Category Archives: Jedidiah

Paul’s OT Quotes – Romans 12:19-20

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What follows are Paul’s Old Testament Quotations from Romans 12:19, 20 (NET).

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Paul (NET)

Blue Letter Bible (Septuagint)

NET Bible (Greek parallel text)

1

 Vengeance is mine, I will repay…

Romans 12:19b (NET)

 ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω

Deuteronomy 32:35a Table

 εμοι εκδικησις εγω ανταποδωσω

Romans 12:19b

2

 …if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.

Romans 12:20 (NET) Table

 ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου τρέφε αὐτόν ἐὰν διψᾷ πότιζε αὐτόν τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ

Proverbs 25:21, 22 Table1 Table2

 εαν πεινα ο εχθρος σου ψωμιζε αυτον εαν διψα ποτιζε αυτον τουτο γαρ ποιων ανθρακας πυρος σωρευσεις επι την κεφαλην αυτου

Romans 12:20 Table

Paul apparently did his own translation part from the Hebrew and part from the Greek in Item #1.  The Septuagint translates, In the day of vengeance I will recompense, while the Hebrew translates, Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, according to Bill Braun.1

Item #2 is identical in the Septuagint, the parallel Greek text and the Hebrew, except for τρέφε, a form of τρέφω in the Septuagint where the parallel Greek text reads ψωμιζε, a form of ψωμίζω.

 

Addendum: March 18, 2020
The Elpenor version of the Septuagint had ψωμιζε (Table).

1 This site is no longer available.

Jedidiah, Part 6

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And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches1 in Christ Jesus.2  Paul wrote this blessing to the Philippians after receiving their gift to help in his ministry.  It is the theme in my mind for the next few lines of David’s song.  Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me!  Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance.  O Lord, give me the words!  Then my mouth will praise you.3

I don’t know if David the king was concerned about surviving the avenger of blood4 or the Lord’s decree: So now the sword will never depart from your house.5  But whether it is rescue from the guilt of murder or the words to praise God, David expected his God to supply his every need.  And just to remind myself again, his God did not call him an annoying leach or parasite, but a man after his own heart.6  God was, and still is, pleased with this kind of faith.

Since I brought up the avenger of blood I want to consider that for a moment because it fits in with my theme of finding the Gospel in the Old Testament.  There were cities of refuge in Israel for someone who committed unintentional homicide.  The perpetrator was considered a murderer, he had killed someone.  But if he made it to a city of refuge before the avenger of blood killed him, the people of that city were to decide between the murderer and the avenger of blood on the basis of Numbers 35:20-25a (NET):

…if [the murderer] strikes him out of hatred or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies, or with enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death, for he is a murderer.  The avenger of blood must kill the murderer when he meets him.  But if he strikes him suddenly, without enmity, or throws anything at him unintentionally, or with any stone large enough that a man could die, without seeing him, and throws it at him, and he dies, even though he was not his enemy nor sought his harm, then the community must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these decisions.  The community must deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood…

It surprised me to realize that Jesus hadn’t invented a novel thing when He said, You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’  But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother7 will be subjected to judgment.8  The hatred or enmity was what was supposed to be punished, even more so than the killing itself, in his law.  So, though the Ammonites actually killed Uriah in battle, because Joab withdrew support from him, it was David’s enmity toward Uriah that made David the actual murderer.

Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, David’s song continued, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.  The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit – O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.9  And Jesus told a parable about a tax collector who stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!”  I tell you that this man went down to his home justified (δεδικαιωμένος, a form of δικαιόω) rather than the Pharisee.10

Just as Achan’s sin impacted not only his own family but the whole nation, David’s attention focused last on Israel and its capital Jerusalem:  Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her!  Fortify the walls of Jerusalem!  Then you will accept the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings; then bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.11

These are the circumstances when God named Solomon Jedidiah: So David comforted his wife Bathsheba, after their first child died. He went to her and had marital relations with her.12  So here are the same two people doing exactly the same thing they did before.  She gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon.13  So the same two people did exactly the same thing with exactly the same result, but everything is different.  Now the Lord loved the child and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the Lord’s sake.14  According to the footnote Jedidiah means “loved by the Lord.”

Obviously this message from the Lord meant more to David and Bathsheba than it could ever mean to Solomon.  But I want to recall how much it meant to the Lord.  Even after Solomon broke every rule God gave the kings of Israel, the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.  However, for your father David’s sake I will not do this while you are alive.”15

As far as anyone knew David was already dead.  But I consider Jesus’ enigmatic statement to the Sadduccees, You are deceived, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God…have you not read what was spoken to you by God, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”?  He16 is not the God of the dead but of the living!17

Jesus quoted from Exodus.  When He spoke these words to Moses it was several hundred years since Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had died as far as anyone on this planet knew.  But Luke dispelled the enigma of Jesus’ words when he related the story in his Gospel.  The entire quote read, Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.18

In other words, one who believes Jesus finds yet another element of the Gospel here.  God continued to show his love for Jedidiah throughout Solomon’s lifetime for the sake of all that meant to the man after his own heart, the living David.  It is hard to imagine a more beautiful demonstration of the transforming power of Jesus’ forgiveness.  But here is one more for good measure.

Years later the blind prophet Ahijah spoke to Jeroboam’s wife:  Go, tell Jeroboam, the rebel king of the divided nation of Israel, This is what the Lord God of Israel says: “I raised you up from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel.  I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you.  But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve.”19  Though the incident remains in Scripture for the boy  Jesus’ benefit (and ours), it has been removed entirely, though justly and righteously, from his “rememory” of David’s life.

 

Addendum: February 23, 2020
A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation of Exodus 3:6 in Matthew 22:36 follows:

Matthew 22:32 (NET Parallel Greek)

 Exodus 3:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰακώβ ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου θεὸς Αβρααμ καὶ θεὸς Ισαακ καὶ θεὸς Ιακωβ ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου, Θεὸς ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ιακώβ

Matthew 22:32 (NET)

 Exodus 3:6 (NETS)

Exodus 3:6 (English Elpenor)
I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob I am the God of your father, God of Abraam and God of Isaak and God of Iakob. I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraam, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob

The story of Jeroboam’s wife’s visiting Ahijah the prophet (1 Kings 14:1-18) is apparently missing from the BLB version of the Septuagint.  I went to the next “rememory” of David’s life that I found in both versions of the Septuagint only to discover that it was not a “rememory” in the Masoretic text.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint (BLB, Elpenor)
1 Kings 15:4, 5 (Tanakh) 1 Kings 15:4, 5 (NET) 3 Reigns 15:4, 5 (NETS)

3 Kings 15:4, 5 (English Elpenor)
Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God maintained his dynasty in Jerusalem by giving him a son to succeed him and by protecting Jerusalem. For because of Dauid the Lord gave him a remnant, that he might establish his children after him and establish Ierousalem; Howbeit for David’s sake the Lord gave him a remnant, that he might establish his children after him, and might establish Jerusalem.
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. He did this because David had done what he approved and had not disregarded any of his commandments his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite. as Dauid did what was right before the Lord, he did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life. Forasmuch as David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord: he turned not from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life.

Before I began any methodical study of the Septuagint I would have assumed that the rabbis dropped any mention of Uriah the Hittite from their translation.  Now I’m more willing to consider whether the Masoretes added it to the original Hebrew text.  A comparison of the “rememories” in 1 and 2 Kings in the Masoretic text and the Septuagint might be an interesting study I may or may not pursue any time soon.  After all, the only reason I was interested in a Rememory in the movie The Final Cut was my own memory of God’s remembrances of David in English translation of the Masoretic text of 1 and 2 Kings.

Tables comparing Psalm 51:14; 51:15; Numbers 35:20; 35:21; 35:22; 35:23; 35:24; 35:25; Psalm 51:16; 51:17; 51:18; 51:19; 2 Samuel 12:24; 12:25; 1 Kings 11:11; 11:12; Exodus 3:6; 1 Kings 14:7; 14:8; 15:4 and 15:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Psalm 51:14 (50:16); 51:15 (50:17); Numbers 35:20; 35:21; 35:22; 35:23; 35:24; 35:25; Psalm 51:16 (50:18); 51:17 (50:19); 51:18 (50:20); 51:19 (50:21); 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 12:24; 12:25; 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 11:11; 11:12; Exodus 3:6; 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 14:7; 14:8; 15:4 and 15:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Following those are tables comparing Philippians 4:19; Matthew 5:22 and 22:32 in the NET and KJV.

Psalm 51:14 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:14 (KJV)

Psalm 51:14 (NET)
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me.  Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your righteousness.

Psalm 51:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ῥῦσαί με ἐξ αἱμάτων ὁ θεὸς ὁ θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου ἀγαλλιάσεται ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου ρῦσαί με ἐξ αἱμάτων, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου· ἀγαλλιάσεται ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου

Psalm 50:16 (NETS)

Psalm 50:16 (English Elpenor)
Rescue me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my deliverance; my tongue will rejoice at your righteousness. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: [and] my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness.

Psalm 51:15 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:15 (KJV)

Psalm 51:15 (NET)
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. O Lord, give me the words.  Then my mouth will praise you.

Psalm 51:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριε τὰ χείλη μου ἀνοίξεις καὶ τὸ στόμα μου ἀναγγελεῗ τὴν αἴνεσίν σου Κύριε, τὰ χείλη μου ἀνοίξεις, καὶ τὸ στόμα μου ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν αἴνεσίν σου

Psalm 50:17 (NETS)

Psalm 50:17 (English Elpenor)
O Lord, my lips you will open, and my mouth will declare your praise. O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

Numbers 35:20 (Tanakh)

 Numbers 35:20 (KJV)

Numbers 35:20 (NET)
And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him any thing, lying in wait, so that he died; But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; “‘But if he strikes him out of hatred or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies,

Numbers 35:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 35:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ δι᾽ ἔχθραν ὤσῃ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπιρρίψῃ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν πᾶν σκεῦος ἐξ ἐνέδρου καὶ ἀποθάνῃ ἐὰν δὲ δι’ ἔχθραν ὤσῃ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπιρρίψῃ ἐπ’ αὐτὸν πᾶν σκεῦος ἐξ ἐνέδρου, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ

Numbers 35:20 (NETS)

Numbers 35:20 (English Elpenor)
Now if out of enmity he pushes him and hurls at him any object from an ambush and he dies And if he should thrust him through enmity, or cast any thing upon him from an ambuscade, and the man should die,

Numbers 35:21 (Tanakh)

 Numbers 35:21 (KJV)

Numbers 35:21 (NET)
or in enmity smote him with his hand, that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death: he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meeteth him. Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. or with enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death, for he is a murderer. The avenger of blood must kill the murderer when he meets him.

Numbers 35:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 35:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ διὰ μῆνιν ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν τῇ χειρί καὶ ἀποθάνῃ θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ὁ πατάξας φονευτής ἐστιν θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ὁ φονεύων ὁ ἀγχιστεύων τὸ αἷμα ἀποκτενεῗ τὸν φονεύσαντα ἐν τῷ συναντῆσαι αὐτῷ ἢ διὰ μῆνιν ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν τῇ χειρί, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ὁ πατάξας, φονευτής ἐστι· θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ὁ φονεύων· ὁ ἀγχιστεύων τὸ αἷμα ἀποκτενεῖ τὸν φονεύσαντα ἐν τῷ συναντῆσαι αὐτῷ

Numbers 35:21 (NETS)

Numbers 35:21 (English Elpenor)
or out of rage he struck him with the hand and he dies, let the one who struck be put to death by death—he is a murderer; let the murderer be put to death by death; the one doing the relative’s blood duty shall strike the one that committed murder when he meets him. or if he have smitten him with his hand through anger, and the man should die, let the man that smote him be put to death by all means, he is a murderer: let the murderer by all means be put to death: the avenger of blood shall slay the murderer when he meets him.

Numbers 35:22 (Tanakh)

 Numbers 35:22 (KJV)

Numbers 35:22 (NET)
But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled upon him any thing without lying in wait, But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, “But if he strikes him suddenly, without enmity, or throws anything at him unintentionally,

Numbers 35:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 35:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ ἐξάπινα οὐ δι᾽ ἔχθραν ὤσῃ αὐτὸν ἢ ἐπιρρίψῃ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν πᾶν σκεῦος οὐκ ἐξ ἐνέδρου ἐὰν δὲ ἐξάπινα οὐ δι’ ἔχθραν ὤσῃ αὐτὸν ἢ ἐπιρρίψῃ ἐπ’ αὐτὸν πᾶν σκεῦος οὐκ ἐξ ἐνέδρου

Numbers 35:22 (NETS)

Numbers 35:22 (English Elpenor)
But if he pushes him suddenly, not out of enmity, or throws at him any object not from an ambush But if he should thrust him suddenly, not through enmity, or cast any thing upon him, not from an ambuscade,

Numbers 35:23 (Tanakh)

 Numbers 35:23 (KJV)

Numbers 35:23 (NET)
or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm; or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm; or with any stone large enough that a man could die, without seeing him, and throws it at him, and he dies, even though he was not his enemy nor sought his harm,

Numbers 35:23 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 35:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ παντὶ λίθῳ ἐν ᾧ ἀποθανεῗται ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ εἰδώς καὶ ἐπιπέσῃ ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν καὶ ἀποθάνῃ αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκ ἐχθρὸς αὐτοῦ ἦν οὐδὲ ζητῶν κακοποιῆσαι αὐτόν ἢ παντὶ λίθῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἀποθανεῖται ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ εἰδώς, καὶ ἐπιπέσῃ ἐπ’ αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκ ἐχθρὸς αὐτοῦ ἦν, οὐδὲ ζητῶν κακοποιῆσαι αὐτόν

Numbers 35:23 (NETS)

Numbers 35:23 (English Elpenor)
or with any stone—by which he may die—unknowingly, and it falls upon him and he dies but he is not his enemy nor was he seeking to harm him, or [smite him] with any stone, whereby a man may die, unawares, and it should fall upon him, and he should die, but he was not his enemy, nor sought to hurt him;

Numbers 35:24 (Tanakh)

 Numbers 35:24 (KJV)

Numbers 35:24 (NET)
then the congregation shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances; Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: then the community must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these decisions.

Numbers 35:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 35:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κρινεῗ ἡ συναγωγὴ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ πατάξαντος καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα κατὰ τὰ κρίματα ταῦτα καὶ κρινεῖ ἡ συναγωγὴ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ πατάξαντος καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα, κατὰ τὰ κρίματα ταῦτα

Numbers 35:24 (NETS)

Numbers 35:24 (English Elpenor)
then the congregation shall judge between the striker and between the one doing the relative’s blood duty, according to these judgments, then the assembly shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood, according to these judgments.

Numbers 35:25 (Tanakh)

 Numbers 35:25 (KJV)

Numbers 35:25 (NET)
and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled; and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. The community must deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the community must restore him to the town of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the consecrated oil.

Numbers 35:25 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 35:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξελεῗται ἡ συναγωγὴ τὸν φονεύσαντα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα καὶ ἀποκαταστήσουσιν αὐτὸν ἡ συναγωγὴ εἰς τὴν πόλιν τοῦ φυγαδευτηρίου αὐτοῦ οὗ κατέφυγεν καὶ κατοικήσει ἐκεῗ ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας ὃν ἔχρισαν αὐτὸν τῷ ἐλαίῳ τῷ ἁγίῳ καὶ ἐξελεῖται ἡ συναγωγὴ τὸν φονεύσαντα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα, καὶ ἀποκαταστήσουσιν αὐτὸν ἡ συναγωγὴ εἰς τὴν πόλιν τοῦ φυγαδευτηρίου αὐτοῦ, οὗ κατέφυγε, καὶ κατοικήσει ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας, ὃν ἔχρισαν αὐτὸν τῷ ἐλαίῳ τῷ ἁγίῳ

Numbers 35:25 (NETS)

Numbers 35:25 (English Elpenor)
and the congregation shall rescue the one that committed murder from the one doing the relative’s blood duty.  And the congregation shall restore him to the city of his place of refuge, where he fled for refuge.  And he shall live there until the great priest dies, him whom they anointed with the holy oil. And the congregation shall rescue the slayer from the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he fled for refuge; and he shall dwell there till the death of the high-priest, whom they anointed with the holy oil.

Psalm 51:16 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:16 (KJV)

Psalm 51:16 (NET)
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.

Psalm 51:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι εἰ ἠθέλησας θυσίαν ἔδωκα ἄν ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐκ εὐδοκήσεις ὅτι εἰ ἠθέλησας θυσίαν, ἔδωκα ἄν· ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐκ εὐδοκήσεις

Psalm 50:18 (NETS)

Psalm 50:18 (English Elpenor)
because if you had wanted sacrifice, I would have given it; with whole burnt offerings you will not be pleased. For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given [it]: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings.

Psalm 51:17 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:17 (KJV)

Psalm 51:17 (NET)
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. The sacrifice God desires is a humble spirit—O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.

Psalm 51:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
θυσία τῷ θεῷ πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον καρδίαν συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουθενώσει θυσία τῷ Θεῷ πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον, καρδίαν συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουδενώσει

Psalm 50:19 (NETS)

Psalm 50:19 (English Elpenor)
Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.

