Jedidiah, Part 2

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 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 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

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 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)

Who am I? Part 3

Though I knew nothing of Freud and his theories about sex and aggression at the time, I had immediately equated sex and violence.  I grew up in a fairly tough blue collar neighborhood.  We boys fought all the time, mostly wrestling matches with an occasional blow with a fist, elbow or knee.  When we grew older and wrestling matches turned to all-out fist fights, after the first time we witnessed one of our own knocked unconscious, we found other ways to establish dominance (merciless ridicule mostly).  Physiologically, sex seemed a lot like the high of fighting, except I didn’t have to be angry.  (Of course, boys don’t always fight angrily, either.  Sometimes we fought just because we were boys.)

“So this is what they’ve been trying to keep from me,” I thought.

I knew why—because God said so.  Sex outside of marriage is immoral.  I began to wonder—for the first time—why did God say no?  I felt like a different person.  Instead of trying to be King Kong in the neighborhood, sex seemed to bring out a kinder, gentler me.  And in the background, behind this question was another nagging question, when and how would God’s punishment come?

There was another question that began to emerge.  Why was it evil for me to have sex with a girl I loved, and good for me to travel to someone else’s jungle to kill Viet-Cong?  I wasn’t asking this question of the people around me, I asked God.  And still, there was no punishment for premarital sex.  It occurred to me then that maybe God hadn’t punished me because he couldn’t.

The thought came to me: There are no atheists in foxholes.  Was that it? I wondered.

Having fairly regular sex at seventeen made me happier, more confident and alive than I had ever been.  I was cocky, you might say.  I didn’t feel any great need for God.  But if I were about to wet my pants for fear of death in some steamy jungle, well, that would be a different story.  It made a lot of sense.  Sex was bad, because it was bad for faith in God.  War was good, because it was good for faith in God.  That’s about the time I prayed and told God I understood his little game and I would beat him at it.  Still, no punishment came.

I decided that what God said was evil was at least potentially good, and what God said was good was probably generally evil.  I was still a suburban, working-class white kid born in the fifties, so I wasn’t particularly adept at making so complete a moral reversal.

The idea of “water brothers,” for instance, from Robert Heinlein’sStranger in a Strange Land,” was very appealing to me.  “Water brothers” were a group of men and women who cared for each other in a semi-communal way and had heterosexual relations as it suited them.  The heterosexual only sexual unions seemed like an obvious weakness in the scheme to me.  Heinlein was just a little too enamored with God’s moral standards for my taste, but I tried self-consciously to inaugurate a “water brothers” practice among my small group of high school friends.

I had my girlfriend’s acquiescence if not her permission—in theory.  In practice my first bungled attempt resulted in a complete change of heart—mine.  I returned to her quite contrite actually, confessed my sin and asked for her hand in a much more traditional marriage.

Still, no punishment came from God.  If he could not punish me to defend his holiness, if his holiness was little more than his own self-interest, maybe he wasn’t God at all.  That’s when it hit.  Oh my God, he isn’t at all!  And he never was.  I wasn’t happy with the conclusion, but at the time, I couldn’t escape its logic:  God did not punish me for sin, therefore God was not.

Eventually, my girlfriend had enough of me, and I went into a decline that is such a cliché, it is too embarrassing to mention in detail.

One night, years later I was visiting my mother.  I sat up reading a book by Hal Lindsey.  It was just sitting there on her coffee table.  I don’t even remember the title.  The subtitle was “a prophetic odyssey.”  For reasons I can no longer recall I assumed that meant it was fiction.  The advantage of this misunderstanding was that I didn’t need Hal Lindsey’s account of the end times or his interpretations of the book of Revelation to be true, just plausible.  It was a tale of God’s wrath deferred, punishment stored up for the end of time.  It gave me hope that the world could look as corrupt and devoid of God as it appeared to me, and yet God might still be there waiting for any who might perchance call upon Him.

I walked to the kitchen and looked out at the graying sky of morning.  “If you’re really out there, I really want to know you,” I prayed.

I didn’t think much of the Gospel then.  Been there, done that, I thought.  The Gospel just didn’t work out for me.  This time I was going to do it right.  The objective truth of the Bible was irrelevant to me.  Its truth was like that of a contract.  There were things for me to do and things God would do in exchange.  He knew what the contract I held in my hand said, and so could I.  I was still pretty cocky.

I felt like the major difference between an Old Testament Israelite and a New Testament believer was that believers went to church on Sunday instead of synagogue on Saturday and had ham for Easter instead of lamb for Passover.  I didn’t completely discount the Gospel, I suppose, but I thought it was more for God’s benefit than mine.  It seemed like a trick He played on himself, so He could draw near to a screw-up like me without feeling obliged to strike me dead with a lightning bolt.  I was grateful and all for the second chance, but I believed wholeheartedly it was a second chance for me to prove what I could do for God.

One more thing you should know about me.  A song of David, another king of Israel (and Solomon’s father), was preserved in 2 Samuel.  A portion of that song, sung to the Lord Jesus, goes:  You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful; you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent.  You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless, but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse.1 I usually appreciate God’s deceptiveness (the NIV translates it shrewdness, if you prefer) first, before I recognize his reliability, trustworthiness and loyalty.  So I assume that I am far more perverse (NIV, crooked), than I am blameless, innocent or faithful.

Addendum: 11/21/2017 – I just read an article online from the New Republic, Charles Manson’s Science Fiction Roots by JEET HEER.  I hadn’t known that Robert Heinlein was friends with L. Ron Hubbard or that both were enamored with the teachings of Aleister Crowley.  Would that knowledge have steered my thinking away from Heinlein’s ideas, I wondered, or moved me closer to the occult?  I don’t know.  My native materialism has kept me from taking occult knowledge too seriously.

I’ve been thinking recently how the strange paths of my life have kept me from potentially stranger paths.  After I saw Spotlight I realized that if I had met those playful, gentle men at twelve I might have become their accomplice and their temptation.  I didn’t meet one until I was seventeen (he was not Catholic, by the way) or at least I didn’t understand what he wanted from me until I was seventeen, almost eighteen.  By then he was too late.  No matter how playful or gentle he was, he had nothing on a seventeen-year-old girl.  He was disappointed but never came around again.

 

Addendum: April 22, 2019
A table comparing 2 Samuel 22:26, 27 in the Tanakh and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel 22:26 and 22:27 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 22:26, 27 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 22:26, 27 (NET)

With the merciful Thou dost show Thyself merciful, with the upright man Thou dost show Thyself upright, You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful; you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent.
With the pure Thou dost show myself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself subtle. You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless, but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse.

2 Samuel 22:26 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 22:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)

μετὰ ὁσίου ὁσιωθήσῃ καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρὸς τελείου τελειωθήσῃ μετὰ ὁσίου ὁσιωθήσῃ καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρὸς τελείου τελειωθήσῃ

2 Reigns 22:26 (NETS)

2 Kings 22:26 (English Elpenor)

With the devout you will be deemed devout, and with a perfect man you will be deemed perfect, With the holy thou wilt be holy, and with the perfect man thou will be perfect,
2 Samuel 22:27 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 22:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ μετὰ ἐκλεκτοῦ ἐκλεκτὸς ἔσῃ καὶ μετὰ στρεβλοῦ στρεβλωθήσῃ καὶ μετὰ ἐκλεκτοῦ ἐκλεκτὸς ἔσῃ καὶ μετὰ στρεβλοῦ στρεβλωθήσῃ

2 Reigns 22:27 (NETS)

2 Kings 22:27 (English Elpenor)

and with the select you will be select, and with the crooked you will be deemed crooked. and with the excellent thou wilt be excellent, and with the froward thou will be froward.

