Tag Archives: Deuteronomy 32:39

Funeral, Part 1

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My mother went to be with the Lord last month.  Per her instructions my brother and I officiated at her funeral service and graveside.  She had preplanned everything but had left me free to choose the Scripture reading and some commentary.  Her theme verse was Isaiah 57:15.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 57:15 (Tanakh/KJV) Isaiah 57:15 (NET) Isaiah 57:15 (NETS)

Isaiah 57:15 (English Elpenor)
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: “I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged. This is what the Lord says, the Most High, who dwells forever in lofty places—Holy among the holy ones is his name, the Lord Most High who rests among the holy ones and gives patience to the faint-hearted and gives life to those who are broken of heart: Thus saith the Most High, who dwells on high for ever, Holy in the holies, is his name, the Most High resting in the holies, and giving patience to the faint-hearted, and giving life to the broken-hearted:

In her notes for the funeral service she had put resurrect in parentheses after both the first occurrence of לְהַֽחֲיוֹת֙ (to revive) and the second וּלְהַֽחֲי֖וֹת (and to revive).  I’m recounting my thought process in this essay so the tables I made while studying are included in this site.

First, I broke down the translations clause by clause:

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 57:15a (Tanakh/KJV) Isaiah 57:15a (NET) Isaiah 57:15a (NETS)

Isaiah 57:15a (English Elpenor)
For thus saith the high (רָ֣ם) and lofty One (וְנִשָּׂ֗א) For this is what the high (rûm, רם) and exalted one (nāśā’, ונשׁא) says, This is what the Lord (κύριος) says, the Most High (ὁ ὕψιστος), Thus saith the Most High (Κύριος ὁ ῞Υψιστος),

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 57:15b (Tanakh/KJV) Isaiah 57:15b (NET) Isaiah 57:15b (NETS)

Isaiah 57:15b (English Elpenor)
that inhabiteth (שֹׁכֵ֥ן) eternity (עַד֙), the one who rules (šāḵan, שכן) forever (ʿaḏ, עד), who dwells (κατοικῶν) forever (τὸν αἰῶνα) in lofty places (ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῗς)— who dwells (κατοικῶν) on high (ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς) for ever (τὸν αἰῶνα),

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 57:15c (Tanakh/KJV) Isaiah 57:15c (NET) Isaiah 57:15c (NETS)

Isaiah 57:15c (English Elpenor)
whose name is Holy (וְקָד֣וֹשׁ); whose name is holy (qāḏôš, וקדוש): Holy among the holy ones (ἅγιος ἐν ἁγίοις) is his name, Holy in the holies (ἅγιος ἐν ἁγίοις), is his name,

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 57:15d (Tanakh/KJV) Isaiah 57:15d (NET) Isaiah 57:15d (NETS)

Isaiah 57:15d (English Elpenor)
I dwell (אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן) in the high (מָר֥וֹם) and holy (וְקָד֖וֹשׁ) place, “I dwell (šāḵan, אשכון) in an exalted (mārôm, מרום) and holy (qāḏôš, וקדוש) place, the Lord (κύριος) Most High (ὕψιστος) who rests (ἀναπαυόμενος) among the holy ones (ἐν ἁγίοις) the Most High (Κύριος ῞Υψιστος) resting (ἀναπαυόμενος) in the holies (ἐν ἁγίοις),

The Greek word ἀναπαυόμενος (a form of ἀναπαύω) as a translation of אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן caught my ear: who rests (ἀναπαυόμενος) among the holy ones (NETS), resting (ἀναπαυόμενος) in the holies (English Elpenor).  I briefly considered choosing Revelation 14:13-16 (NET) as my text:

Then I heard a voice from heaven say,[1] “Write this: ‘Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’”[2]

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest[3] (ἀναπαήσονται, another form of ἀναπαύω) from their hard work, because[4] their deeds will follow them.”

Then I looked, and a white cloud appeared, and seated[5] on the cloud was one like[6] a son[7] of man!  He had a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.  Then another angel came out of the temple, shouting in a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and start to reap, because the time to reap[8] has come,[9] since the earth’s harvest is ripe!”  So the one seated on the cloud[10] swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.

But soon I decided it probably wasn’t what my mother had in mind.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 57:15e (Tanakh/KJV) Isaiah 57:15e (NET) Isaiah 57:15e (NETS)

Isaiah 57:15e (English Elpenor)
with him also that is of a contrite (דַּכָּא֙) and humble (וּשְׁפַל) spirit (ר֔וּחַ), but also with the discouraged (dakā’, דכא) and humiliated (šāp̄āl, ושפל; rûaḥ, רוח),

I certainly didn’t want to deal with a missing or added clause during Mom’s funeral service.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 57:15f (Tanakh/KJV) Isaiah 57:15f (NET) Isaiah 57:15f (NETS)