Psalm 51:18 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:18 (KJV)

Psalm 51:18 (NET)
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her.  Fortify the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalm 51:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀγάθυνον κύριε ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ σου τὴν Σιων καὶ οἰκοδομηθήτω τὰ τείχη Ιερουσαλημ ἀγάθυνον, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ σου τὴν Σιών, καὶ οἰκοδομηθήτω τὰ τείχη ῾Ιερουσαλήμ

Psalm 50:20 (NETS)

Psalm 50:20 (English Elpenor)
Do good to Sion in your good pleasure, and let the walls of Ierousalem be built; Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built.

Psalm 51:19 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:19 (KJV)

Psalm 51:19 (NET)
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. Then you will accept the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings; then bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.

Psalm 51:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε εὐδοκήσεις θυσίαν δικαιοσύνης ἀναφορὰν καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα τότε ἀνοίσουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριόν σου μόσχους τότε εὐδοκήσεις θυσίαν δικαιοσύνης, ἀναφορὰν καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα· τότε ἀνοίσουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριόν σου μόσχους

Psalm 50:21 (NETS)

Psalm 50:21 (English Elpenor)
then you will delight in a sacrifice of righteousness, in offering and whole burnt offerings; then they will offer calves on your altar. Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.

2 Samuel 12:24 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:24 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:24 (NET)
And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and called his name Solomon.  And HaShem loved him; And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him. So David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He came to her and went to bed with her. Later she gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon.  Now the Lord loved the child

2 Samuel 12:24 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παρεκάλεσεν Δαυιδ Βηρσαβεε τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ συνέλαβεν καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σαλωμων καὶ κύριος ἠγάπησεν αὐτόν καὶ παρεκάλεσε Δαυὶδ Βηρσαβεὲ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετ’ αὐτῆς καὶ συνέλαβε καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σαλωμών, καὶ Κύριος ἠγάπησεν αὐτόν

2 Reigns 12:24 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:24 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid consoled Bersabee his wife and went in to her and lay with her, and she conceived and bore a son and called his name Salomon.  And the Lord loved him. Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.

2 Samuel 12:25 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:25 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:25 (NET)
and He sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah, for HaShem’S sake. And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD. and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the Lord’s sake.

2 Samuel 12:25 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ Ναθαν τοῦ προφήτου καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ιδεδι ἕνεκεν κυρίου καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ Νάθαν τοῦ προφήτου, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Ιεδεδί, ἕνεκεν Κυρίου

2 Reigns 12:25 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:25 (English Elpenor)
And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Idedi, on account of the Lord. Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.

1 Kings 11:11 (Tanakh)

 1 Kings 11:11 (KJV)

1 Kings 11:11 (NET)
Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.

1 Kings 11:11 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 11:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Σαλωμων ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐγένετο ταῦτα μετὰ σοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου ἃ ἐνετειλάμην σοι διαρρήσσων διαρρήξω τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἐκ χειρός σου καὶ δώσω αὐτὴν τῷ δούλῳ σου καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Σαλωμών· ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἐγένετο ταῦτα μετὰ σοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου, ἃ ἐνετειλάμην σοι, διαρρήσσων διαρρήξω τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἐκ χειρός σου καὶ δώσω αὐτὴν τῷ δούλῳ σου

3 Reigns 11:11 (NETS)

3 Kings 11:11 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to Salomon, “Since these thing were with you and you did not keep my commandments and my ordinances that I commanded you, tearing I will tear your kingdom from your hand and give it to your slave. And the Lord said to Solomon, Because it has been thus with thee, and thou hast not kept my commandments and my ordinances which I commanded thee, I will surely rend thy kingdom out of thy hand, and give it to thy servant.

1 Kings 11:12 (Tanakh)

 1 Kings 11:12 (KJV)

1 Kings 11:12 (NET)
Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. However, for your father David’s sake I will not do this while you are alive.  I will tear it away from your son’s hand instead.

1 Kings 11:12 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 11:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πλὴν ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις σου οὐ ποιήσω αὐτὰ διὰ Δαυιδ τὸν πατέρα σου ἐκ χειρὸς υἱοῦ σου λήμψομαι αὐτήν πλὴν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις σου οὐ ποιήσω αὐτὰ διὰ Δαυὶδ τὸν πατέρα σου· ἐκ χειρὸς υἱοῦ σου λήψομαι αὐτήν

3 Reigns 11:12 (NETS)

3 Kings 11:12 (English Elpenor)
Yet, for the sake of your father Dauid I will not do them in your days; I will take it out of the hand of your son. Only in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: [but] I will take it out of the hand of thy son.

Exodus 3:6 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 3:6 (KJV)

Exodus 3:6 (NET)
Moreover He said: ‘I am the G-d of thy father, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob.’  And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon G-d. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. He added, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 3:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου θεὸς Αβρααμ καὶ θεὸς Ισαακ καὶ θεὸς Ιακωβ ἀπέστρεψεν δὲ Μωυσῆς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εὐλαβεῗτο γὰρ κατεμβλέψαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου, Θεὸς ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ιακώβ. ἀπέστρεψε δὲ Μωυσῆς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ· εὐλαβεῖτο γὰρ κατεμβλέψαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ

Exodus 3:6 (NETS)

Exodus 3:6 (English Elpenor)
And he said to him, “I am the God of your father, God of Abraam and God of Isaak and God of Iakob.”  And Moyses turned his face away, for he was being reverent to look down before God. And he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraam, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and Moses turned away his face, for he was afraid to gaze at God.

1 Kings 14:7 (Tanakh)

 1 Kings 14:7 (KJV)

1 Kings 14:7 (NET)
Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel has said: “I raised you up from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel.

1 Kings 14:7 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 14:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA πορευθεῖσα εἰπὸν τῷ ῾Ιεροβοάμ· τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ισραήλ· ἀνθ᾿ οὗ ὅσον ὕψωσά σε ἀπὸ μέσου λαοῦ καὶ ἔδωκά σε ἡγούμενον ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν μου ᾿Ισραήλ,

3 Reigns 14:7 (NETS)

3 Kings 14:7 (English Elpenor)
NA In going, say to Jeroboam, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Because as much as I exalted you from the midst of the people and appointed you leading over the people of Israel,

1 Kings 14:8 (Tanakh)

 1 Kings 14:8 (KJV)

1 Kings 14:8 (NET)
And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes; I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve.

1 Kings 14:8 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 14:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA καὶ ἔρρηξα σὺν τὸ βασίλειον ἀπὸ τοῦ οἶκου Δαυὶδ καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτό σοι καὶ οὐκ ἐγένου ὡς ὁ δοῦλός μου Δαυίδ, ὃς ἐφύλαξε τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ ὃς ἐπορεύθη ὀπίσω μου ἐν πάσῃ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ποιῆσαι ἕκαστος τὸ εὐθὲς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου

3 Reigns 14:8 (NETS)

3 Kings 14:8 (English Elpenor)
NA and tore the crown of state from the house of David and gave it to you; and you have not become as my servant David who kept my commandments, and who went after me with all his heart, to do right in my eyes.

1 Kings 15:4 (Tanakh)

 1 Kings 15:4 (KJV)

1 Kings 15:4 (NET)
Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God maintained his dynasty in Jerusalem by giving him a son to succeed him and by protecting Jerusalem.

1 Kings 15:4 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 15:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι διὰ Δαυιδ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ κύριος κατάλειμμα ἵνα στήσῃ τέκνα αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτὸν καὶ στήσῃ τὴν Ιερουσαλημ ὅτι διὰ Δαυὶδ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ Κύριος κατάλειμμα, ἵνα στήσῃ τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτὸν καὶ στήσῃ τὴν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ

3 Reigns 15:4 (NETS)

3 Kings 15:4 (English Elpenor)
For because of Dauid the Lord gave him a remnant, that he might establish his children after him and establish Ierousalem; Howbeit for David’s sake the Lord gave him a remnant, that he might establish his children after him, and might establish Jerusalem.

1 Kings 15:5 (Tanakh)

 1 Kings 15:5 (KJV)

1 Kings 15:5 (NET)
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. He did this because David had done what he approved and had not disregarded any of his commandments his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite.

1 Kings 15:5 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 15:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ἐποίησεν Δαυιδ τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον κυρίου οὐκ ἐξέκλινεν ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐποίησε Δαυὶδ τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, οὐκ ἐξέκλινεν ἀπὸ πάντων, ὧν ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ, πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ

3 Reigns 15:5 (NETS)

3 Kings 15:5 (English Elpenor)
as Dauid did what was right before the Lord, he did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life. Forasmuch as David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord: he turned not from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life.

Philippians 4:19 (NET)

Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ὁ δὲ θεός μου πληρώσει πᾶσαν χρείαν ὑμῶν κατὰ τὸ πλοῦτος αὐτοῦ ἐν δόξῃ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ο δε θεος μου πληρωσει πασαν χρειαν υμων κατα τον πλουτον αυτου εν δοξη εν χριστω ιησου ο δε θεος μου πληρωσει πασαν χρειαν υμων κατα τον πλουτον αυτου εν δοξη εν χριστω ιησου

Matthew 5:22 (NET)

Matthew 5:22 (KJV)
But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment.  And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ· ρακά, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῷ συνεδρίῳ· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν εἴπῃ· μωρέ, ἔνοχος ἔσται εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός εγω δε λεγω υμιν οτι πας ο οργιζομενος τω αδελφω αυτου εικη ενοχος εσται τη κρισει ος δ αν ειπη τω αδελφω αυτου ρακα ενοχος εσται τω συνεδριω ος δ αν ειπη μωρε ενοχος εσται εις την γεενναν του πυρος εγω δε λεγω υμιν οτι πας ο οργιζομενος τω αδελφω αυτου εικη ενοχος εσται τη κρισει ος δ αν ειπη τω αδελφω αυτου ρακα ενοχος εσται τω συνεδριω ος δ αν ειπη μωρε ενοχος εσται εις την γεενναν του πυρος

Matthew 22:32 (NET)

Matthew 22:32 (KJV)
‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living!” I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰακώβ; οὐκ ἔστιν [ὁ] θεὸς νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων εγω ειμι ο θεος αβρααμ και ο θεος ισαακ και ο θεος ιακωβ ουκ εστιν ο θεος θεος νεκρων αλλα ζωντων εγω ειμι ο θεος αβρααμ και ο θεος ισαακ και ο θεος ιακωβ ουκ εστιν ο θεος θεος νεκρων αλλα ζωντων

1 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πλοῦτος here in the nominative case preceded by its appropriate article τὸ, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πλουτον in the accusative case preceded by its appropriate article τον.

2 Philippians 4:19 (NET)

3 Psalm 51:14, 15 (NET)

5 2 Samuel 12:10a (NET) Table

6 Acts 13:22 (NET), 1 Samuel 13:14 Septuagint (τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ), but it is getting harder to find in translations from contemporary Hebrew.

7 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εικη (KJV: without a cause) following his brother.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

8 Matthew 5:21, 22a (NET)

9 Psalm 51:16, 17 (NET)

10 Luke 18:13, 14a (NET) Table

11 Psalm 51:18, 19 (NET)

12 2 Samuel 12:24ab (NET)

13 2 Samuel 12:24c (NET)

14 2 Samuel 12:24d, 25 (NET)

15 1 Kings 11:11, 12a (NET)

16 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had θεος (KJV: God) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

17 Matthew 22:29, 31b, 32 (NET)

18 Luke 20:38 (NET)

19 1 Kings 14:7, 8 (NET)

Jedidiah, Part 5

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David’s song continued: Create for me a pure heart, O God!  Renew a resolute spirit within me!  Do not reject me!  Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me! 1  Whatever Daivid’s understanding of making sins as white as snow, he apparently grasped that creating a pure heart and renewing a resolute spirit was the work of the Holy Spirit rather than his own.  David continued: Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!  Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey! 2

It was both surprising and encouraging to find this man after Jesus’ own heart in the Old Testament who would say, amen, to Paul’s saying, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.3 There is however a New Testament corollary to the concept of making sins as white as snow:  And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose…4

For all things to work together for good for me, the effect of other people’s sins on my life must be neutralized.  One might say, though their sins are like red, they must be made white as snow in their effect upon me, though they are red like scarlet, they must be made like wool.  Here, on this side of the equation, Jesus provided all kinds of instruction for his followers to be part of the process of gathering with Him rather than scattering.5  First and foremost among these is, forgive: if you have anything against anyone, forgive (ἀφίετε, a form of ἀφίημι) him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive (ἀφῇ, another form of ἀφίημι) you your sins (παραπτώματα, a form of παράπτωμα).6  This is quite frankly the fastest way to mute the effect of others’ sins on my life. If God is for us, who can be against us?7 

If I thought of this as law instead of love, then I tried to puff up some phony forgiveness like a tea kettle or a “little engine that could,” or else God wouldn’t forgive me my sins.  But when I thought of this is as love rather than law, I realized I could take from the Lord’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that flows like a stream of living water through me, and—knowing that no one is less deserving of forgiveness than I—share the overflow of that mercy, grace and forgiveness and the gift of righteousness as freely with another as I have received it myself.

You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” the Lord Jesus quoted the limits on retribution He had placed in the law He gave to Moses.  But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer.  But whoever strikes you on8 the9 right cheek, turn the other to him as well.  And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, give him your coat also.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.10  Follow me,11 Jesus said.  He wants his followers to join Him in blunting the effectiveness of sin, not as sin eaters per se, but more like sin shock absorbers.  This is the limit, from here the shit stops rolling down hill.

Give12 to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow13 from you, Jesus continued.  You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor” and “hate your enemy.”  But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you [Table], so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.14

This reminds me of the movie 300.  First the phalanx absorbs the shock of sin’s assault, then comes the push back.  And David continued: Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to you.15  This teaching is not didactic but a loving demonstration of the very mercy that is its object.  Paul picked up on the militant spirit of overcoming, or conquering, evil with good (Romans 12:9-21 NET).

Love (ἀγάπη) must be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good (ἀγαθῷ, a form of ἀγαθός).  Be devoted to one another with mutual love (φιλόστοργοι, a form of φιλόστοργος), showing eagerness in honoring one another.  Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.16  Rejoice (χαίροντες, a form of χαίρω) in hope (ἐλπίδι, a form of ἐλπίς), endure (ὑπομένοντες, a form of ὑπομένω) in suffering (θλίψει, a form of θλίψις), persist in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse.  Rejoice (χαίρειν, another form of χαίρω) with those who rejoice (χαιρόντων, another form of χαίρω),17  weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.  Do not be conceited.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.  Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  Rather,18  if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals19 on his head.  Do not be overcome (νικῶ, a form of νικάω) by evil, but overcome (νίκα, another form of νικάω) evil with good (ἀγαθῷ, a form of ἀγαθός).

I couldn’t help but notice how similar these instructions are to the love that fulfills the law (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NET).

Love (ἀγάπη) is patient (μακροθυμεῖ, a form of μακροθυμέω), love is kind, it is not envious.  Love does not brag, it is not puffed up.  It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.  It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes (πιστεύει, a form of πιστεύω) all things, hopes (ἐλπίζει, a form of ἐλπίζω) all things, endures (ὑπομένει, another form of ὑπομένω) all things.

None of this, however, originates with me.  All of it comes from drinking and continuing to drink from that river of living water20 which is the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23 NET Table).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη), joy (χαρά), peace, patience (μακροθυμία), kindness, goodness (ἀγαθωσύνη), faithfulness (πίστις), gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

 

 

Addendum: February 2, 2020
Tables comparing the NET parallel Greek of Jesus’ quotation from Exodus or Leviticus with the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow:

Matthew 5:38b (NET Parallel Greek)

 Exodus 21:24a (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:24a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος

Matthew 5:38b (NET)

 Exodus 21:24a (NETS)

Exodus 21:24a (English Elpenor)
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. eye for eye, tooth for tooth, eye for eye, tooth for tooth,

Matthew 5:38b (NET Parallel Greek)

 Leviticus 24:20b (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 24:20b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος

Matthew 5:38b (NET)

 Leviticus 24:20b (NETS)

Leviticus 24:20b (English Elpenor)
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. eye for eye, tooth for tooth; eye for eye, tooth for tooth:

A table comparing the NET parallel Greek of Jesus’ quotation from Leviticus (Table) with the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follows:

Matthew 5:43b (NET Parallel Greek)

 Leviticus 19:18b (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 19:18b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου

Matthew 5:43b (NET)

 Leviticus 19:18b (NETS)

Leviticus 19:18b (English Elpenor)
Love your neighbor you shall love your neighbor thou shalt love thy neighbour

It seems possible to me that Paul, given his own proclivity toward vengeance (Acts 9:1-9; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 1 Timothy 1:12-14), shared a personal word from the Lord with believers in Rome, but a table comparing the NET parallel Greek as an allusion to Deuteronomy in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follows:

Romans 12:19b (NET Parallel Greek)

 Deuteronomy 32:35a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 32:35a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω

Romans 12:19b (NET)

 Deuteronomy 32:35a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 32:35a (English Elpenor)
Vengeance is mine, I will repay In a day of vengeance, I will repay, In the day of vengeance I will recompense,

A table comparing the NET parallel Greek of Paul’s quotation from Proverbs with the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follows:

Romans 12:20b (NET Parallel Greek)

 Proverbs 25:21, 22a (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 25:21, 22a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν· ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου τρέφε αὐτόν ἐὰν διψᾷ πότιζε αὐτόν τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν, ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ

Romans 12:20b (NET)

 Proverbs 25:21, 22a (NETS)

Proverbs 25:21, 22a (English Elpenor)
if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. If your enemy is hungry, nourish him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink.  For by doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head, If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head,

Tables comparing Psalm 51:10; Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Psalm 51:13; Deuteronomy 32:35; Proverbs 25:21 and 25:22 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Psalm 51:10 (50:12); Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Psalm 51:13 (50:15); Deuteronomy 32:35; Proverbs 25:21 and 25:22 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Following those are tables comparing Matthew 5:39; 5:42; Romans 12:11; 12:15 and 12:20 in the NET and KJV.