 


1 2 Samuel 22:26-27 (NET)

Who Am I? Part 2

I’m not sure I know the answer to God’s treatment of Nadab and Abihu.  And with me, there’s some real duplicity here.  Though I’m not fond of the particular situation recorded in Leviticus, if Nadab and Abihu had been a couple of notorious child molesters, I’d be singing a different tune.  I know far too many women who were abused sexually by male relatives.  If God wanted to step in and fry a couple of those perverts as an example, I would probably say, “amen, glory hallelujah, praise the Lord!”  But Nadab and Abihu were, uhm,…religious.

Moses’ explanation is clear enough in the text.  He spoke to Aaron, who was his own brother and Nadab’s and Abihu’s father.  This is what the Lord spoke: “Among the ones close to me I will show myself holy, and in the presence of all the people I will be honored.”1   So Aaron kept silent.2

There are prosecutors who speak out for the victims of child abuse, juries that will convict the abusers, and judges who will sentence them.  But who speaks on behalf of the holiness of God, who convicts and sentences those who defame Him?  Rationally I concede that God must defend his own holiness.  But this rationality is as cold and calculating as an adding machine.  Emotionally I am still troubled.  I can’t just pass this off as an inexplicable act of Yahweh in the Old Testament.  The Jews asked Jesus, Who do you3 claim to be?4  Jesus answered finally, I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!5

We may quibble and philosophize today about Jesus’ meaning.  The Jews who heard him understood him perfectly well.  He spoke the unspeakable name of God and claimed to be the very one who spoke to Moses from the burning bush and on the mountain at Sinai, the one who inscribed the tables of the law with his own finger and struck down Nadab and Abihu with fire.  And I know they understood this because, Then they picked up stones to throw at him6

In Leviticus there is a story about the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man who misused the Name [i.e., of God] and cursed.7  A mortal man, the son of a carpenter as the Jews of Jesus’ day thought, certainly misused the Name if he claimed to be the I Am who spoke to Moses before Abraham was born.  The Lord told Moses, Bring the one who cursed outside the camp, and all who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the whole congregation is to stone him to death.8  The Lord continued to generalize this commandment, If any man curses his God he will bear responsibility for his sin, and one who misuses the name of the Lord must surely be put to death. The whole congregation must surely stone him, whether he is a foreigner or a native citizen; when he misuses the Name he must be put to death.9

Believers witness the irony here:  Jesus faced an angry crowd about to stone him in accordance with his own word.  These Jews were under Roman dominion.  They didn’t have the political freedom to practice their own religion this way.  They would surely be charged with crimes if they succeeded in their mission.  But it is not too hard for me to imagine what drove them to put themselves in jeopardy:  They believed they were speaking and acting on behalf of the holiness of God and the honor due his name, but Jesus hid himself and went out from the temple area.10

I didn’t rush out to see THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST when it came out.  Those are hard enough chapters to read.  And if Mel Gibson is known for anything, he is surely known for graphic, gut-wrenching violence.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Mel Gibson’s movies.  I just wasn’t eager to endure that much pain.  Finally, I saw the film on DVD.  Yes, it was painful, but I fortified myself (maybe anesthetized myself some) by considering as I watched whether I thought the film was anti-Semitic.

Now how can a story where all the major characters are Jews be anti-Semitic?  As I watched and as I thought about it after, it came to me:  How the story-teller treats Caiaphas tells the tale.  Caiaphas in the film was portrayed as a crafty politician.  I imagine that Caiaphas was a crafty politician; he must have been to have hamstrung a man like Pilate the way he did.  But he was also high priest.  Institutionally, he held the moral high ground.  The odds, so to speak, were in his favor.  Yes, he was under the same Roman dominion as the Jews who would have stoned Jesus.   Yes, he had to use some guile to get a Roman—who had little respect, probably even contempt, for Jewish beliefs—to fulfill his purpose, but ultimately his purpose was to defend his people and the holiness and honor of God.

You see—and this is where the movie might have done a better job—Caiaphas was doing what Jesus had taught Moses was right, unless of course Caiaphas was completely wrong about who Jesus is; unless, that is, Jesus actually is the I Am who spoke to Moses before Abraham was born.  Confusing, isn’t it?  But believers recognize this incident as the prime example of mistaken identity and wrongful prosecution, an error of judicial judgment.  Such errors have been made in every legal system conceived by man.  It’s not an error unique to Jews in general or Caiaphas in particular.  We fear it so, that many wish to take capital punishment out of judges’ hands.

So Caiaphas’ judicial error and his political skill at persuading Pilate to carry out a sentence the high priest no longer had the authority to mete out, condemned Jesus to death.  His death is the foundation of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-8 NET):

Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you – unless you believed in vain.  For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received – that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures [Table], and that he appeared to Cephas [Peter], then to the twelve.  Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep [Table].  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.  Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.

This might seem like a strange journey, from God’s judgment against Nadab and Abihu to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  But these events, joined as they are, were like inverted bookends to my flirtation with atheism.  The beginning of my unbelief was not the harshness of God’s judgments, but his leniency with me when I started having sex with my high school girlfriend.  It took me completely by surprise when He didn’t punish me for sin.

 

Addendum: March 30, 2019
Comparing Leviticus 24:14-16 in the Tanakh and the Septuagint piqued my interest.  In verse 14 the Hebrew word המקלל (qâlal)—Tanakh: hath cursed; NET: cursed (Table5 below)—was translated καταρασάμενον (a form of καταράομαι)—NETS: the curse; Elpenor: cursed (Table6 below)—in the Septuagint.  Likewise in verse 15 יקלל (qâlal)—Tanakh: curseth; NET: curses (Table5 below)—was translated καταράσηται (another form of καταράομαι)—NETS: should curse; Elpenor: shall curse (Table7 below).  In verse 16 however ונקב (nâqab)—Tanakh: blasphemeth; NET: misuses (Table5 below)—was translated ὀνομάζων (a form of ὀνομάζω)—NETS: names; Elpenor: names (Table8 below).  Later in the same verse בנקבו (nâqab)— Tanakh: blasphemeth; NET: misuses (Table5 below)—was translated ὀνομάσαι (another form of ὀνομάζω)—NETS: names; Elpenor: naming (Table8 below).

Here is the same information in tabular form:

Reference Hebrew English Greek English
Leviticus 24:14 (qâlal) המקלל Tanakh: hath cursed; NET: cursed καταρασάμενον NETS: the curse; Elpenor: cursed
Leviticus 24:15 (qâlal) יקלל Tanakh: curseth; NET: curses καταράσηται NETS: should curse; Elpenor: shall curse
Leviticus 24:16 (nâqab) ונקב Tanakh: blasphemeth; NET: misuses ὀνομάζων NETS: names; Elpenor: names
Leviticus 24:16 (nâqab) בנקבו Tanakh: blasphemeth; NET: misuses ὀνομάσαι NETS: names; Elpenor: naming

This makes sense to me if Lavinia Cohn-Sherbok was correct in her assertion that: “God’s name was almost certainly pronounced in early times, but by the third century BCE [e.g., about the time the Septuagint was translated into Greek] the consonants were regarded as so sacred that they were never articulated.”11  Another article on myjewishlearning—“What Is The Tetragrammaton?”—acknowleged, “The origin of the taboo on pronouncing God’s name aloud — viewing this as irreverent or possibly even a violation of the commandment not to take God’s name in vain — is not entirely clear.  However,” the article continued:

some attribute it to a Temple practice in which only the High Priest was allowed to utter the name, and only when in the Temple and reciting the priestly blessing.  In the Mishnah (in Sanhedrin 10.1), as Rabbi Louis Jacobs notes in The Jewish Religion, the sage Abba Saul declares that one who pronounces the divine name with its letters (i.e. as it is spelled) has no share in the World to Come.

