Instruct these people as follows, yehôvâh had said to Moses: ‘You are about to cross the border of your relatives the descendants of Esau [Jacob’s brother], who inhabit Seir. They will be afraid (yârêʼ, וייראו; Septuagint: φοβηθήσονται, afraid) of you, so watch yourselves carefully.’[1]
The rabbis who translated the Septuagint understood the last phrase, καὶ εὐλαβηθήσονται ὑμᾶς σφόδρα (“and they will be very cautious,” of you; i.e., of Israel). Either works in context. The origin of this fear was the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea: The nations will hear, Moses and the Israelites sang to yehôvâh. Israel by contrast overflowed with confidence (Exodus 15:13 NET):
By your loyal love you will lead the people whom you have redeemed; you will guide them by your strength to your holy dwelling place.
The Hebrew word translated By your loyal love was chêsêd (בחסדך). Below is a table of forms of chêsêd and their translations in Genesis to the giving of the law.
|
chêsêd |
Hebrew | KJV | NET | Tanakh |
Septuagint |
| Genesis 19:19 | חסדך | mercy | kindness | mercy | δικαιοσύνην |
| Genesis 20:13 | חסדך | kindness | loyalty | kindness | δικαιοσύνην |
| Genesis 21:23 | כחסד | kindness | loyalty | kindness | δικαιοσύνην |
| Genesis 24:12 | חסד | kindness | Be faithful | kindness | ἔλεος |
| Genesis 24:14 | חסד | kindness | you have been faithful | kindness | ἔλεος |
| Genesis 24:27 | חסדו | mercy | faithful | mercy | δικαιοσύνην |
| Genesis 24:49 | חסד | kindly | faithful | kindly | ἔλεος[2] |
| Genesis 32:10 | החסדים | mercies | faithful | mercies | δικαιοσύνης |
| Genesis 39:21 | חסד | mercy | kindness | kindness | ἔλεος |
| Genesis 40:14 | חסד | kindness | kindness | kindness | ἔλεος |
| Genesis 47:29 | חסד | kindly | kindness | kindly | ἐλεημοσύνην |
| Exodus 15:13 | בחסדך | mercy | By your loyal love | in Thy love | δικαιοσύνῃ |
| Exodus 20:6 | חסד | mercy | covenant faithfulness | mercy | ἔλεος |
This equation of mercy, kindness, faithfulness, loyalty and loyal love with δικαιοσύνῃ, righteousness, is a profound lesson in itself for one who neglected what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness: the righteousness (δικαιοσύνη) of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous (δίκαιος) by faith will live.”[3] Paul quoted Habakkuk 2:4. The Tanakh reads, Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just (tsaddı̂yq, וצדיק) shall live by his faith. The Septuagint translated into English reads, “If it draws back, my soul is not pleased in it, But the just shall live by my faith.” The first part was translated, if he shrinks back, I take no pleasure in him[4] in the New Testament.
| NET | Parallel Greek |
Septuagint |
| if he shrinks back, I take no pleasure in him.
Hebrews 10:38b |
ἐὰν ὑποστείληται, οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ
Hebrews 10:38b |
ἐὰν ὑποστείληται οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ
Habakkuk 2:4a Table |
| The righteous by faith will live
Romans 1:17b |
ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται
Romans 1:17b |
ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεώς μου ζήσεται
Habakkuk 2:4b |
The nations will hear and tremble,[5] the song Moses and the Israelites sang continued. The Hebrew word translated tremble was râgaz (ירגזון). As Joseph sent his brothers back to Canaan to bring their father and their families to Egypt, He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.”[6] The Hebrew word translated be overcome with fear was also râgaz (תרגזו) but a footnote (31) acknowledged:
The verb means “stir up.” Some understand the Hebrew verb רָגָז (ragaz, “to stir up”) as a reference to quarreling (see Prov 29:9, where it has this connotation), but in Exod 15:14 and other passages it means “to fear.” This might refer to a fear of robbers, but more likely it is an assuring word that they need not be fearful about returning to Egypt. They might have thought that once Jacob was in Egypt, Joseph would take his revenge on them.
The rabbis who translated the Septuagint did not agree. They chose ὀργίζεσθε (a form of ὀργίζω) in Genesis 45:24. Be angry (ὀργίζεσθε) and do not sin,[7] Paul quoted the Psalm[8] in his letter to the Ephesians.
|
NET |
Parallel Greek |
Septuagint |
| Be angry and do not sin…
Ephesians 4:26a |
ὀργίζεσθε καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε
Ephesians 4:26a |
ὀργίζεσθε καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε
Psalm 4:4a |
And in Exodus 15:14 they chose ὠργίσθησαν (another form of ὀργίζω). The nations were enraged[9] (τὰ ἔθνη ὠργίσθησαν) is nearer the rabbis’ understanding in the Septuagint ἤκουσαν ἔθνη καὶ ὠργίσθησαν.