Psalm 51:10 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:10 (KJV)

Psalm 51:10 (NET)
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Create for me a pure heart, O God.  Renew a resolute spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καρδίαν καθαρὰν κτίσον ἐν ἐμοί ὁ θεός καὶ πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐγκαίνισον ἐν τοῗς ἐγκάτοις μου καρδίαν καθαρὰν κτίσον ἐν ἐμοί, ὁ Θεός, καὶ πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐγκαίνισον ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις μου

Psalm 50:12 (NETS)

Psalm 50:12 (English Elpenor)
A clean heart create in me, O God, and an upright spirit renew wthin me. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts.

Exodus 21:24 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 21:24 (KJV)

Exodus 21:24 (NET)
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Exodus 21:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος χεῗρα ἀντὶ χειρός πόδα ἀντὶ ποδός ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, χεῖρα ἀντὶ χειρός, πόδα ἀντὶ ποδός

Exodus 21:24 (NETS)

Exodus 21:24 (English Elpenor)
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Leviticus 24:20 (Tanakh)

 Leviticus 24:20 (KJV)

Leviticus 24:20 (NET)
breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath maimed a man, so shall it be rendered unto him. breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be rendered unto him. fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth—just as he inflicts an injury on another person that same injury must be inflicted on him.

Leviticus 24:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 24:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σύντριμμα ἀντὶ συντρίμματος ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος καθότι ἂν δῷ μῶμον τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ οὕτως δοθήσεται αὐτῷ σύντριμμα ἀντὶ συντρίμματος, ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, καθότι ἂν δῷ μῶμον τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, οὕτω δοθήσεται αὐτῷ

Leviticus 24:20 (NETS)

Leviticus 24:20 (English Elpenor)
fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as one gives a blemish to a person, so shall it be given to him. bruise for bruise, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as any one may inflict a blemish on a man, so shall it be rendered to him.

Psalm 51:13 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:13 (KJV)

Psalm 51:13 (NET)
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto thee. Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and sinners will turn to you.

Psalm 51:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διδάξω ἀνόμους τὰς ὁδούς σου καὶ ἀσεβεῗς ἐπὶ σὲ ἐπιστρέψουσιν διδάξω ἀνόμους τὰς ὁδούς σου, καὶ ἀσεβεῖς ἐπὶ σὲ ἐπιστρέψουσι

Psalm 50:15 (NETS)

Psalm 50:15 (English Elpenor)
I will teach lawless one your ways, and impious ones will return to you. [Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee.

Deuteronomy 32:35 (Tanakh)

 Deuteronomy 32:35 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 32:35 (NET)
Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that are to come upon them shall make haste. To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. I will get revenge and pay them back at the time their foot slips; for the day of their disaster is near, and the impending judgment is rushing upon them!”

Deuteronomy 32:35 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 32:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω ἐν καιρῷ ὅταν σφαλῇ ὁ ποὺς αὐτῶν ὅτι ἐγγὺς ἡμέρα ἀπωλείας αὐτῶν καὶ πάρεστιν ἕτοιμα ὑμῗν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω, ἐν καιρῷ, ὅταν σφαλῇ ὁ ποῦς αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐγγὺς ἡμέρα ἀπωλείας αὐτοῖς, καὶ πάρεστιν ἕτοιμα ὑμῖν

Deuteronomy 32:35 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 32:35 (English Elpenor)
In a day of vengeance, I will repay, in a time when their foot slips, because near is the day of their destruction and things prepared for you are at hand. In the day of vengeance I will recompense, whensoever their foot shall be tripped up; for the day of their destruction [is] near to them, and the judgments at hand are close upon you.

Proverbs 25:21 (Tanakh)

 Proverbs 25:21 (KJV)

Proverbs 25:21 (NET)
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,

Proverbs 25:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 25:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου τρέφε αὐτόν ἐὰν διψᾷ πότιζε αὐτόν ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν, ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν

Proverbs 25:21 (NETS)

Proverbs 25:21 (English Elpenor)
If your enemy is hungry, nourish him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink. If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;

Proverbs 25:22 (Tanakh)

 Proverbs 25:22 (KJV)

Proverbs 25:22 (NET)
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Proverbs 25:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 25:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ὁ δὲ κύριος ἀνταποδώσει σοι ἀγαθά τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἀνταποδώσει σοι ἀγαθά

Proverbs 25:22 (NETS)

Proverbs 25:22 (English Elpenor)
For by doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you with good things. for so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee [with] good.

Matthew 5:39 (NET)

Matthew 5:39 (KJV)
But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer.  But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ· ἀλλ᾿ ὅστις σε ραπίζει εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα,  στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην εγω δε λεγω υμιν μη αντιστηναι τω πονηρω αλλ οστις σε ραπισει επι την δεξιαν σου σιαγονα στρεψον αυτω και την αλλην εγω δε λεγω υμιν μη αντιστηναι τω πονηρω αλλ οστις σε ραπισει επι την δεξιαν σου σιαγονα στρεψον αυτω και την αλλην

Matthew 5:42 (NET)

Matthew 5:42 (KJV)
Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
τῷ αἰτοῦντι σε δός, καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ δανίσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς τω αιτουντι σε διδου και τον θελοντα απο σου δανεισασθαι μη αποστραφης τω αιτουντι σε διδου και τον θελοντα απο σου δανεισασθαι μη αποστραφης

Romans 12:11 (NET)

Romans 12:11 (KJV)
Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord. Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί, τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες, τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες τη σπουδη μη οκνηροι τω πνευματι ζεοντες τω καιρω δουλευοντες τη σπουδη μη οκνηροι τω πνευματι ζεοντες τω κυριω δουλευοντες

Romans 12:15 (NET)

Romans 12:15 (KJV)
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
χαίρειν μετὰ χαιρόντων, κλαίειν μετὰ κλαιόντων χαιρειν μετα χαιροντων και κλαιειν μετα κλαιοντων χαιρειν μετα χαιροντων και κλαιειν μετα κλαιοντων

Romans 12:20 (NET)

Romans 12:20 (KJV)
Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἀλλὰ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν· ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ εαν ουν πεινα ο εχθρος σου ψωμιζε αυτον εαν διψα ποτιζε αυτον τουτο γαρ ποιων ανθρακας πυρος σωρευσεις επι την κεφαλην αυτου εαν ουν πεινα ο εχθρος σου ψωμιζε αυτον εαν διψα ποτιζε αυτον τουτο γαρ ποιων ανθρακας πυρος σωρευσεις επι την κεφαλην αυτου

1 Psalm 51:10, 11 (NET) Table

2 Psalm 51:12 (NET) Table

3 Philippians 2:12b, 13 (NET) Table

4 Romans 8:28 (NET)

6 Mark 11:25 (NET) Table

7 Romans 8:31b (NET)

8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ραπίζει εἰς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ραπισει επι (KJV: shall smite thee on).

9 The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA28 had σου (KJV: thy) here.  The NET parallel Greek text did not.

10 Matthew 5:38-41 (NET)

14 Matthew 5:42-45 (NET)

15 Psalm 51:13 (NET)

16 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had κυρίῳ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had καιρω.  This is so far afield I suspect it may be a typo in this version of the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

17 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: and) following rejoice.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

18 The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the NA28 had ἀλλ’.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Therefore).

19 The note on Proverbs 25:22a in the NET reads as follows: “The imagery of the ‘burning coals’ represents pangs of conscience, more readily effected by kindness than by violence. These coals produce the sharp pain of contrition through regret (e.g., 18:19; 20:22; 24:17; Gen 42-45; 1 Sam 24:18-20; Rom 12:20). The coals then would be an implied comparison with a searing conscience.”

Jedidiah, Part 4

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Look, you desire integrity in the inner man,1 David’s song continued.  This is a truth he learned the hard way with Bathsheba.  But I could hear the voice of Jesus, You have heard that it was said,2 “Do not commit adultery (μοιχεύσεις, a form of μοιχεύω).”  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her3 has already committed adultery (ἐμοίχευσεν, another form of μοιχεύω) with her in his heart,4 in that inner man where the Lord desires integrity.

David’s song continued, you want me to possess wisdom (See Addendum below).5  Assuming that Psalm 139 was written later in David’s life than Psalm 51, that wisdom was acquired: O Lord, you examine me and know.  You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives.  You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do.  Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it [Table14 below].  You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me [Table16 below].  Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.6

Sprinkle me with water and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.7  David did not sacrifice his daughter to purify himself, or divorce his wives and send his children away.  And though the Hebrew for Sprinkle me with water (literally, Purge me with hyssop) refers to the plant used in religious rites of purification to sprinkle water or blood, David did not run off to a priest either.  His faith did not rest on his own reform efforts or religious ritual but upon God.  David used the language of religious ritual to reach out for the actual purification and cleansing from sin that only comes from God.  The phrase whiter than snow reminded me of Isaiah, the prophet who lived and wrote many centuries after the time of David.

The Old Testament only began to make sense to me when I started to read it as if it were intended for primarily one reader.  I began to hear it as a mnemonic device written and preserved to remind one twelve-year-old Jewish boy who He was, what He had said and done, what had transpired as a result, and what He had come to do.  Before Jesus was born of a virgin and walked this earth as a man, He spoke through the prophet Isaiah, revealing some of his most profound thoughts.  I’m not saying that Isaiah’s time is when Jesus decided to walk this earth and be publicly displayed…at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith,8 that was some time before the world began.9  But I will say that the book of Isaiah as a whole goes a long way to explaining why He chose to do it.

Listen, O heavens, pay attention, O earth! Isaiah’s prophetic words began.  For the Lord speaks:  “I raised children, I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me!  An ox recognizes its owner, a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; but Israel does not recognize me, my people do not understand.”10  “Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord.  “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.”11

This translation is exactly what I understood the first time I read this verse in a different translation of the Bible.  The upside was I recognized that forgiveness included not merely pardon from the penalty of sin, but cleansing from sin.  I’ll consider the downside in a moment.  Now I want to consider a forgiveness that merely pardoned the sinner without cleansing any sin.

Movies deal with redemption schemes all the time, and some are more self-conscious about it than others.  In the movie The Final Cut, the EyeTech company has marketed a biological implant that records video and audio through a person’s eyes and ears throughout that person’s life.  The protagonist played by Robin Williams is a cutter, a man who extracts data from an implant after the host’s death and edits a “Rememory” for showing at a memorial service.  The antagonist, Jim Caviezel, is a reformed cutter who has joined with the people protesting against EyeTech and the cutters who profit from this work.

The cutter, apparently out of a sense of guilt, specialized in producing Rememories for notorious and unsavory characters that other cutters wouldn’t touch.  The reformed cutter accused him of taking murderers and making them saints.  The cutter countered that he was able to forgive people long after they could be punished for their sins.  He considered himself a sin eater.12  Both the former cutter and the audience feel the inadequacy of this type of forgiveness.  The redemption for Robin Williams’ character comes when he is just as happy not to make a Rememory for a deceased child molester due to circumstances beyond his control.

But my original understanding of—Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool—is not what the verse actually says.  Even the translators of the NET acknowledge in a footnote that the verse says, Though your sins have stained you like the color red, they can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, they can become white like wool.  It took me some time to take this verse literally.  But for the Lord to prevail when He is judged13 for forgiving me, something must be done about the impact of my sins on others.

David’s song continued: Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven!  May the bones you crushed rejoice!  Hide your face from my sins!  Wipe away all my guilt!14  Was David grasping at something like make my sin white as snow?  Or was he self-focused here?  Frankly, I don’t know.  God didn’t crush David’s bones literally, but set him up through Nathan’s hypothetical to experience Uriah’s pain.  David certainly felt a responsibility for his child with Bathsheba.  Did David truly believe he could experience the ultimate joy of being forgiven apart from some justice for Uriah and the child?  And I don’t mean retributive justice here, but some muting of the impact of David’s sin which resulted in their deaths.

I don’t know how God might accomplish this.  Apart from the obvious strategy of paying back money I stole with interest, I’m also at a loss to know how I or God could mute the impact of my sins on others.  Such knowledge is beyond my comprehension.15  I’ve thought about exploring it in a drama something like Sartre’s No Exit:  Samuel, Saul, Uriah, and David’s and Bathsheba’s first child discuss the topic in Sheol.  All I’ve ever gotten a handle on is the ending, based on 1 Peter 3:17-22:  David’s and Bathsheba’s first child rushes in like a messenger and informs the other three, “The Messiah is here.”  All rise and hurry to see.  Samuel mutters, “Messiah, what’s he doing here?”  The messenger, leading the way, shakes his head, “I don’t know.  I think they killed him.”

Though I may not understand how God makes sins white like snow or wool, I’m confident He doesn’t use a moral rationalization.  At the end of the The Final Cut the reformed cutter returned to cutting.  He wanted to expose the child molester’s sin, hoping to bring down the EyeTech company.  He stared at an image of the cutter, and spoke as if to him, but it seemed more like he was trying to convince himself that his own actions were justified because they were in service of this greater good.  This is the moral rationalization of tyrants and terrorists.  Perhaps it is unnecessary to say, but The Final Cut did not fare well at the box office.

Filmmakers don’t concern themselves with redemption strategies because they are avid moral philosophers—necessarily.  They are interested in believable character arcs to make their stories ring true.  They know that audiences expect a certain moral order to the universe their stories inhabit, whether they believe in such a moral order for their own lives or not.  And they know from experience that movies that do not satisfy that sense of moral order will be punished at the box office.  Evil characters suffer the consequences of their actions.  Good characters redeem themselves by acts of bravery, good deeds or self-sacrifice.  Movies are fundamentally religious exercises in almost precisely the way I am using the term.  Successful movies reflect the religious attitudes of the audience that made them successful.

 

Addendum: January 4, 2020
In the translations from the Masoretic text בַטֻּח֑וֹת (inward parts, inner man) was part of the first clause and וּ֜בְסָתֻ֗ם (hidden part) part of the second in the Tanakh, while וּ֜בְסָתֻ֗ם was ignored apparently by the NET translators.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Psalm 51:6 (Tanakh) Psalm 51:6 (NET) Psalm 50:8 (NETS)

Psalm 50:8 (English Elpenor)
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Look, you desire integrity in the inner man; you want me to possess wisdom. For, look, you loved truth; the unclear and secret aspects of your wisdom you made clear to me. For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom.

Morfix was no help at all.

Psalm 51:6 (51:8)
Hebrew Tanakh Homographs English Definitions
בַטֻּח֑וֹת בטחות in the inward parts N/A N/A
וּ֜בְסָתֻ֗ם ובסתם and in the hidden part סְתָם (colloquial) purposelessly; (colloquial) simply, just
סֶתֶם blockage

The rabbis chose ἄδηλα a form of ἄδηλος, “unknown, hidden, indistinct, secret, unseen, not clear, uncertain, obscure,” for בַטֻּח֑וֹת; κρύφια a form of κρύφιος, “secret, hidden” for וּ֜בְסָתֻ֗ם.  They assigned both, however, to the second clause.

Tables comparing Psalm 51:6; Exodus 20:14 (20:13); Deuteronomy 5:18 (5:17); Psalm 139:1; 139:2; 139:3; 139:4; 139:5; 139:6; 51:7; Isaiah 1:2; 1:3; 1:18; Psalm 51:8 and 51:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Psalm 51:6 (50:8); Exodus 20:14 (20:13); Deuteronomy 5:18 (5:17); Psalm 139:1 (138:1); 139:2 (138:2); 139:3 (138:3); 139:4 (138:4); 139:5 (138:5); 139:6 (138:6); 51:7 (50:9); Isaiah 1:2; 1:3; 1:18; Psalm 51:8 (50:10) and 51:9 (50:11) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Following those are tables comparing Matthew 5:27, 28 in the NET and KJV.

Psalm 51:6 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:6 (KJV)

Psalm 51:6 (NET)
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Look, you desire integrity in the inner man; you want me to possess wisdom.

Psalm 51:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀλήθειαν ἠγάπησας τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῆς σοφίας σου ἐδήλωσάς μοι ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀλήθειαν ἠγάπησας, τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῆς σοφίας σου ἐδήλωσάς μοι

Psalm 50:8 (NETS)

Psalm 50:8 (English Elpenor)
For, look, you loved truth; the unclear and secret aspects of your wisdom you made clear to me. For, behold, thou lovest truth: thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom.

