

Genesis 12:4 (English Elpenor)

So Abram went, as HaShem had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him; and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. So Abram left, just as the Lord had told him to do, and Lot went with him. (Now Abram was 75 years old when he departed from Haran.) And Abram went, as the Lord had told him to, and Lot left with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years of age when he departed from Charran. And Abram went as the Lord spoke to him, and Lot departed with him, and Abram was seventy-five years old, when he went out of Charrhan.

The enabling grace of God, implicit in his call or command, is manifest among the children of promise as obedience to his word. God’s enabling grace is much less apparent among the children of the flesh. Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother7 left their nets immediately and followed [Jesus].8 But when the young man heard this (e.g., go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor9) he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.10 Even in the face of this rejection, however, Jesus remained confident in the enabling grace of God: for God all things are possible,11 He said.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 12:5, 6 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:5, 6 (NET)

Genesis 12:5, 6 (NETS)

Genesis 12:5, 6 English Elpenor)

And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they left for the land of Canaan. They entered the land of Canaan. And Abram took his wife Sara and his brother’s son Lot and all their possessions that they had acquired and every person whom they had acquired in Charran, and they departed to go to the land of Chanaan, and they came to the land of Chanaan. And Abram took Sara his wife, and Lot the son of his brother, and all their possessions, as many as they had got, and every soul which they had got in Charrhan, and they went forth to go into the land of Chanaan.
And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto the terebinth of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. Abram traveled through the land as far as the oak tree of Moreh at Shechem. (At that time the Canaanites were in the land.) And Abram passed through the land in its length as far as the place Sychem, at the high oak. Now at that time the Chananites used to inhabit the land. And Abram traversed the land lengthwise as far as the place Sychem, to the high oak, and the Chananites then inhabited the land.

Abram, blessed by God (Genesis 12:2), was sent to the Canaanites, descendants of Canaan, cursed by Noah (Genesis 9:20-27). I’m merely noting it at present, reminding myself to be mindful of how the Canaanites treat Abram (Genesis 12:3) as I proceed.

The Lord’s second promise to Abram follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 12:7 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:7 (NET)

Genesis 12:7 (NETS)

Genesis 12:7 (English Elpenor)

And HaShem appeared unto Abram, and said: ‘Unto thy seed will I give this land’; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, who appeared unto him [Table]. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. And the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “To your offspring I will give this land.” And Abram built there an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him [Table]. And the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, I will give this land to thy seed. And Abram built an altar there to the Lord who appeared to him.

I’m hesitant to draw any contrast here relative to the children of promise receiving promises from God that are not received by the children of the flesh. Consider this from the song Moses recited:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Deuteronomy 32:8 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 32:8 (NET)

Deuteronomy 32:8 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 32:8 (English Elpenor)

When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children (בְּנֵ֥י) of Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵֽל). When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided up humankind, he set the boundaries of the peoples, according to the number of the heavenly assembly [NET note 14: Heb “the sons (bēn, בני) of Israel (yiśrā’ēl, ישׁראל)”]. When the Most High was apportioning nations, as he scattered Adam’s sons, he fixed boundaries of nations according to the number of divine (θεοῦ) sons (ἀγγέλων), When the Most High divided the nations, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels (ἀγγέλων) of God (Θεοῦ).

The discrepancy between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint was addressed in a note (14) in the NET:

The idea, perhaps, is that Israel was central to Yahweh’s purposes and all other nations were arranged and distributed according to how they related to Israel. See S. R. Driver, Deuteronomy (ICC), 355-56. For the MT בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (bene yisraʾel, “sons of Israel”) a Qumran fragment has “sons of God,” while the LXX reads ἀγγέλων θεοῦ (angelōn theou, “angels of God”), presupposing בְּנֵי אֵל (bene ʾel) or בְּנֵי אֵלִים (bene ʾelim). “Sons of God” is undoubtedly the original reading; the MT and LXX have each interpreted it differently. MT assumes that the expression “sons of God” refers to Israel (cf. Hos. 1:10), while LXX has assumed that the phrase refers to the angelic heavenly assembly (Pss 29:1; 89:6; cf. as well Ps 82). The phrase is also attested in Ugaritic, where it refers to the high god El’s divine assembly. According to the latter view, which is reflected in the translation, the Lord delegated jurisdiction over the nations to his angelic host (cf. Dan. 10:13-21), while reserving for himself Israel, over whom he rules directly. For a defense of the view taken here, see M. S. Heiser, “Deuteronomy 32:8 and the Sons of God,” BSac 158 (2001): 52-74.

