Ezekiel 20:5 | The Gospel and the Religious Mind

It was brought to my attention recently in Matthew 12:18-21 that “Matthew’s and the Holy Spirit’s word choices deserve a fuller consideration”¹ (Matthew 12:18 ESV).

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

The Greek is: ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς μου, Behold, my servant. The Hebrew of the Masoretic text² and the Greek of the Septuagint follow:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 42:1 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Isaiah 42:1 (NET)	Isaiah 42:1 (NETS) Table	Isaiah 42:1 (English Elpenor)
Behold (הֵ֚ן) my servant (עַבְדִּי֙),	Here is (hēn, הן) my servant (ʿeḇeḏ, עבדי)	Iakob is (Ιακωβ) my servant (ὁ παῖς μου);	Jacob is (ΙΑΚΩΒ) my servant (ὁ παῖς μου),

Translating הֵ֚ן (hēn)—Behold (Tanakh, KJV) or Here is (NET)—Ιακωβ in the Septuagint—Jacob is (NETS, English Elpenor)—was not as strange as it might at first seem. It is what the Lord said to them through Isaiah.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 41:8 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 41:8 (NET)	Isaiah 41:8 (NETS)	Isaiah 41:8 (English Elpenor)
But thou, Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל), art my servant (עַבְדִּ֔י), Jacob (יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב) whom (אֲשֶׁ֣ר) I have chosen (בְּחַרְתִּ֑יךָ), the seed of Abraham my friend.	You, my servant (ʿeḇeḏ, עבדי) Israel (yiśrā’ēl, ישׁראל), Jacob (yaʿăqōḇ, יעקב), whom (‘ăšer, אשר) I have chosen (bāḥar, בחרתיך), offspring of Abraham my friend,	But you, Israel (Ισραηλ), my servant (παῖς μου), Iakob (Ιακωβ), whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην), the offspring of Abraham, whom I have loved,	But thou, Israel (᾿Ισραήλ), art my servant (παῖς μου) Jacob (᾿Ιακώβ), and he whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην), the seed of Abraam, whom I have loved:

Israel was the new name Jacob won in an all-night wrestling match (Genesis 32:24-30):

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 32:29 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:28 (NET)	Genesis 32:28 (NETS)	Genesis 32:28 (English Elpenor)
And he said: ‘Thy name shall be called no more Jacob (יַֽעֲקֹב֙), but Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל); for thou hast striven with G-d and with men, and hast prevailed.’	No longer will your name be Jacob (yaʿăqōḇ, יעקב),” the man told him, “but Israel (yiśrā’ēl, ישׁראל), because you have fought with God and with men and have prevailed.”	Then he said to him, “Your name shall no longer be called Iakob (Ιακωβ), but Israel (Ισραηλ) shall be your name because you have prevailed with a god, and with humans you are powerful.”	And he said to him, Thy name shall no longer be called Jacob (᾿Ιακώβ), but Israel (᾿Ισραὴλ) shall be thy name; for thou hast prevailed with God, and shalt be mighty with men.

Again, the Lord said through Isaiah:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 44:1, 2 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 44:1, 2 (NET)	Isaiah 44:1, 2 (NETS)	Isaiah 44:1, 2 (English Elpenor)
Yet now hear, O Jacob (יַֽעֲקֹ֣ב) my servant (עַבְדִּ֑י); and Israel (וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל), whom I have chosen (בָּחַ֥רְתִּי):	Now, listen, Jacob (yaʿăqōḇ, יעקב) my servant (ʿeḇeḏ, עבדי), Israel (yiśrā’ēl, וישׁראל) whom I have chosen (bāḥar, בחרתי)!”	But now hear, O Iakob (Ιακωβ) my servant (παῖς μου) and Israel (καὶ Ισραηλ) whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην)!	But now hear, Jacob (᾿Ιακὼβ) my servant (ὁ παῖς μου); and Israel (καὶ ᾿Ισραήλ), whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην).
Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob (יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב), my servant (עַבְדִּ֣י); and thou, Jesurun (וִֽישֻׁר֖וּן), whom I have chosen (בָּחַ֥רְתִּי).	This is what the Lord, the one who made you, says—the one who formed you in the womb and helps you: “Don’t be afraid, my servant (ʿeḇeḏ, עבדי) Jacob (yaʿăqōḇ, יעקב), Jeshurun (yᵊšurûn, וישרון), whom I have chosen (bāḥar, בחרתי).	Thus says the Lord God who made you and who formed you from the womb; You will still be helped; do not fear, O Iakob (Ιακωβ) my servant (παῖς μου) and the beloved Israel (Ισραηλ) whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην),	Thus saith the Lord God that made thee, and he that formed thee from the womb; Thou shalt yet be helped: fear not, my servant (παῖς μου) Jacob (᾿Ιακὼβ); and beloved Israel (᾿Ισραήλ), whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην).