Exodus 20:13 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 20:14 (KJV)

Exodus 20:14 (NET)
Thou shalt not murder; Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not commit adultery. “You shall not commit adultery.
Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint BLB) Exodus 20:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ μοιχεύσεις οὐ μοιχεύσεις
Exodus 20:13 (NETS) Exodus 20:13 (English Elpenor)
You shall not commit adultery. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Deuteronomy 5:17 (Tanakh) Deuteronomy 5:18 (KJV) Deuteronomy 5:18 (NET)
Thou shalt not murder.  Neither shalt thou commit adultery.  Neither shalt thou steal.  Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. “You must not commit adultery.
Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint BLB) Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ μοιχεύσεις οὐ μοιχεύσεις
Deuteronomy 5:17 (NETS) Deuteronomy 5:18 (English Elpenor)
You shall not commit adultery. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Psalm 139:1 (Tanakh) Psalm 139:1 (KJV) Psalm 139:1 (NET)
O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.  O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. For the music director, a psalm of David. O Lord, you examine me and know me.
Psalm 139:1 (Septuagint BLB) Psalm 138:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰς τὸ τέλος ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυιδ κύριε ἐδοκίμασάς με καὶ ἔγνως με Εἰς τὸ τέλος· ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυΐδ. – ΚΥΡΙΕ, ἐδοκίμασάς με, καὶ ἔγνως με
Psalm 138:1 (NETS) Psalm 138:1 (English Elpenor)
Regarding completion.  Pertaining to Dauid.  A Psalm.  O Lord, you examined me and knew me. [For the end, a Psalm of David.]  O Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me.
Psalm 139:2 (Tanakh) Psalm 139:2 (KJV) Psalm 139:2 (NET)
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives.
Psalm 139:2 (Septuagint BLB) Psalm 138:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σὺ ἔγνως τὴν καθέδραν μου καὶ τὴν ἔγερσίν μου σὺ συνῆκας τοὺς διαλογισμούς μου ἀπὸ μακρόθεν σὺ ἔγνως τὴν καθέδραν μου καὶ τὴν ἔγερσίν μου, σὺ συνῆκας τοὺς διαλογισμούς μου ἀπὸ μακρόθεν
Psalm 138:2 (NETS) Psalm 138:2 (English Elpenor)
It was you who knew my sitting down and my rising up; it was you who discerned my thoughts from far away. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising: thou understandest my thoughts long before.
Psalm 139:3 (Tanakh) Psalm 139:3 (KJV) Psalm 139:3 (NET)
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do.
Psalm 139:3 (Septuagint BLB) Psalm 138:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὴν τρίβον μου καὶ τὴν σχοῗνόν μου σὺ ἐξιχνίασας καὶ πάσας τὰς ὁδούς μου προεῗδες τὴν τρίβον μου καὶ τὴν σχοῖνόν μου ἐξιχνίασας καὶ πάσας τὰς ὁδούς μου προεῖδες
Psalm 138:3 (NETS) Psalm 138:3 (English Elpenor)
My path and my miles you tracked and all my ways foresaw, Thou hast traced my path and my bed, and hast foreseen all my ways.
Psalm 139:4 (Tanakh) Psalm 139:4 (KJV) Psalm 139:4 (NET)
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it.
Psalm 139:4 (Septuagint BLB) Psalm 138:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν λόγος ἐν γλώσσῃ μου ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι δόλος ἐν γλώσσῃ μου
Psalm 138:4 (NETS) Psalm 138:4 (English Elpenor)
because there was no word on my tongue— For there is no unrighteous word in my tongue: behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things,
Psalm 139:5 (Tanakh) Psalm 139:5 (KJV) Psalm 139:5 (NET)
Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me.
Psalm 139:5 (Septuagint BLB) Psalm 138:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδού κύριε σὺ ἔγνως πάντα τὰ ἔσχατα καὶ τὰ ἀρχαῗα σὺ ἔπλασάς με καὶ ἔθηκας ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ τὴν χεῗρά σου ἰδού, Κύριε, σὺ ἔγνως πάντα, τὰ ἔσχατα καὶ τὰ ἀρχαῖα· σὺ ἔπλασάς με καὶ ἔθηκας ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ τὴν χεῖρά σου
Psalm 138:5 (NETS) Psalm 138:4b, 5 (English Elpenor)
look, O Lord; it was you who knew all things, the last and the first.  It was you who shaped me and placed your hand upon me. behold, O Lord, thou hast known all things, (5) the last and the first: thou hast fashioned me, and laid thine hand upon me.
Psalm 139:6 (Tanakh) Psalm 139:6 (KJV) Psalm 139:6 (NET)
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.
Psalm 139:6 (Septuagint BLB) Psalm 138:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ γνῶσίς σου ἐξ ἐμοῦ ἐκραταιώθη οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πρὸς αὐτήν ἐθαυμαστώθη ἡ γνῶσίς σου ἐξ ἐμοῦ· ἐκραταιώθη, οὐ μὴ δύνωμαι πρὸς αὐτήν
Psalm 138:6 (NETS) Psalm 138:6 (English Elpenor)
Your knowledge was made wonderful from me; it became strong; I can never attain to it. The knowledge of thee is too wonderful for me; it is very difficult, I cannot [attain] to it.
Psalm 51:7 (Tanakh) Psalm 51:7 (KJV) Psalm 51:7 (NET)
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7 (Septuagint BLB) Psalm 50:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ῥαντιεῗς με ὑσσώπῳ καὶ καθαρισθήσομαι πλυνεῗς με καὶ ὑπὲρ χιόνα λευκανθήσομαι ῥαντιεῖς με ὑσσώπῳ, καὶ καθαρισθήσομαι, πλυνεῖς με, καὶ ὑπὲρ χιόνα λευκανθήσομαι
Psalm 50:9 (NETS) Psalm 50:9 (English Elpenor)
You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed; you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
Isaiah 1:2 (Tanakh) Isaiah 1:2 (KJV) Isaiah 1:2 (NET)
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. Listen, O heavens, pay attention, O earth!  For the Lord speaks: “I raised children, I brought them up, but they have rebelled against me!
Isaiah 1:2 (Septuagint BLB) Isaiah 1:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἄκουε οὐρανέ καὶ ἐνωτίζου γῆ ὅτι κύριος ἐλάλησεν υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα αὐτοὶ δέ με ἠθέτησαν Ακουε οὐρανὲ καὶ ἐνωτίζου γῆ, ὅτι Κύριος ἐλάλησεν· υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα, αὐτοὶ δέ με ἠθέτησαν
Isaiah 1:2 (NETS) Isaiah 1:2 (English Elpenor)
Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken: I begat sons and exalted them, but they rejected me. Hear, O heaven, and hearken, O earth: for the Lord has spoken, [saying], I have begotten and reared up children, but they have rebelled against me.
Isaiah 1:3 (Tanakh) Isaiah 1:3 (KJV) Isaiah 1:3 (NET)
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. An ox recognizes its owner, a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; but Israel does not recognize me, my people do not understand.
Isaiah 1:3 (Septuagint BLB) Isaiah 1:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔγνω βοῦς τὸν κτησάμενον καὶ ὄνος τὴν φάτνην τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ Ισραηλ δέ με οὐκ ἔγνω καὶ ὁ λαός με οὐ συνῆκεν ἔγνω βοῦς τὸν κτησάμενον καὶ ὄνος τὴν φάτνην τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ· ᾿Ισραὴλ δέ με οὐκ ἔγνω καὶ ὁ λαός με οὐ συνῆκεν
Isaiah 1:3 (NETS) Isaiah 1:3 (English Elpenor)
The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel has not known me, and the people have not understood me. The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel does not know me, and the people has not regarded me.
Isaiah 1:18 (Tanakh) Isaiah 1:18 (KJV) Isaiah 1:18 (NET)
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord.  “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.
Isaiah 1:18 (Septuagint BLB) Isaiah 1:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ δεῦτε καὶ διελεγχθῶμεν λέγει κύριος καὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ ἐὰν δὲ ὦσιν ὡς κόκκινον ὡς ἔριον λευκανῶ καὶ δεῦτε διαλεχθῶμεν, λέγει Κύριος· καὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ, ἐὰν δὲ ὦσιν ὡς κόκκινον, ὡς ἔριον λευκανῶ
Isaiah 1:18 (NETS) Isaiah 1:18 (English Elpenor)
So come, and let us argue it out, says the Lord: even though your sins are like crimson, I will make them white like snow, and though they are like scarlet, I will make them white like wool. And come, let us reason together, saith the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make [them] white as wool.
Psalm 51:8 (Tanakh) Psalm 51:8 (KJV) Psalm 51:8 (NET)
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven.  May the bones you crushed rejoice.
Psalm 51:8 (Septuagint BLB) Psalm 50:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀκουτιεῗς με ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ εὐφροσύνην ἀγαλλιάσονται ὀστᾶ τεταπεινωμένα ἀκουτιεῖς μοι ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ εὐφροσύνην, ἀγαλλιάσονται ὀστέα τεταπεινωμένα
Psalm 50:10 (NETS) Psalm 50:10 (English Elpenor)
You will make me hear joy and gladness; humbled bones will rejoice. Thou shalt cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice.
Psalm 51:9 (Tanakh) Psalm 51:9 (KJV) Psalm 51:9 (NET)
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Hide your face from my sins.  Wipe away all my guilt.
Psalm 51:9 (Septuagint BLB) Psalm 50:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπόστρεψον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου καὶ πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας μου ἐξάλειψον ἀπόστρεψον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου καὶ πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας μου ἐξάλειψον
Psalm 50:11 (NETS) Psalm 50:11 (English Elpenor)
Turn away your face from my sins, and all my lawless acts blot out. Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Matthew 5:27, 28 (NET) Matthew 5:27, 28 (KJV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη· οὐ μοιχεύσεις. ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη τοις αρχαιοις ου μοιχευσεις ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη ου μοιχευσεις
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι |αὐτὴν| ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ εγω δε λεγω υμιν οτι πας ο βλεπων γυναικα προς το επιθυμησαι αυτης ηδη εμοιχευσεν αυτην εν τη καρδια αυτου εγω δε λεγω υμιν οτι πας ο βλεπων γυναικα προς το επιθυμησαι αυτην ηδη εμοιχευσεν αυτην εν τη καρδια αυτου

1 Psalm 51:6a (NET)

2 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had τοις αρχαιοις (KJV: by them of old time) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

3 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had αυτης (KJV: after her) here, where the NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had αὐτὴν.

4 Matthew 5:27, 28 (NET)

5 Psalm 51:6b (NET)

6 Psalm 139:1-6 (NET)

7 Psalm 51:7 (NET)

8 Romans 3:25a (NET)

10 Isaiah 1:2, 3 (NET)

11 Isaiah 1:18 (NET)

12 Alan Hakman (Robin Williams): “Do you know what a sin eater is? It’s part of an ancient tradition. When someone would die, they would call for a sin eater. Sin eaters were social outcasts, marginals. They would lay out the body, put bread and salt on the chest, coins upon the eyes. The sin eater would eat the bread and salt, take the coins as payment. By doing this, the eater absorbed the sins of the deceased, cleansing their soul and allowing them safe passage into the afterlife. That was their job.”

14 Psalm 51:8, 9 (NET)

15 Psalm 139:6a (NET)

Jedidiah, Part 3

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Apparently God sent Nathan to forgive David while David still believed he had gotten away with his cover up.  God was certainly overreaching the limits of our contract.  More to the point, probably, He was shattering and prying away the pieces of the hard shell my contract had become, a shell that was preventing me from knowing Him.  After I saw God’s overreaching with David, I saw it with Jesus and Peter, too (Luke 22:31-34 NET).

Simon, Simon, pay attention!  Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers [Table].  But Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”  And Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know me” [Table].

Was I going completely nuts?  Or had Jesus covered for Peter by transmuting foreknowledge of Peter’s three strike denial into a prophetic utterance as sure and certain as any prophecy in Scripture?

Cleanse me of my sin! David’s song continued.  For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin.  Against you – you above all – I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.  So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me.1

Joshua said to Achan, My son, honor the Lord God of Israel and give him praise!  Tell me what you did; don’t hide anything from me!2  David amplified how confession of sin honors and praises God:  The repentant sinner agrees with God and proclaims in effect, you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me.  Paul quoted this same verse in his letter to the Romans, so that you will be justified (δικαιωθῇς, a form of δικαιόω in your words and will prevail when you are judged (κρίνεσθαι, a form of κρίνω).3 Here again, Paul quoted from the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament completed about 200 years before the birth of Jesus, but Bible translators have preferred the Hebrew text since about the fifth century.  Below is a comparison of the text from Isaiah 51:4b in the Septuagint and the Greek text of Romans 3:4b used for the NET translation.

Blue Letter Bible (Septuagint)

NET Bible (Greek parallel text)
ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου καὶ νικήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε

Isaiah 51:4b

 οπως αν δικαιωθης εν τοις λογοις σου και νικησεις εν τω κρινεσθαι σε

Romans 3:4b

I found a website by Bill Braun4 that is very helpful for these quotations from the Septuagint (except Acts).  He actually knows Greek, and wrote of these verses: “There is only one difference between the Greek texts.  This involves a change in the form of the verb νικάω.  The NT presents the verb in the future active indicative (νικήσεις), whereas the LXX uses the aorist active subjunctive form (νικήσῃς). This difference does not significantly effect the meaning of the passage.”

Though I haven’t read everything on his site yet, I get the impression that Mr. Braun is a peacemaker.  He sees the differences between the Hebrew and Greek texts as mostly insubstantial.  I am not so holy.  I see that at a specific point in time before Jesus was born the Hebrew was translated into Greek a certain way.  Then after Jesus was rejected as Messiah that translation can no longer be teased out of the Hebrew.  Am I being anti-Semitic or blaming the Jews?  On the contrary, I admire their faith.  I’ve practically admitted that I would do the same thing.  But this is how faith works.

One’s faith obviously effects one’s scholarship.  It chooses what one sees, why one pursues it, and how one interprets it.  The point isn’t will my faith make a fool of me.  Of course it will.  Eventually faith in anything or anyone will either make me foolish, or make me appear foolish to others.  That really isn’t the question.  The question is, Is Jesus worthy of my faith whether I am, or appear to be, foolish or not?  The keepers of the Hebrew language of the Old Testament have bet the farm on their faith that Jesus is not their Messiah.  I am betting that Jesus is Yahweh become human flesh.

To get back to David’s song, I’ve already mentioned what sense might be made of, So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me, as translated from Hebrew currently.  What possible sense could so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged have made two centuries before Jesus was born?  Who judges God?  Well, every one of us judges God, every moment of everyday.  Granted, those of us with a philosophical bent of mind do it consciously more often than others.

Consider how cruelly Jephthah judged God when he sacrificed his daughter to keep a reckless vow.  How harshly might he judge God for forgiving David for adultery and murder if David did not confess, Against you – you above all – I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight, the very thing Jephthah refused to acknowledge about his oath?

Consider how foolishly the men of Ezra’s day judged the God who hates divorce, when they divorced their foreign wives and sent their children away to earn his favor.  How harshly might they judge God for forgiving David for adultery and murder if David did not pray, Wash away my wrongdoing!  Cleanse me of my sin!  For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin, the very thing the men of Ezra’s day did not do as they tried to establish their own righteousness according to the law?5  For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.6 

Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, David’s song continued, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.7  David was not acknowledging that his mother was a uniquely sinful woman who gave birth to especially sin-filled children, but that all parents are sinners who give birth to sinful children like themselves.  [F]or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans.  But they are justified (δικαιούμενοι, another form of δικαιόω) freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.  God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat (ἱλαστήριον) accessible through faith.8

The mercy seat was the top of the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies in the temple in Jerusalem.  In this ark, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews explained, were the golden urn containing the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.  And above the ark were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat (ἱλαστήριον) [Table].9  The high priest entered into the most holy place once a year not without blood that he offer[ed] for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.  The Holy Spirit is making clear that the way into the holy place had not yet appeared as long as the old tabernacle was standing.10

But now Christ has come as the high priest of the good things to come.11  He passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, and he entered once for all into the most holy place not by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood, and so he himself secured eternal redemption,12 the writer of Hebrews concluded.

This was to demonstrate his righteousness (δικαιοσύνης, a form of δικαιοσύνη), Paul continued in his letter to the Romans, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed.  This was also to demonstrate13 his righteousness (δικαιοσύνης, a form of δικαιοσύνη) in the present time, so that he would be just (δίκαιον, a form of δίκαιος) and the justifier (δικαιοῦντα, another form of δικαιόω) of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness.14

It is difficult to judge the Lord Jesus too harshly for forgiving David, or anyone else for that matter, since He accepted the death penalty in our place.  But forgiveness as a concept in the Bible doesn’t end here.

 

Addendum: December 16, 2019
A table comparing Psalm 51:4 translated from the Masoretic text and the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Psalm 51:4 (Tanakh) Psalm 51:4 (NET) Psalm 50:6 (NETS)

Psalm 50:6 (Elpenor English)
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Against you—you above all—I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.  So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me. Against you alone did I sin, and what is eveil before you I did, so that you may be justified in your words and be victorious when you go to law. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Here is the last clause—and be clear when thou judgest —as defined by Morfix.