I found the following concerning writing the Name in “The Name of God” on Mechon Mamre online:

Jews do not casually write any Name of God.  This practice does not come from the commandment not to take the LORD’s Name in vain, as many suppose…

The Torah does not prohibit writing the Name of God per se; it only prohibits erasing or defacing a Name of God.  However, observant Jews avoid writing any Name of God casually because of the risk that the written Name might later be defaced, obliterated, or destroyed accidentally or by one who does not know better.

The commandment not to erase or deface the name of God comes from Deuteronomy 12,3.  In that passage, the people are commanded that when they take over the promised land, they should destroy all things related to the idolatrous religions of that region, and should utterly destroy the names of the local deities.  Immediately afterwards, we are commanded not to do the same to our God.  From this, the rabbis inferred that we are commanded not to destroy any holy thing, and not to erase or deface a Name of God.

The translators of the Septuagint carried this tradition into their writing, substituting κύριος for יהוה (yehôvâh) and θεός for אלהיו (ʼĕlôhı̂ym), and then the New Testament authors followed that same tradition.  (We still mostly follow this tradition even when translating the Masoretic text into English.)

Paul’s quotation of Joel 2:32 (3:5) came to mind, For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.12  As I compared the translations from the Hebrew (Table9 below) with that of the Greek (Table10 below), I found that the Masoretic text had nothing equivalent to καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι (NETS: “and people who have good news announced to them;” Elpenor: and they that have glad tidings preached to them).

Though I am more and more willing to consider this prima facie evidence that the Masoretes removed it rather than that it was added as a “hoax” perpetrated by Eusebius and Origen, I would consider it stronger evidence if either Paul or Peter (Acts 2:17-21) had quoted the entire verse.  In this particular verse I concede that a Christian scribe might have added καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι as a qualification, whom the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) will call.  I try to stay open to the idea that the discovery of older manuscripts or manuscript fragments may still bolster one reading over another.

Tables comparing Leviticus 10:3; 24:11; 24:14-16 and Joel 2:32 (3:5) in the Tanakh and NET, and tables comparing Leviticus 10:3; 24:11; 24:14; 24:15; 24:16 and Joel 2:32 (3:5) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Following those are tables comparing John 8:53 and 8:58, 59 in the NET and KJV.

Leviticus 10:3 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 10:3 (NET)

Then Moses said unto Aaron: ‘This is it that HaShem spoke, saying: Through them that are nigh unto Me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’  And Aaron held his peace. Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) spoke: ‘Among the ones close to me I will show myself holy, and in the presence of all the people I will be honored.’”  So Aaron kept silent.

Leviticus 10:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 10:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς πρὸς Ααρων τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ εἶπεν κύριος λέγων ἐν τοῗς ἐγγίζουσίν μοι ἁγιασθήσομαι καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ συναγωγῇ δοξασθήσομαι καὶ κατενύχθη Ααρων καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς πρὸς ᾿Ααρών· τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ εἶπε Κύριος λέγων· ἐν τοῖς ἐγγίζουσί μοι ἁγιασθήσομαι καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ συναγωγῇ δοξασθήσομαι. καὶ κατενύχθη ᾿Ααρών.

Leviticus 10:3 (NETS)

Leviticus 10:3 (English Elpenor)

And Moyses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying, ‘Among those who are near me I will be shown holy, and in the whole congregation I will be glorified.’”  And Aaron was shocked. And Moses said to Aaron, This is the thing which the Lord spoke, saying, I will be sanctified among them that draw night to me, and I will be glorified in the whole congregation; and Aaron was pricked [in his heart].

Leviticus 24:11 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 24:11 (NET)

And the son of the Israelitish woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him unto Moses.  And his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. The Israelite woman’s son misused the Name and cursed, so they brought him to Moses.  (Now his mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)

Leviticus 24:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 24:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐπονομάσας ὁ υἱὸς τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς Ισραηλίτιδος τὸ ὄνομα κατηράσατο καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν πρὸς Μωυσῆν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Σαλωμιθ θυγάτηρ Δαβρι ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Δαν καὶ ἐπονομάσας ὁ υἱὸς τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς ᾿Ισραηλίτιδος τὸ ὄνομα κατηράσατο. καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν πρὸς Μωυσῆν· καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Σαλωμεὶθ θυγάτηρ Δαβρεὶ ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Δάν.

Leviticus 24:11 (NETS)

Leviticus 24:11 (English Elpenor)

And the Israelite woman’s son called down a curse while naming the Name.  And they brought him to Moyses—now his mother’s name was Salomith daughter of Dabri of the tribe of Dan— And the son of the Israelitish woman named THE NAME and curse; and they brought him to Moses: and his mother’s name was Salomith, daughter of Dabri of the tribe of Dan.

Leviticus 24:14-16 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 24:14-16 (NET)

‘Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. “Bring the one who cursed (qâlal, המקלל) outside the camp, and all who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the whole congregation is to stone him to death.
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying: Whosoever curseth his G-d shall bear his sin. Moreover, you are to tell the Israelites, ‘If any man curses (qâlal, יקלל) his God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהיו) he will bear responsibility for his sin,
And he that blasphemeth the name of HaShem, he shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him; as well the stranger, as the home-born, when he blasphemeth the Name, shall be put to death. and one who misuses (nâqab, ונקב) the name of the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) must surely be put to death.  The whole congregation must surely stone him, whether he is a resident foreigner or a native citizen; when he misuses (nâqab, בנקבו) the Name he must be put to death.

Leviticus 24:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 24:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐξάγαγε τὸν καταρασάμενον ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς καὶ ἐπιθήσουσιν πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες τὰς χεῗρας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ λιθοβολήσουσιν αὐτὸν πᾶσα ἡ συναγωγή ἐξάγαγε τὸν καταρασάμενον ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς, καὶ ἐπιθήσουσι πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ λιθοβολήσουσιν αὐτὸν πᾶσα ἡ συναγωγή.

Leviticus 24:14 (NETS)

Leviticus 24:14 (English Elpenor)

Take the one who called down the curse outside the camp, and all who heard shall lay their hands on his head, and the whole congregation shall stone him. Bring forth him that cursed outside the camp, and all who heard shall lay their hands upon his head, and all the congregation shall stone him.

Leviticus 24:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 24:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ τοῗς υἱοῗς Ισραηλ λάλησον καὶ ἐρεῗς πρὸς αὐτούς ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἐὰν καταράσηται θεόν ἁμαρτίαν λήμψεται καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ λάλησον καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἐὰν καταράσηται Θεόν, ἁμαρτίαν λήψεται

Leviticus 24:15 (NETS)

Leviticus 24:15 (English Elpenor)

And speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: If a person, a person should curse God, he shall assume guilt. And speak to the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Whosoever shall curse God shall bear his sin.

Leviticus 24:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 24:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὀνομάζων δὲ τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου θανάτῳ θανατούσθω λίθοις λιθοβολείτω αὐτὸν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ Ισραηλ ἐάν τε προσήλυτος ἐάν τε αὐτόχθων ἐν τῷ ὀνομάσαι αὐτὸν τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου τελευτάτω ὀνομάζων δὲ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω· λίθοις λιθοβολείτω αὐτὸν πᾶσα ἡ συναγωγὴ ᾿Ισραήλ· ἐάν τε προσήλυτος, ἐάν τε αὐτόχθων, ἐν τῷ ὀνομάσαι αὐτὸν τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, τελευτάτω.