And again, the Lord spoke through Isaiah:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 44:21 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 44:21 (NET)	Isaiah 44:21 (NETS)	Isaiah 44:21 (English Elpenor)
Remember these, O Jacob (יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב) and Israel (וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל); for thou art my servant (עַבְדִּי): I have formed thee; thou art my servant (עֶֽבֶד): O Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל), thou shalt not be forgotten of me.	Remember these things, O Jacob (yaʿăqōḇ, יעקב), O Israel (yiśrā’ēl, וישׁראל), for you are my servant (ʿeḇeḏ, עבדי). I formed you to be my servant (ʿeḇeḏ, עבד); O Israel (yiśrā’ēl, ישׁראל), I will not forget you!	Remember these things, O Iakob (Ιακωβ) and Israel (Ισραηλ), for you are my servant (παῖς μου); I formed you as my servant (παῖδά μου), and you, Israel (Ισραηλ), do not forget me.	Remember these things, O Jacob (᾿Ιακὼβ) and Israel (᾿Ισραήλ); for thou art my servant (παῖς μου); I have formed thee [to be] my servant (παῖδά μου): and do thou, Israel (᾿Ισραὴλ), not forget me.

Though the rabbis who translated the Septuagint had good reason to assume that עַבְדִּי֙ (ʿeḇeḏ), my servant (Tanakh, KJV, NET) in Isaiah 42:1 referred to Jacob/Israel, though they may have had a strong motivation to make that point explicit to Greek-speaking Gentiles, Matthew and the Holy Spirit, joined this time by the Masoretes, are at least three witnesses that הֵ֚ן (hēn)—Behold (Tanakh, KJV), Here is (NET), translated ἰδοὺ in the New Testament—was more original.

Matthew 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 42:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 42:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς μου	Ιακωβ ὁ παῖς μου	ΙΑΚΩΒ ὁ παῖς μου,
Matthew 12:18 (NET)	Isaiah 42:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 42:1 (English Elpenor)
Here is my servant	Iakob is my servant;	Jacob is my servant,

Matthew and the Holy Spirit made it clear that Jesus fulfilled this particular word of the Lord (Matthew 12:15-17 ESV).

Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was³ to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

The Greek of Matthew 12:18 continued: ὃν ᾑρέτισα, whom I have chosen. The Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follow:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 42:1 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Isaiah 42:1 (NET)	Isaiah 42:1 (NETS) Table	Isaiah 42:1 (English Elpenor)
whom I uphold (אֶתְמָךְ);	whom I support (tāmaḵ, אתמך),	I will lay hold (ἀντιλήμψομαι) of him (αὐτοῦ);	I will help (ἀντιλήψομαι) him (αὐτοῦ):

There are two other occurrences of forms of תָּמַךְ (tāmaḵ)—I uphold (Tanakh, KJV), I support (NET)—in Isaiah.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 33:15 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 33:15 (NET)	Isaiah 33:15 (NETS)	Isaiah 33:15 (English Elpenor)
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding (מִתְּמֹ֣ךְ) of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;	The one who lives uprightly and speaks honestly, the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures and rejects a bribe (NET note 41 “[who] shakes off his hands from grabbing hold [tāmaḵ, מתמך] of a bribe.”), the one who does not plot violent crimes and does not seek to harm others—	One walking in righteousness, speaking a straight way, hating lawlessness and unrighteousness and shaking off his hands from gifts, making his ears dull, lest he hear a judgment of blood, shutting his eyes, lest he see unrighteousness—	He that walks in righteousness, speaking rightly, hating transgression and iniquity, and shaking his hands from gifts, stopping his ears that he should not hear the judgment of blood, shutting his eyes that he should not see injustice.

This isn’t particularly helpful for my immediate purpose since מִתְּמֹ֣ךְ (tāmaḵ)—from holding (Tanakh, KJV), from grabbing hold (NET)—wasn’t translated in the Septuagint. Whether מִתְּמֹ֣ךְ (tāmaḵ) was absent from the text the rabbis translated, or they simply chose to shorten a cumbersome clause (consider the NET translation), is difficult to say. One final occurrence follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 41:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 41:10 (NET)	Isaiah 41:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 41:10 (English Elpenor)
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee (תְּמַכְתִּ֖יךָ) with the right hand of my righteousness.	Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you—yes, I help you—yes, I uphold you (tāmaḵ, תמכתיך) with my victorious right hand!	do not fear, for I am with you; do not wander off, for I am your God who has strengthened you, and I have helped you, and I have made you secure (ἠσφαλισάμην σε) with my righteous right hand.	Fear not; for I am with thee: wander not; for I am thy God, who have strengthened thee; and I have helped thee, and have established thee (ἠσφαλισάμην σε) with my just right hand.