Isaiah 57:15f (English Elpenor)
to revive (לְהַֽחֲיוֹת֙) the spirit (ר֣וּחַ) of the humble (שְׁפָלִ֔ים), and to revive (וּלְהַֽחֲי֖וֹת) the heart (לֵ֥ב) of the contrite ones (נִדְכָּאִֽים). in order to cheer up (ḥāyâ, להחיות; rûaḥ, רוח) the humiliated (šāp̄āl, שפלים) and to encourage (ḥāyâ, ולהחיות) the discouraged (lēḇ, לב; dāḵā’, נדכאים). and gives (διδοὺς) patience (μακροθυμίαν) to the faint-hearted (ὀλιγοψύχοις) and gives (διδοὺς) life (ζωὴν) to those who are broken (τοῗς συντετριμμένοις) of heart (τὴν καρδίαν): and giving (διδοὺς) patience (μακροθυμίαν) to the faint-hearted (ὀλιγοψύχοις), and giving (διδοὺς) life (ζωὴν) to the broken-hearted (τοῖς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν):

I had a minor panic attack here.  I couldn’t convince myself that לְהַֽחֲיוֹת֙ (a form of חָיָה; to revive) referred to the resurrection (ἀναστάσει, a form of ἀνάστασις) at the last day [11] or the first resurrection (ἡ ἀνάστασις ἡ πρώτη).[12]  It seemed more likely to refer to the many revivals that result from taking up [one’s] cross daily.[13]  That seemed too heady of an argument for a funeral when hope and comfort are the order of the day.  And I certainly didn’t want to argue with my mother’s interpretation of Scripture over her corpse.  So I began to track the forms of חָיָה through the Old Testament:

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Genesis 5:3 (Tanakh) Genesis 5:3 (NET) Genesis 5:3 (NETS)

Genesis 5:3 (English Elpenor)
And Adam lived (וַיְחִ֣י) a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth. When Adam had lived (ḥāyâ, ויחי) 130 years he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and he named him Seth. Now Adam lived (ἔζησεν) two hundred thirty years and became a father, according to his form and according to his image and named his name Seth. And Adam lived (ἔζησε) two hundred and thirty years, and begot [a son] after his [own] form, and after his [own] image, and he called his name Seth.

This is one of the more common forms in the Old Testament: וַיְחִ֣י was translated ἔζησε(ν) (a form of ζάω) in the Septuagint.  The same form לְהַֽחֲי֖וֹת as was found in Isaiah 57:15, however, was translated saving or sparing when Lot spoke with the angels who rescued his family from Sodom before its destruction.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Genesis 19:19 (Tanakh) Genesis 19:19 (NET) Genesis 19:19 (NETS)

Genesis 19:19 (English Elpenor)
behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shown unto me in saving (לְהַֽחֲי֖וֹת) my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest the evil overtake me, and I die. Your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness by sparing (ḥāyâ, להחיות) my life.  But I am not able to escape to the mountains because this disaster will overtake me and I’ll die. since your servant has found mercy before you and you have magnified your righteousness—that which you bring about with regard to me—to quicken (τοῦ ζῆν) my soul, but I shall not be able to proceed safely to the mountain, for fear the disasters overtake me and I die; since thy servant has found mercy before thee, and thou hast magnified thy righteousness, in what thou doest towards me that my soul may live (τοῦ ζῆν),– but I shall not be able to escape to the mountain, lest perhaps the calamity overtake me and I die.

I was almost sidetracked here.  The Hebrew word חַסְדְּךָ֗ (ḥeseḏ), mercy (Tanakh), kindness (NET), translated δικαιοσύνην (a form of δικαιοσύνη), righteousness in the Septuagint arrested me.  I had grown up believing that mercy and kindness were opposed to righteousness.  I began to wonder how much theology in the New Testament had tumbled out of this equation.  But Mom’s funeral was less than a week away, so I returned to the task at hand.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Genesis 19:32 (Tanakh/KJV) Genesis 19:32 (NET) Genesis 19:32 (NETS)

Genesis 19:32 (English Elpenor)
Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve (וּנְחַיֶּ֥ה) seed of our father.’ Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine so we can go to bed with him and preserve (ḥāyâ, ונחיה) our family line through our father.” Come, and let us give our father wine to drink, and let us lie with him and raise up (ἐξαναστήσωμεν) offspring from our father.” Come and let us make our father drink wine, and let us sleep with him, and let us raise up (ἐξαναστήσωμεν) seed from our father.

This seemed promising.  Lot’s daughters, looking out from their mountain cave on the devastation of the only world they had ever known, hit on a scheme to preserve (וּנְחַיֶּ֥ה) their family line, to raise up (ἐξαναστήσωμεν (a form of ἐξανίστημι) offspring from [their] father (NETS).  But I make alive, God said.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Deuteronomy 32:39 (Tanakh) Deuteronomy 32:39 (NET) Deuteronomy 32:39 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 32:39 (English Elpenor)
See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me; I kill, and I make alive (וַֽאֲחַיֶּ֗ה); I have wounded, and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of My hand. “See now that I, indeed I, am he!” says the Lord, “and there is no other god besides me.  I kill and give life (ḥāyâ, ואחיה), I smash and I heal, and none can resist my power. See, see that I am, and there is no god except me.  I will kill, and I will make (ποιήσω) alive (ζῆν); I will strike, and I will heal, and there is no one who will deliver from my hands. Behold, behold that I am [he], and there is no god beside me: I kill, and I will make (ποιήσω) to live (ζῆν): I will smite, and I will heal; and there is none who shall deliver out of my hands.

