English translations of the final clause of the first verse under consideration follow:
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
Isaiah 53:10d (Tanakh) Table | Isaiah 53:10d (NET) | Isaiah 53:10d (NETS) |
Isaiah 53:11a (Elpenor English) |
and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. | and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him. | And the Lord wishes to take away | the Lord also is pleased to take away from |
The Hebrew word translated the pleasure (Tanakh) and purpose (NET) was וְחֵ֥פֶץ (chephets). With the Greek conjunction καὶ and verb βούλεται (a form of βούλομαι) the rabbis who translated the Septuagint confirmed the originality of וְחֵ֥פֶץ (chephets). The Septuagint is not particularly helpful, however, to determine whether and the pleasure of the LORD (Tanakh) or the Lord also is pleased (Elpenor Septuagint) was the more original intent.
The rabbis translated forms of חֵפֶץ (chephets) with adjectives, nouns and verbs.
Translation of forms of חֵפֶץ (chephets) in the Septuagint |
||
Adjectives | Nouns |
Verbs |
θελητὸν, θελητή (forms of θελητός) | θέλημα, θελήματι, θελήματα, θελήματος | βούλεται (a form of βούλομαι) |
τίμιον (a form of τίμιος) | χρεία, χρείαν | βεβούλευμαι (a form of βουλεύω) |
ἐκλεκτοὺς (a form of ἐκλεκτός) | πράγματι (a form of πρᾶγμα) | ἠθέλησεν (a form of θέλω) |
ἄχρηστον (a form of ἄχρηστος) | μέλει (a form of μέλω) |
All occurrences are listed in a table below. Perhaps the most revealing example follows:
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
1 Kings 10:13a (Tanakh) | 1 Kings 10:13a (NET) | 3 Reigns 10:13a (NETS) |
3 Kings 10:13a (Elpenor English) |
And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire (חֶפְצָהּ֙), whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. | King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested[1] (chephets, חפצה), besides what he had freely offered her. | And King Salomon had given the queen of Saba everything, as much as she desired (ἠθέλησεν), as much as she requested, beyond all that Salomon had given her through the hand of the king, | And king Solomon gave to the queen of Saba all that she desired (ἠθέλησεν), whatsoever she asked, besides all that he had given her by the hand of king Solomon: |
2 Chronicles 9:12a (Tanakh) |
2 Chronicles 9:12a (NET) | 2 Supplements 9:12a (NETS) |
2 Chronicles 9:12a (Elpenor English) |
And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire (חֶפְצָהּ֙), whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. | King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested[2] (chephets, חפצה), more than what she had brought him. | And King Salomon gave the queen of Saba all her wants (θελήματα) which she requested, beyond everything she had brought King Salomon. | And king Solomon gave to the queen of Saba all that she requested[3] (θελήματα), besides all that she brought to king Solomon: |
Here the same Hebrew word חֶפְצָהּ֙ (chephets) in essentially the same context was translated with the verb ἠθέλησεν (a form of θέλω) and the noun θελήματα (a form of θέλημα). It persuades me that the translation of וְחֵ֥פֶץ (chephets) in Isaiah 53:10 with a verb βούλεται (a form of βούλομαι) in the Septuagint was a matter of style over substance.
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
Isaiah 53:10d (Tanakh) Table | Isaiah 53:10d (NET) | Isaiah 53:10d (NETS) |
Isaiah 53:11a (Elpenor English) |
and the pleasure of the LORD… | and the Lord’s purpose… | And the Lord wishes… | the Lord also is pleased… |
The Hebrew word בְּיָד֥וֹ (yad), translated in his hand (Tanakh) and through him (NET), is another matter. So I made a table below of all the occurrences of forms of יָד (yad) in Isaiah in the Masoretic text. Since I’m interested in the negative examples, I tried to include the entire word string (including articles and prepositions) used in English or Greek to translate this one Hebrew word. Most occurrences were translated literally in the Septuagint with χεὶρ or one of its forms: χεῖρά, χεῖράς, χεῖρες, χειρὶ, χειρός, χειρῶν or χερσὶ(ν).