This fails to persuade me that Matthew translated a form of תָּמַךְ (tāmaḵ) with ᾑρέτισα. There are three occurrences of ᾑρέτισα, a form of αἱρετίζω, in the Septuagint. None are found in Isaiah.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Samuel 25:35 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:35 (NET)	1 Reigns 25:35 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:35 (English Elpenor)
So David received of her hand that which she had brought him; and he said unto her: ‘Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted (וָאֶשָּׂ֖א) thy person (פָּנָֽיִךְ).’	Then David took from her hand what she had brought to him. He said to her, “Go back to your home in peace. Be assured that I have listened to you and responded (nāśā’, ואשׁא) favorably (pānîm, פניך).”	And Dauid received from her hand all that she had brought him, and he said to her, “Go up to your house in peace; see, I have heeded your voice, and I have chosen (ᾑρέτισα) your face (τὸ πρόσωπόν σου).”	And David took of her hand all that she brought to him, and said to her, Go in peace to thy house: see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and accepted (ἠρέτισα) thy petition (τὸ πρόσωπόν σου).

These are David’s words to Abigail after she graciously restrained him from taking his own vengeance on her husband Nabal and the men of their household (1 Samuel 25). Though his final words were translated idiomatically, a more literal translation—וָאֶשָּׂ֖א (nāśā), “I have lifted,” פָּנָֽיִךְ (pānîm), “your face”—is quite cinematic, not just a little romantic (considering who they will become to one another) and probably an accurate account of what David actually did as Abigail lay prostrate at his feet. I have chosen (ᾑρέτισα) your face (τὸ πρόσωπόν σου) in the Septuagint (NETS) captures most of the romance if not the grand cinematic gesture (or literal action).

Another occurrence of ᾑρέτισα follows.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Ezekiel 20:5 (Tanakh/KJV)	Ezekiel 20:5 (NET)	Ezekiel 20:5 (NETS)	Ezekiel 20:5 (English Elpenor)
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose (בָּֽחֳרִ֣י) Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;	and say to them: “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose (bāḥar, בחרי) Israel I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, “I am the Lord your God.”	and you shall say to them: This is what the Lord says: From the day that I chose (ᾑρέτισα) the house of Israel and I was made known to the offspring of the house of Iakob and became known to them in the land of Egypt and took hold of them with my hand, saying: I am the Lord your God,	and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord; From the day that I chose (ᾑρέτισα) the house of Israel, and became known to the seed of the house of Jacob, and was known to them in the land of Egypt, and helped them with my hand, saying, I am the Lord your God;

Here again בָּֽחֳרִ֣י (bāḥar)—when I chose (Tanakh, KJV), I chose (NET)—was translated ἠρέτισα, that I chose (NETS, English Elpenor). It reminds me of the other forms of בָּחַר (bāḥar) already encountered in Isaiah which were translated with ἐξελεξάμην in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 41:8 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 41:8 (NET)	Isaiah 41:8 (NETS)	Isaiah 41:8 (English Elpenor)
Jacob (יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב) whom (אֲשֶׁ֣ר) I have chosen (בְּחַרְתִּ֑יךָ),	Jacob (yaʿăqōḇ, יעקב), whom (‘ăšer, אשר) I have chosen (bāḥar, בחרתיך),	Iakob (Ιακωβ), whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην),	Jacob (᾿Ιακώβ), and he whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην),

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 44:1 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 44:1 (NET)	Isaiah 44:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 44:1 (English Elpenor)
and Israel (וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל), whom I have chosen (בָּחַ֥רְתִּי):	Israel (yiśrā’ēl, וישׁראל) whom I have chosen (bāḥar, בחרתי)!”	and Israel (καὶ Ισραηλ) whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην)!	and Israel (καὶ ᾿Ισραήλ), whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 44:2 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 44:2 (NET)	Isaiah 44:2 (NETS)	Isaiah 44:2 (English Elpenor)
Jesurun (וִֽישֻׁר֖וּן), whom I have chosen (בָּחַ֥רְתִּי).	Jeshurun (yᵊšurûn, וישרון), whom I have chosen (bāḥar, בחרתי).	Israel (Ισραηλ) whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην),	Israel (᾿Ισραήλ), whom (ὃν) I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην).