Elisha brought a boy back to life:

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
2 Kings 8:1 (Tanakh) 2 Kings 8:1 (NET) 4 Reigns 8:1 (NETS)

4 Kings 8:1 (English Elpenor)
Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life (הֶחֱיָ֨ה), saying: ‘Arise, and go thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn; for HaShem hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.’ Now Elisha advised the woman whose son he had brought back to life (ḥāyâ, החיה), “You and your family should go and live somewhere else for a while, for the Lord has decreed that a famine will overtake the land for seven years.” And Elisaie spoke to the woman whose son he sparked to life (ἐζωπύρησεν), saying, “Get up, and go, you and your household, and sojourn wherever you may sojourn, for the Lord has called for a famine upon the land.” And Elisaie spoke to the woman, whose son he [had] restored to life (ἐζωπύρησε), saying, Arise, and go thou and thy house, and sojourn wherever thou mayest sojourn: for the Lord has called for a famine upon the land; indeed it is come upon the land [for] seven years.

But neither ἐζωπύρησε(ν) nor any other forms of ζωπυρέω occur in the New Testament.  I hit the jackpot back in Isaiah.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Isaiah 26:19 (Tanakh) Isaiah 26:19 (NET) Isaiah 26:19 (NETS)

Isaiah 26:19 (English Elpenor)
Thy dead men shall live (יִֽחְי֣וּ), together with my dead body shall they arise.  Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Your dead will come back to life (ḥāyâ, יחיו); your corpses will rise up.  Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground!  For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew, and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits. The dead shall rise (ἀναστήσονται), and those who are in the tombs shall be raised, and those who are in the earth shall rejoice; for the dew from you is healing to them, but the land of the impious shall fall. The dead shall rise (ἀναστήσονται), and they that are in the tombs shall be raised, and they that are in the earth shall rejoice: for the dew from thee is healing to them: but the land of the ungodly shall perish.

Here יִֽחְי֣וּ clearly meant resurrection and was translated ἀναστήσονται (a form of ἀνίστημι) in the Septuagint.  Forms of ἀνίστημι were used to describe resurrection in the New Testament.  Those passages became my Scripture readings for my mother’s funeral.

Tables comparing Isaiah 57:15; Genesis 5:3; 19:19; 19:32; Deuteronomy 32:39; 2 Kings 8:1 and Isaiah 26:19 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Isaiah 57:15; Genesis 5:3; 19:19; 19:32; Deuteronomy 32:39; 2 Kings 8:1 and Isaiah 26:19 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Revelation 14:13-16 in the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 57:15 (Tanakh)

 Isaiah 57:15 (KJV)

Isaiah 57:15 (NET)
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: “I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.

Isaiah 57:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 57:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τάδε λέγει κύριος ὁ ὕψιστος ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῗς κατοικῶν τὸν αἰῶνα ἅγιος ἐν ἁγίοις ὄνομα αὐτῷ κύριος ὕψιστος ἐν ἁγίοις ἀναπαυόμενος καὶ ὀλιγοψύχοις διδοὺς μακροθυμίαν καὶ διδοὺς ζωὴν τοῗς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν Τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ ῞Υψιστος, ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν τὸν αἰῶνα, ἅγιος ἐν ἁγίοις ὄνομα αὐτῷ, Κύριος ῞Υψιστος ἐν ἁγίοις ἀναπαυόμενος καὶ ὀλιγοψύχοις διδοὺς μακροθυμίαν καὶ διδοὺς ζωὴν τοῖς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν

Isaiah 57:15 (NETS)

Isaiah 57:15 (English Elpenor)
This is what the Lord says, the Most High, who dwells forever in lofty places—Holy among the holy ones is his name, the Lord Most High who rests among the holy ones and gives patience to the faint-hearted and gives life to those who are broken of heart: Thus saith the Most High, who dwells on high for ever, Holy in the holies, is his name, the Most High resting in the holies, and giving patience to the faint-hearted, and giving life to the broken-hearted:

Genesis 5:3 (Tanakh)

 Genesis 5:3 (KJV)

Genesis 5:3 (NET)
And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: When Adam had lived 130 years he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and he named him Seth.

Genesis 5:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 5:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔζησεν δὲ Αδαμ διακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη καὶ ἐγέννησεν κατὰ τὴν ἰδέαν αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σηθ ἔζησε δὲ ᾿Αδὰμ τριάκοντα καὶ διακόσια ἔτη, καὶ ἐγέννησε κατὰ τὴν ἰδέαν αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπωνόμασε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σήθ

Genesis 5:3 (NETS)

Genesis 5:3 (English Elpenor)
Now Adam lived two hundred thirty years and became a father, according to his form and according to his image and named his name Seth. And Adam lived two hundred and thirty years, and begot [a son] after his [own] form, and after his [own] image, and he called his name Seth.

