Tag Archives: Exodus 23:24

The Two Covenants

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After the incident with the golden calf, after Yahweh relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people[1] honoring the covenant they violated, after He spoke his long name to Moses, He revealed a revised covenant.  It was similar to the original covenant that ended with the worship of the golden calf, when the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.[2]  But it was different, too, in some remarkable ways.  What I have called the preamble to the two covenants is contrasted below.

The Two Covenants

Preamble

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, “Thus you will tell the house of Jacob, and declare to the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I lifted you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

Exodus 19:3, 4 (NET)

 Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped and said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord go among us, for we are a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

Exodus 34:8, 9 (NET)
‘And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine, and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’  These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites.”

Exodus 19:5, 6 (NET)

 [The Lord] said, “See, I am going to make a covenant before all your people.  I will do wonders such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation.  All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it is a fearful thing that I am doing with you.

Exodus 34:10 (NET)

Before the golden calf Moses went up to God like a victor receiving a crown.  You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, the Lord instructed him to say to the Israelites, and how I lifted you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.  After the golden calf Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped and said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord go among us, for we are a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”  How reminiscent this is of the righteous prayer: God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am![3]

Before the golden calf the covenant was expressed conditionally, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine, and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  But afterward it is simply a unilateral declaration: I am going to make a covenant before all your people.  I will do wonders such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation.  All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it is a fearful (yârêʼ) thing that I am doing with you.

The Ten Commandments were part of both covenants.  It was part of the first covenant because Exodus 20 is after the preamble in Exodus 19 and before the inauguration of the covenant in Exodus 24.  Moses came and told the people all the Lord’s words and all the decisions.  All the people answered together, “We are willing to do all the words (dabar, הדברים) that the Lord has said,” and Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord.[4]  So Moses took the blood and splashed it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words (dabar, as above).”[5]  They were part of the next covenant because, The Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words (dabar, הדברים), for in accordance with these words (dabar, הדברים) I have made a covenant with you and with Israel….”  He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments (dabar, as above).[6]

I borrowed the subject headings from the NET to list the sections of law that were removed from the revised covenant.

The Two Covenants

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
Hebrew Servants: Exodus 21:2-11
Personal Injuries: Exodus 21:12-27
Laws About Animals: Exodus 21:28-36
Laws About Property: Exodus 22:1-15
Justice: Exodus 23:1-9

They were still law.  They still offer knowledge of sin.  That sin however did not jeopardize the covenant.  Perhaps the most significant omission for the purposes of this essay was in the section labeled “Moral and Ceremonial Laws,” Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord alone must be utterly destroyed.[7]  I think all of this will become clearer with its revision at the end of the section labeled “The Angel of the Presence.”

The Two Covenants

The Angel of the Presence

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
“I am going to send an angel before you to protect you as you journey and to bring you into the place that I have prepared.  Take heed because of him, and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him.

Exodus 23:20, 21 (NET)

There is no mention in the revised covenant of an angel who will not pardon [their] transgressions.

The Two Covenants

The Angel of the Presence

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
“But if you diligently obey [the angel] and do all that I command, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will be an adversary to your adversaries.

Exodus 23:22 (NET)

 “Obey what I am commanding you this day.

Exodus 34:11a (NET)
“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.

Exodus 23:23 (NET)

 “I am going to drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

Exodus 34:11b (NET)

The contingent statement—if you diligently obey the angel [who will not pardon your transgressions] and do all that I command, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will be an adversary to your adversaries—was replaced by a simple imperative—Obey what I am commanding you this day.  The sense of this becomes clearer in the next statement where the typical covenant language, “if you do this I will do that,” was replaced by a unilateral declarative, I am going to drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

The Two Covenants

The Angel of the Presence

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
“You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices.  Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones to pieces.

Exodus 23:24 (NET) Table

 “Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it become a snare among you.  Rather you must destroy their altars, smash their images, and cut down their Asherah poles.