One occurrence, translated βραχίων (arm), I won’t consider. There were four occurrences, I was reasonably persuaded after a cursory examination, translated as idioms rather than literally. At least I wasn’t triggered to argue that the form of יָד (yad) in question wasn’t original.
Reference | Chabad.org | Tanakh | NET | Septuagint BLB | Septuagint Elpenor |
Isaiah 3:6 | יָדֶֽךָ | thy hand | your control | σὲ ἔστω | σὲ ἔστω |
Isaiah 22:18 | יָדָ֑יִם | a large | of hands (Note 45) | καὶ ἀμέτρητον | καὶ ἀμέτρητον |
Isaiah 33:21 | יָדָ֑יִם | of broad | of hands (Note 58) | καὶ εὐρύχωροι | καὶ εὐρύχωροι |
Isaiah 37:14 | מִיַּ֥ד | from the hand | from | παρὰ | παρὰ |
That leaves thirteen occurrences in the Masoretic text which were not translated in the Septuagint. I intend to study them in more detail.
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
Isaiah 10:13 (Tanakh) | Isaiah 10:13 (NET) | Isaiah 10:13, 14a (NETS) |
Isaiah 10:13, 14a (Elpenor English) |
For he saith, By the strength of my hand (יָדִי֙) I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: | For he says: “By my strong hand (yad, ידי) I have accomplished this, by my strategy that I devised. I invaded the territory of nations and looted their storehouses. Like a mighty conqueror, I brought down rulers. | For he said: “By my strength I will do it, and by the wisdom of my understanding I will remove the boundaries of nations, and I will plunder their strength. (14) And I will shake inhabited cities | For he said, I will act in strength, and in the wisdom of [my] understanding I will remove the boundaries of nations, and will spoil their strength. (14) And I will shake the inhabited cities: |
The King of Assyria was speaking here. Perhaps the comparison is easier between the Tanakh and the NETS.
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint |
Isaiah 10:13a (Tanakh) Table |
Isaiah 10:13a (NETS) |
By the strength of my hand (יָדִי֙) I have done it, | “By my strength I will do it, |
Here it appears that the rabbis collapsed of my hand into the single word my in the Septuagint. The word my, however, was added by the English translators of the NETS. It does not occur in either version of the Greek clause: τῇ ἰσχύι ποιήσω (BLB), ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ ποιήσω (Elpenor). The future tense—I will do it (NETS), I will act (Elpenor)—was also a choice made by the English translators. The Greek verb ποιήσω might have been translated in the aorist tense as simple “past tense.”
The next verse follows for comparison.
Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
Isaiah 10:14 (Tanakh) | Isaiah 10:14 (NET) | Isaiah 10:14b (NETS) |
Isaiah 10:14b (Elpenor English) |
And my hand (יָדִי֙) hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. | My hand (yad, ידי) discovered the wealth of the nations, as if it were in a nest; as one gathers up abandoned eggs, I gathered up the whole earth. There was no wing flapping or open mouth chirping.” | and take with my hand (τῇ χειρὶ) the whole world like a nest and seize its inhabitants like eggs that have been forsaken, and there is none who will escape from or contradict me.” | and I will take with my hand (τῇ χειρὶ) all the world as a nest: and I will even take them as eggs that have been left; and there is none that shall escape me, or contradict me. |
The rabbis translated the idiom יָדִי֙ (yad) literally here (τῇ χειρὶ) even as they explained the meaning of two metaphors (flapping wings and chirping mouths): there is none that shall escape me, or contradict me. I think they would have translated יָדִי֙ (yad) literally in verse 13, too, if it had been there in the original text to translate, though I have no strong reason to explain why the Masoretes may have added it. Perhaps they wanted to make the King of Assyria sound more like the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies,[4] to make him seem even more arrogant?