Genesis 19:19 (Tanakh)

 Genesis 19:19 (KJV)

Genesis 19:19 (NET)
behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shown unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest the evil overtake me, and I die. Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: Your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness by sparing my life.  But I am not able to escape to the mountains because this disaster will overtake me and I’ll die.

Genesis 19:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 19:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπειδὴ εὗρεν ὁ παῗς σου ἔλεος ἐναντίον σου καὶ ἐμεγάλυνας τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου ὃ ποιεῗς ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ τοῦ ζῆν τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ δυνήσομαι διασωθῆναι εἰς τὸ ὄρος μὴ καταλάβῃ με τὰ κακὰ καὶ ἀποθάνω ἐπειδὴ εὗρεν ὁ παῖς σου ἔλεος ἐναντίον σου καὶ ἐμεγάλυνας τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, ὃ ποιεῖς ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ τοῦ ζῆν τὴν ψυχήν μου, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ δυνήσομαι διασωθῆναι εἰς τὸ ὄρος, μήποτε καταλάβῃ με τὰ κακὰ καὶ ἀποθάνω

Genesis 19:19 (NETS)

Genesis 19:19 (English Elpenor)
since your servant has found mercy before you and you have magnified your righteousness—that which you bring about with regard to me—to quicken my soul, but I shall not be able to proceed safely to the mountain, for fear the disasters overtake me and I die; since thy servant has found mercy before thee, and thou hast magnified thy righteousness, in what thou doest towards me that my soul may live,– but I shall not be able to escape to the mountain, lest perhaps the calamity overtake me and I die.

Genesis 19:32 (Tanakh)

 Genesis 19:32 (KJV)

Genesis 19:32 (NET)
Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.’ Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine so we can go to bed with him and preserve our family line through our father.”

Genesis 19:32 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 19:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δεῦρο καὶ ποτίσωμεν τὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν οἶνον καὶ κοιμηθῶμεν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαναστήσωμεν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν σπέρμα δεῦρο καὶ ποτίσωμεν τὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν οἶνον καὶ κοιμηθῶμεν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαναστήσωμεν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν σπέρμα

Genesis 19:32 (NETS)

Genesis 19:32 (English Elpenor)
Come, and let us give our father wine to drink, and let us lie with him and raise up offspring from our father.” Come and let us make our father drink wine, and let us sleep with him, and let us raise up seed from our father.

Deuteronomy 32:39 (Tanakh)

 Deuteronomy 32:39 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 32:39 (NET)
See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me; I kill, and I make alive; I have wounded, and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of My hand. See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. “See now that I, indeed I, am he!” says the Lord, “and there is no other god besides me.  I kill and give life, I smash and I heal, and none can resist my power.

Deuteronomy 32:39 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 32:39 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἴδετε ἴδετε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν θεὸς πλὴν ἐμοῦ ἐγὼ ἀποκτενῶ καὶ ζῆν ποιήσω πατάξω κἀγὼ ἰάσομαι καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἐξελεῗται ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν μου ἴδετε ἴδετε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι Θεὸς πλὴν ἐμοῦ· ἐγὼ ἀποκτενῶ καὶ ζῆν ποιήσω, πατάξω κἀγὼ ἰάσομαι, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἐξελεῖται ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν μου

Deuteronomy 32:39 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 32:39 (English Elpenor)
See, see that I am, and there is no god except me.  I will kill, and I will make alive; I will strike, and I will heal, and there is no one who will deliver from my hands. Behold, behold that I am [he], and there is no god beside me: I kill, and I will make to live: I will smite, and I will heal; and there is none who shall deliver out of my hands.

2 Kings 8:1 (Tanakh)

 2 Kings 8:1 (KJV)

2 Kings 8:1 (NET)
Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: ‘Arise, and go thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn; for HaShem hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.’ Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. Now Elisha advised the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “You and your family should go and live somewhere else for a while, for the Lord has decreed that a famine will overtake the land for seven years.”

2 Kings 8:1 (Septuagint BLB)

4 Kings 8:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ Ελισαιε ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τὴν γυναῗκα ἧς ἐζωπύρησεν τὸν υἱόν λέγων ἀνάστηθι καὶ δεῦρο σὺ καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου καὶ παροίκει οὗ ἐὰν παροικήσῃς ὅτι κέκληκεν κύριος λιμὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καί γε ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἑπτὰ ἔτη ΚΑΙ ῾Ελισαιὲ ἐλάλησε πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα, ἧς ἐζωπύρησε τὸν υἱόν, λέγων· ἀνάστηθι καὶ δεῦρο σὺ καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου καὶ παροίκει, οὗ ἐὰν παροικήσῃς, ὅτι κέκληκε Κύριος λιμὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καί γε ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἑπτὰ ἔτη

4 Reigns 8:1 (NETS)

4 Kings 8:1 (English Elpenor)
And Elisaie spoke to the woman whose son he sparked to life, saying, “Get up, and go, you and your household, and sojourn wherever you may sojourn, for the Lord has called for a famine upon the land.” And Elisaie spoke to the woman, whose son he [had] restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy house, and sojourn wherever thou mayest sojourn: for the Lord has called for a famine upon the land; indeed it is come upon the land [for] seven years.