Exodus 34:12, 13 (NET)

Knowing what they would do beforehand, the Lord amended—You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices—to read—Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it become a snare among you.  The provision to destroy their altars, smash their images, and cut down their Asherah poles, though more explicit, was left essentially intact.

The Two Covenants

The Angel of the Presence

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
You must serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove sickness from your midst.  No woman will miscarry her young or be barren in your land.  I will fulfill the number of your days.I will send my terror before you, and I will destroy all the people whom you encounter; I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.  I will send hornets before you that will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite before you.  I will not drive them out before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild animals multiply against you.  Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you become fruitful and inherit the land.  I will set your boundaries from the Red Sea   to the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River, for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.

Exodus 23:25-31 (NET)

 For you must not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Exodus 34:14 (NET)

Here, You must serve the Lord your God and the list of contingent blessings was revised to read, For you must not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

The Two Covenants

The Angel of the Presence

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
“You must make no covenant with them or with their gods.  They must not live in your land, lest they make you sin against me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Exodus 23:32, 33 (NET)

 “Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone invites you, you will eat from his sacrifice; and you then take his daughters for your sons, and when his daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will make your sons prostitute themselves to their gods as well.  You must not make yourselves molten gods.

Exodus 34:15-17 (NET)

The revised language of this new covenant is startlingly similar to the Lord’s words to Peter:  I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know me.[8]  [W]hen they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone invites you, you will eat from his sacrifice; and you then take his daughters for your sons, and when his daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will make your sons prostitute themselves to their gods as well.  And once you see all of this, it is as if He had said, when you see that it happens as I have said, When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers,[9] or, You must not make yourselves molten gods.

And while I think it is perfectly clear that this language is a revision of Exodus 23:32 and 33, it also seems clear that it is the only language that comes close to replacing the covenant-ending—Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord alone must be utterly destroyed—which, as I said previously, was left out of the revised covenant.

The Two Covenants

Moral and Ceremonial Laws

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
“If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged and has sexual relations with her, he must surely endow her to be his wife.  If her father refuses to give her to him, he must pay money for the bride price of virgins.“You must not allow a sorceress to live.

“Whoever has sexual relations with a beast must surely be put to death.

“Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord alone must be utterly destroyed.

“You must not wrong a foreigner nor oppress him, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

“You must not afflict any widow or orphan.  If you afflict them in any way and they cry to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children will be fatherless.

“If you lend money to any of my people who are needy among you, do not be like a moneylender to him; do not charge him interest.  If you do take the garment of your neighbor in pledge, you must return it to him by the time the sun goes down, for it is his only covering – it is his garment for his body. What else can he sleep in?  And when he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am gracious.

“You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

“Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats.

Exodus 22:16-29a (NET)

It is perhaps worth noting that in the revised covenant (below) it is made explicit that firstborn sons are to be redeemed and not sacrificed to the Lord.

The Two Covenants

Moral and Ceremonial Laws

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.  You must also do this for your oxen and for your sheep; seven days they may remain with their mothers, but give them to me on the eighth day.

Exodus 22:29b, 30 (NET)

 “Every firstborn of the womb belongs to me, even every firstborn of your cattle that is a male, whether ox or sheep.  Now the firstling of a donkey you may redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then break its neck.  You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons.

Exodus 34:19, 20a (NET)
“You will be holy people to me; you must not eat any meat torn by animals in the field. You must throw it to the dogs.

Exodus 22:31 (NET)

I’ll let the rest of these contrasts stand without comment.

The Two Covenants

Sabbaths and Feasts

Before the Golden Calf

After the Golden Calf
“For six years you are to sow your land and gather in its produce.  But in the seventh year you must let it lie fallow and leave it alone so that the poor of your people may eat, and what they leave any animal in the field may eat; you must do likewise with your vineyard and your olive grove.

Exodus 23:10, 11 (NET)
“For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, in order that your ox and your donkey may rest and that your female servant’s son and any hired help may refresh themselves.

Exodus 23:12 (NET)

 “On six days you may labor, but on the seventh day you must rest; even at the time of plowing and of harvest you are to rest.