Leviticus 24:16 (NETS)

Leviticus 24:16 (English Elpenor)

Whoever names the name of the Lord—by death let him be put to death; let the whole congregation of Israel stone him with stones.  Whether a guest or a native, when he names the name, let him die. And he that names the name of the Lord, let him die the death: let all the congregation of Israel stone him with stones; whether he be a stranger or a native, let him die for naming the name of the Lord.

Joel 3:5 (Tanakh)

Joel 2:32 (NET)

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of HaShem shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as HaShem hath said, and among the remnant those whom HaShem shall call. It will so happen that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) will be delivered.  For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who survive, just as the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) has promised; the remnant will be those whom the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) will call.

Joel 2:32 (Septuagint BLB)

Joel 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔσται πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται ὅτι ἐν τῷ ὄρει Σιων καὶ ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ἔσται ἀνασῳζόμενος καθότι εἶπεν κύριος καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι οὓς κύριος προσκέκληται καὶ ἔσται, πᾶς, ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, σωθήσεται· ὅτι ἐν τῷ ὄρει Σιὼν καὶ ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἔσται ἀνασῳζόμενος, καθότι εἶπε Κύριος, καὶ εὐαγγελιζόμενοι, οὓς Κύριος προσκέκληται.

Joel 2:32 (NETS)

Joel 3:5 (English Elpenor)

And it shall be, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved, because in Mount Sion and in Ierousalem there shall be one who escapes, as the Lord has said, and people who have good news announced to them, whom the Lord has called. And it shall come to pass [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved: for in mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall the saved one be as the Lord has said, and they that have glad tidings preached to them, whom the Lord has called.

John 8:53 (NET)

John 8:53 (KJV)

You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you?  And the prophets died too!  Who do you claim to be?” Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

μὴ σὺ μείζων εἶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ, ὅστις ἀπέθανεν; καὶ οἱ προφῆται ἀπέθανον. τίνα σεαυτὸν ποιεῖς μη συ μειζων ει του πατρος ημων αβρααμ οστις απεθανεν και οι προφηται απεθανον τινα σεαυτον συ ποιεις μη συ μειζων ει του πατρος ημων αβρααμ οστις απεθανεν και οι προφηται απεθανον τινα σεαυτον συ ποιεις

John 8:58, 59 (NET)

John 8:58, 59 (KJV)

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!” Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγὼ εἰμί ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν πριν αβρααμ γενεσθαι εγω ειμι ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν πριν αβρααμ γενεσθαι εγω ειμι
Then they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden from them and went out from the temple area. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἦραν οὖν λίθους ἵνα βάλωσιν ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. Ἰησοῦς δὲ ἐκρύβη καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ ηραν ουν λιθους ινα βαλωσιν επ αυτον ιησους δε εκρυβη και εξηλθεν εκ του ιερου διελθων δια μεσου αυτων και παρηγεν ουτως ηραν ουν λιθους ινα βαλωσιν επ αυτον ιησους δε εκρυβη και εξηλθεν εκ του ιερου διελθων δια μεσου αυτων και παρηγεν ουτως


1 Leviticus 10:3 (NET)

2 The rabbis who translated the Septuagint before Jesus was revealed to Israel chose κατενύχθη (a form of κατανύσσω) here (NETS: was shocked; Elpenor English: was pricked [in his heart]).  The Hebrew word in the Masoretic text, after Israel rejected Jesus, was (dâmam) וידם (Tanakh: held his peace; NET: kept silent).

3 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συ here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

4 John 8:53c (NET)

5 John 8:58 (NET)

6 John 8:59a (NET)

7 Leviticus 24:11 (NET)

8 Leviticus 24:14 (NET)

9 Leviticus 24:15-16 (NET)

10 John 8:59b (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had διελθων δια μεσου αυτων και παρηγεν ουτως (KJV: going through the midst of them, and so passed by) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

11 Lavinia Cohn-Sherbok, “The Names of God,” myjewishlearning.com

12 Romans 10:13 (NET)

Who am I? Part 1

I have made a reasonably strong case that I should just shut up about the Bible.  But I’m not going to do that.  Measurements made from or to relative coordinates aren’t completely useless if one knows the position and velocity of those coordinates relative to one’s own.  So if I were to continue to pontificate without reference to my own position and velocity I would be guilty of the same kind of troublemaking I accused us philosophical types of perpetrating.  I’ll try to be careful from here on, however, to point out where I’m coming from and how that might impact the truth that I have found in the Bible.

My journey back from atheism as a philosophical and legalistic young man began for all practical purposes with a stoned insight: “I always lie.”  I played with that statement in a hallucinogenic fog in my mind for a long time.  If only that statement were true, I thought, the ancient religious concept of repentance might have some real, tangible validity.  A narrow shaft of light began to pierce the darkness.  If I, in fact, had always lied and then stated that fact honestly, confessed my sin, it would be the first truthful thing I had ever said and a doorway to a whole new way of life.  But the darkness returned again, because there was no way I had lived consistently enough to have always lied.  Surely sometime by sheer accident or mere coincidence I had told the truth.  So in my case even my confession was a lie and just further proof of how hopeless my situation had become.

“Hey, man, gimme another hit o’ that, will ya’?”

Still that little crack in my armor, that almost insignificant stream of light, was apparently enough to do the trick.  Atheism is hard work and you shouldn’t try to do it stoned if you really intend to maintain your faith.  Of course, as I hinted earlier, I cared less for my atheism than I did for the naive Christian faith which had preceded it.

Eventually I want to get back to the expansion of context I started in Solomon’s Wealth and continued in A Monotonous Cycle:  “So Solomon, the third king of Israel, the richest and wisest king not only of Israel but of his generation, according to the Bible, became the fulfillment of God’s unheeded warning to Israel about kings, this same Solomon who was named Jedidiah1loved by the Lord—by God himself.”  I mentioned then that Solomon being both the fulfillment of God’s warning about kings and loved by the Lord was not unlike Solomon’s wealth being both a fulfillment of a promise of God and Solomon’s direct disobedience to God’s requirements for the kings of Israel.  But before I look into the circumstances when God named Solomon Jedidiah, I want to step back even farther to the first time God appeared to the Israelites in the Tabernacle in the wilderness.

In Exodus 25-31 God gave Moses explicit instructions how to make the Tabernacle—essentially a portable place of worship—and all its furnishings.  In Exodus 36-39 the Tabernacle and its furnishings were made according to the divine plan.  Chapter 40 detailed how and when to set everything up.  Leviticus 1-7 described the offerings and sacrifices to be carried out in association with the worship of Yahweh in the Tabernacle.  Chapter 8 told of the ordination of the priests, Aaron and his sons, over a seven day period according to the plan specified by God.  Chapter 9 explained how the newly ordained priests began to minister the offerings and sacrifices God required on the eighth day.

The end result of all this step-by-step devotion to God’s instructions was a worship service with a phenomenal payoff: …the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.  Then fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar, and all the people saw it, so they shouted loudly and fell down with their faces to the ground.2

In the midst of this excitement, Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan and put fire in it, set incense on it, and presented strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them to do.  So fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them so that they died before the Lord.3  There is no indication that Nadab or Abihu intended to offend God.  On the contrary, it seems that their crime was nothing more and nothing less than exuberant religious innovation.  The penalty was immediate death.

Even after everything I’ve written I’m tempted to get in line behind Friedrich Nietzsche and say, “God had nothing to do with this.  From Moses on down this is nothing but a bunch of ignorant Israelites who couldn’t tell the difference between the presence of the Lord and a lightning storm!”  And I’m tempted to say this, not because I want to be an atheist, but because I’ve seen the look in my children’s eyes when they asked me, “Why!?”