Isaiah 26:19 (Tanakh)

 Isaiah 26:19 (KJV)

Isaiah 26:19 (NET)
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.  Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.  Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Your dead will come back to life; your corpses will rise up.  Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground!  For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew, and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits.

Isaiah 26:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 26:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀναστήσονται οἱ νεκροί καὶ ἐγερθήσονται οἱ ἐν τοῗς μνημείοις καὶ εὐφρανθήσονται οἱ ἐν τῇ γῇ ἡ γὰρ δρόσος ἡ παρὰ σοῦ ἴαμα αὐτοῗς ἐστιν ἡ δὲ γῆ τῶν ἀσεβῶν πεσεῗται ἀναστήσονται οἱ νεκροί, καὶ ἐγερθήσονται οἱ ἐν τοῖς μνημείοις, καὶ εὐφρανθήσονται οἱ ἐν τῇ γῇ· ἡ γὰρ δρόσος ἡ παρὰ σοῦ ἴαμα αὐτοῖς ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ γῆ τῶν ἀσεβῶν πεσεῖται

Isaiah 26:19 (NETS)

Isaiah 26:19 (English Elpenor)
The dead shall rise, and those who are in the tombs shall be raised, and those who are in the earth shall rejoice; for the dew from you is healing to them, but the land of the impious shall fall. The dead shall rise, and they that are in the tombs shall be raised, and they that are in the earth shall rejoice: for the dew from thee is healing to them: but the land of the ungodly shall perish.

Revelation 14:13-16 (NET)

Revelation 14:13-16 (KJV)
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: ‘Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them.”

 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
Καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ λεγούσης· γράψον· μακάριοι οἱ νεκροὶ οἱ ἐν κυρίῳ ἀποθνῄσκοντες ἀπ᾿ ἄρτι ναί, λέγει τὸ πνεῦμα, ἵνα ἀναπαήσονται ἐκ τῶν κόπων αὐτῶν, τὰ γὰρ ἔργα αὐτῶν ἀκολουθεῖ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν και ηκουσα φωνης εκ του ουρανου λεγουσης μοι γραψον μακαριοι οι νεκροι οι εν κυριω αποθνησκοντες απαρτι ναι λεγει το πνευμα ινα αναπαυσωνται εκ των κοπων αυτων τα δε εργα αυτων ακολουθει μετ αυτων και ηκουσα φωνης εκ του ουρανου λεγουσης μοι γραψον μακαριοι οι νεκροι οι εν κυριω αποθνησκοντες απ αρτι λεγει ναι το πνευμα ινα αναπαυσωνται εκ των κοπων αυτων τα δε εργα αυτων ακολουθει μετ αυτων
Then I looked, and a white cloud appeared, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man!  He had a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
Καὶ εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ νεφέλη λευκή, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν νεφέλην καθήμενον ὅμοιον υἱὸν ἀνθρώπου, ἔχων ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ στέφανον χρυσοῦν καὶ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ δρέπανον ὀξύ και ειδον και ιδου νεφελη λευκη και επι την νεφελην καθημενος ομοιος υιω ανθρωπου εχων επι της κεφαλης αυτου στεφανον χρυσουν και εν τη χειρι αυτου δρεπανον οξυ και ειδον και ιδου νεφελη λευκη και επι την νεφελην καθημενον ομοιον υιω ανθρωπου εχων επι της κεφαλης αυτου στεφανον χρυσουν και εν τη χειρι αυτου δρεπανον οξυ
Then another angel came out of the temple, shouting in a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and start to reap, because the time to reap has come, since the earth’s harvest is ripe!” And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἄλλος ἄγγελος ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ κράζων ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπὶ τῆς νεφέλης· πέμψον τὸ δρέπανον σου καὶ θέρισον, ὅτι ἦλθεν ἡ ὥρα θερίσαι, ὅτι ἐξηράνθη ὁ θερισμὸς τῆς γῆς και αλλος αγγελος εξηλθεν εκ του ναου κραζων εν μεγαλη φωνη τω καθημενω επι της νεφελης πεμψον το δρεπανον σου και θερισον οτι ηλθεν σοι η ωρα του θερισαι οτι εξηρανθη ο θερισμος της γης και αλλος αγγελος εξηλθεν εκ του ναου κραζων εν φωνη μεγαλη τω καθημενω επι της νεφελης πεμψον το δρεπανον σου και θερισον οτι ηλθεν η ωρα θερισαι οτι εξηρανθη ο θερισμος της γης
So the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἔβαλεν ὁ καθήμενος ἐπὶ τῆς νεφέλης τὸ δρέπανον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐθερίσθη ἡ γῆ και εβαλεν ο καθημενος επι την νεφελην το δρεπανον αυτου επι την γην και εθερισθη η γη και εβαλεν ο καθημενος επι την νεφελην το δρεπανον αυτου επι την γην και εθερισθη η γη

[1] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μοι (KJV: unto me) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[2] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀπ᾿ ἄρτι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had απαρτι (KJV: from henceforth).