Exodus 34:21 (NET)
“Pay attention to do everything I have told you, and do not even mention the names of other gods – do not let them be heard on your lips.

Exodus 23:13 (NET)
“Three times in the year you must make a pilgrim feast to me.  You are to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you, at the appointed time of the month of Abib, for at that time you came out of Egypt.  No one may appear before me empty-handed.

“You are also to observe the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors that you have sown in the field, and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year when you have gathered in your harvest out of the field.  At three times in the year all your males will appear before the Lord God.

Exodus 23:14-17 (NET)

 “You must keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, as   I commanded you; do this at the appointed time of the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.

Exodus 34:18 (NET)

“No one will appear before me empty-handed.

Exodus 34”20b (NET)

“You must observe the Feast of Weeks – the firstfruits of the harvest of wheat – and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year.  At three times in the year all your men must appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.  For I will drive out the nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one will covet your land when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.

Exodus 34:22-24 (NET)
“You must not offer the blood of my sacrifice with bread containing yeast; the fat of my festal sacrifice must not remain until morning.  The first of the firstfruits of your soil you must bring to the house of the Lord your God.

“You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

Exodus 23:18, 19 (NET)

 “You must not offer the blood of my sacrifice with yeast; the sacrifice from the feast of Passover must not remain until the following morning.

“The first of the firstfruits of your soil you must bring to the house of the Lord your God.  You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

Exodus 34:25, 26 (NET)

[1] Exodus 32:14 (NET)

[2] 1 Corinthians 10:7 (NET)

[3] Luke 18:13 (NET)

[4] Exodus 24:3, 4a (NET)

[5] Exodus 24:8 (NET)

[6] Exodus 34:27, 28 (NET)

[7] Exodus 22:20 (NET)

[8] Luke 22:34 (NET) Table

[9] Luke 22:32 (NET) Table

Romans, Part 4

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There is something important to remember about ἀσέβεια (ungodliness).  If it is not overcome in people by the Spirit of God, the word of God, faith in the Lord Jesus, being born from above—it simply continues to function.  That sounds so simple.  But those plagued with ἀσέβεια, even after experiencing God’s wrath, don’t understand what they have experienced.  They don’t realize they’ve been given over in the desires (ἐπιθυμίαις, a form of ἐπιθυμία) of their hearts to impurity (ἀκαθαρσίαν, a form of ἀκαθαρσία), to dishonor (ἀτιμάζεσθαι, a form of ἀτιμάζω) their bodies (σώματα, a form of σῶμα) among themselves1 because they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.2  On the contrary, the religious minded among them in particular assume that this new demon worship with its cultic sexual practices is good and righteous.

Now here is where it gets confusing.  Religious minded people plagued with ἀσέβεια invent rules governing the proper ways to worship demons, and the correct methods to engage in cultic sexual practices.  And they teach their good and evil to the next generation.

Unrighteous Worship

The Wrath of God Revealed from Heaven
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped (ἐσεβάσθησαν, a form of σεβάζομαι) and served (ἐλάτρευσαν, a form of λατρεύω) the creation (κτίσει, a form of κτίσις) rather than the Creator (κτίσαντα, a form of κτίζω), who is blessed forever!  Amen.

Romans 1:25 NET

 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable (ἀτιμίας, a form of ἀτιμία) passions (πάθη, a form of πάθος).  For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones (παρὰ φύσιν, φύσιν is a form of φύσις), and likewise the men3 also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions (ὀρέξει, a form of ὄρεξις) for one another.  Men committed (κατεργαζόμενοι, a form of κατεργάζομαι) shameless acts (ἀσχημοσύνην, ἀσχημοσύνη) with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Romans 1:26, 27 NET