 

Addendum: January 27, 2021
Tables comparing Leviticus 9:23; 9:24; 10:1 and 10:2 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and the tables comparing Leviticus 9:23; 9:24; 10:1 and 10:2 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Leviticus 9:23 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 9:23 (KJV)

Leviticus 9:23 (NET)

And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and came out, and blessed the people; and the glory of HaShem appeared unto all the people. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. Moses and Aaron then entered into the Meeting Tent.  When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.

Leviticus 9:23 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 9:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Μωυσῆς καὶ Ααρων εἰς τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου καὶ ἐξελθόντες εὐλόγησαν πάντα τὸν λαόν καὶ ὤφθη ἡ δόξα κυρίου παντὶ τῷ λαῷ καὶ εἰσῆλθε Μωυσῆς καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν εἰς τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου καὶ ἐξελθόντες εὐλόγησαν πάντα τὸν λαόν, καὶ ὤφθη ἡ δόξα Κυρίου παντὶ τῷ λαῷ

Leviticus 9:23 (NETS)

Leviticus 9:23 (English Elpenor)

Moyses and Aaron entered the tent of witness, and when they came out, they blessed all the people, and the glory of the Lord became visible to all the people. And Moses and Aaron entered into the tabernacle of witness.  And they came out and blessed all the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.

Leviticus 9:24 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 9:24 (KJV)

Leviticus 9:24 (NET)

And there came forth fire from before HaShem, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat; and when all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces. And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces. Then fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar, and all the people saw it, so they shouted loudly and fell down with their faces to the ground.

Leviticus 9:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 9:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν πῦρ παρὰ κυρίου καὶ κατέφαγεν τὰ ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τά τε ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ τὰ στέατα καὶ εἶδεν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ ἐξέστη καὶ ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον καὶ ἐξῆλθε πῦρ παρὰ Κυρίου καὶ κατέφαγε τὰ ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, τά τε ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ τὰ στέατα, καὶ εἶδε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ ἐξέστη καὶ ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον

Leviticus 9:24 (NETS)

Leviticus 9:24 (English Elpenor)

And fire came out from the Lord and consumed what was on the altar, both the whole burnt offerings and the fat pieces, and all the people saw it and were amazed and fell face down. And fire came forth from the Lord, and devoured the offerings on the altar, both the whole-burnt-offerings and the fat; and all the people saw, and were amazed, and fell upon their faces.

Leviticus 10:1 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 10:1 (KJV)

Leviticus 10:1 (NET)

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and laid incense thereon, and offered strange fire before HaShem, which He had not commanded them. And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. Then Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan and put fire in it, set incense on it, and presented strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them to do.

Leviticus 10:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 10:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ λαβόντες οἱ δύο υἱοὶ Ααρων Ναδαβ καὶ Αβιουδ ἕκαστος τὸ πυρεῗον αὐτοῦ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸ πῦρ καὶ ἐπέβαλον ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸ θυμίαμα καὶ προσήνεγκαν ἔναντι κυρίου πῦρ ἀλλότριον ὃ οὐ προσέταξεν κύριος αὐτοῗς Καὶ λαβόντες οἱ δύο υἱοὶ ᾿Ααρὼν Ναδὰβ καὶ ᾿Αβιοὺδ ἕκαστος τὸ πυρεῖον αὐτοῦ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸ πῦρ καὶ ἐπέβαλον ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸ θυμίαμα καὶ προσήνεγκαν ἔναντι Κυρίου πῦρ ἀλλότριον, ὃ οὐ προσέταξε Κύριος αὐτοῖς

Leviticus 10:1 (NETS)

Leviticus 10:1 (English Elpenor)

And when the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abioud, each took his fire-pan, they placed fire on it and threw incense on it and offered before the Lord strange fire such as the Lord had not ordered them. And the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abiud, took each his censer, and put fire therein, and threw incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which the Lord did not command them,

Leviticus 10:2 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 10:2 (KJV)

Leviticus 10:2 (NET)

And there came forth fire from before HaShem, and devoured them, and they died before HaShem. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. So fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them so that they died before the Lord.

Leviticus 10:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 10:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν πῦρ παρὰ κυρίου καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτούς καὶ ἀπέθανον ἔναντι κυρίου καὶ ἐξῆλθε πῦρ παρὰ Κυρίου καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτούς, καὶ ἀπέθανον ἔναντι Κυρίου

Leviticus 10:2 (NETS)

Leviticus 10:2 (English Elpenor)

And fire came out from the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. and fire came forth from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 7

I’m not saying one word against the truth of the Bible, even its universal absolute truth.  Believers, however, rarely argue among themselves that the Bible in all its context is the universal absolute truth.  The arguments are over someone’s understanding of some part of the Bible, in other words we argue over sermons.  I don’t even intend to argue against the absolute truth of a sermon prepared and delivered as the Lord intended for a particular congregation that has produced actual obedient results.  I am simply saying that it is not necessarily universally applicable to every other congregation on the planet any more than the absolutely correct protein for, say, a liver cell is necessarily (for that reason alone) the absolutely correct protein for eyes, skin, teeth or lungs.  So I am using my current knowledge of the DNA-RNA-protein complex as an analogy to demonstrate how even absolute truth might not be universally applicable and might appear to be completely contradictory when that universality is tacitly assumed.

So how true is this analogy?  Or, another way of saying essentially the same thing is, How binding should  this analogy be in your thoughts and actions?  Guess what?  For you, it is only as true and binding as you believe it to be.  In this sense faith (and its consequent commitments) is a protection against wild swings of trajectory or action.  So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes,1 is how Paul put it.

I am working not only with my acknowledged understanding of the Bible but with my understanding of others’ understanding of microscopic physical phenomena.  That is at least two, probably three, times removed from the simple goodness of “God said it; I believe it; that settles it.”  No matter what your current belief about the validity of my analogy is, it is likely to change.  Human knowledge of the DNA-RNA-protein complex will undoubtedly change.  Our current knowledge is the first knowledge of a rather small piece of the whole genome.  As we learn more about the rest it may reinforce and exalt our current understanding, or it may demonstrate that what we now know is relatively insignificant or even fundamentally flawed.

But for me, having gone through the process, I’m going to stand for the time being by what I have learned.  Perhaps the most obvious stance I am taking is that this is not called PREACHERS DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE BIBLE, it is called WHAT KIND OF CARPENTER IS JESUS.

Well, have I learned anything about that?

I’ve already mentioned that I recognized Jesus as a cleverer programmer than I am.  (And perhaps now is as good a time as any to acknowledge that any of my inferences will be about Jesus as a craftsman in general rather than a carpenter specifically.)  I am so taken with the DNA-RNA-protein complex I would love to wax poetic in my praise of his excellent craftsmanship.  The only thing that stops me from doing that here is the recognition that it is faith that allows me to see things that way.  James Watson, for instance, looked at the same DNA-RNA-protein complex and did not conclude that it is “absolutely the best and most efficient way”2 to do things.  “‘Why does the information in DNA need to go through an RNA intermediate before it can be translated into a protein?”3 he asked.

Frankly, I’m not wise enough to criticize the Lord’s creation like this.  All I know of DNA, RNA and proteins comes from James Watson and a few others like him.  So I am compelled to fall back on my one little skill, that philosophical bent of my mind.