Though it feels a bit like dabbling in the occult, I’ll follow this through for a few moments:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Daniel 10:4-6 (Tanakh)

Daniel 10:4-6 (NET)

Daniel 10:4-6 (NETS)

Daniel 10:4-6 (English Elpenor)

And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; On the twenty-fourth day of the first month I was beside the great river, the Tigris. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, and as I was by the great river (this is the Eddekel), On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was near the great river, which is Tigris Eddekel.
Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man (אִֽישׁ) clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: I looked up and saw a man (‘îš, איש) clothed in linen; around his waist was a belt made of gold from Ufaz. and I raised my eyes and saw, and lo, there was one man (ἀνὴρ) clothed in baddin, and his waist girded by gold of Ophaz. And I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a man (ἀνὴρ) clothed in linen, and his loins were girt with gold of Ophaz:
His body also was like the beryl (כְתַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ), and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. His body resembled yellow jasper (taršîš, כתרשיש), and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches; his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd. And his body was like tharsis (ὡσεὶ θαρσις), and his face like an appearance of lightning, and his eyes like torches of fire, and his arms and legs like the appearance of gleaming bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a crowd. and his body was as Tharsis (ὡσεὶ θαρσίς), and his face was a [sic] the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his legs as the appearance of shining brass, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude.

Though Daniel called him אִֽישׁ (‘îš), ἀνὴρ in Greek, his description didn’t sound like any man I’ve ever seen. Rashi, following “Our Sages” recorded in a “Tractate,” understood כְתַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ (taršîš), translated like the beryl (Tanakh, KJV) and resembled yellow jasper (NET), as a measure of immense body size rather than a jaundiced appearance.

And his body was like tarshish: Our Sages of blessed memory explained in Tractate Hullin (9lb): “His body was two thousand parasangs large, like the measurement of the sea named Tarshish, and that is the sea of Africa (the Mediterranean).”12

The man spoke to Daniel:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Daniel 10:12-14 (Tanakh)

Daniel 10:12-14 (NET)

Daniel 10:12-14 (NETS)

Daniel 10:12-14 (English Elpenor)

Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God (אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ), thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהיך), your words were heard. I have come in response to your words. And he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you gave your heart to understanding and to be afflicted before your God (τοῦ θεοῦ σου), your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. And he said to me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to afflict thyself before the Lord (Κυρίου) thy God (τοῦ Θεοῦ σου), thy words were heard, and I am come because of thy words.
But the prince (וְשַׂ֣ר) of the kingdom of Persia withstood (עֹמֵ֚ד) me (לְנֶגְדִּי֙) one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief (הָֽרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים) princes (הַשָּׂרִ֥ים), came to help me; and I remained there with the kings (מַלְכֵ֥י) of Persia. However, the prince (śar, ושׁר) of the kingdom of Persia was opposing (ʿāmaḏ, עמד) me (neḡeḏ, לנגדי) for 21 days. But Michael, one of the leading (ri’šôn, הראשנים) princes (śar, השׁרים), came to help me, because I was left there with the kings (meleḵ, מלכי) of Persia. And the ruler (καὶ ἄρχων) of the kingdom of the Persians stood (εἱστήκει) opposite (ἐξ ἐναντίας) me (μου) twenty and one day. And lo, Michael, one of the chief (τῶν πρώτων) rulers (τῶν ἀρχόντων), came to help me, and I left him there with the ruler (τοῦ ἄρχοντος) of the kingdom of the Persians, But the prince (καὶ ἄρχων) of the kingdom of the Persians withstood (εἱστήκει ἐξ ἐναντίας) me (μου) twenty-one days: and behold, Michael, one of the princes (τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν πρώτων), came to help me; and I left him there with the chief (τοῦ ἄρχοντος) of the kingdom of the Persians:
Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in future days, for the vision pertains to days to come.” and I have come to instruct you about what will meet your people at the end of days, because the vision is yet for days.” and I have come to inform thee of all that shall befall thy people in the last days: for the vision is yet for [many] days.