Septuagint | |||
Isaiah 1:24, 25 (Tanakh) | Isaiah 1:24, 25 (NET) | Isaiah 1:24, 25 (NETS) |
Isaiah 1:24, 25 (Elpenor English) |
Therefore saith the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: | Therefore, the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the Powerful One of Israel, says this: “Ah, I will seek vengeance against my adversaries, I will take revenge against my enemies. | Therefore this is what the Sovereign, the Lord Sabaoth, says: Ah mighty ones of Israel! For my wrath on my adversaries will not abate, and I will exact judgment from my foes! | Therefore thus saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Woe to the mighty [men] of Israel; for my wrath shall not cease against mine adversaries, and I will execute judgment on mine enemies. |
And I will turn my hand (יָדִי֙) upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: | I will attack you [NET note 66: turn my hand (yad, ידי) against you]; I will purify your metal with flux. I will remove all your slag. | And I will turn my hand (τὴν χεῗρά μου) against you and will burn you to bring about purity. But the disobedient I will destroy, and I will remove from you all the lawless and humble all who are arrogant. | And I will bring my hand (τὴν χεῖρά μου) upon thee, and purge thee completely, and I will destroy the rebellious, and will take away from thee all transgressors. |
It is worth mentioning that the English translation of the Elpenor Septuagint is not faithful here to the parallel Greek text right across the page (Table10 below). Between the Lord of hosts and the word Woe is another Greek phrase: ὁ δυνάστης τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ. Either the mighty One of Israel (Tanakh) or the Powerful One of Israel (NET) could serve as a satisfactory English translation of this Greek phrase. And though it is absent from the BLB Septuagint, its presence in the Elpenor persuades me of its originality, even as it highlights what is missing from the Masoretic text.
After Ah (howy, הוֹי) or Woe (οὐαὶ) there was another phrase: οἱ ἰσχύοντες Ισραηλ (NETS: mighty ones of Israel) or τοῖς ἰσχύουσιν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ (Elpenor). Here again the English translation of the Elpenor Septuagint is not quite faithful to its parallel Greek, which was even more specific: to the mighty [men] in Jerusalem.
There is one more time in the next verse that the English Elpenor (Table12 below) doesn’t quite match its parallel Greek: καὶ πάντας ὑπηφάνους[5] ταπεινώσω was not translated at all. It was translated and humble all who are arrogant in the NETS. Here again the rabbis seem to have explained metaphors rather than translating Hebrew text literally. I also noticed that σὲ and σοῦ are 2nd person singular pronouns, as are thee and thy in the Tanakh.
Though I suppose it is still possible to read this as God’s threat to kill off individuals among a collective, I took it very personally. Though I’m not a mighty one of Israel nor in Jerusalem I’m compelled to confess that this is precisely what God has done and continues to do in me through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ: He destroys (ἀπολέσω, a form of the verbs ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω) my disobedience (ἀπειθοῦντας, a participle of the verb ἀπειθέω); He will remove (ἀφελῶ, a form of the verb ἀφαιρέω) all (πάντας) my lawlessness (ἀνόμους) from me; He will humble (ταπεινώσω, a form of the verb ταπεινόω) all (πάντας) my arrogance (ὑπερηφάνους, a form of the adjective ὑπερήφανος). If this is what it means for God to turn his hand upon me, against the sin in my flesh, it is clearly something the King of Assyria could not do.
As Jesus said (Luke 12:4-7 NET):
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do [Table]. But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Aren’t five sparrows sold[6] for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
It seems confusing but such is the case when the Righteous Judge is also the One who will save us from our sinfulness. I resolve it by thinking of the fear of the One who has authority to throw you into hell as “a conviction to act in accordance with his word.”[7] Do not be afraid (μὴ φοβεῖσθε) was translated as a command not to flee in terror from Him, only to be led by someone less.[8] Apparently, μὴ φοβεῖσθε can also be translated in the indicative mood as a promise: You will not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
I’ll pick this up in another essay. The tables mentioned above follow.
Tables comparing 1 Kings 10:13; 2 Chronicles 9:12; Isaiah 10:13; 10:14; 1:24 and 1:25 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 10:13; 2 Chronicles (Supplements) 9:12; Isaiah 10:13; 10:14; 1:24 and 1:25 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Luke 12:6 in the NET and KJV follow.