So one generation worshiped God as if He were a created thing.  And the next generation, or so, worshiped created things instead of God.  For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable (ἀτιμίας, a form of ἀτιμία) passions (πάθη, a form of πάθος).4  Here again ἀτιμία, like ἀτιμάζω and ἄτιμος, is a negation of τιμή.  I assume then that this is not the way to know how to possess my own body in holiness and honor (τιμῇ, a form of τιμή), but is more likely the lustful (ἐπιθυμίας, another form of ἐπιθυμία) passion (πάθει, another form of πάθος) like the Gentiles who do not know (εἰδότα, a form of εἴδω) God.5
The Greek word ἐσεβάσθησαν (a form of σεβάζομαι) translated worshiped in Romans 1:25 (NET) is only used here.  I imagine Paul and the Holy Spirit chose it because it comes from σέβομαι (a form of σέβω; to worship, honour, revere) like the negations ἀσεβής and ἀσέβεια (ungodliness).  The first occurrence in the New Testament of a form of λατρεύω, translated served (ἐλάτρευσαν) in Romans 1:25 (NET), is in Matthew 4:8-10 (NET).

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur.  And he said6 to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship (προσκυνήσῃς, a form of προσκυνέω) me.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan!7 For it is written: ‘You are to worship (προσκυνήσεις, another form of προσκυνέω) the Lord your God and serve (λατρεύσεις, another form of λατρεύω) only him.’”

I’m always impressed when things work out like this in a word study, that the first occurrence of the word pretty much says it all.  I take it for granted that the Holy Spirit knew λατρεύω would lead here.  But I often wonder if the human author, Paul in this case, knew it as well.

He might have used δουλεύω in Romans 1:25.  That would have led to, No one can serve (δουλεύειν, a form of δουλεύω) two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve (δουλεύειν, a form of δουλεύω) God and money.8  But that is not anywhere near as appropriate to his theme as Jesus quoting the law to Satan.  If he had used διακονία I would have found, But Martha was distracted with all the preparations (διακονίαν, a form of διακονία) she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone?  Tell her to help me.”9  If Paul had used διακονέω, Then the devil left him, and angels came and began ministering (διηκόνουν, a form of διακονέω) to his needs,10  I would have at least been led to the end of the same story as λατρεύσεις (a form of λατρεύω).

In this instance I do think Paul was very aware of the law Jesus quoted, even if he did not have access yet to Matthew’s (or Luke’s) Gospel.  The word λατρεύσεις (λατρεύω) is used in the passage Jesus quoted (Deuteronomy 6:13) in the Septuagint.  And Paul certainly had λατρεύω on his mind.  For God, whom I serve (λατρεύω) in my spirit by preaching the gospel of his Son,11 is how Paul described his own service earlier in the same chapter.

The Greek word κτίσει (a form of κτίσις), translated creation in Romans 1:25 (NET), leads just as profoundly to Mark 10:6-8a (NET).  But from the beginning of creation (κτίσεως, another form of κτίσις) he12 made them male (ἄρσεν, a form of ἄῤῥην) and female (θῆλυ, a form of θῆλυς).  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother,13 and the two will become one flesh.  So when men exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation (κτίσει, a form of κτίσις) rather than the Creator14 God gave them over to dishonorable passions;15 namely, Men (ἄρσενες, another form of αρσην) committed shameless acts with men (ἄρσεσιν, another form of αρσην).16

What about the women?  I don’t know.  I can’t tell if they were seeking out other women or anal intercourse with men.  Both options seem to fit the symmetry of the language.  Both are equally against natural germination (παρὰ φύσιν, φύσιν is a form of φύσις).  The latter accords better with a “sprung bum,”17 which I assume is what Paul meant by the due penalty for their error.  But does this penalty only apply to men?  Again, I don’t know the answer.

These are sensitive issues and I want to continue in a more personal way in another essay.

 

Addendum: May 17, 2020
A note (17) in the NET indicated that Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13 in Matthew 4:10.  First, here is a comparison of English translations from the Masoretic text and the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Deuteronomy 6:13 (Tanakh) Deuteronomy 6:13 (NET) Deuteronomy 6:13 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 6:13 (Elpenor English)
Thou shalt fear HaShem thy G-d; and Him shalt thou serve, and by His name shalt thou swear. You must revere the Lord your God, serve him, and take oaths using only his name. The Lord your God you shall fear, and him you shall serve, and to him you shall cling, and by his name you shall swear. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; and thou shalt cleave to him, and by his name thou shalt swear.