This brief glimpse into an invisible realm disturbed me. How could a heavenly being sent by an omnipotent God be delayed even three weeks by, presumably, another heavenly being? It seemed to lend too much credence to the warring gods of pagan myths. But this time I get a different picture from the Hebrew and Greek words: עֹמֵ֚ד (ʿāmaḏ) לְנֶגְדִּי֙ (neḡeḏ), withstood me (Tanakh, KJV), was opposing me (NET); εἱστήκει ἐξ ἐναντίας μου, stood opposite me (NETS), withstood me (English Elpenor).

Consider Rashi’s commentary to Daniel 10:13:

has been standing against me: to battle with me in heaven by requesting an extension for the kingdom for Persia to enable them to subjugate you (Israel). Behold twenty-one days that he has been standing against me.

the first princes: those counted first among those who enter.

and I remained there: to silence the princes of Persia in heaven.13

So now, rather than warring pagan gods or a Star Wars battle sequence complete with light sabers and laser blasters, it sounds more like a parliamentary procedure in the assembly of El:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Psalm 82:1 (Tanakh)

Psalm 82:1 (NET)

Psalm 81:1 (NETS)

Psalm 81:1 (English Elpenor)

God standeth (נִצָּ֥ב) in the congregation (בַּֽעֲדַת) of the mighty14 (אֵ֑ל); he judgeth among the gods. A psalm of Asaph. God stands (nāṣaḇ, נצב) in the assembly (ʿēḏâ, בעדת) of El (‘ēl, אל); in the midst of the gods he renders judgment. A Psalm. Pertaining to Asaph. God stood (ἔστη) in a gathering (ἐν συναγωγῇ) of gods (θεῶν), but in their midst he discerningly judges gods: [A Psalm for Asaph.] God stands (ἔστη) in the assembly (ἐν συναγωγῇ) of gods (θεῶν); and in the midst [of them] will judge gods.

The only true God, delaying his plan twenty-one earth days to listen patiently with genuine interest to arguments put forth by the heavenly being He put in charge of Persia, sounds much more like the One I am beginning to know. It makes sense to me that Michael and the unnamed heavenly being who appeared to Daniel would argue the Lord’s points and purpose for Israel before Him as well and, ultimately, prevail.

I’ll continue with this in another essay.

Tables comparing Genesis 12:4; 12:5; 12:6; Deuteronomy 32:8; Daniel 10:4; 10:5; 10:6; 10:12; 10:13; 10:14 and Psalm 82:1 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Genesis 12:4; 12:5; 12:6; Deuteronomy 32:8; Daniel 10:4; 10:5; 10:6; 10:12; 10:13; 10:14 and Psalm 82:1 (81:1) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Genesis 12:4 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:4 (KJV)

Genesis 12:4 (NET)

So Abram went, as HaShem had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him; and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. So Abram left, just as the Lord had told him to do, and Lot went with him. (Now Abram was 75 years old when he departed from Haran.)

Genesis 12:4 (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 12:4 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ ἐπορεύθη Αβραμ καθάπερ ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ κύριος καὶ ᾤχετο μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ Λωτ Αβραμ δὲ ἦν ἐτῶν ἑβδομήκοντα πέντε ὅτε ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ Χαρραν καὶ ἐπορεύθη ῞Αβραμ, καθάπερ ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ Κύριος, καὶ ᾤχετο μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ Λώτ. ῞Αβραμ δὲ ἦν ἐτῶν ἑβδομηκονταπέντε, ὅτε ἐξῆλθε ἐκ Χαρράν

Genesis 12:4 (NETS)

Genesis 12:4 (English Elpenor)

And Abram went, as the Lord had told him to, and Lot left with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years of age when he departed from Charran. And Abram went as the Lord spoke to him, and Lot departed with him, and Abram was seventy-five years old, when he went out of Charrhan.