1 Kings 10:13 (KJV) | ||
And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. | And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. | King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, besides what he had freely offered her. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants. |
καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμων ἔδωκεν τῇ βασιλίσσῃ Σαβα πάντα ὅσα ἠθέλησεν ὅσα ᾐτήσατο ἐκτὸς πάντων ὧν δεδώκει αὐτῇ διὰ χειρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως Σαλωμων καὶ ἀπεστράφη καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτῆς αὐτὴ καὶ πάντες οἱ παῗδες αὐτῆς | καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμὼν ἔδωκε τῇ βασιλίσσῃ Σαβὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἠθέλησεν, ὅσα ᾐτήσατο, ἐκτὸς πάντων ὧν ἐδεδόκει αὐτῇ διὰ χειρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως Σαλωμών· καὶ ἀπεστράφη καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτῆς, αὐτὴ καὶ πάντες οἱ παῖδες αὐτῆς |
And King Salomon had given the queen of Saba everything, as much as she desired, as much as she requested, beyond all that Salomon had given her through the hand of the king, and she returned and went to her own land, she and all her servants. | And king Solomon gave to the queen of Saba all that she desired, whatsoever she asked, besides all that he had given her by the hand of king Solomon: and she returned, and came into her own land, she and her servants. |
2 Chronicles 9:12 (KJV) | ||
And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants. | And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants. | King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she requested, more than what she had brought him. Then she left and returned to her homeland with her attendants. |
καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμων ἔδωκεν τῇ βασιλίσσῃ Σαβα πάντα τὰ θελήματα αὐτῆς ἃ ᾔτησεν ἐκτὸς πάντων ὧν ἤνεγκεν τῷ βασιλεῗ Σαλωμων καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτῆς | καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμὼν ἔδωκε τῇ βασιλίσσῃ Σαβὰ πάντα τὰ θελήματα αὐτῆς, ἃ ᾔτησεν, ἐκτὸς πάντων, ὧν ἤνεγκε τῷ βασιλεῖ Σαλωμών· καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτῆς |
And King Salomon gave the queen of Saba all her wants which she requested, beyond everything she had brought King Salomon. And she returned to her land. | And king Solomon gave to the queen of Saba all that she requested, besides all that she brought to king Solomon: and she returned to her [own] land. |
Isaiah 10:13 (KJV) | ||
For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: | For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: | For he says: “By my strong hand I have accomplished this, by my strategy that I devised. I invaded the territory of nations and looted their storehouses. Like a mighty conqueror, I brought down rulers. |
εἶπεν γάρ τῇ ἰσχύι ποιήσω καὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ τῆς συνέσεως ἀφελῶ ὅρια ἐθνῶν καὶ τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῶν προνομεύσω καὶ σείσω πόλεις κατοικουμένας | εἶπε γάρ· ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ ποιήσω καὶ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τῆς συνέσεως, ἀφελῶ ὅρια ἐθνῶν καὶ τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῶν προνομεύσω |
For he said: “By my strength I will do it, and by the wisdom of my understanding I will remove the boundaries of nations, and I will plunder their strength. (14) And I will shake inhabited cities | For he said, I will act in strength, and in the wisdom of [my] understanding I will remove the boundaries of nations, and will spoil their strength. |
Isaiah 10:14 (KJV) | ||
And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. | And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. | My hand discovered the wealth of the nations, as if it were in a nest; as one gathers up abandoned eggs, I gathered up the whole earth. There was no wing flapping or open mouth chirping.” |
(13b καὶ σείσω πόλεις κατοικουμένας) καὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην καταλήμψομαι τῇ χειρὶ ὡς νοσσιὰν καὶ ὡς καταλελειμμένα ᾠὰ ἀρῶ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς διαφεύξεταί με ἢ ἀντείπῃ μοι | καὶ σείσω πόλεις κατοικουμένας καὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην καταλήψομαι τῇ χειρὶ ὡς νοσσιὰν καὶ ὡς καταλελειμμένα ὠὰ ἀρῶ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς διαφεύξεταί με ἢ ἀντείπῃ μοι |