The clause and thou shalt cleave to him (καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν κολληθήσῃ) was added to the Septuagint or deleted from the Masoretic text.  Here is a comparison of the Greek from Matthew’s Gospel narrative to that of the Septuagint.

Matthew 4:10b (NET Parallel Greek)

 Deuteronomy 6:13a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 6:13a (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριον τὸν θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου φοβηθήσῃ καὶ αὐτῷ λατρεύσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου φοβηθήσῃ καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις

Matthew 4:10b (NET)

 Deuteronomy 6:13a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 6:13a (English Elpenor)
You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him. The Lord your God you shall fear, and him you shall serve Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve

It didn’t sit quite right with me that Jesus changed fear (φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω) to worship (προσκυνήσεις, a form of προσκυνέω) in a quotation simply because Satan had said, throw yourself to the ground and worship (προσκυνήσῃς, another form of προσκυνέω) me.  So I searched προσκυνήσεις in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text

 Septuagint
Exodus 20:5 (Tanakh) Exodus 20:5 (NET) Exodus 20:5 (NETS)

Exodus 20:5 (Elpenor English)
thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I HaShem thy G-d am a jealous G-d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, You shall not do obeisance (προσκυνήσεις) to them, nor are you to serve them, for I am the Lord your God, a jealous god, repaying sins of fathers upon children up to the third and fourth generation to those who hate me, Thou shalt not bow down (προσκυνήσεις) to them, nor serve them; for I am the Lord thy God, a jealous God, recompensing the sins of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation to them that hate me,

Exodus 23:24 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 23:24 (NET) Exodus 23:24 (NETS)

Exodus 23:24 (English Elpenor)
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their doings; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and break in pieces their pillars. “You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices. Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones to pieces. You shall not do obeisance (προσκυνήσεις) to their gods nor serve them.  You shall not act according to their practices, but with demolition shall demolish and by smashing shall smash their steles. Thou shalt not worship (προσκυνήσεις) their gods, nor serve them: thou shalt not do according to their works, but shalt utterly destroy them, and break to pieces their pillars.

Deuteronomy 5:9 (Tanakh) Table

 Deuteronomy 5:9 (NET) Deuteronomy 5:9 (NETS) Table

Deuteronomy 5:9 (English Elpenor)
Thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I HaShem thy G-d am a jealous G-d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me, You must not worship or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.  I punish the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject me, You shall not do obeisance (προσκυνήσεις) to them, nor are you to serve them, because I am the Lord your God, a jealous god, repaying the sins of fathers upon children to the third and fourth generation to those who hate me, Thou shalt not bow down (προσκυνήσεις) to them, nor shalt thou serve them; for I am the Lord thy God, a jealous God, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation to them that hate me,

Deuteronomy 26:10 (Tanakh)

 Deuteronomy 26:10 (NET) Deuteronomy 26:10 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 26:10 (English Elpenor)
And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the land, which Thou, O HaShem, hast given me.’  And thou shalt set it down before HaShem thy G-d, and worship before HaShem thy G-d. So now, look!  I have brought the first of the ground’s produce that you, Lord, have given me.”  Then you must set it down before the Lord your God and worship before him. And now look, I have brought the first fruit of the produce of the land that you, O Lord, have given me, a land flowing with milk and honey.”  And you shall leave them before the Lord your God and do obeisance (προσκυνήσεις) before the Lord your God. And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruits of the land, which thou gavest me, O Lord, a land flowing with milk and honey: and thou shalt leave it before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt worship (προσκυνήσεις) before the Lord thy God;

Psalm 81:9 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 81:9 (NET) Psalm 80:10 (NETS)

Psalm 80:10 (English Elpenor)
There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. There must be no other god among you.  You must not worship a foreign god. There shall be no recent god among you, nor shall you do obeisance (προσκυνήσεις) to a foreign god. there shall be no new god in thee; neither shalt thou worship (προσκυνήσεις) a strange god.