Genesis 12:5 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:5 (KJV)

Genesis 12:5 (NET)

And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they left for the land of Canaan. They entered the land of Canaan.

Genesis 12:5 (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 12:5 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ ἔλαβεν Αβραμ τὴν Σαραν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν Λωτ υἱὸν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτῶν ὅσα ἐκτήσαντο καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχήν ἣν ἐκτήσαντο ἐν Χαρραν καὶ ἐξήλθοσαν πορευθῆναι εἰς γῆν Χανααν καὶ ἦλθον εἰς γῆν Χανααν καὶ ἔλαβεν ῞Αβραμ Σάραν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν Λὼτ υἱὸν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτῶν, ὅσα ἐκτήσαντο, καὶ πᾶσαν ψυχήν, ἣν ἐκτήσαντο ἐκ Χαρράν, καὶ ἐξήλθοσαν πορευθῆναι εἰς γῆν Χαναάν

Genesis 12:5 (NETS)

Genesis 12:5 (English Elpenor)

And Abram took his wife Sara and his brother’s son Lot and all their possessions that they had acquired and every person whom they had acquired in Charran, and they departed to go to the land of Chanaan, and they came to the land of Chanaan. And Abram took Sara his wife, and Lot the son of his brother, and all their possessions, as many as they had got, and every soul which they had got in Charrhan, and they went forth to go into the land of Chanaan.

Genesis 12:6 (Tanakh)

Genesis 12:6 (KJV)

Genesis 12:6 (NET)

And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Shechem, unto the terebinth of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. Abram traveled through the land as far as the oak tree of Moreh at Shechem. (At that time the Canaanites were in the land.)

Genesis 12:6 (BLB Septuagint)

Genesis 12:6 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ διώδευσεν Αβραμ τὴν γῆν εἰς τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς ἕως τοῦ τόπου Συχεμ ἐπὶ τὴν δρῦν τὴν ὑψηλήν οἱ δὲ Χαναναῖοι τότε κατῴκουν τὴν γῆν καὶ διώδευσεν ῞Αβραμ τὴν γῆν εἰς τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς ἕως τοῦ τόπου Συχέμ, ἐπὶ τὴν δρῦν τὴν ὑψηλήν· οἱ δὲ Χαναναῖοι τότε κατῴκουν τὴν γῆν

Genesis 12:6 (NETS)

Genesis 12:6 (English Elpenor)

And Abram passed through the land in its length as far as the place Sychem, at the high oak. Now at that time the Chananites used to inhabit the land. And Abram traversed the land lengthwise as far as the place Sychem, to the high oak, and the Chananites then inhabited the land.

Deuteronomy 32:8 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 32:8 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 32:8 (NET)

When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided up humankind, he set the boundaries of the peoples, according to the number of the heavenly assembly.

Deuteronomy 32:8 (BLB Septuagint)

Deuteronomy 32:8 (Elpenor Septuagint)

ὅτε διεμέριζεν ὁ ὕψιστος ἔθνη ὡς διέσπειρεν υἱοὺς Αδαμ ἔστησεν ὅρια ἐθνῶν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων θεοῦ ὅτε διεμέριζεν ὁ ῞Υψιστος ἔθνη, ὡς διέσπειρεν υἱοὺς ᾿Αδάμ, ἔστησεν ὅρια ἐθνῶν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων Θεοῦ

Deuteronomy 32:8 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 32:8 (English Elpenor)

When the Most High was apportioning nations, as he scattered Adam’s sons, he fixed boundaries of nations according to the number of divine sons, When the Most High divided the nations, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God.

Daniel 10:4 (Tanakh)

Daniel 10:4 (KJV)

Daniel 10:4 (NET)

And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; On the twenty-fourth day of the first month I was beside the great river, the Tigris.