Watson pointed out that DNA can store information but can’t catalyze chemical reactions.  Proteins catalyze chemical reactions but can’t store information.  DNA and proteins are each dependent on the existence of the other.  RNA on the other hand “can store and replicate genetic information” and “can catalyze critical chemical reactions.”  So Francis Crick imagined an RNA world that pre-existed the DNA-RNA-protein complex understood presently.  RNA persists today as a kind of piecemeal vestige of that evolutionary history, according to Watson.  For Watson, apparently, a DNA-protein complex would be more efficient than the DNA-RNA-protein complex.  An RNA-protein complex would be out of the question because RNA is not a very stable molecule.  DNA is a definite improvement for long-term information storage.  Why proteins came into the picture is not entirely clear, except that the only chemical reaction Watson mentioned that RNA catalyzes is the bonding of the amino acids that make the chains that fold into proteins.  But remember, DNA is not able to catalyze these chemical bonds.

Even after Watson’s explanation I was left scratching my head and still thinking that the DNA-RNA-protein complex sounded like the best thing for the job at hand.  You see, James Watson and I have different agendas.  If the DNA-RNA-protein complex proves to be the irreducible level of complexity necessary for the existence of life, I’m unconcerned.  God is smart enough to handle that level of complexity from the very beginning.  Watson’s faith in the theory of evolution, on the other hand, would be called into question.  This is an awful lot to ask of chance-directed processes.  So in my opinion it is Watson’s faith that prompts him to question the efficiency of the DNA-RNA-protein complex while my faith prompts me to praise Jesus.

So while engaging in poetic praise of Jesus’ craftsmanship is a good and necessary thing for me to do as a matter of worship, here I’ll limit myself to a simple observation.  What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit,4 Jesus told Nicodemus.  We have known for nearly two thousand years that this life “born of the Spirit” had some relationship to the Bible.  We’ve argued over the details of that relationship for most of that time, but generally agree to some manner of relationship.  It is interesting to me at this late date to find an information storage and retrieval system like the DNA-RNA-protein complex in some relationship to life “born of the flesh.”

I didn’t create the DNA-RNA-protein complex out of my imagination.  In fact, I learned about it from people who might reasonably be called hostile witnesses.  Yet even in the descriptions of hostile witnesses I can recognize enough of the hallmarks of a particular individual’s craftsmanship—in both the Bible-Preacher-obedient-congregation complex’s relationship to life born of the Spirit and the DNA-RNA-protein complex’s relationship to life born of the flesh—to be willing to modify my views about the former by reference to the latter.

What kind of carpenter is Jesus?  He is the kind of craftsman whose handiwork displays the individually recognizable traits of his craftsmanship.  In other words, whatever those distinguishing features are that make it possible to recognize a favorite composer’s music, or a favorite artist’s paintings, or a favorite architect’s buildings, those features are also evident in the artifacts of Jesus’ creation—the DNA-RNA-protein complex and the Bible-Preacher-obedient-congregation complex, life born of the flesh and life born of the Spirit respectively.


1 Ephesians 4:14 (NET)

2 DNA: The Secret of Life, James D. Watson with Andrew Berry, Copyright 2003 by DNA Show LLC, published by Knopf, a Borzoi Book, August 2004, pg. 85

3 Ibid, pg. 83

4 John 3:6 (NET)

Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 6

Yes, systems of theology fail in their primary attempt and alleged purpose to sum up the Bible in a complete, universal and absolute way.  Every theological system I’ve encountered (or might invent) was based on favored passages of scripture.  Then a logical system was constructed around this subset of Bible passages to mute the effect of other Bible passages that did not fit well into that particular system of theology.  But, lo and behold, these muted passages from the Bible are the favored passages of another theological system and the basis of another logical structure that was used to mute the effect of the passages of scripture favored by the former theological system.

I’ll show some examples later.  For now, it should be apparent that if—and I do say “if” because I’m placing an enormous, perhaps an inordinate, amount of emphasis on a biological analogy…if this analogy has any descriptive power to illuminate the actual usefulness of the Bible to the body of Christ, the theological systems constructed thus far are wrongheaded in the extreme.  But, on the other hand, if one is looking for a functional body—a body with cellular differentiation caused by switching-off gene suites (e.g., different passages of scripture)—rather than a mass of identical cells, these same theological systems I’m calling wrong and irrelevant might be preeminently useful.

A preacher is not a blank slate.  More often than not he has been schooled in one or more of the extant theological systems.  He is less likely to emerge from his study with a sermon contrary to his favorite system than complementary to it.  If his goal is to preach universally applicable absolute truths, he was wearing blinders before he began it.  But if his goal is to preach absolute timely and necessary truths to a specific cell of the body of Christ, to fill specific needs and catalyze specific functions at specific times, well, those blinders might just be models of efficient design.  Did Jesus, efficient programmer that He is, commission these theological systems as the spiritual equivalent of repressor molecules?

And so the third and final application of my would-be sermon is that I should pray for preachers.  They are up against it.  I’m not talking difficult here, like walking a tightrope.  I’m talking impossible, like walking on water.  And I should pray for us philosophical types.  We’re going to have to find other preoccupations than biting and devouring other believers.  Of course, just telling us we’re irrelevant failures won’t change the fact that we have a philosophical bent to our minds.

As for me, I think I’m becoming convinced that the kind of universal absolute truth I’ve searched for by parsing text will remain as elusive as the DNA-RNA-protein complex was to the deductions and inferences of Plato and Aristotle.  Perhaps my point is clearer in the analogy.  Here I am, a disgruntled amino acid, reluctant to join any amino acid chains and form any useful proteins until I possess an understanding of the whole DNA molecule in all its relations with every cell in the body.  That’s what I’m saying, right?  I want a universal absolute understanding of the Bible.

Now, let’s say for the sake of argument that the Lord indulged me and downloaded into my brain all the truth I crave for a specific moment in time.  Let’s assume that my brain did not explode or melt, and that the emotional content of that knowledge did not reduce me to a puddle of tears.  Long before I could digest that information, write it down, publish it and be hailed as the greatest living philosopher among amino acids, the information would have ceased to be absolute or universal or both.  Why?  Because the body to which the truth referred would have changed.

Now wait a minute, one might say, not all of it!

True enough.  There are probably some basic life-maintenance functions common to every cell in the body.  Which ones were those, amidst this massive download of information I am assuming to be something akin to a database that lists the geographic location of particular cells, hopefully arranged by some kind of functional hierarchy akin to organ systems, the specific passage or passages from the Bible with sermon and application highlights, and maybe the need or function addressed?  Now what’s not in the download is whether the preachers actually preached the intended sermons from the correct passages from the Bible with the correct applications.  It doesn’t say whether the appropriate members of the congregation responded appropriately and filled the need or accomplished the function.  And I’m certainly assuming that a download accomplished in a finite amount of time does not include the historical, cultural and biographical dossier of every member of every cell in the body.  None of this, of course, affects one word in the Bible.  All of it affects how those words are organized, analyzed or applied in the next sermon—next Sunday!

Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 5

Now preachers have no more innate knowledge of the outline of the body of Christ or the needs and functions of any particular cell at any particular moment than I do.  So I hope that when they enter their quiet inner rooms to study, they are in deep communion with the Lord Jesus.  For only direct revelation—through the Bible, of course, the spiritual DNA, if you will—can give them that accurate timely sermon apart from the aforementioned knowledge that they lack.

It’s not too hard to imagine that a preacher—who goes through this intense process of preparation, delivers the sermon the Lord has given him, and then sees actual obedient results in his congregation—might mistake the content of that particular sermon for a universal truth of the Bible.  So if I return to my three hypothetical preachers, studying the laundry list of Solomon’s wealth and power from three different perspectives, and I imagine that each of them has received his sermon with its application from the Lord who is able to make him stand, and that each has delivered those sermons and each has seen obedient results in his own congregation, and each has mistaken the content of his particular sermon for a universal truth of the Bible; and then I imagine that these three meet in public and eagerly discuss this wonderful thing the Lord has done for them and through them, I begin to get a taste of what I will call the preachers’ dilemma.