[3] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀναπαήσονται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αναπαυσωνται (KJV: they may rest).

[4] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had γὰρ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: and).

[5] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had καθήμενον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had καθημενος (KJV: one sat).

[6] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had ὅμοιον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ομοιος.

[7] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had υἱὸν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υιω (KJV: unto the Son).

[8] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article του preceding to reap.  The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[9] The Stephanus Textus Receptus had σοι (KJV: for thee) following has come (KJV: is come).  The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[10] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had τῆς νεφέλης in the genitive case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had την νεφελην in the accusative case.

[11] John 11:24 (KJV) Table

[12] Revelation 20:4-6 (NET)

[13] Luke 9:23 (NET) Table

Romans, Part 67

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I’m still considering, Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer[1] as a description of love rather than as rules to obey.  This essay picks up where I left off in the previous essay considering Phinehas’ background and role in events at Gibeah.

Now you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s (yehôvâh, יהוה) judgment,[2] Phinehas told the descendents of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh after hearing their defense.  It may not be obvious in the NET but it was a very poor choice of words: Now you have delivered (nâtsal, הצלתם) the children of Israel out of the hand (yâd, מיד) of the Lord (yehôvâh).[3]  It is not possible according to yehôvâh, Nor is there any who (ʼayin, ואין; literally, nothing) can deliver (nâtsal, מציל) from My hand (yâd).[4]  Beyond that, it was yehôvâh who delivered Israel from the hand of their enemies. 

O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord (yehôvâh),[5] Jacob prayed.  Rescue (nâtsal, הצילני) me, I pray, from the hand (yâd, מיד) of my brother Esau…[6]  The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) said [to Moses], “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt.  I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.  I have come down to deliver (nâtsal, להצילו) them from the hand (yâd, מיד) of the Egyptians…”[7]  Jethro rejoiced because of all the good that the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) had done for Israel, whom he had delivered (nâtsal, הצילו) from the hand (yâd, מיד) of Egypt.[8]

I’m particularly sensitive to this because I believed that Jesus delivered me from the hand of Jehovah (though I probably didn’t think about it in exactly those words).  My situation became more acute when I was too old to pray to Jesus but told to pray to “our Father in heaven” instead.  I was fairly compliant as a child with things over which I had control.  So I prayed to “our Father in heaven.”  But I couldn’t draw near to Him, not to Jehovah, the one who wanted to condemn me to hell for failing to keep his law.

Was deliverance from the hand of yehôvâh simply a slip of Phinehas’ tongue?  After all even in the New Testament the author of the letter to the Hebrews believed that it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.[9]  Or did Phinehas’ word choice accurately reflect his attitude?  David’s attitude by contrast, even regarding punishment, was, Please let us fall into the hand (yâd, ביד) of the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה), for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand (yâd, וביד) of man.[10]  Had futility crept into Phinehas’ thoughts, a darkening of his senseless heart (Romans 1:21 NET Table)?

For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

These words were penned by a Benjaminite[11] who was extremely zealous for the traditions of [his] ancestors[12] until Jesus showed him a fresh and living way that [Jesus] inaugurated for us,[13] not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.[14]  I don’t fully understand how the Holy Spirit empowered people in the Old Testament (which is not to say that I fully understand Him in the New).

Samson is perhaps the most confusing example: Samson…grew and the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) empowered him.  The Lord’s (yehôvâh, יהוה) spirit began to control him in Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.  Samson went down to Timnah, where a Philistine girl caught his eye.[15]  Though his parents protested his choice, the text is clear that his father and mother did not realize this was the Lord’s (yehôvâh, מיהוה) doing, because he was looking for an opportunity to stir up trouble with the Philistines.[16]  Samson’s choice and great strength are not the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control[17] with which I am more familiar.

I turn to David again: Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.[18]  Perhaps Phinehas’ statement—Today we know that the Lord is among us, because you have not disobeyed the Lord in this[19]—is a similar recognition that yehôvâh’s presence, his Holy Spirit, creates the clean heart and steadfast spirit that effected righteousness among the descendants of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh.  Still, Moses wished for more for the descendants of Israel: I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them![20]

So I’m not sure whether Phinehas made a poor word choice or was becoming futile in his thoughts (e.g., actually intending to thank or praise the descendants of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh for delivering him from the hand of yehôvâh), whether he was fearing yehôvâh or afraid of yehôvâh, drawing near or fleeing in his heart and mind.  But I want to keep it as an open question as I move from the failure to resolve matters at Gibeah as a police function to war: The Benjaminites came from their cities and assembled at Gibeah to make war against the Israelites.[21]  

Vengeance War in Gibeah Divided Kingdom
The Lord spoke to Moses: “Exact vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites…

Numbers 31:1, 2a (NET)

 The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God, “Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?”  The Lord said, “Judah should lead.”