Daniel 10:4 (BLB Septuagint)

Daniel 10:4 (Elpenor Septuagint)

ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εἰκοστῇ καὶ τετάρτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου καὶ ἐγὼ ἤμην ἐχόμενα τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου αὐτός ἐστιν Εδδεκελ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εἰκοστῇ τετάρτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου, καὶ ἐγὼ ἤμην ἐχόμενα τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου, αὐτός ἐστι Τίγρις, ᾿Εδδεκέλ,

Daniel 10:4 (NETS)

Daniel 10:4 (English Elpenor)

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, and as I was by the great river (this is the Eddekel), On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was near the great river, which is Tigris Eddekel.

Daniel 10:5 (Tanakh)

Daniel 10:5 (KJV)

Daniel 10:5 (NET)

Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: I looked up and saw a man clothed in linen; around his waist was a belt made of gold from Ufaz.

Daniel 10:5 (BLB Septuagint)

Daniel 10:5 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ ἦρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου καὶ εἶδον καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ εἷς ἐνδεδυμένος βαδδιν καὶ ἡ ὀσφὺς αὐτοῦ περιεζωσμένη ἐν χρυσίῳ Ωφαζ καὶ ᾖρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου καὶ εἶδον καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ εἷς ἐνδεδυμένος βαδδίν, καὶ ἡ ὀσφὺς αὐτοῦ περιεζωσμένη ἐν χρυσίῳ ᾿Ωφάζ

Daniel 10:5 (NETS)

Daniel 10:5 (English Elpenor)

and I raised my eyes and saw, and lo, there was one man clothed in baddin, and his waist girded by gold of Ophaz. And I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a man clothed in linen, and his loins were girt with gold of Ophaz:

Daniel 10:6 (Tanakh)

Daniel 10:6 (KJV)

Daniel 10:6 (NET)

His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. His body resembled yellow jasper, and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches; his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.

Daniel 10:6 (BLB Septuagint)

Daniel 10:6 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ θαρσις καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ὅρασις ἀστραπῆς καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ λαμπάδες πυρός καὶ οἱ βραχίονες αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ σκέλη ὡς ὅρασις χαλκοῦ στίλβοντος καὶ ἡ φωνὴ τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ ὡς φωνὴ ὄχλου καὶ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ θαρσίς, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ὅρασις ἀστραπῆς, καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ λαμπάδες πυρός, καὶ οἱ βραχίονες αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ σκέλη ὡς ὅρασις χαλκοῦ στίλβοντος καὶ ἡ φωνὴ τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ ὡς φωνὴ ὄχλου

Daniel 10:6 (NETS)

Daniel 10:6 (English Elpenor)

And his body was like tharsis, and his face like an appearance of lightning, and his eyes like torches of fire, and his arms and legs like the appearance of gleaming bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a crowd. and his body was as Tharsis, and his face was a the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his legs as the appearance of shining brass, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude.

Daniel 10:12 (Tanakh)

Daniel 10:12 (KJV)

Daniel 10:12 (NET)

Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words.

Daniel 10:12 (BLB Septuagint)

Daniel 10:12 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ εἶπεν πρός με μὴ φοβοῦ Δανιηλ ὅτι ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἡμέρας ἧς ἔδωκας τὴν καρδίαν σου τοῦ συνιέναι καὶ κακωθῆναι ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ σου ἠκούσθησαν οἱ λόγοι σου καὶ ἐγὼ ἦλθον ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου καὶ εἶπε πρός με· μὴ φοβοῦ, Δανιήλ, ὅτι ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἡμέρας, ἧς ἔδωκας τὴν καρδίαν σου τοῦ συνεῖναι καὶ κακωθῆναι ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, ἠκούσθησαν οἱ λόγοι σου, καὶ ἐγὼ ἦλθον ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου

Daniel 10:12 (NETS)

Daniel 10:12 (English Elpenor)

And he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you gave your heart to understanding and to be afflicted before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. And he said to me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to afflict thyself before the Lord thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come because of thy words.