Alluding to this synopsis of the law He had given Israel to protect them from Satan’s laws and religions, Jesus assured Satan with his own word that He would not submit to deceit as so many of his people had done.

A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from Genesis in the NET with that of the Septuagint follows.

Mark 10:7, 8a (NET Parallel Greek)

 Genesis 2:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 2:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν

Mark 10:7, 8a (NET)

 Genesis 2:24 (NETS)

Genesis 2:24 (English Elpenor)
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, and the two will become one flesh. Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from Genesis in the Stephanus Textus Receptus with that of the Septuagint follows.

Mark 10:7, 8a (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

 Genesis 2:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 2:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ενεκεν τουτου καταλειψει ανθρωπος τον πατερα αυτου και την μητερα και προσκολληθησεται προς την γυναικα αυτου και εσονται οι δυο εις σαρκα μιαν ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν

Mark 10:7, 8a (KJV)

 Genesis 2:24 (NETS)

Genesis 2:24 (English Elpenor)
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 6:13; Exodus 20:5; 23:24; Deuteronomy 26:10; Psalm 81:9 and Genesis 2:24 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Deuteronomy 6:13; Exodus 20:5; 23:24; Deuteronomy 26:10; Psalm 81:9 (80:10) and Genesis 2:24 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.  Then tables comparing Romans 1:27; Matthew 4:9, 10; 6:24 and Mark 10:6, 7 in the NET and KJV follow those.

Deuteronomy 6:13 (Tanakh)

 Deuteronomy 6:13 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 6:13 (NET)
Thou shalt fear HaShem thy G-d; and Him shalt thou serve, and by His name shalt thou swear. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. You must revere the Lord your God, serve him, and take oaths using only his name.

Deuteronomy 6:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 6:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριον τὸν θεόν σου φοβηθήσῃ καὶ αὐτῷ λατρεύσεις καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν κολληθήσῃ καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ὀμῇ Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου φοβηθήσῃ καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν κολληθήσῃ καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ὀμῇ

Deuteronomy 6:13 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 6:13 (English Elpenor)
The Lord your God you shall fear, and him you shall serve, and to him you shall cling, and by his name you shall swear. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; and thou shalt cleave to him, and by his name thou shalt swear.

Exodus 20:5 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 20:5 (KJV)

Exodus 20:5 (NET)
thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I HaShem thy G-d am a jealous G-d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me,

Exodus 20:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 20:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ προσκυνήσεις αὐτοῗς οὐδὲ μὴ λατρεύσῃς αὐτοῗς ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεός σου θεὸς ζηλωτὴς ἀποδιδοὺς ἁμαρτίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα ἕως τρίτης καὶ τετάρτης γενεᾶς τοῗς μισοῦσίν με οὐ προσκυνήσεις αὐτοῖς, οὐδὲ μὴ λατρεύσεις αὐτοῖς· ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, Θεὸς ζηλωτής, ἀποδιδοὺς ἁμαρτίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα, ἕως τρίτης καὶ τετάρτης γενεᾶς τοῖς μισοῦσί με

Exodus 20:5 (NETS)

Exodus 20:5 (English Elpenor)
You shall not do obeisance to them, nor are you to serve them, for I am the Lord your God, a jealous god, repaying sins of fathers upon children up to the third and fourth generation to those who hate me, Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them; for I am the Lord thy God, a jealous God, recompensing the sins of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation to them that hate me,

Exodus 23:24 (Tanakh)

 Exodus 23:24 (KJV)

Exodus 23:24 (NET)
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their doings; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and break in pieces their pillars. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. “You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices. Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones to pieces.