I make my living recording educational sessions at conferences.  In the old days that meant audio cassette recorders.  I ran hundreds of feet of cable from a table in the hallway into the various rooms where sessions were to be presented.  Then I sat at that table of cassette recorders monitoring when sessions began and ended, that record levels were good, that the cassettes kept turning and recording audio (not a given with this particular method of recording), and I flipped the tapes over before they ran out on one side or replaced them with new tapes when full.  To stave off boredom I would leave the volume control of a session that sounded interesting up louder than the rest and listen, as I monitored the others with my eyes roving over meters and tape mechanisms.

Recording the Evangelical Theological Society meeting one year I came upon two simultaneous sessions that sounded interesting.  One was positioned to the left on the table in front of me, the other to the right.  I decided to listen to both, since both speakers were presenting on the same passage of scripture.  Both speakers presented the universal truth of the passage in question, two different, diametrically opposed universal truths.  I was troubled.  So troubled, in fact, that when conference attendees passed by between sessions and started up a conversation with the “CIA operative bugging all their conversations” or “the guy getting really smart really fast listening to all those Bible lessons at once,” I shared my troubled thoughts.  And every passerby who heard my troubled thoughts was saddened and troubled by them, too.

None of this is particularly troubling to one who has encountered these things but has little interest in Jesus or the Bible.  Such a one scoffs at my naiveté, “Come on?  It’s the Bible, it can mean whatever you want it to mean.”  But none of us, not me, not the passersby who heard my troubled thoughts, not the speaker in the session on the left side of my recording table, nor the speaker in the session on the right side of my recording table, set out to make the Bible say whatever he wanted it to say.

Our interest, the mutual desire that binds us together—the tape guy and the passersby and speakers at the conference, Bible students and teachers, pastors, preachers and professional theologians—was to understand the Bible, what it really says, what God intends to communicate to us, and through that study and understanding come to know God and share in the eternal life Jesus defined for, and promised to, his disciples.  Now this is eternal life, Jesus prayed for his disciples, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ,whom you sent.”1  What is troubling is how such good intentions pursued in such good faith can turn out so badly so often that people with little or no interest in the outcome and only a casual acquaintance with the phenomena can conclude so easily that the Bible means whatever the preacher wants it to mean.

So I’ll return to my three hypothetical preachers and imagine them sitting at lunch together.  Each is bursting to tell the wonderful thing the Lord has done for him and through him.  Each is convinced he should find more understanding and comradeship with the other two men dining with him than with any other human beings on the planet.  And each is sorely disappointed.  Each tries reasoning with the other, but to no avail.  At that point each has two basic options:  1) to part company, troubled, disappointed and confused, agreeing to disagree; or, 2) if one has particularly strong commitments to the universal applicability of the absolute truth of his individual experience, he curses the others and their congregations with condemnation to fiery destruction.

Application two of my would-be sermon is that I should forgive preachers this minor fault, like a speck of dirt in the eye, and beg their forgiveness as well as the forgiveness of every person on this planet for the plank in my own.  You see, I cause these problems.  Not alone; I am a member, the least member perhaps, of a class of people with a philosophical bent of mind.  I am the true believer in universal absolutes.  And I and those like me are they who goad preachers into intellectual straightjackets of our own devising by holding them up to public ridicule if they don’t jump through our hoops and pay homage to our intellectual prowess, our systems of theology, our autopsy reports and our post-mortems of autopsy reports.

So do I mean to say that all systems of theology are wrong?  Yes…and no.

Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 4

Now to get back to where I started:  How does all this information about the DNA-RNA-protein complex expand the context of my biblical understanding and prohibit me from calling this narrative PREACHERS DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE BIBLE?

When a child is conceived, the beginning is one fertilized cell.  That cell divides and becomes two, then four, then eight, and sixteen and so on.  But there is no body there; all the cells are identical.  At some point in this process of division, differentiation begins.  Some cells become blood inside blood vessels, or muscle, or bone.  Organs begin to form, like eyes or a liver.  The differences in the cells in these different organs or structures are accounted for by the different proteins, which catalyze, or facilitate, different chemical reactions which do different things and make the cells, well, different.

With my admittedly small understanding of the DNA-RNA-protein complex it is exciting to consider that different proteins are produced by different sections of the DNA chain unzipping, being transcribed and translated into protein.  Which section of DNA unzips?  Well, part of the answer is related to which sections are free to unzip and which are held fast by a repressor molecule.  Suddenly I can speculate—and it is still a guess, but an educated guess—that it is “possible to think of development—the process of growth from a single fertilized egg into a staggeringly complex adult human—as an enormous exercise in gene-switching: as tissues arise through development, so whole suites of genes must be switched on and off.”1  And, I will add, at the right place or location in the forming body, and at the right time, or in the correct sequence.

Now, since I believe the DNA-RNA-protein complex is an artifact of Jesus’ creation, everything I just discovered and speculated on becomes an analogy for me about another body, the body of Christ.  For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body2 – though many – are one body, so too is Christ.3  The preacher, not unlike messenger RNA, seeks out a quiet inner sanctuary, like the nucleus of a cell, where he can spend time alone with a passage from the Bible, like a section of DNA.  His sermon is not an exact copy of the Bible, but more like a mirror image reflecting the Bible and the times and circumstances of his own congregation.  He preaches his sermon to the congregation along with an application: “in the light of these things this is what should be done.”  Now, unlike the amino acids in the cell, individual members of the congregation have a choice whether or not to heed and act on the preacher’s admonition.  Those who act, form the protein, if you will, which catalyzes this particular function of this particular cell of the body of Christ.  And the different functions catalyzed by the different sermons are the very things that differentiate the congregations, or cells, from one another.

For in fact the body is not a single member, but many, Paul wrote the Corinthians.  If the whole body were an eye, what part would do the hearing?  If the whole were an ear, what part would exercise the sense of smell?  But as a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided.  If they were all the same member, where would the body be?4  Remember that mass of identical, undifferentiated, cells we all start out as?

So the laundry list of Solomon’s wealth and power might unzip, as it were, for a particular preacher, who produces a timely sermon that touches the hearts of certain members of a specific congregation, who in turn catalyze a specific function in a specific cell of the body of Christ.  All the while, it is completely possible that another preacher studying the laundry list of Solomon’s wealth and power and God’s promise to bless Solomon with the wisdom he asked for and the wealth he did not ask for might produce an entirely different sermon that results in the accomplishment of yet another function in another cell of the body of Christ.  Still another preacher may study the laundry list of Solomon’s wealth and power and compare it to the list of things God forbade Israel’s kings, and produce an entirely different sermon with entirely different results.

Though it is highly unlikely that any preacher would hold all three passages before his congregation, plus an illustration from the DNA-RNA-protein complex, in the twenty minutes or so allotted to him before Sunday dinner burns, even this has become a meaningful sermon to me.

I will sooner understand where and when to switch-off gene suites in the developing human being than I will grasp even the vaguest outline of the body of Christ, let alone a specific need or function of a specific cell at an appropriate time.  My criticism of preachers’ sermons, therefore, whether good or bad, is completely irrelevant, because it is not based on any knowledge of the needs and functions of any specific cell of the body of Christ, but on the preachers’ apparent affirmation or contradiction of the current state of my understanding of the Bible.  And though the process through which I arrive at my abstract truth is very vibrant and alive to me, any written results are little better than an autopsy report.  Future like-minded investigators may be able to study my autopsy report to point out where I went wrong.  But neither they nor I will help a single preacher find a single timely sermon by writing autopsy reports or post-mortems on autopsy reports.