Daniel 10:13 (Tanakh)

Daniel 10:13 (KJV)

Daniel 10:13 (NET)

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me: and I remained there with the kings of Persia. However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for 21 days. But Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there with the kings of Persia.

Daniel 10:13 (BLB Septuagint)

Daniel 10:13 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ ὁ ἄρχων βασιλείας Περσῶν εἱστήκει ἐξ ἐναντίας μου εἴκοσι καὶ μίαν ἡμέραν καὶ ἰδοὺ Μιχαηλ εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν πρώτων ἦλθεν βοηθῆσαί μοι καὶ αὐτὸν κατέλιπον ἐκεῖ μετὰ τοῦ ἄρχοντος βασιλείας Περσῶν καὶ ὁ ἄρχων βασιλείας Περσῶν εἱστήκει ἐξ ἐναντίας μου εἴκοσι καὶ μίαν ἡμέραν, καὶ ἰδοὺ Μιχαὴλ εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν πρώτων ἦλθε βοηθῆσαί μοι, καὶ αὐτὸν κατέλιπον ἐκεῖ μετὰ τοῦ ἄρχοντος βασιλείας Περσῶν

Daniel 10:13 (NETS)

Daniel 10:13 (English Elpenor)

And the ruler of the kingdom of the Persians stood opposite me twenty and one day. And lo, Michael, one of the chief rulers, came to help me, and I left him there with the ruler of the kingdom of the Persians, But the prince of the kingdom of the Persians withstood me twenty-one days: and behold, Michael, one of the princes, came to help me; and I left him there with the chief of the kingdom of the Persians:

Daniel 10:14 (Tanakh)

Daniel 10:14 (KJV)

Daniel 10:14 (NET)

Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in future days, for the vision pertains to days to come.”

Daniel 10:14 (BLB Septuagint)

Daniel 10:14 (Elpenor Septuagint)

καὶ ἦλθον συνετίσαι σε ὅσα ἀπαντήσεται τῷ λαῷ σου ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ὅτι ἔτι ἡ ὅρασις εἰς ἡμέρας καὶ ἦλθον συνετίσαι σε ὅσα ἀπαντήσεται τῷ λαῷ σου ἐπ’ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν, ὅτι ἔτι ἡ ὅρασις εἰς ἡμέρας

Daniel 10:14 (NETS)

Daniel 10:14 (English Elpenor)

and I have come to instruct you about what will meet your people at the end of days, because the vision is yet for days.” and I have come to inform thee of all that shall befall thy people in the last days: for the vision is yet for [many] days.

Psalm 82:1 (Tanakh)

Psalm 82:1 (KJV)

Psalm 82:1 (NET)

God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. A psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. A psalm of Asaph. God stands in the assembly of El; in the midst of the gods he renders judgment.

Psalm 82:1 (BLB Septuagint)

Psalm 81:1 (Elpenor Septuagint)

ψαλμὸς τῷ Ασαφ ὁ θεὸς ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρίνει Ψαλμὸς τῷ ᾿Ασάφ. – Ο ΘΕΟΣ ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ

Psalm 81:1 (NETS)

Psalm 81:1 (English Elpenor)

A Psalm. Pertaining to Asaph. God stood in a gathering of gods, but in their midst he discerningly judges gods: [A Psalm for Asaph.] God stands in the assembly of gods; and in the midst [of them] will judge gods.

1 Romans 9:8 (NET)

2 Genesis 12:1 (NET) Table

3 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had ο ιησους (KJV: Jesus) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

4 Matthew 4:18, 19a (NET)

5 Matthew 19:21 (NET) Table

6 Matthew 11:28-30 (NET)

7 Matthew 4:18b (NET) Table

8 Matthew 4:20 (NET)

9 Matthew 19:21b (NET) Table

10 Matthew 19:22 (NET)

11 Matthew 19:26b (NET) Table

14 In the Tanakh on Chabad.org אֵ֑ל (‘ēl) was translated God.