Psalm 51:4d (51:6d)
Hebrew Tanakh Homographs English Definitions
תִּזְכֶּ֥ה תזכה and be clear זָכָה to win (lottery, prize); to achieve, to get
זִכָּה (law) to acquit; to grant (right, privilege, favor etc.); (accounting) to credit; to grant, to provide
זֻכָּה to be acquitted
בְשָׁפְטֶֽךָ when thou judgest שָׁפַט to judge; to sentence; (sports) to referee

Though Morfix recognized a passive form (“to be acquitted”) for תזכה (Tanakh: and be clear; NET: you are right), neither בְשָׁפְטֶֽךָ (Tanakh: when thou judgest) nor בשפטך (NET: when you condemn me) elicited any passive form.  The Greek κρίνεσθαί is a middle/passive form of κρίνω, but when I consider the definitions in the Koine Greek Lexicon—“to dispute, quarrel, debate; to contest a legal case; to contend with, contest with”—I begin to question whether when thou art judged is the most precise English translation.

Tables comparing Psalm 51:3; 51:4; Joshua 7:19; Ezra 10:3 and Psalm 51:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Psalm 51:3 (50:5); 51:4 (50:6); Joshua 7:19; Ezra (2 Esdras) 10:3 and Psalm 51:5 (50:7) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Following those are tables comparing Hebrews 9:11 and Romans 3:26 in the NET and KJV.

Psalm 51:3 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:3 (KJV)

Psalm 51:3 (NET)
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin.

Psalm 51:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγὼ γινώσκω καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία μου ἐνώπιόν μού ἐστιν διὰ παντός ὅτι τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγὼ γινώσκω, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία μου ἐνώπιόν μού ἐστι διαπαντός

Psalm 50:5 (NETS)

Psalm 50:5 (English Elpenor)
because my lawlessness I know and my sin is ever before me. For I am conscious of mine iniquity; and my sin is continually before me.

Psalm 51:4 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:4 (KJV)

Psalm 51:4 (NET)
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Against you—you above all—I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.  So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me.

Psalm 51:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σοὶ μόνῳ ἥμαρτον καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐποίησα ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῗς λόγοις σου καὶ νικήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε σοὶ μόνῳ ἥμαρτον καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐποίησα, ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου, καὶ νικήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε

Psalm 50:6 (NETS)

Psalm 50:6 (English Elpenor)
Against you alone did I sin, and what is eveil before you I did, so that you may be justified in your words and be victorious when you go to law. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil before thee: that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Joshua 7:19 (Tanakh)

 Joshua 7:19 (KJV)

Joshua 7:19 (NET)
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor the Lord God of Israel and give him praise!  Tell me what you did; don’t hide anything from me.”

Joshua 7:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ἰησοῦς τῷ Αχαρ δὸς δόξαν σήμερον τῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ Ισραηλ καὶ δὸς τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν καὶ ἀνάγγειλόν μοι τί ἐποίησας καὶ μὴ κρύψῃς ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιησοῦς τῷ ῎Αχαρ· δὸς δόξαν σήμερον τῷ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ δὸς τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν καὶ ἀνάγγειλόν μοι τί ἐποίησας καὶ μὴ κρύψῃς ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ

Joshua 7:19 (NETS)

Joshua 7:19 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous said to Achar, “Give glory today to the Lord, God of Israel, and make the confession.  And tell me what you have done, and do not hide it from me.” And Joshua said to Achar, Give glory this day to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession; and tell me what thou hast done, and hide it not from me.

Ezra 10:3 (Tanakh)

 Ezra 10:3 (KJV)

Ezra 10:3 (NET)
Now therefore let us make a covenant with our G-d to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of HaShem, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our G-d; and let it be done according to the law. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. Therefore let us enact a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, and that of those who respect the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.

Ezra 10:3 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Esdras 10:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν διαθώμεθα διαθήκην τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν ἐκβαλεῗν πάσας τὰς γυναῗκας καὶ τὰ γενόμενα ἐξ αὐτῶν ὡς ἂν βούλῃ ἀνάστηθι καὶ φοβέρισον αὐτοὺς ἐν ἐντολαῗς θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ ὡς ὁ νόμος γενηθήτω καὶ νῦν διαθώμεθα διαθήκην τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν ἐκβαλεῖν πάσας τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ γενόμενα ἐξ αὐτῶν, ὡς ἂν βούλη· ἀνάστηθι, καὶ φοβέρισον αὐτοὺς ἐν ἐντολαῖς Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, καὶ ὡς ὁ νόμος γενηθήτω.

2 Esdras 10:3 (NETS)

2 Esdras 10:3 (English Elpenor)
And now let us make a covenant with our God to cast out all the women and the issue from them, however you want.  Arise, and scare them with the commandments of our God, and let it be done according to the law. Now then let us make a covenant with our God, to put away all the wives, and their offspring, as thou shalt advise: [4a] arise, and alarm them with the commands of our God; and let [it] be done according to the law.

Psalm 51:5 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:5 (KJV)

Psalm 51:5 (NET)
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me. Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.

Psalm 51:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐν ἀνομίαις συνελήμφθην καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐκίσσησέν με ἡ μήτηρ μου ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐν ἀνομίαις συνελήφθην, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐκίσσησέ με ἡ μήτηρ μου

Psalm 50:7 (NETS)

Psalm 50:7 (English Elpenor)
For, look, I was conceived in lawlessness, and in sin did my mother crave for me. For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me.

Hebrews 9:11 (NET)

Hebrews 9:11 (KJV)
But now Christ has come as the high priest of the good things to come. He passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
Χριστὸς δὲ παραγενόμενος ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν γενομένων ἀγαθῶν διὰ τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελειοτέρας σκηνῆς οὐ χειροποιήτου, τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν οὐ ταύτης τῆς κτίσεως χριστος δε παραγενομενος αρχιερευς των μελλοντων αγαθων δια της μειζονος και τελειοτερας σκηνης ου χειροποιητου τουτ εστιν ου ταυτης της κτισεως χριστος δε παραγενομενος αρχιερευς των μελλοντων αγαθων δια της μειζονος και τελειοτερας σκηνης ου χειροποιητου τουτ εστιν ου ταυτης της κτισεως

Romans 3:26 (NET)

Romans 3:26 (KJV)
This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ, πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δίκαιον καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ εν τη ανοχη του θεου προς ενδειξιν της δικαιοσυνης αυτου εν τω νυν καιρω εις το ειναι αυτον δικαιον και δικαιουντα τον εκ πιστεως ιησου εν τη ανοχη του θεου προς ενδειξιν της δικαιοσυνης αυτου εν τω νυν καιρω εις το ειναι αυτον δικαιον και δικαιουντα τον εκ πιστεως ιησου

1 Psalm 51:2b-4 (NET) Table

2 Joshua 7:19 (NET)

3 Romans 3:4 (NET) Table

4 Mr. Braun’s site is no longer accessible online.  This is a little like an author who quoted from a manuscript that is no longer extant.

5 Ezra 10:3 (NET)

6 Romans 10:3 (NET)

7 Psalm 51:5 (NET)

8 Romans 3:23-25a (NET)

9 Hebrews 9:4b, 5a (NET)

10 Hebrews 9:7, 8 (NET)

12 Hebrews 9:11, 12 (NET)

13 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article τὴν preceding demonstrate (πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν; literally: “to the proof”).  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

14 Romans 3:25b-26 (NET)

Jedidiah, Part 2

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Imagine if Bill Clinton or George W. Bush did what David did and got off like that.  But I’m more interested in knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ,1 and trying to understand Him these days, than fretting over ancient history.  Besides, I’m nobody, and though I probably deserve Nadab’s, Abihu’s and Achan’s fate more than they did, the Lord has treated me more like David (not that any prophets have come calling).  And for all his patience and kindness, what has He gotten in return from me?  Unbelief, at least lingering doubt.  That’s the essence of my perversity.

I laugh at myself when I stumble around wondering if I can really distinguish God’s kindness and patience toward me from his non-existence: “What is it, Dan?  You need Him to strike you with lightning to prove that He loves you?”  But for the most part that doubt is overcome by Bible study.  My day is sort of empty when I’m too tired to study any more.  I wake in the morning excited to get to it again.  I chafe when my “real life” impinges on my study time.  The Eric Liddell character in Chariots of Fire said something like, “When I run, I feel his pleasure.”  I’m not a runner.  But when I study the Bible I feel his pleasure.

If I am honest the real issue of doubt for me is something else now.  Being struck down by lightning is something I can live up to; been there, done that, mission accomplished!  The doubt creeps in when I consider living up to his patience and kindness.  Can I do that in a lifetime? In an eternity?  I know the answer is yes and no.  No, I can’t.  Yes, He can, by his Spirit, through his grace.  But the doubt lingers all the same.  David, however, remained faithful despite God’s forgiveness.

He wrote a song after Nathan confronted him:  Have mercy on me, O God, because I’m not such a bad guy.  No, that’s not what he wrote.   Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love!  Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!  Wash away my wrongdoing!2  Somehow, in a way my perversity has forbidden me from fully embracing, David saw through all the commandments, laws, crimes and punishments to a God who is loyal love and great compassion.  And David believed that God’s loyal love and great compassion were sufficient cause to wipe away his rebellious acts and wash away his wrongdoing despite all the commandments, laws, crimes and punishments proscribed against him.

Of course, this might have been desperate emotional hyperbole:  David, the sinner in the hands of an angry God, trying to convince himself and perhaps persuade God that God’s loyal love and great compassion were good reasons to spare David’s life.  I was certainly no stranger to emotional hyperbole.  I wrote off a lot of the sayings of Jesus and most of Paul’s writings as just that—emotional hyperbole, wild exaggeration.  But the more I failed to keep my end of the contract with God, the more I sinned despite my best efforts not to, the more I turned a willing ear to Paul’s letters, to those things that are hard to understand,” as Peter described Paul’s writing (2 Peter 3:14-16 NET).

Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.  And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of these things in all his letters.3  Some things in these letters4 are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.

Paul had written (Romans 13:8-10 NET Table):

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.  For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no wrong to a neighbor.  Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

On this point Jesus and Paul seemed to agree.  When asked, Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?  Jesus answered (Matthew 22:36-40 NET):

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart,5 with all your soul,6 and with all your mind.”  This is the first and greatest7 commandment.  The second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  All the law and the prophets depend8 on these two commandments.

“I’ve been going about this all wrong,” I thought.  I had been attempting to do a negative.  I was trying not to sin.  What I should have been doing was trying to love.  I had missed the significance of these passages many times because I thought love was an emotion, a feeling.  I knew that no feeling would solve my sin problem.  But this time I had connected these passages with Paul’s definition of love.9  Love was anything and everything but an emotion according to Paul.  So I took Paul’s definition and reworked it.  It became my new law.

Love is patient, love is kind,10 Paul penned.  Thou shalt be patient, I reworked the text.  Thou shalt be kind.  Thou shalt not be envious.  Thou shalt not brag.  Thou shalt not be puffed up.  Thou shalt not be rude.  Thou shalt not be self-serving.  Thou shalt not be easily angered.  Thou shalt not be resentful.  Thou shalt not be glad about injustice.  Thou shalt rejoice in the truth.  Thou shalt bear all things.  Thou shalt believe all things.  Thou shalt hope all things.  Thou shalt endure all things.

Though such things are difficult to measure, I think it is fair to say that I did incrementally better at not sinning by trying to love like this rather than trying not to sin.  But “incrementally better” was a long way from anything anyone would mistake for righteousness.  Meanwhile, I kept reading Paul with my ears slightly more open.  It occurred to me that Paul didn’t think his definition of love was just a list of rules he made for me to obey.  Paul thought he was describing love as Jesus himself loved.  The idea was staggering.

I began to use my commandments, “Thou shalt not be puffed up, rude, or self-serving” to force myself to hear Jesus in a new way.  No matter what I thought or felt about how puffed-up, self-serving and rude Jesus was, I told myself he was not puffed-up, self-serving or rude, because that would be contrary to the law of his own love.  There had to be other explanations.

Also, I began to wonder, if 1 Corinthians actually was a definition of Jesus’ love, of God’s love, could I make myself righteous—love like Jesus—by turning the definition into a law and striving to obey it?  As I considered that, it seemed that Paul was shouting at me:  crazy things, hopeful things, alarming-could-they-possibly-be-true-I’ve-never-heard-anything-like-these-things-in-my-life things.  So I went searching through the Old Testament, looking for any precedent for these wonderful, frightening things.  And in that state of mind David’s confession did not seem like emotional hyperbole to me.  In fact, there are two David’s revealed in the Scripture.

Nathan went home.  The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill.11  David fasted and prayed and wept.  He spent the night lying on the ground.  He wouldn’t eat and he refused to listen to those who pleaded with him to take better care of himself.  A week later the child died.  The people around David were afraid to tell him.

While the child was still alive he would not listen to us, they said.  How can we tell him that the child is dead?12  David was so distraught they thought he would hurt or possibly kill himself.  He noticed them whispering to one another.  Is the child dead? David asked.  Yes,13 they replied.

So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.14

David’s people didn’t know what to make of this.  While the child was still alive, you fasted and wept, they exclaimed.  Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!   David explained, While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, “Perhaps the Lord will show pity and the child will live.”  But now he is dead.  Why should I fast?  Am I able to bring him back?  I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!”15

So the former David expressed what I’ll call an experimental faith: Let’s see what God will do if I do this.  The latter David displayed what I can only call a super-rational faith accompanied by a profound peace.  There was nothing cold about it.  On the contrary, David was the same man whose first concern was not for his own welfare but rather how he might change God’s mind and if possible spare the cursed child.

This latter David, I believe, was the one who penned the song I am considering:  Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love!  Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!  Wash away my wrongdoing!  David was neither emotionally distraught nor particularly concerned for his own welfare when he wrote those words.  For Psalm 51 was written sometime after Nathan informed David:  Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin.  You are not going to die.16

 

Addendum: October 4, 2019
A table of English translations of the Deuteronomy 6:5 from the Masoretic text and the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Deuteronomy 6:5 (Tanakh) Deuteronomy 6:5 (NET) Deuteronomy 6:5 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 6:5 (English Elpenor)
And thou shalt love HaShem thy G-d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength. And you shall love the Lord your God with the whole of your mind and with the whole of your soul and with the whole of your power. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and all thy strength.

A table comparing the Greek of Matthew 22:37 with that of Deuteronomy 6:5 follows:

Matthew 22:37 (NET)

 Deuteronomy 6:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 6:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐν ὅλῃ |τῇ| καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς δυνάμεώς σου ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς δυνάμεώς σου

A table of English translations of the Leviticus 19:18 from the Masoretic text and the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Leviticus 19:18 (Tanakh)

 Leviticus 19:18 (NET) Leviticus 19:18 (NETS)

Leviticus 19:18 (English Elpenor)
Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am HaShem. You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself.  I am the Lord. And your own hand shall not take vengeance, and you shall not be angry against the sons of your people, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself; it is I who am the Lord. And thy hand shall not avenge thee; and thou shalt not be angry with the children of thy people; and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; I am the Lord

A table comparing the Greek of Matthew 22:39 with that of Leviticus 19:18 follows:

Matthew 22:39 (NET)

 Leviticus 19:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 19:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν

Tables comparing Psalm 51:1; 51:2; Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; 2 Samuel 12:15; 12:18; 12:19; 12:20; 12:21; 12:22 and 12:23 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Psalm 51:1 (50:1-3); 51:2 (50:4); Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; 2 Samuel (Kings, Reigns) 12:15; 12:18; 12:19; 12:20; 12:21; 12:22 and 12:23 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Following those are tables comparing 2 Peter 3:16; Matthew 22:37, 38 and 22:40 in the NET and KJV.

Psalm 51:1 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:1 (KJV)

Psalm 51:1 (NET)
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. For the music director, a psalm of David, written when Nathan the prophet confronted him after David’s affair with Bathsheba.  Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love.  Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts.

Psalm 51:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:1-3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰς τὸ τέλος ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυιδ ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῗν πρὸς αὐτὸν Ναθαν τὸν προφήτην ἡνίκα εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς Βηρσαβεε ἐλέησόν με ὁ θεός κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου ἐξάλειψον τὸ ἀνόμημά μου Εἰς τὸ τέλος· ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυΐδ ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν Νάθαν τὸν προφήτην, ἡνίκα εἰσῆλθε πρὸς Βηρσαβεέ. – ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ με, ὁ Θεός, κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου ἐξάλειψον τὸ ἀνόμημά μου

Psalm 50:1-3 (NETS)

Psalm 50:1-3 (English Elpenor)
Regarding completion.  A psalm.  Pertaining to Dauid.  When the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone in to Bersabee.  Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy, and according to the abundance of your compassion blot out my lawless deed. [For the end, a Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, when he had gone to Bersabee.]  Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy compassions blot out my transgression.

Psalm 51:2 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 51:2 (KJV)

Psalm 51:2 (NET)
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Wash away my wrongdoing.  Cleanse me of my sin.

Psalm 51:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 50:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπὶ πλεῗον πλῦνόν με ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας μου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου καθάρισόν με ἐπὶ πλεῖον πλῦνόν με ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας μου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου καθάρισόν με

Psalm 50:4 (NETS)

Psalm 50:4 (English Elpenor)
Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness, and from my sin cleanse me, Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (Tanakh)

 Deuteronomy 6:5 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NET)
And thou shalt love HaShem thy G-d with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 6:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς δυνάμεώς σου καὶ ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς δυνάμεώς σου

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 6:5 (English Elpenor)
And you shall love the Lord your God with the whole of your mind and with the whole of your soul and with the whole of your power. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and all thy strength.