And I will shake inhabited cities and take with my hand the whole world like a nest and seize its inhabitants like eggs that have been forsaken, and there is none who will escape from or contradict me.” | And I will shake the inhabited cities: and I will take with my hand all the world as a nest: and I will even take them as eggs that have been left; and there is none that shall escape me, or contradict me. |
Isaiah 1:24 (KJV) | ||
Therefore saith the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: | Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: | Therefore, the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the Powerful One of Israel, says this: “Ah, I will seek vengeance against my adversaries, I will take revenge against my enemies. |
Isaiah 1:24 (Septuagint BLB) | |
διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει ὁ δεσπότης κύριος σαβαωθ οὐαὶ οἱ ἰσχύοντες Ισραηλ οὐ παύσεται γάρ μου ὁ θυμὸς ἐν τοῗς ὑπεναντίοις καὶ κρίσιν ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου ποιήσω | διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ δεσπότης σαβαώθ, ὁ δυνάστης τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ· οὐαὶ τοῖς ἰσχύουσιν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· οὐ παύσεται γάρ μου ὁ θυμὸς ἐν τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις, καὶ κρίσιν ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου ποιήσω. |
Therefore this is what the Sovereign, the Lord Sabaoth, says: Ah mighty ones of Israel! For my wrath on my adversaries will not abate, and I will exact judgment from my foes! | Therefore thus saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Woe to the mighty [men] of Israel; for my wrath shall not cease against mine adversaries, and I will execute judgment on mine enemies. |
Isaiah 1:25 (KJV) | ||
And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: | And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: | I will attack you; I will purify your metal with flux. I will remove all your slag. |
καὶ ἐπάξω τὴν χεῗρά μου ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ πυρώσω σε εἰς καθαρόν τοὺς δὲ ἀπειθοῦντας ἀπολέσω καὶ ἀφελῶ πάντας ἀνόμους ἀπὸ σοῦ καὶ πάντας ὑπερηφάνους ταπεινώσω | καὶ ἐπάξω τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ πυρώσω σε εἰς καθαρόν, τοὺς δὲ ἀπειθοῦντας ἀπολέσω καὶ ἀφελῶ πάντας ἀνόμους ἀπὸ σοῦ καὶ πάντας ὑπηφάνους ταπεινώσω |
And I will turn my hand against you and will burn you to bring about purity. But the disobedient I will destroy, and I will remove from you all the lawless and humble all who are arrogant. | And I will bring my hand upon thee, and purge thee completely, and I will destroy the rebellious, and will take away from thee all transgressors. |
Luke 12:6 (KJV) |
|
Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. | Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? |
Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
οὐχὶ πέντε στρουθία πωλοῦνται ἀσσαρίων δύο; καὶ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπιλελησμένον ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ | ουχι πεντε στρουθια πωλειται ασσαριων δυο και εν εξ αυτων ουκ εστιν επιλελησμενον ενωπιον του θεου | ουχι πεντε στρουθια πωλειται ασσαριων δυο και εν εξ αυτων ουκ εστιν επιλελησμενον ενωπιον του θεου |
[1] The NET translators apparently collapsed two phrases—all her desire, whatsoever she asked (Tanakh)—into one: everything she requested.
[2] Here again the NET translators collapsed two phrases— all her desire, whatsoever she asked (Tanakh)—into one: everything she requested.
[3] The English translators of the Elpenor Septuagint collapsed two phrases—πάντα τὰ θελήματα αὐτῆς, ἃ ᾔτησεν (NETS: “all her wants which she requested”)—into one: all that she requested.
[5] The BLB Septuagint had ὑπερηφάνους (a form of ὑπερήφανος) here. I didn’t find ὑπηφάνους in the lexicon I’m using, but a Google search displays several examples in Greek documents.
[6] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πωλοῦνται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πωλειται.