Judges 20:18 (NET)

 God told Shemaiah the prophet, “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah, and to all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the rest of the people, ‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers, the Israelites.  Each of you go home, for I have caused this [Israel’s rebellion against Judah and Benjamin] to happen”’” [Table].

1 Kings 12:22-24a (NET)

I’ve placed the war in Gibeah between yehôvâh’s vengeance on the Midianites and his prohibition of Judah declaring war on the northern kingdom of Israel.  The Israelites assumed they were called to war against Benjamin and asked yehôvâh which tribe should lead.  The war was neither initiated nor forbidden by yehôvâh.  Judah should lead, He said.

Vengeance War in Gibeah Divided Kingdom
So Moses sent them to the war… They fought against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed every male.  They killed the kings of Midian in addition to those slain – Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba – five Midianite kings.  They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

Numbers 31:6-8 (NET)

 The Israelites got up the next morning and moved against Gibeah.  The men of Israel marched out to fight Benjamin; they arranged their battle lines against Gibeah.

Judges 20:19, 20 (NET)

 They obeyed the Lord and went home as the Lord had ordered them to do [Table].

1 Kings 12:24b (NET)

Assuming that Judah actually did lead Israel at Gibeah, yehôvâh was obeyed in all three examples.  Since neither Judah nor the northern kingdom of Israel suffered any casualties in a war that didn’t happen I switched to Ai for purposes of comparison below. 

Vengeance War in Gibeah Ai
Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders over thousands and the commanders over hundreds, approached Moses and said to him, “Your servants have taken a count of the men who were in the battle, who were under our authority, and not one is missing.

Numbers 31:48, 49 (NET)

 The Benjaminites attacked from Gibeah and struck down twenty-two thousand Israelites that day.

Judges 20:21 (NET)

 The Lord was furious with the Israelites.  Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai… So about three thousand men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai.  The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them…

Joshua 7:1b, 2a, 4, 5a (NET)

Was yehôvâh over 600 times more furious with Israel at Gibeah than at Ai?  Okay, proportionally speaking, was He four and one half times more furious?  According to the Zohar, “God was unwilling that other sinners of Israel should be the instruments for punishing them [the descendants of Benjamin], and therefore numbers of them fell time after time until all the sinners in the attacking army had perished, and there were left only those more righteous ones who could more appropriately execute the work.”[22] If I had only the story of the battle at Ai to go on, I might agree with this assessment.  But I have more Scripture that the writer(s) of the Zohar rejected (Luke 13:1-5 NET):

Now there were some present on that occasion who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.  He answered them, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered these things?  No, I tell you!  But unless you repent, you will all perish as well!  Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who live in Jerusalem?  No, I tell you!  But unless you repent you will all perish as well!” 

So apart from an explicit statement of Scripture (as in the case of Achan[23]) I assume that the opinion in the Zohar is unwarranted.  The reason given in the text has nothing to do with yehôvâh, rather there were seven hundred specially-trained left-handed soldiers among the Benjaminites.  Each one could sling a stone and hit even the smallest target.[24]

War in Gibeah Ai
The Israelite army took heart (châzaq, ויתחזק) and once more arranged their battle lines, in the same place where they had taken their positions the day before.

Judges 20:22 (NET)

 … and chased them from in front of the city gate all the way to the fissures and defeated them on the steep slope.  The people’s courage melted away like water.

Joshua 7:5b (NET)
The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening.

Judges 20:23a (NET)

 Joshua tore his clothes; he and the leaders of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening and threw dirt on their heads.

Joshua 7:6 (NET)

At Gibeah the Israelites suffered 22,000 casualties, grabbed or persuaded themselves and reformed their battle lines while the Israelites at Ai suffered 36 casualties and were routed.  The reason is given in the text: The men of Israel (not counting Benjamin) had mustered four hundred thousand sword-wielding soldiers, every one an experienced warrior.[25]

At Ai Joshua prayed, O, Master (ʼădônây, אדני), Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה)!  Why did you bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites…[26]  What will you do to protect your great reputation?[27]  Israel has sinned,[28] yehôvâh responded.  The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation.[29]  The “trial” and execution of Achan[30] (along with his family) followed this.  In Gibeah (Judges 20:23b-25 NET):

They asked the Lord, “Should we again march out to fight the Benjaminites, our brothers?”  The Lord said, “Attack them!”  So the Israelites marched toward the Benjaminites the next day.  The Benjaminites again attacked them from Gibeah and struck down eighteen thousand sword-wielding Israelite soldiers.

Israel was no longer yehôvâh’s weapon of judgment: The Lord was furious with Israel.  He said, “This nation has violated the terms of the agreement I made with their ancestors by disobeying me.  So I will no longer remove before them any of the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died.[31]  Then I consider the trajectory from weapon of judgment to objects of mercy[32] (Matthew 5:38-42 NET):

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer.  But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well [Table].  And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, give him your coat also.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you [Table].”