So then, application one of my would-be sermon is something like: “Hey, Dan!  Lay off the preachers!  Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Paul wrote the Romans rhetorically.  The explicit context was in reference to relations between the strong and weak in faith, that they should not despise or judge each other.  Before his own master he stands or falls, Paul continued.  And he will stand, for the Lord5 is6 able7 to make him stand.8  Would I be stretching the context too far to offer this same courtesy to priests, pastors, preachers and Bible teachers all over the world?

 

 

Addendum: January 17, 2019
Tables comparing 1 Corinthians 12:12 and Romans 14:4 in the NET and KJV follow.

1 Corinthians 12:12 (NET)

1 Corinthians 12:12 (KJV)

For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body – though many – are one body, so too is Christ. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ἕν ἐστιν καὶ μέλη πολλὰ ἔχει, πάντα δὲ τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος πολλὰ ὄντα ἕν ἐστιν σῶμα, οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστός καθαπερ γαρ το σωμα εν εστιν και μελη εχει πολλα παντα δε τα μελη του σωματος του ενος πολλα οντα εν εστιν σωμα ουτως και ο χριστος καθαπερ γαρ το σωμα εν εστιν και μελη εχει πολλα παντα δε τα μελη του σωματος του ενος πολλα οντα εν εστιν σωμα ουτως και ο χριστος

Romans 14:4 (NET)

Romans 14:4 (KJV)

Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant?  Before his own master he stands or falls.  And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth.  Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει· σταθήσεται δέ, δυνατεῖ γὰρ ὁ κύριος στῆσαι αὐτόν συ τις ει ο κρινων αλλοτριον οικετην τω ιδιω κυριω στηκει η πιπτει σταθησεται δε δυνατος γαρ εστιν ο θεος στησαι αυτον συ τις ει ο κρινων αλλοτριον οικετην τω ιδιω κυριω στηκει η πιπτει σταθησεται δε δυνατος γαρ εστιν ο θεος στησαι αυτον

1 DNA: The Secret of Life, James D. Watson with Andrew Berry, Copyright 2003 by DNA Show LLC, published by Knopf, a Borzoi Book, August 2004, pg. 80

2 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του ενος (KJV: of that one) following body. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

3 1 Corinthians 12:12 (NET)

4 1 Corinthians 12:14-19 (NET)

8 Romans 14:4 (NET)

Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 3

I came to computer programming later in life.  The first time I did some programming on my own it occurred to me that this DNA to RNA to protein process was a lot like a subroutine.  Now any user input I was trying to program for, passed through a whole lot of repetitive computer code before the appropriate subroutine could be identified and activated.  Was it possible, I wondered, that junk DNA was like that repetitive code, analyzing inputs to determine the appropriate subroutine to activate?  Repressor molecules, at least part of the answer, proved to be far more efficient and intelligent than my meager programming skills.

In E. coli bacteria lactose is broken down into two simpler sugars by an enzyme called beta-galactosidase.  A repressor molecule binds to the DNA near where the recipe for this enzyme, a protein, is coded.  The DNA can’t unzip; transcription can’t take place.  Lactose also binds to the repressor molecule whenever it is present in the cell.  So when lactose is present the repressor molecule binds preferentially to lactose rather than to the DNA strand.  The DNA recipe is free to unzip.  The recipe for beta-galactosidase is transcribed into messenger RNA, exported from the nucleus, translated into an amino acid chain that folds into a three dimensional shape, becomes an active enzyme and breaks lactose down into two simpler sugars.  The repressor molecule is itself a protein—an object, I thought?—coded somewhere presumably in E. coli DNA.

Suddenly, object oriented programming made a lot more sense to me.  There was a whole chapter on it in the book I read to learn programming.  I understood the basics of how to do it.  I didn’t grasp why.  My point here is simply that had I known about repressor molecules before I started writing code, I might have understood why I should use object oriented programming more than I did.  (And the cost bidding software I wrote to do my job better might have run more efficiently.)

“While E. coli is a relatively simple system in which to investigate gene-switching,” Watson wrote, “subsequent work on more complicated organisms, including humans, has revealed that the same basic principles apply across the board.”1

Perhaps my larger point is that my faith that Jesus is the creator of the DNA-RNA-protein complex makes it easy for me to learn something about computer programming from DNA.  I respond to the mind behind the artifact, and can freely acknowledge that He is a cleverer software engineer than I am.  Now to some it might seem that my faith and its consequent bias against the theory of evolution blinds me to the fact of evolution.  I want to set this matter straight.

I am persuaded that the fact of evolution is, for all practical purposes, beyond the realm of serious debate.  But those facts make the theory of evolution very difficult to swallow.  One fact of evolution is simple, straightforward and right before our eyes, sickle cell anemia.  This genetic disease is selected for in certain environments because it so disfigures the red blood cells they are not healthy enough to be infected by another fatal disease; namely, malaria.

While the horror of that sinks in, I will go on to say that every genetic disorder and disease is a fact of evolution.  Sickle cell anemia at least gives one some protection from malaria.  But it is difficult to see any selective advantage in genetic diseases like Huntington’s or cystic fibrosis.  We—as a people—spend the lives of our most brilliant researchers and millions of hard-earned dollars searching for cures and palliations to the ravages of evolution against our genome.

So the fact of evolution—that time, chance, cosmic rays and copying errors make alterations to a complex information storage and retrieval system like the DNA-RNA-protein complex—is, I think, well beyond dispute.2  But the theory that these same or similar random processes are also responsible for the creation of this complex information storage and retrieval system in the first place, not to mention the information stored in that system, information which is being destroyed by evolution at a rather alarming rate, is a leap of faith I can’t make.  I will admit to being a pessimist by nature, but this is optimism to the point of absurdity in my opinion.

 

Addendum: December 9, 2021
Tables comparing Ecclesiastes 9:11 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Ecclesiastes 9:11 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 (Tanakh) Ecclesiastes 9:11 (KJV)

Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NET)

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. Again, I observed this on the earth: The race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest; wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge—for time and chance may overcome them all.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Ecclesiastes 9:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπέστρεψα καὶ εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον ὅτι οὐ τοῗς κούφοις ὁ δρόμος καὶ οὐ τοῗς δυνατοῗς ὁ πόλεμος καί γε οὐ τοῗς σοφοῗς ἄρτος καί γε οὐ τοῗς συνετοῗς πλοῦτος καί γε οὐ τοῗς γινώσκουσιν χάρις ὅτι καιρὸς καὶ ἀπάντημα συναντήσεται τοῗς πᾶσιν αὐτοῗς Επέστρεψα καὶ εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον ὅτι οὐ τοῖς κούφοις ὁ δρόμος καὶ οὐ τοῖς δυνατοῖς ὁ πόλεμος καί γε οὐ τῷ σοφῷ ἄρτος καί γε οὐ τοῖς συνετοῖς πλοῦτος καί γε οὐ τοῖς γινώσκουσι χάρις, ὅτι καιρὸς καὶ ἀπάντημα συναντήσεται τοῖς πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς
Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NETS) Ecclesiastes 9:11 (English Elpenor)
I turned, and I saw under the sun that the race is not to the nimble, nor the battle to the strong, nor, indeed, bread to the wise, nor, indeed, riches to the intelligent, nor, indeed, favor to those who are perceptive, because time and chance will happen to them all. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor yet wealth to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; for time and chance will happen to them all.

1 DNA: The Secret of Life, James D. Watson with Andrew Berry, Copyright 2003 by DNA Show LLC, published by Knopf, a Borzoi Book, August 2004, pg. 82

2 Again, I observed this on the earth: the race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge – for time and chance may overcome them all.  Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NET)