Leviticus 19:18 (Tanakh)

 Leviticus 19:18 (KJV)

Leviticus 19:18 (NET)
Thou shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am HaShem. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself.  I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 19:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ἐκδικᾶταί σου ἡ χείρ καὶ οὐ μηνιεῗς τοῗς υἱοῗς τοῦ λαοῦ σου καὶ ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος καὶ οὐκ ἐκδικᾶταί σου ἡ χείρ, καὶ οὐ μηνιεῖς τοῖς υἱοῖς τοῦ λαοῦ σου, καὶ ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν· ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος

Leviticus 19:18 (NETS)

Leviticus 19:18 (English Elpenor)
And your own hand shall not take vengeance, and you shall not be angry against the sons of your people, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself; it is I who am the Lord. And thy hand shall not avenge thee; and thou shalt not be angry with the children of thy people; and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; I am the Lord

2 Samuel 12:15 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:15 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:15 (NET)
And Nathan departed unto his house. And HaShem struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore unto David, and it was very sick. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. Then Nathan went to his home.  The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill.

2 Samuel 12:15 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπῆλθεν Ναθαν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθραυσεν κύριος τὸ παιδίον ὃ ἔτεκεν ἡ γυνὴ Ουριου τῷ Δαυιδ καὶ ἠρρώστησεν καὶ ἀπῆλθε Νάθαν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἔθραυσε Κύριος τὸ παιδίον, ὃ ἔτεκεν ἡ γυνὴ Οὐρίου τοῦ Χετταίου τῷ Δαυίδ, καὶ ἠρρώστησε

2 Reigns 12:15 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:15 (English Elpenor)
And Nathan went away to his house.  And the Lord weakened the child that the wife of Ourias bore to Dauid, and it became ill. And Nathan departed to his house. And the Lord smote the child, which the wife of Urias the Chettite bore to David, and it was ill.

2 Samuel 12:18 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:18 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:18 (NET)
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died.  And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said: ‘Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke unto him, and he hearkened not unto our voice; how then shall we tell him that the child is dead, so that he do himself some harm?’ And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died.  And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he hearkened not unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead! On the seventh day the child died.  But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said, “While the child was still alive he would not listen to us when we spoke to him.  How can we tell him that the child is dead?  He will do himself harm!”
2 Samuel 12:18 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ ἀπέθανε τὸ παιδάριον καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν οἱ δοῦλοι Δαυιδ ἀναγγεῗλαι αὐτῷ ὅτι τέθνηκεν τὸ παιδάριον ὅτι εἶπαν ἰδοὺ ἐν τῷ ἔτι τὸ παιδάριον ζῆν ἐλαλήσαμεν πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσεν τῆς φωνῆς ἡμῶν καὶ πῶς εἴπωμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅτι τέθνηκεν τὸ παιδάριον καὶ ποιήσει κακά καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ ἀπέθανε τὸ παιδάριον· καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν οἱ δοῦλοι Δαυὶδ ἀναγγεῖλαι αὐτῷ ὅτι τέθνηκε τὸ παιδάριον, ὅτι εἶπαν· ἰδοὺ ἐν τῷ τὸ παιδάριον ἔτι ζῆν ἐλαλήσαμεν πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσε τῆς φωνῆς ἡμῶν· καὶ πῶς εἴπωμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅτι τέθνηκε τὸ παιδάριον; καὶ ποιήσει κακά

2 Reigns 12:18 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:18 (English Elpenor)
And it happened in the seventh day that the child died.  And the slaves of Dauid were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to our voice, and how can we tell him that the child is dead?  Indeed, he shall do harm.” And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died: and the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive we spoke to him, and he hearkened not to our voice; and thou should we tell him that the child is dead?– so would he do [himself] harm.

2 Samuel 12:19 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:19 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:19 (NET)
But when David saw that his servants whispered together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said unto his servants: ‘Is the child dead?’  And they said: ‘He is dead.’ But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead?  And they said, He is dead. When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead.  So David asked his servants, “Is the child dead?”  They replied, “Yes, he’s dead.”

2 Samuel 12:19 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ συνῆκεν Δαυιδ ὅτι οἱ παῗδες αὐτοῦ ψιθυρίζουσιν καὶ ἐνόησεν Δαυιδ ὅτι τέθνηκεν τὸ παιδάριον καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς τοὺς παῗδας αὐτοῦ εἰ τέθνηκεν τὸ παιδάριον καὶ εἶπαν τέθνηκεν καὶ συνῆκε Δαυὶδ ὅτι οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ψιθυρίζουσι, καὶ ἐνόησε Δαυὶδ ὅτι τέθνηκε τὸ παιδάριον· καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ· εἰ τέθνηκε τὸ παιδάριον; καὶ εἶπαν· τέθνηκε

2 Reigns 12:19 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:19 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid noticed that his servants were whispering, and Dauid perceived that the child was dead, and Dauid said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”  And they said, “He is dead.” And David understood that his servants were whispering, and David perceived that the child was dead: and David said to his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, He is dead.

2 Samuel 12:20 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:20 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:20 (NET)
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel; and he came into the house of HaShem, and worshipped; then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes.  He went to the house of the Lord and worshiped.  Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.

2 Samuel 12:20 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυιδ ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐλούσατο καὶ ἠλείψατο καὶ ἤλλαξεν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ᾔτησεν ἄρτον φαγεῗν καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ ἄρτον καὶ ἔφαγεν καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυὶδ ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐλούσατο καὶ ἠλείψατο καὶ ἤλλαξε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ· καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ᾔτησεν ἄρτον φαγεῖν καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ ἄρτον, καὶ ἔφαγε

2 Reigns 12:20 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:20 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid rose from the ground and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes.  And he entered into the house of God and did obeisance to him, and he entered into his house, and he asked for bread to eat, and they set bread before him, and he ate. Then David rose up from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his raiment, and went into the house of God, and worshipped him; and went into his own house, and called for bread to eat, and they set bread before him and he ate.

2 Samuel 12:21 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:21 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:21 (NET)
Then said his servants unto him: ‘What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.’ Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. His servants said to him, “What is this that you have done?  While the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!”

2 Samuel 12:21 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπαν οἱ παῗδες αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν τί τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ὃ ἐποίησας ἕνεκα τοῦ παιδαρίου ἔτι ζῶντος ἐνήστευες καὶ ἔκλαιες καὶ ἠγρύπνεις καὶ ἡνίκα ἀπέθανεν τὸ παιδάριον ἀνέστης καὶ ἔφαγες ἄρτον καὶ πέπωκας καὶ εἶπαν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν· τί τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο, ὃ ἐποίησας ἕνεκα τοῦ παιδαρίου; ἔτι ζῶντος ἐνήστευες καὶ ἔκλαιες καὶ ἠγρύπνεις, καὶ ἡνίκα ἀπέθανε τὸ παιδάριον, ἀνέστης καὶ ἔφαγες ἄρτον καὶ πέπωκας

2 Reigns 12:21 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:21 (English Elpenor)
And his servants said to him, “What is this thing you did?  For the sake of the child, while it was still alive, you were fasting and weeping and keeping watch, and when the child died, you rose and ate bread, and you have taken a drink.” And his servants said to him, What [is] this thing that thou hast done concerning the child? while it was yet living thou didst fast, and weep, and watch: and when the child was dead thou didst rise up, and didst eat bread, and drink.

2 Samuel 12:22 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:22 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:22 (NET)
And he said: ‘While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said: Who knoweth whether HaShem will not be gracious to me, that the child may live? And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? He replied, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Perhaps the Lord will show pity and the child will live.’

2 Samuel 12:22 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ ἐν τῷ τὸ παιδάριον ἔτι ζῆν ἐνήστευσα καὶ ἔκλαυσα ὅτι εἶπα τίς οἶδεν εἰ ἐλεήσει με κύριος καὶ ζήσεται τὸ παιδάριον καὶ εἶπε Δαυίδ· ἐν τῷ τὸ παιδάριον ἔτι ζῆν ἐνήστευσα καὶ ἔκλαυσα, ὅτι εἶπα· τίς οἶδεν εἰ ἐλεήσει με Κύριος καὶ ζήσεται τὸ παιδάριον

2 Reigns 12:22 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:22 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will have pity on me and the child will live?” And David said, While the child yet lived, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who knows if the Lord will pity me, and the child live?

2 Samuel 12:23 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:23 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:23 (NET)
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again?  I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.’ But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again?  I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. But now he is dead.  Why should I fast?  Am I able to bring him back at this point?  I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!”

2 Samuel 12:23 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν τέθνηκεν ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἐγὼ νηστεύω μὴ δυνήσομαι ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτὸ ἔτι ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἀναστρέψει πρός με καὶ νῦν τέθνηκεν· ἱνατί τοῦτο ἐγὼ νηστεύω; μὴ δυνήσομαι ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτὸν ἔτι; ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἀναστρέψει πρός με

2 Reigns 12:23 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:23 (English Elpenor)
But now he is dead.  Why is this, that I fast?  I will not be able to bring it back again, will I?  I will go to him, but he shall not return to me.” But now it is dead, why should I fast thus? shall I be able to bring him back again?  I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

2 Peter 3:16 (NET)

2 Peter 3:16 (KJV)
speaking of these things in all his letters.  Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ὡς καὶ ἐν πάσαις ἐπιστολαῖς λαλῶν ἐν αὐταῖς περὶ τούτων, ἐν αἷς ἐστιν δυσνόητα τινα, ἃ οἱ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἀστήρικτοι στρεβλοῦσιν ὡς καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς γραφὰς πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν αὐτῶν ἀπώλειαν ως και εν πασαις ταις επιστολαις λαλων εν αυταις περι τουτων εν οις εστιν δυσνοητα τινα α οι αμαθεις και αστηρικτοι στρεβλουσιν ως και τας λοιπας γραφας προς την ιδιαν αυτων απωλειαν ως και εν πασαις ταις επιστολαις λαλων εν αυταις περι τουτων εν οις εστιν δυσνοητα τινα α οι αμαθεις και αστηρικτοι στρεβλουσιν ως και τας λοιπας γραφας προς την ιδιαν αυτων απωλειαν

Matthew 22:37, 38 (NET)

Matthew 22:37, 38 (KJV)
Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ· ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐν ὅλῃ |τῇ| καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτω αγαπησεις κυριον τον θεον σου εν ολη τη καρδια σου και εν ολη τη ψυχη σου και εν ολη τη διανοια σου ο δε ιησους εφη αυτω αγαπησεις κυριον τον θεον σου εν ολη καρδια σου και εν ολη ψυχη σου και εν ολη τη διανοια σου
This is the first and greatest commandment. This is the first and great commandment.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μεγάλη καὶ πρώτη ἐντολή αυτη εστιν πρωτη και μεγαλη εντολη αυτη εστιν πρωτη και μεγαλη εντολη

Matthew 22:40 (NET)

Matthew 22:40 (KJV)
All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἐν ταύταις ταῖς δυσὶν ἐντολαῖς ὅλος ὁ νόμος κρέμαται καὶ οἱ προφῆται εν ταυταις ταις δυσιν εντολαις ολος ο νομος και οι προφηται κρεμανται εν ταυταις ταις δυσιν εντολαις ολος ο νομος και οι προφηται κρεμανται

1 John 17:3 (NET)

2 Psalm 51:1, 2a (NET)

3 The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA28 had the article ταις preceding letters.  The NET parallel Greek text did not.

4 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had αἷς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οις (KJV: which).

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

6 The NET parallel Greek text, Stephanus Textus Receptus and NA28 had the article τῇ preceding soul.  The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

7 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article ἡ preceding greatest.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the singular κρέμαται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural κρεμανται (KJV: hangs), reflecting the difference in word order between them.

10 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NET)

11 2 Samuel 12:15 (NET)

12 2 Samuel 12:18 (NET)

13 2 Samuel 12:19 (NET)

14 2 Samuel 12:20 (NET)

15 2 Samuel 12:21-23 (NET)

16 2 Samuel 12:13 (NET) Table

Jedidiah, Part 1

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I want to turn my attention to the circumstances when God named Solomon Jedidiah.  It all started one spring when King David didn’t go to war with his army.  He couldn’t sleep.  He got up and walked on the roof of his palace.  He saw a woman bathing.  Now David wasn’t a young prince catching his first glimpse of a naked woman.  He had several wives and concubines by this time.  He had the means, as it were, to entertain this traveler, as the prophet Nathan would later describe David’s lust.  David sent a messenger to find out about the woman.  So he knew she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, a soldier serving in his army, before he summoned her and before he had sex with her (2 Samuel 11:1-4).

The cover-up began after Bathsheba sent word to David that she was pregnant (2 Samuel 11:5).  So David summoned Uriah home from the war.  He asked him how the campaign was going and sent him home to his wife.  But Uriah refused to go home.  He would not enjoy the comforts and pleasures of home and wife while his comrades-in-arms camped in the open.  The next day David wined and dined Uriah, and got him drunk.  Still Uriah would not go home to Bathsheba.  So David sent Uriah back to the front with a sealed letter for Joab the commander of David’s army.

Apparently Uriah delivered the message unopened to Joab, because he faithfully delivered his own death sentence to his executioner.  Joab faithfully carried out David’s instructions to put Uriah in the front lines and then withdraw from him in the thick of battle.  Uriah died.  After an appropriate time of grieving for appearance’s sake, David took Bathsheba as another wife, and she gave birth to a son.

Later the Lord Jesus sent Nathan, a prophet, with an adroit hypothetical to David:  There were two men in a certain city, Nathan explained, one rich and the other poor.  The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.  But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children.  It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms.  It was just like a daughter to him.  When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him.

As surely as the Lord lives, David said angrily, the man who did this deserves to die!  Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!

You are that man!1 Nathan said to David.

I want to pause here a moment to fully appreciate David’s position vis-à-vis the law.  The law the Lord Jesus gave to Moses at Sinai was quite specific.  If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.2  So David had not only condemned himself but Bathsheba, for whom he presumably had some affection, to death.  Also, Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death.3  Now if one were to argue the technicality that David didn’t exactly strike Uriah himself, the law the Lord Jesus delivered to Moses continued, But if a man willfully attacks his neighbor to kill him cunningly, you will take him even from my altar that he may die.4

The altar was a place where Israelite sinners could find mercy and forgiveness.  Whenever a leader, by straying unintentionally, sins and violates one of the commandments of the Lord his God which must not be violated, the Lord Jesus told Moses, and he pleads guilty, or his sin that he committed is made known to him, he must bring a flawless male goat as his offering.5  I have to admit that I don’t know if David’s actions would qualify as unintentional.  I’m not even sure if this remedy was meant to apply to adultery or murder.  I do know that you will take him even from my altar that he may die sounds ominous.

This is what the Lord God of Israel says, Nathan continued, “I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.  I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms.  I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah.  And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well!  Why have you shown contempt for the word of the Lord by doing evil in my sight?  You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife as your own!  You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.  So now the sword will never depart from your house.  For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!”  This is what the Lord says: “I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household!  Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion.  He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight!  Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.”6

I have sinned against the Lord!7 David exclaimed.

A lot is made of confession of sin in the religious circles I frequent.  So I want to quote another, even better confession, as confessions go (Joshua 7:20, 21 NET).

It is true.  I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel in this way:  I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon, two hundred silver pieces, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels.  I wanted them, so I took them.  They are hidden in the ground right in the middle of my tent with the silver underneath.

This is Achan’s confession for stealing some of the things that had been devoted to the Lord Jesus.  Jesus had warned them that they would not stand before their enemies if they betrayed him in this way.  And sure enough, Achan’s sin was discovered after the Israelites suffered a defeat in battle.

Joshua, the Israelite leader who succeeded Moses, was crying and praying face down on the ground when the Lord Jesus spoke to him: Get up!  Why are you lying there face down?  Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment!  They have taken some of the riches; they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions.  The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation.  I will no longer be with you, unless you destroy what has contaminated you.8

Achan was discovered by lot.  His confession was intended to justify the Lord not himself.  Joshua sent messengers who discovered the stolen articles exactly where Achan claimed they were hidden.

The one caught with the riches must be burned up along with all who belong to him, because he violated the Lord’s covenant and did such a disgraceful thing in Israel,9 the Lord Jesus declared.

Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan…along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster [or, Achor].10  Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on us?  The Lord will bring disaster on you today!”  All Israel stoned him to death.  (They also stoned and burned the others.)  Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day) and the Lord’s anger subsided.  So that place is called the Valley of Disaster11 to this very day.12

This turn of events is admittedly shocking to our ears and abhorrent to our beliefs about confession of sin.  But it was the prophet Hosea, long after the time of David, speaking about another future time when Israel would return to the Lord in repentance, who prophesied that the Lord Jesus would turn the “Valley of Trouble” [or, Achor] into an “Opportunity [or, doorway] for Hope” (Hosea 2:15-17 NET).