Exodus 23:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 23:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ προσκυνήσεις τοῗς θεοῗς αὐτῶν οὐδὲ μὴ λατρεύσῃς αὐτοῗς οὐ ποιήσεις κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν ἀλλὰ καθαιρέσει καθελεῗς καὶ συντρίβων συντρίψεις τὰς στήλας αὐτῶν οὐ προσκυνήσεις τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν, οὐ δὲ μὴ λατρεύσῃς αὐτοῖς· οὐ ποιήσεις κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ καθαιρέσει καθελεῖς καὶ συντρίβων συντρίψεις τὰς στήλας αὐτῶν

Exodus 23:24 (NETS)

Exodus 23:24 (English Elpenor)
You shall not do obeisance to their gods nor serve them.  You shall not act according to their practices, but with demolition shall demolish and by smashing shall smash their steles. Thou shalt not worship their gods, nor serve them: thou shalt not do according to their works, but shalt utterly destroy them, and break to pieces their pillars.

Deuteronomy 26:10 (Tanakh)

 Deuteronomy 26:10 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 26:10 (NET)
And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the land, which Thou, O HaShem, hast given me.’  And thou shalt set it down before HaShem thy G-d, and worship before HaShem thy G-d. And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me.  And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God: So now, look!  I have brought the first of the ground’s produce that you, Lord, have given me.”  Then you must set it down before the Lord your God and worship before him.

Deuteronomy 26:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 26:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἐνήνοχα τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τῶν γενημάτων τῆς γῆς ἧς ἔδωκάς μοι κύριε γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι καὶ ἀφήσεις αὐτὰ ἀπέναντι κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου καὶ προσκυνήσεις ἐκεῗ ἔναντι κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἐνήνοχα τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τῶν γενημάτων τῆς γῆς, ἧς ἔδωκάς μοι, Κύριε, γῆν ρέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι. καὶ ἀφήσεις αὐτὰ ἀπέναντι Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου καὶ προσκυνήσεις ἔναντι Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου

Deuteronomy 26:10 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 26:10 (English Elpenor)
And now look, I have brought the first fruit of the produce of the land that you, O Lord, have given me, a land flowing with milk and honey.”  And you shall leave them before the Lord your God and do obeisance before the Lord your God. And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruits of the land, which thou gavest me, O Lord, a land flowing with milk and honey: and thou shalt leave it before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt worship before the Lord thy God;

Psalm 81:9 (Tanakh)

 Psalm 81:9 (KJV)

Psalm 81:9 (NET)
There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. There must be no other god among you.  You must not worship a foreign god.

Psalm 81:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 80:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἔσται ἐν σοὶ θεὸς πρόσφατος οὐδὲ προσκυνήσεις θεῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ οὐκ ἔσται ἐν σοὶ Θεὸς πρόσφατος, οὐδὲ προσκυνήσεις Θεῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ

Psalm 80:10 (NETS)

Psalm 80:10 (English Elpenor)
There shall be no recent god among you, nor shall you do obeisance to a foreign god. there shall be no new god in thee; neither shalt thou worship a strange god.

Genesis 2:24 (Tanakh)

 Genesis 2:24 (KJV)

Genesis 2:24 (NET)
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become one family.

Genesis 2:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 2:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν

Genesis 2:24 (NETS)

Genesis 2:24 (English Elpenor)
Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Romans 1:27 (NET)

Romans 1:27 (KJV)
and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another.  Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ὁμοίως τε καὶ οἱ ἄρσενες ἀφέντες τὴν φυσικὴν χρῆσιν τῆς θηλείας ἐξεκαύθησαν ἐν τῇ ὀρέξει αὐτῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους, ἄρσενες ἐν ἄρσεσιν τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην κατεργαζόμενοι καὶ τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν ἣν ἔδει τῆς πλάνης αὐτῶν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀπολαμβάνοντες ομοιως τε και οι αρρενες αφεντες την φυσικην χρησιν της θηλειας εξεκαυθησαν εν τη ορεξει αυτων εις αλληλους αρσενες εν αρσεσιν την ασχημοσυνην κατεργαζομενοι και την αντιμισθιαν ην εδει της πλανης αυτων εν εαυτοις απολαμβανοντες ομοιως τε και οι αρρενες αφεντες την φυσικην χρησιν της θηλειας εξεκαυθησαν εν τη ορεξει αυτων εις αλληλους αρσενες εν αρσεσιν την ασχημοσυνην κατεργαζομενοι και την αντιμισθιαν ην εδει της πλανης αυτων εν εαυτοις απολαμβανοντες