Jesus spoke to objects (KJV: vessels) of mercy under occupation of a very effective Roman government.  In those days Israel had no king,[33] the story of the Levite and his concubine began, addressing not merely the lack of a hereditary monarchy but the fact that Israel had rejected[34] yehôvâh as their king.  I think what is witnessed at the battle of Gibeah is two well-trained armies fighting in their own strength, without yehôvâh’s aid or interference.[35]  The outcome is a foregone conclusion as long as the larger army continues to fight.  But at first the Israelites fought for principle while the Benjaminites fought for their lives.[36]  Apart from miraculous intervention Phinehas’ role was reduced to providing encouragement and officiating at sacrifices.[37]  He is virtually nonexistent in the text.

Admittedly, I’m threading the eye of a subtle needle here.  I recognize that the Israelites intended to go to war by the throw of the dice.  But I accept yehôvâh’s acquiescence (at a minimum) because the Scripture reads: The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) said, “Judah should lead”[38] and, The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) said, “Attack them!”[39]  At the same time I’m hearing, The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) said, “Attack, for tomorrow I will hand (yâd, בידך) them over to you”[40] and, The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) annihilated Benjamin before Israel,[41] as Phinehas’ manner of speaking, expressing yehôvâh’s foreknowledge and it’s fulfillment, and not necessarily yehôvâh’s direct involvement as when Israel was his weapon of judgment.

If I were able to interview all the survivors, I take it for granted that I’d hear many battlefield stories of individual and small group salvations credited to yehôvâh’s intercession.  I don’t doubt that many of those stories would be true examples of yehôvâh’s intercession.  Nor do I doubt that I would hear true salvation stories from both opposing armies.  But I doubt that Israel was yehôvâh’s weapon of judgment against Benjamin as they were against Midian.

The next day Israel followed the same tactic[42] against Benjamin that Joshua commanded at Ai.[43]  I don’t know if this came from Joshua’s writing, Phinehas’ memory or is evidence of the development of a professional military command structure with an institutional memory.  The Benjaminites apparently did not read Joshua, did not have Phinehas as an advisor or did not have a professional military command structure with an institutional memory and fell for the ruse.  The Israelites struck down that day 25,100 sword-wielding Benjaminites.[44]  Counting the 600 survivors they had only killed 1,000 in the previous two days of fighting while they suffered 40,000 casualties.

Israel apparently left the survivors alone for four months.  The Israelites regretted what had happened to their brother Benjamin.[45]  Why, O Lord God of Israel, has this happened in Israel? they prayed.  An entire tribe has disappeared from Israel today![46]

[1] Romans 12:12 (NET)

[2] Joshua 22:31b (NET)

[3] Joshua 22:31b (NKJV)

[4] Deuteronomy 32:39b (NKJV)

[5] Genesis 32:9a (NET)

[6] Genesis 32:11a (NET)

[7] Exodus 3:7, 8a (NET)

[8] Exodus 18:9 (NET)

[9] Hebrews 10:31 (NET)

[10] 2 Samuel 24:14 (NKJV)

[11] Romans 11:1, Philippians 3:5 (NET)

[12] Galatians 1:14b (NET)

[13] Hebrews 10:20a (NET)

[14] 2 Corinthians 3:6b (NET)

[15] Judges 13:24b-14:1 (NET)

[16] Judges 14:4a (NET)

[17] Galatians 5:22, 23a (NET)

[18] Psalm 51:10, 11 (NKJV) Table1 Table2

[19] Joshua 22:31a (NET)

[20] Numbers 11:29b (NET)

[21] Judges 20:14 (NET)

[22] http://jbq.jewishbible.org/assets/Uploads/412/jbq_41_2_idolofmicah.pdf

[23] In fact, no one would say that the 36 who died at Ai were worse sinners than the other 2,964 soldiers because as yehôvâh’s weapon of judgment all Israel was guilty and subject to annihilation because one man sinned.

[24] Judges 20:16 (NET)

[25] Judges 20:17 (NET)

[26] Joshua 7:7 (NET)

[27] Joshua 7:9b (NET)

[28] Joshua 7:11a (NET) Table

[29] Joshua 7:12a (NET) Table

[30] Joshua 7:16-26 (NET)

[31] Judges 2:20, 21 (NET)

[32] Romans 9:21-24  Darby related this directly to Romans 11:30-32 in his translation: For as indeed *ye* [also] once have not believed in God, but now have been objects of mercy through the unbelief of *these*; so these also have now not believed in your mercy, in order that *they* also may be objects of mercy.  For God hath shut up together all in unbelief, in order that he might shew mercy to all.

[33] Judges 19:1a (NET)

[34] 1 Samuel 8:6-9 (NET)

[35] Judges 7:9-14 (NET)

[36] Deuteronomy 13:12-18 (NET)

[37] Judges 20:26-28 (NET)

[38] Judges 20:18b (NET)

[39] Judges 20:23b (NET)

[40] Judges 20:28b (NET)

[41] Judges 20:35a (NET)

[42] Judges 20:29-48 (NET)

[43] Joshua 8:3-8 (NET)

[44] Judges 20:35b (NET)

[45] Judges 21:6a (NET)

[46] Judges 21:3 (NET)