From there I will give back her vineyards to her, and turn the “Valley of Trouble”13 into an “Opportunity for Hope.”  There she will sing as she did when she was young,14 when she came up from the land of Egypt.  “At that time,” declares the Lord, “you will call, ‘My husband’; you will never again call me, ‘My master.’  For I will remove the names of the Baal idols from your lips, so that you will never again utter their names!”

But even before these promises came to pass, the prophet Nathan, sent by the Lord Jesus, replied to David’s confession, Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin.  You are not going to die.  Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.15

 

Addendum: July 6, 2019
Tables comparing 2 Samuel 12:1; 12:2; 12:3; 12:4; 12:5; 12:6; 12:7; Leviticus 20:10; Exodus 21:12; 21:14; Leviticus 4:22; 4:23; 2 Samuel 12:8; 12:9; 12:10; 12:11; 12:12; 12:13; Joshua 7:20; 7:21; 7:10; 7:11; 7:12; 7:15; 7:24; 7:25; 7:26; Hosea 2:15; 2:16; 2:17 and 2 Samuel 12:14 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Kings, Reigns) 12:1; 12:2; 12:3; 12:4; 12:5; 12:6; 12:7; Leviticus 20:10; Exodus 21:12; 21:14; Leviticus 4:22; 4:23; 2 Samuel (Kings, Reigns) 12:8; 12:9; 12:10; 12:11; 12:12; 12:13; Joshua 7:20; 7:21; 7:10; 7:11; 7:12; 7:15; 7:24; 7:25; 7:26; Hosea 2:15 (2:17); 2:16 (2:18); 2:17 (2:19) and 2 Samuel (Kings, Reigns) 12:14 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 12:1 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:1 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:1 (NET)
And HaShem sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him: ‘There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor. And the LORD sent Nathan unto David.  And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. So the Lord sent Nathan to David.  When he came to David, Nathan said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

2 Samuel 12:1 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν κύριος τὸν Ναθαν τὸν προφήτην πρὸς Δαυιδ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ δύο ἦσαν ἄνδρες ἐν πόλει μιᾷ εἷς πλούσιος καὶ εἷς πένης ΚΑΙ ἀπέστειλε Κύριος τὸν Νάθαν τὸν προφήτην πρὸς Δαυίδ, καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· δύο ἦσαν ἄνδρες ἐν πόλει μιᾷ, εἷς πλούσιος, καὶ εἷς πένης

2 Reigns 12:1 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:1 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to Dauid.  And he went in to him and said to him, “There were two men in one city, one rich and one poor. And the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David; and he went in to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor.
2 Samuel 12:2 (Tanakh) 2 Samuel 12:2 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:2 (NET)
The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds; The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.

2 Samuel 12:2 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τῷ πλουσίῳ ἦν ποίμνια καὶ βουκόλια πολλὰ σφόδρα καὶ τῷ πλουσίῳ ἦν ποίμνια καὶ βουκόλια πολλὰ σφόδρα

2 Reigns 12:2 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:2 (English Elpenor)
And the rich man had very many flocks and herds, And the rich [man] had very many flocks and herds.

2 Samuel 12:3 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:3 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:3 (NET)
but the poor man had nothing save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and reared; and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired.  He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children.  It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms.  It was just like a daughter to him.

2 Samuel 12:3 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τῷ πένητι οὐδὲν ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἀμνὰς μία μικρά ἣν ἐκτήσατο καὶ περιεποιήσατο καὶ ἐξέθρεψεν αὐτήν καὶ ἡδρύνθη μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου αὐτοῦ ἤσθιεν καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου αὐτοῦ ἔπινεν καὶ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ αὐτοῦ ἐκάθευδεν καὶ ἦν αὐτῷ ὡς θυγάτηρ καὶ τῷ πένητι οὐδὲν ἀλλ’ ἢ ἀμνὰς μία μικρά, ἣν ἐκτήσατο καὶ περιεποίησατο καὶ ἐξέθρεψεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἡδρύνθη μετ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ μετὰ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου αὐτοῦ ἤσθιε καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου αὐτοῦ ἔπινε καὶ ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ αὐτοῦ ἐκάθευδε καὶ ἦν αὐτῷ ὡς θυγάτηρ

2 Reigns 12:3 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:3 (English Elpenor)
And the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought.  And he preserved and reared it, and it grew up with him and with his sons together; it used to eat from his bread and drink from his cup and sleep in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. But the poor [man had] only one little ewe lamb, which he had purchased, and preserved, and reared; and it grew up with himself and his children in common; it ate of his bread and drank of his cup, and slept in his bosom, and was to him as a daughter.

2 Samuel 12:4 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:4 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:4 (NET)
And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.’ And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. “When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home, he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed the traveler who had come to visit him.  Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to visit him.”

2 Samuel 12:4 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦλθεν πάροδος τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ πλουσίῳ καὶ ἐφείσατο λαβεῗν ἐκ τῶν ποιμνίων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν βουκολίων αὐτοῦ τοῦ ποιῆσαι τῷ ξένῳ ὁδοιπόρῳ ἐλθόντι πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλαβεν τὴν ἀμνάδα τοῦ πένητος καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὴν τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ἐλθόντι πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ἦλθε πάροδος τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ πλουσίῳ, καὶ ἐφείσατο λαβεῖν ἐκ τῶν ποιμνίων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν βουκολίων αὐτοῦ τοῦ ποιῆσαι τῷ ξένῳ ὁδοιπόρῳ τῷ ἐλθόντι πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλαβε τὴν ἀμνάδα τοῦ πένητος καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὴν τῷ ἀνδρὶ τῷ ἐλθόντι πρὸς αὐτόν

2 Reigns 12:4 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:4 (English Elpenor)
And there came a traveler to the rich man, and he refrained from taking anything from his flocks and from his herds to prepare for the stranger, since he had come to him as a wayfarer, and he took the ewe lamb of the poor man and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” And a traveller came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his flocks and of his herds, to dress for the traveller that came to him; and he took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that came to him.

2 Samuel 12:5 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:5 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:5 (NET)
And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan: ‘As HaShem liveth, the man that hath done this deserveth to die; And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: Then David became very angry at this man.  He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

2 Samuel 12:5 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ Δαυιδ σφόδρα τῷ ἀνδρί καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Ναθαν ζῇ κύριος ὅτι υἱὸς θανάτου ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ποιήσας τοῦτο καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ Δαυὶδ σφόδρα τῷ ἀνδρί, καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Νάθαν· ζῇ Κύριος, ὅτι υἱὸς θανάτου ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ποιήσας τοῦτο

2 Reigns 12:5 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:5 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid was greatly inflamed with anger at the man.  And Dauid said to Nathan, “The Lord lives, for the man who did this is a son of death, And David was greatly moved with anger against the man; and David said to Nathan, [As] the Lord lives, the man that did this thing shall surely die.

2 Samuel 12:6 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:6 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:6 (NET)
and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.’ And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!”

2 Samuel 12:6 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τὴν ἀμνάδα ἀποτείσει ἑπταπλασίονα ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ὅτι ἐποίησεν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο καὶ περὶ οὗ οὐκ ἐφείσατο καὶ τὴν ἀμνάδα ἀποτίσει ἑπταπλασίονα, ἀνθ’ ὧν ὅτι ἐποίησε τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο καὶ περὶ οὗ οὐκ ἐφείσατο.

2 Reigns 12:6 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:6 (English Elpenor)
and he shall restore the ewe lamb sevenfold, because he did this thing, and because he did not refrain.” And he shall restore the lamb seven-fold, because he has not spared.

2 Samuel 12:7 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:7 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:7 (NET)
And Nathan said to David: ‘Thou art the man.  Thus saith HaShem, the G-d of Israel: I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.  Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; Nathan said to David, “You are that man!  This is what the Lord God of Israel has said: ‘I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.

2 Samuel 12:7 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ναθαν πρὸς Δαυιδ σὺ εἶ ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ποιήσας τοῦτο τάδε λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ ἐγώ εἰμι ἔχρισά σε εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι ἐρρυσάμην σε ἐκ χειρὸς Σαουλ καὶ εἶπε Νάθαν πρὸς Δαυίδ· σὺ εἶ ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ποιήσας τοῦτο· τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ισραήλ· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ χρίσας σε εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι ἐρρυσάμην σε ἐκ χειρὸς Σαοὺλ

2 Reigns 12:7 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:7 (English Elpenor)
And Nathan said to Dauid, “You are the man who did this!  This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: I am—I anointed you to be king over Israel, and I am—I rescued you from the hand of Saoul, And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man that has done this.  Thus says the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee to be king over Israel, and I rescued thee out the hand of Saul;

Leviticus 20:10 (Tanakh)

 Leviticus 20:10 (KJV)

Leviticus 20:10 (NET)
And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 20:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν μοιχεύσηται γυναῗκα ἀνδρὸς ἢ ὃς ἂν μοιχεύσηται γυναῗκα τοῦ πλησίον θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ὁ μοιχεύων καὶ ἡ μοιχευομένη ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν μοιχεύσηται γυναῖκα ἀνδρός, ἢ ὃς ἂν μοιχεύσηται γυναῖκα τοῦ πλησίον, θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν, ὁ μοιχεύων καὶ ἡ μοιχευομένη

Leviticus 20:10 (NETS)

Leviticus 20:10 (English Elpenor)
A person who commits adultery with the wife of a man or who commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor—let both the adulterer and the adulteress by death be put to death. Whatever man shall commit adultery with the wife of a man, or whoever shall commit adultery with the wife of his neighbour, let them die the death, the adulterer and the adulteress.

Exodus 21:12 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 21:12 (KJV)

Exodus 21:12 (NET)
He that smiteth a man, so that he dieth, shall surely be put to death. He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. “Whoever strikes someone so that he dies must surely be put to death.

Exodus 21:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ πατάξῃ τίς τινα καὶ ἀποθάνῃ θανάτῳ θανατούσθω Εὰν δὲ πατάξῃ τίς τινα, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω

Exodus 21:12 (NETS)

Exodus 21:12 (English Elpenor)
Now if someone strikes someone and he dies, let him be put to death with death. And if any man smite another and he die, let him be certainly put to death.

Exodus 21:14 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 21:14 (KJV)

Exodus 21:14 (NET)
And if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from Mine altar, that he may die. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. But if a man willfully attacks his neighbor to kill him cunningly, you will take him even from my altar that he may die.

Exodus 21:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δέ τις ἐπιθῆται τῷ πλησίον ἀποκτεῗναι αὐτὸν δόλῳ καὶ καταφύγῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου μου λήμψῃ αὐτὸν θανατῶσαι ἐὰν δέ τις ἐπιθῆται τῷ πλησίον ἀποκτεῖναι αὐτὸν δόλῳ καὶ καταφύγῃ, ἀπὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου μου λήψῃ αὐτὸν θανατῶσαι

Exodus 21:14 (NETS)

Exodus 21:14 (English Elpenor)
Now if someone attacks his neighbor to kill him treacherously and he flees, from my altar you shall take him to put him todeath. And if any one lie in wait for his neighbour to slay him by craft, and he go for refuge, thou shalt take him from my altar to put him to death.

Leviticus 4:22 (Tanakh)

 Leviticus 4:22 (KJV)

Leviticus 4:22 (NET)
When a ruler sinneth, and doeth through error any one of all the things which HaShem his G-d hath commanded not to be done, and is guilty: When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty; “‘Whenever a leader, by straying unintentionally, sins and violates one of the commandments of the Lord his God which must not be violated, and he pleads guilty,

Leviticus 4:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 4:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ ὁ ἄρχων ἁμάρτῃ καὶ ποιήσῃ μίαν ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἐντολῶν κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ αὐτῶν ἣ οὐ ποιηθήσεται ἀκουσίως καὶ ἁμάρτῃ καὶ πλημμελήσῃ ἐὰν δὲ ὁ ἄρχων ἁμάρτῃ, καὶ ποιήσῃ μίαν ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἐντολῶν Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἣ οὐ ποιηθήσεται, ἀκουσίως, καὶ ἁμάρτῃ καὶ πλημμελήσῃ

Leviticus 4:22 (NETS)

Leviticus 4:22 (English Elpenor)
But if the ruler sins and does unintentionally one of any of the commandments of the Lord their God, which shall not be done, and sins and is in error And if a ruler sin, and break one of all the commands of the Lord his God, [doing the thing] which ought not to be done, unwillingly, and shall sin and trespass,

Leviticus 4:23 (Tanakh)

 Leviticus 4:23 (KJV)

Leviticus 4:23 (NET)
if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, be known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a male without blemish. Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish: or his sin that he committed is made known to him, he must bring a flawless male goat as his offering.

Leviticus 4:23 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 4:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ γνωσθῇ αὐτῷ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἣν ἥμαρτεν ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ προσοίσει τὸ δῶρον αὐτοῦ χίμαρον ἐξ αἰγῶν ἄρσεν ἄμωμον καὶ γνωσθῇ αὐτῷ ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἣν ἥμαρτεν ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ προσοίσει τὸ δῶρον αὐτοῦ χίμαρον ἐξ αἰγῶν, ἄρσεν ἄμωμον

Leviticus 4:23 (NETS)

Leviticus 4:23 (English Elpenor)
and the sin wherein he has sinned becomes known to him, then he shall bring his gift: a young billy goat, a male without blemish. and his trespass wherein he has sinned, be known to him,– then shall he offer for his gift a kid of the goats, a male without blemish.

2 Samuel 12:8 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:8 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:8 (NET)
and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that were too little, then would I add unto thee so much more. And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well!

2 Samuel 12:8 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔδωκά σοι τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κυρίου σου καὶ τὰς γυναῗκας τοῦ κυρίου σου ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ σου καὶ ἔδωκά σοι τὸν οἶκον Ισραηλ καὶ Ιουδα καὶ εἰ μικρόν ἐστιν προσθήσω σοι κατὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἔδωκά σοι τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κυρίου σου καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας τοῦ κυρίου σου ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ σου καὶ ἔδωκά σοι τὸν οἶκον ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ᾿Ιούδα· καὶ εἰ μικρόν ἐστι, προσθήσω σοι κατὰ ταῦτα

2 Reigns 12:8 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:8 (English Elpenor)
and I gave you the house of your master and the wives of your master into your bosom, and I gave you the house of Israel and of Iouda, and if it is too little, I will add to you in accordance with these. and I gave thee the house of the lord, and the wives of thy lord into thy bosom, and I gave to thee the house of Israel and Juda; and if that had been little, I would have given thee yet more.

2 Samuel 12:9 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:9 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:9 (NET)
Wherefore hast thou despised the word of HaShem, to do that which is evil in My sight?  Uriah the Hittite thou hast smitten with the sword, and his wife thou hast taken to be thy wife, and him thou hast slain with the sword of the children of Ammon. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Why have you shown contempt for the Lord’s decrees by doing evil in my sight?  You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife to be your own wife! You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

2 Samuel 12:9 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τί ὅτι ἐφαύλισας τὸν λόγον κυρίου τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς αὐτοῦ τὸν Ουριαν τὸν Χετταῗον ἐπάταξας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ καὶ τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ ἔλαβες σεαυτῷ εἰς γυναῗκα καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπέκτεινας ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ υἱῶν Αμμων τί ὅτι ἐφαύλισας τὸν λόγον Κυρίου τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ; τὸν Οὐρίαν τὸν Χετταῖον ἐπάταξας ἐν ρομφαίᾳ καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ ἔλαβες σεαυτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπέκτεινας ἐν ρομφαίᾳ υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών

2 Reigns 12:9 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:9 (English Elpenor)
Why is it that you trivialized the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight?  You struck Ourias the Chetite with a sword and took his wife for yourself for a wife and killed him with a sword of the sons of Ammon. Why hast thou set at nought the word of the Lord, to do that which is evil in his eyes? thou hast slain Urias the Chettite with the sword, and thou hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and thou hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

2 Samuel 12:10 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:10 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:10 (NET)
Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from thy house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. So now the sword will never depart from your house.  For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!’

2 Samuel 12:10 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν οὐκ ἀποστήσεται ῥομφαία ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου ἕως αἰῶνος ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ὅτι ἐξουδένωσάς με καὶ ἔλαβες τὴν γυναῗκα τοῦ Ουριου τοῦ Χετταίου τοῦ εἶναί σοι εἰς γυναῗκα καὶ νῦν οὐκ ἀποστήσεται ρομφαία ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου ἕως αἰῶνος ἀνθ’ ὧν ὅτι ἐξουδένωσάς με καὶ ἔλαβες τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ Οὐρίου τοῦ Χετταίου τοῦ εἶναί σοι εἰς γυναῖκα

2 Reigns 12:10 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:10 (English Elpenor)
And now, a sword shall never depart from your house, because you counted me as nothing and took the wife of Ourias the Chettite to be your wife. Now therefore the sword shall not depart from thy house for ever, because thou has set me at nought, and thou hast taken the wife of Urias the Chettite, to be thy wife.

2 Samuel 12:11 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:11 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:11 (NET)
Thus saith HaShem: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. This is what the Lord has said: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household!  Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion.  He will go to bed with your wives in broad daylight!