Matthew 4:9, 10 (NET)

Matthew 4:9, 10 (KJV)
And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship me.” And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ταῦτα σοι πάντα δώσω, ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι και λεγει αυτω ταυτα παντα σοι δωσω εαν πεσων προσκυνησης μοι και λεγει αυτω ταυτα παντα σοι δωσω εαν πεσων προσκυνησης μοι
Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan!  For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
τότε λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὕπαγε, σατανᾶ· γέγραπται γάρ· κύριον τὸν θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις τοτε λεγει αυτω ο ιησους υπαγε σατανα γεγραπται γαρ κυριον τον θεον σου προσκυνησεις και αυτω μονω λατρευσεις τοτε λεγει αυτω ο ιησους υπαγε οπισω μου σατανα γεγραπται γαρ κυριον τον θεον σου προσκυνησεις και αυτω μονω λατρευσεις

Matthew 6:24 (NET)

Matthew 6:24 (KJV)
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν· ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ ουδεις δυναται δυσι κυριοις δουλευειν η γαρ τον ενα μισησει και τον ετερον αγαπησει η ενος ανθεξεται και του ετερου καταφρονησει ου δυνασθε θεω δουλευειν και μαμμωνα ουδεις δυναται δυσιν κυριοις δουλευειν η γαρ τον ενα μισησει και τον ετερον αγαπησει η ενος ανθεξεται και του ετερου καταφρονησει ου δυνασθε θεω δουλευειν και μαμωνα

Mark 10:6, 7 (NET)

Mark 10:6, 7 (KJV)
But from the beginning of creation he made them male and female. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἀπὸ δὲ ἀρχῆς κτίσεως ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν |αὐτούς| απο δε αρχης κτισεως αρσεν και θηλυ εποιησεν αυτους ο θεος απο δε αρχης κτισεως αρσεν και θηλυ εποιησεν αυτους ο θεος
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;

NET Parallel Greek

 Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text
ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα ενεκεν τουτου καταλειψει ανθρωπος τον πατερα αυτου και την μητερα και προσκολληθησεται προς την γυναικα αυτου ενεκεν τουτου καταλειψει ανθρωπος τον πατερα αυτου και την μητερα και προσκολληθησεται προς την γυναικα αυτου

1 Romans 1:24 (NET) Table

2 Romans 1:23 (NET)

4 Romans 1:26a (NET)

6 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἶπεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had λεγει (KJV: saith).

7 The Byzantine Majority Text had οπισω μου (“behind me”) here.  The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

8 Matthew 6:24 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had μαμωνᾷ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had μαμμωνα (KJV: mammon).

9 Luke 10:40 (NET)

10 Matthew 4:11 (NET)

11 Romans 1:9 (NET)

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

13 The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA28 had καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ (KJV: and cleave to his wife) here.  The NET parallel Greek text did not.

14 Romans 1:25 (NET)

15 Romans 1:26 (NET)

16 Romans 1:27 (NET) ἄρσενες ἐν ἄρσεσιν (literally, “men in men”)

17 See the dialogue between Right and Wrong Logic from Clouds, translated by Moses Hadas, from The Complete Plays of Aristophanes, Bantam Book 1962, pp. 130, 131  In response to Wrong Logic’s argument that the gods did it, Right Logic replied: But what if your backside’s singed and rammed with the adulterer’s rod?  How will your argument then prevail to void the stretching of your bum?  Wrong Logic answered: And what’s the harm of a bottom stretched?  Tell me even one.  Wrong Logic proceeded to persuade Right Logic that the societal advantages of being a catamite to established men far outweighed the inconvenience of a sprung bum.