The song continued, anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.[10] The Hebrew word translated anguish was chı̂yl (חיל). It was translated pain (בחילה) in Job 6:10 and writhing (חיל) like a woman in childbirth in Psalm 48:6. That is what the translators of the Septuagint picked up on with ὠδῖνες (a form of ὠδίν): Now when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” Paul wrote believers in Thessalonica, then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains (ὠδὶν) on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape.[11]
Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified,[12] Moses’ song continued. The Hebrew word translated terrified was bâhal (נבהלו). It was also translated terrified (נבהל) in 1 Samuel 28:21, but they were dumbfounded (נבהלו) in Genesis 45:3 and panicked (ויבהל) in Judges 20:41. That hasty confused state of mind seemed to be what the rabbis responded to in the Septuagint with ἔσπευσαν (a form of σπεύδω). Hurry (σπεῦσον, another form of σπεύδω), Jesus said to Saul [Paul] in a vision, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.[13]
The song continued, trembling will seize the leaders of Moab.[14] Here the Hebrew word translated trembling was raʽad (רעד). It was translated shake uncontrollably (רעדה) in Psalm 48:6 and panic (רעדה) in Isaiah 33:14. It was translated τρόμος in the Septuagint. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and ran from [Jesus’] tomb, for terror (τρόμος) and bewilderment had seized them.[15]
Moses and the people sang, and the inhabitants of Canaan will shake.[16] The Hebrew word translated will shake was mûg (נמגו). It was translated are cringing (נמגו) in Joshua 2:9 and seemed to melt (נמוג) in 1 Samuel 14:16. This was the sense the rabbis understood in the Septuagint: “all those inhabiting Canaan melted away” (ἐτάκησαν, a form of τήκω), whether by death, defection or fleeing as refugees. Peter prophesied, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away (τήκεται, another form of τήκω) in a blaze![17]
Fear and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of your arm they will be as still as stone until your people pass by, O Lord, until the people whom you have bought pass by.[18] In the Septuagint this was understood as a request for more supernatural fear and trembling: “May fear and trembling fall upon them.”[19] The Hebrew word translated fear (ʼêymâh, אימתה) was translated my terror in yehôvâh’s promise: I will send my terror (ʼêymâh, אימתי) before you, and I will destroy all the people whom you encounter.[20] This terror was associated with an angel: For my angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will destroy them completely.[21] Fear was φόβος in the Septuagint. And Zechariah, visibly shaken when he saw the angel, was seized with fear (φόβος).[22] The Hebrew word translated dread was pachad (ופחד), which was translated τρόμος in the Septuagint.
There was a lot of anger, pain, panic, trembling and defection among the people who heard about the Egyptians drowned in the Red Sea. There was fear and dread of supernatural origin besides. The fear (yirʼâh, יראת; Septuagint: φόβος) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.[23] I heard that often with no trace of irony. Apparently the NET translators heard it the same way for they went a step farther and translated yirʼâh to obey: To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living.[24]
An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked, David penned, There is no fear (pachad, פחד; Septuagint: φόβος) of God before his eyes.[25] I didn’t hear this simply as a factual diagnosis but as a prescription for more fear. I don’t think I’m entirely alone in this. I had a pastor once who took No Fear sportswear as a personal insult. Perhaps he was considering the quotation credited to Albert Camus: “Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear.”
I didn’t find the context for this quote online so I’m just guessing, but I suppose that Camus didn’t know many French citizens who became committed NAZIs during the occupation out of fear, only resistance fighters and collaborators. We see the same phenomenon in the Old Testament if we will see it: some rebelled against God, others adopted a hypocritical religiosity. What is born of the flesh is flesh[26] and the works of the flesh[27] erupt eventually through the hypocritical veneer of any religion (Romans 3:10-18 NET).
“There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.”
“Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips.”
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
This is the diagnosis. The prescription is given in Jesus’ summary of Israel’s history: You must all be born from above,[28] not more fear but more God, the righteousness (δικαιοσύνη) of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe,[29] more of our daily bread, more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and Holy Spirit control, not pumped up artificially by some virtue of mine like some little engine that could, but flowing freely and continuously from those rivers of living water,[30] his Holy Spirit. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.[31]
If I may assume that yehôvâh’s instruction, how to behave[32] in Edom, implies yehôvâh’s intent that Israel pass through Edom, then the result of all of this anger, pain, panic, trembling, defection, fear and dread was exactly what one believing Jesus’ summary of Israel’s history would expect: Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border.[33] Edom said to [Israel], “You will not pass through me, or I will come out against you with the sword.”[34] Fear (φόβος), John explained, has to do with punishment.[35]
Though fear did not supply Esau’s descendants with enough faith in yehôvâh to allow Israel to cross through their land of Edom, it kept them from attacking Israel and being destroyed by yehôvâh. Fear can produce collaborators. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom if the collaborators don’t settle down to live in it (1 John 4:15-19). In that case they may have been better off as resistance fighters (Revelation 3:14-22).
Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 5
[2] Here ʼemeth (ואמת) was translated δικαιοσύνην.
[5] Exodus 15:14a (NET) Also in the Tanakh, tremble
[6] Genesis 45:24b (NET) In the Tanakh, fall not out
[8] Psalm 4:4 Also râgaz (רגזו) in Hebrew, translated Stand in awe in the Tanakh and Tremble with fear in the NET.
[11] 1 Thessalonians 5:3 (NET)
[13] Acts 22:18b (NET) Table
[19] Exodus 16:16a (NETS)
[27] Galatians 5:19-21 (NET)
[30] John 7:37-39 (NET)
[32] Deuteronomy 2:4-7 (NET)