2 Samuel 12:11 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τάδε λέγει κύριος ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξεγείρω ἐπὶ σὲ κακὰ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου καὶ λήμψομαι τὰς γυναῗκάς σου κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμούς σου καὶ δώσω τῷ πλησίον σου καὶ κοιμηθήσεται μετὰ τῶν γυναικῶν σου ἐναντίον τοῦ ἡλίου τούτου τάδε λέγει Κύριος· ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξεγείρω ἐπὶ σὲ κακὰ ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου καὶ λήψομαι τὰς γυναῖκάς σου κατ’ ὀφθαλμούς σου καὶ δώσω τῷ πλησίον σου, καὶ κοιμηθήσεται μετὰ τῶν γυναικῶν σου ἐναντίον τοῦ ἡλίου τούτου

2 Reigns 12:11 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:11 (English Elpenor)
This is what the Lord says: Behold, I am raising up trouble against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives before this sun. Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up against thee evil out of thy house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and will give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

2 Samuel 12:12 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:12 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:12 (NET)
For thou didst it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’ For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’”

2 Samuel 12:12 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι σὺ ἐποίησας κρυβῇ κἀγὼ ποιήσω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ἐναντίον παντὸς Ισραηλ καὶ ἀπέναντι τούτου τοῦ ἡλίου ὅτι σὺ ἐποίησας κρυβῇ, κἀγὼ ποιήσω τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο ἐναντίον παντὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἀπέναντι τοῦ ἡλίου τούτου.

2 Reigns 12:12 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:12 (English Elpenor)
For you did it secretly, and I will do this thing before all Israel and before this sun.” For thou didst it secretly, but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and before the sun.

2 Samuel 12:13 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:13 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:13 (NET)
And David said unto Nathan: ‘I have sinned against HaShem.’  And Nathan said unto David: ‘The HaShem also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.  And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!”  Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven your sin.  You are not going to die.

2 Samuel 12:13 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ τῷ Ναθαν ἡμάρτηκα τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ εἶπεν Ναθαν πρὸς Δαυιδ καὶ κύριος παρεβίβασεν τὸ ἁμάρτημά σου οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ τῷ Νάθαν· ἡμάρτηκα τῷ Κυρίῳ. καὶ εἶπε Νάθαν πρὸς Δαυίδ· καὶ Κύριος παρεβίβασε τὸ ἁμάρτημά σου, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς

2 Reigns 12:13 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:13 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”  And Nathan said to Dauid, “Indeed, the Lord put aside your sin; you shall not die. And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord.  And Nathan said to David, And the Lord has put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

Joshua 7:20 (Tanakh)

 Joshua 7:20 (KJV)

Joshua 7:20 (NET)
And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: Achan told Joshua, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel in this way:

Joshua 7:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Αχαρ τῷ Ἰησοῗ καὶ εἶπεν ἀληθῶς ἥμαρτον ἐναντίον κυρίου θεοῦ Ισραηλ οὕτως καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησα καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ῎Αχαρ τῷ ᾿Ιησοῖ καὶ εἶπεν· ἀληθῶς ἥμαρτον ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ· οὕτως καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησα

Joshua 7:20 (NETS)

Joshua 7:20 (English Elpenor)
And Achar answered Iesous and said, “ Truly I have sinned against the Lord, God of Israel.  Thus and so have I done. And Achar answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel: thus and thus have I done:

Joshua 7:21 (Tanakh)

 Joshua 7:21 (KJV)

Joshua 7:21 (NET)
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon, two hundred silver pieces, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I wanted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground right in the middle of my tent with the silver underneath.”

Joshua 7:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶδον ἐν τῇ προνομῇ ψιλὴν ποικίλην καλὴν καὶ διακόσια δίδραχμα ἀργυρίου καὶ γλῶσσαν μίαν χρυσῆν πεντήκοντα διδράχμων καὶ ἐνθυμηθεὶς αὐτῶν ἔλαβον καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὰ ἐγκέκρυπται ἐν τῇ γῇ ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ μου καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον κέκρυπται ὑποκάτω αὐτῶν εἶδον ἐν τῇ προνομῇ ψιλὴν ποικίλην καλὴν καὶ διακόσια δίδραχμα ἀργυρίου καὶ γλῶσσαν μίαν χρυσῆν πεντήκοντα διδράχμων καὶ ἐνθυμηθεὶς αὐτῶν ἔλαβον, καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὰ ἐγκέκρυπται ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ μου καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον κέκρυπται ὑποκάτω αὐτῶν

Joshua 7:21 (NETS)

Joshua 7:21 (English Elpenor)
I saw in the spoil a beautiful, multi-colored carpet and two hundred didrachmas of silver and one golden tongue-shaped object of fifty didrachmas, and I coveted them and took them.  And look, they are hidden in the ground in my tent, and the silver is hidden underneath them.” I saw in the spoil an embroidered mantle, and two hundred didrachmas of silver, and one golden wedge of fifty didrachmas, and I desired them and took them; and, behold, they are hid in my tent, and the silver is hid under them.
Joshua 7:10 (Tanakh) Joshua 7:10 (KJV)

Joshua 7:10 (NET)
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? The Lord responded to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there face down?

Joshua 7:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Ἰησοῦν ἀνάστηθι ἵνα τί τοῦτο σὺ πέπτωκας ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν σου καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς ᾿Ιησοῦν· ἀνάστηθι, ἱνατί τοῦτο σὺ πέπτωκας ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν σου

Joshua 7:10 (NETS)

Joshua 7:10 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to Iesous, “Stand up.  Why is it that you have fallen upon your face? And the Lord said to Joshua, Rise up; why hast thou fallen upon thy face?

Joshua 7:11 (Tanakh)

 Joshua 7:11 (KJV)

Joshua 7:11 (NET)
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment!  They have taken some of the riches; they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions.

Joshua 7:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἡμάρτηκεν ὁ λαὸς καὶ παρέβη τὴν διαθήκην ἣν διεθέμην πρὸς αὐτούς καὶ κλέψαντες ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀναθέματος ἐνέβαλον εἰς τὰ σκεύη αὐτῶν ἡμάρτηκεν ὁ λαὸς καὶ παρέβη τὴν διαθήκην, ἣν διεθέμην πρὸς αὐτούς, καὶ κλέψαντες ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀναθέματος ἐνέβαλον εἰς τὰ σκεύη αὐτῶν

Joshua 7:11 (NETS)

Joshua 7:11 (English Elpenor)
The people have sinned and transgressed the covenant that I made with them.  And they have stolen from what is devoted and put it into their own belongings. The people has sinned, and transgressed the covenant which I made with them; they have stolen from the cursed thing, and put it into their store.

Joshua 7:12 (Tanakh)

 Joshua 7:12 (KJV)

Joshua 7:12 (NET)
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation.  I will no longer be with you, unless you destroy what has contaminated you.

Joshua 7:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ μὴ δύνωνται οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ὑποστῆναι κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν αὐχένα ἐπιστρέψουσιν ἔναντι τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν ὅτι ἐγενήθησαν ἀνάθεμα οὐ προσθήσω ἔτι εἶναι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν ἐὰν μὴ ἐξάρητε τὸ ἀνάθεμα ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν καὶ οὐ μὴ δύνωνται οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ὑποστῆναι κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν· αὐχένα ἐπιστρέψουσιν ἔναντι τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐγενήθησαν ἀνάθεμα· οὐ προσθήσω ἔτι εἶναι μεθ’ ὑμῶν, ἐὰν μὴ ἐξάρητε τὸ ἀνάθεμα ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν

Joshua 7:12 (NETS)

Joshua 7:12 (English Elpenor)
The sons of Israel shall not be able to stand before their enemies; they shall turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become what is devoted.  I will be with you no longer, unless you remove what is devoted from yourselves. And the children of Israel will not be able to stand before their enemies; they will turn their back before their enemies, for they have become an accursed thing: I will not any longer be with you, unless ye remove the cursed thing from yourselves.

Joshua 7:15 (Tanakh)

 Joshua 7:15 (KJV)

Joshua 7:15 (NET)
And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. The one caught with the riches must be burned up along with all who belong to him, because he violated the Lord’s covenant and did such a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

Joshua 7:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὃς ἂν ἐνδειχθῇ κατακαυθήσεται ἐν πυρὶ καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῷ ὅτι παρέβη τὴν διαθήκην κυρίου καὶ ἐποίησεν ἀνόμημα ἐν Ισραηλ καὶ ὃς ἂν ἐνδειχθῇ, κατακαυθήσεται ἐν πυρὶ καὶ πάντα, ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῷ, ὅτι παρέβη τὴν διαθήκην Κυρίου καὶ ἐποίησεν ἀνόμημα ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ

Joshua 7:15 (NETS)

Joshua 7:15 (English Elpenor)
And the one who is indicated shall be burned with fire, and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord and has committed lawlessness in Israel.” And the man who shall be pointed out, shall be burnt with fire, and all that he has; because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and has wrought wickedness in Israel.

Joshua 7:24 (Tanakh)

 Joshua 7:24 (KJV)

Joshua 7:24 (NET)
And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster.

Joshua 7:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔλαβεν Ἰησοῦς τὸν Αχαρ υἱὸν Ζαρα καὶ ἀνήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς φάραγγα Αχωρ καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς μόσχους αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ὑποζύγια αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ πρόβατα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνήγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς Εμεκαχωρ καὶ ἔλαβεν ᾿Ιησοῦς τὸν ῎Αχαρ υἱὸν Ζαρὰ καὶ ἀνήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς φάραγγα ᾿Αχὼρ καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς μόσχους αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ὑποζύγια αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ πρόβατα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς μετ’ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἀνήγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ᾿Εμεκαχώρ

Joshua 7:24 (NETS)

Joshua 7:24 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous took Achar son of Zara and brought him up to the ravine of Achor, and his sons and his daughters and his bull calves and his draft animals and all his sheep and his tent and all his belongings—and all the people with him.  And he brought them up to Emekachor. And Joshua took Achar the son of Zara, and brought him to the valley of Achor, and his sons, and his daughters, and his calves, and his asses, and all his sheep, and his tent, and all his property, and all the people [were] with him; and he brought them to Emec Achor.

Joshua 7:25 (Tanakh)

 Joshua 7:25 (KJV)

Joshua 7:25 (NET)
And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day.  And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day.  And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on us?  The Lord will bring disaster on you today!”  All Israel stoned him to death.  (They also stoned and burned the others.)

Joshua 7:25 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ἰησοῦς τῷ Αχαρ τί ὠλέθρευσας ἡμᾶς ἐξολεθρεύσαι σε κύριος καθὰ καὶ σήμερον καὶ ἐλιθοβόλησαν αὐτὸν λίθοις πᾶς Ισραηλ καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιησοῦς τῷ ῎Αχαρ· τί ὠλόθρευσας ἡμᾶς; ἐξολοθρεύσαι σε Κύριος καθὰ καὶ σήμερον. καὶ ἐλιθοβόλησαν αὐτὸν λίθοις πᾶς ᾿Ισραήλ

Joshua 7:25 (NETS)

Joshua 7:25 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous said to Achar, “Why have you destroyed us?  May the Lord destroy you as also today.”  And all Israel stoned him with stones. And Joshua said to Achar, Why hast thou destroyed us? the Lord destroy thee as at this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones.

Joshua 7:26 (Tanakh)

 Joshua 7:26 (KJV)

Joshua 7:26 (NET)
And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day.  So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger.  Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day.  So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger.  Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day ) and the Lord’s anger subsided.  So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.

Joshua 7:26 (Septuagint BLB)

Joshua 7:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπέστησαν αὐτῷ σωρὸν λίθων μέγαν καὶ ἐπαύσατο κύριος τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς διὰ τοῦτο ἐπωνόμασεν αὐτὸ Εμεκαχωρ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης καὶ ἐπέστησαν αὐτῷ σωρὸν λίθων μέγαν. καὶ ἐπαύσατο Κύριος τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς· διὰ τοῦτο ἐπωνόμασεν αὐτὸ ᾿Εμεκαχὼρ ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης

Joshua 7:26 (NETS)

Joshua 7:26 (English Elpenor)
And they set up over him a great heap of stones.  And the Lord ceased from burning anger.  Therefore he named it Emekachor until this day. And they set up over him a great heap of stones; and the Lord ceased from his fierce anger.  Therefore he called the place Emecachor until this day.

Hosea 2:15 (Tanakh)

 Hosea 2:15 (KJV)

Hosea 2:15 (NET)
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. From there I will give back her vineyards to her, and turn the “Valley of Trouble” into an “Opportunity for Hope.”  There she will sing as she did when she was young, when she came up from the land of Egypt.

Hosea 2:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 2:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ δώσω αὐτῇ τὰ κτήματα αὐτῆς ἐκεῗθεν καὶ τὴν κοιλάδα Αχωρ διανοῗξαι σύνεσιν αὐτῆς καὶ ταπεινωθήσεται ἐκεῗ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας νηπιότητος αὐτῆς καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἀναβάσεως αὐτῆς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ δώσω αὐτῇ τὰ κτήματα αὐτῆς ἐκεῖθεν καὶ τὴν κοιλάδα ᾿Αχὼρ διανοῖξαι σύνεσιν αὐτῆς, καὶ ταπεινωθήσεται ἐκεῖ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας νηπιότητος αὐτῆς καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἀναβάσεως αὐτῆς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.

Hosea 2:15 (NETS)

Hosea 2:17 (English Elpenor)
And from there I will give her her estates and the valley of Achor, to open up her understanding.  And there she will be brought low as in the days of her infancy and as in the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt. And I will give her possessions from thence, and the valley of Achor to open her understanding: and she shall be afflicted there according to the days of her infancy, and according to the days of her coming up out of the land of Egypt.

Hosea 2:16 (Tanakh)

 Hosea 2:16 (KJV)

Hosea 2:16 (NET)
And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. “At that time,” declares the Lord, “you will call, ‘My husband’; you will never again call me, ‘My master.’

Hosea 2:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 2:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ λέγει κύριος καλέσει με ὁ ἀνήρ μου καὶ οὐ καλέσει με ἔτι Βααλιμ καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, λέγει Κύριος, καλέσει με· ὁ ἀνήρ μου, καὶ οὐ καλέσει με ἔτι Βααλείμ

Hosea 2:16 (NETS)

Hosea 2:18 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be on that day, says the Lord, she will call me “My husband” and no longer call me “Baalim.” And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, [that] she shall call me, My husband, and shall no longer call me Baalim.

Hosea 2:17 (Tanakh)

 Hosea 2:17 (KJV)

Hosea 2:17 (NET)
For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. For I will take away the names of the Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be mentioned by their name. For I will remove the names of the Baal idols from your lips, so that you will never again utter their names!”

Hosea 2:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 2:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξαρῶ τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν Βααλιμ ἐκ στόματος αὐτῆς καὶ οὐ μὴ μνησθῶσιν οὐκέτι τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν καὶ ἐξαρῶ τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν Βααλεὶμ ἐκ στόματος αὐτῆς καὶ οὐ μὴ μνησθῶσιν οὐκ ἔτι τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν

Hosea 2:17 (NETS)

Hosea 2:19 (English Elpenor)
And I will remove the names of the Baalim from her mouth, and their names will be remembered no more. And I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and their names shall be remembered no more at all.

2 Samuel 12:14 (Tanakh)

 2 Samuel 12:14 (KJV)

2 Samuel 12:14 (NET)
Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast greatly blasphemed the enemies of HaShem, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.’ Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.”

2 Samuel 12:14 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 12:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πλὴν ὅτι παροξύνων παρώξυνας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς κυρίου ἐν τῷ ῥήματι τούτῳ καί γε ὁ υἱός σου ὁ τεχθείς σοι θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῗται πλὴν ὅτι παροργίζων παρώργισας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς Κυρίου ἐν τῷ ρήματι τούτῳ, καί γε ὁ υἱός σου ὁ τεχθείς σοι θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖται

2 Reigns 12:14 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:14 (English Elpenor)
Yet because provokingly you provoked the enemies of the Lord by this thing, indeed your son who was born to you will die by death. Only because thou hast given great occasion of provocation to the enemies of the Lord by this thing, thy son also that is born to thee shall surely die.

1 2 Samuel 12:1-7 (NET)

2 Leviticus 20:10 (NET)

3 Exodus 21:12 (NET)

4 Exodus 21:14 (NET)

5 Leviticus 4:22, 23 (NET)

6 2 Samuel 12:7-12 (NET)

7 2 Samuel 12:13a (NET)

8 Joshua 7:10-12 (NET)

9 Joshua 7:15 (NET)

10 This was Εμεκαχωρ (Table50) in the Septuagint, a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew עמק (ʽêmeq; NET: Valley) and עכור (ʽâkôr; NET: of Disaster).

11 See footnote 10 above (Table54).

12 Joshua 7:24-26 (NET)

13 The Hebrew עמק (ʽêmeq; NET: Valley) and עכור (ʽâkôr; NET: of Trouble) was translated κοιλάδα Αχωρ (Table56) in the Septuagint.

14 This phrase was significantly different in the English translations of the Septuagint (Table56), but that must wait for another essay.

15 2 Samuel 12:13, 14 (NET)