The final occurrence of ἠρέτισα in the Septuagint follows.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Haggai 2:23 (Tanakh/KJV)	Haggai 2:23 (NET)	Haggai 2:23 (NETS)	Haggai 2:23 (English Elpenor)
In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen (בָחַ֔רְתִּי) thee, saith the LORD of hosts.	On that day,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen (bāḥar, בחרתי) you,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”	On that day, says the Lord Almighty, I will take you, O Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, my slave, says the Lord, and I will make you like a signet, for I have chosen (ᾑρέτισα) you, says the Lord Almighty.	In that day, saith the Lord Almighty, I will take thee, O Zorobabel, the son of Salathiel, my servant, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a seal: for I have chosen (ᾑρέτισα) thee, saith the Lord Almighty.

That Matthew and the Holy Spirit translated a form of בָּחַר (bāḥar) ἠρέτισα seems a likely conclusion:

Matthew 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 41:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 41:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃν ᾑρέτισα,	ὃν ἐξελεξάμην	ὃν ἐξελεξάμην
Matthew 12:18 (NET)	Isaiah 41:8 (NETS)	Isaiah 41:8 (English Elpenor)
whom I have chosen,	whom I have chosen,	he whom I have chosen,

Matthew 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 44:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 44:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃν ᾑρέτισα,	ὃν ἐξελεξάμην	ὃν ἐξελεξάμην
Matthew 12:18 (NET)	Isaiah 44:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 44:1 (English Elpenor)
whom I have chosen,	whom I have chosen!	whom I have chosen.

Matthew 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 44:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 44:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃν ᾑρέτισα,	ὃν ἐξελεξάμην	ὃν ἐξελεξάμην
Matthew 12:18 (NET)	Isaiah 44:2 (NETS)	Isaiah 44:2 (English Elpenor)
whom I have chosen,	whom I have chosen,	whom I have chosen.

The verb ἐξελεξάμην, a form of ἐκλέγω, is in the middle voice: “The Greek middle voice shows the subject acting in his own interest or on his own behalf, or participating in the results of the verbal action.”⁴ The verb ἠρέτισα, a form of αἱρετίζω, is in the active voice: “If the subject of the sentence is executing the action, then the verb is referred to as being in the active voice.”⁵ I may be more sensitive to this than some because I spent some time assuming that the Gospel “was more for God’s benefit than mine,”⁶ but making it clear that God chose Jesus for my benefit could account for Matthew’s and the Holy Spirit’s word choice. I can’t say for certain that no 1^st person singular form of ἐκλέγω in the aorist tense and active voice exists, but none is listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon online. And this is the only occurrence of ἠρέτισα (or any other form of αἱρετίζω) in the New Testament.

In another essay following a table comparing the Greek of Matthew’s “quotation” of Isaiah 42:1 in Matthew 12:18, I wrote: “Here again, it seems that Matthew did some of his own translation from Hebrew.” So, what do I make of Matthew’s “misquotation” of the first four⁷ Hebrew words of Isaiah 42:1?

The idea that Matthew 12:18 might or should correspond to Isaiah 42:1 came from a footnote (28) in the NET:

Verses 18-21 are a quotation from Isa 42:1-4.

It’s not part of the text of Scripture. The Scripture says (Matthew 12:17 ESV):

This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

The Greek is: ἵνα ⁸, This was, πληρωθῇ, to fulfill. There is nothing wrong with the translation This was to fulfill. It is an excellent English translation. It is precisely what a Greek verb in the subjunctive mood means in a result clause. It just surprises me because this phrase would be translated “so that He may fulfill” more often than not, honoring the subjunctive verb πληρωθῇ, expecting the reader to know that it “should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.”⁹

The “another stated action” in this case is (Matthew 12:15b, 16 ESV):

And many followed him, and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known.

The Greek of Matthew 12:17 continues: τὸ ρηθὲν, what was spoken, διὰ Ἠσαΐου, by Isaiah, τοῦ προφήτου, the prophet, λέγοντος, “saying.”

The only qualification here is what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet. The NET footnote is helpful as a hint where one might start looking, but not limiting in any way. So, Behold, my servant refers quite clearly to the first two Hebrew words of Isaiah 42:1 in the Masoretic text (click on the word “Hebrew” at the top of the right hand column to see the parallel Hebrew text), despite the subtle difference in the Greek text of the Septuagint. And whom I have chosen refers to the fifth and sixth Hebrew words (remember to count from right to left) of Isaiah 41:8, and the last two Hebrew words of Isaiah 44:1 and 44:2.

In the Septuagint these forms of בָּחַר (bāḥar) were translated with ἐξελεξάμην in the middle voice, rather than ἠρέτισα in the active voice as Matthew has done. There are four occurrences of ἐξελεξάμην in the New Testament. All of them occur in John’s Gospel narrative, referring to Jesus’ selection of his disciples (John 6:70; 13:18; 15:16, 19 ESV).

Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose (ἐξελεξάμην, a form of ἐκλέγω) you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.”

I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen (ἐξελεξάμην, a form of ἐκλέγω). But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me’¹⁰ [Table].

You did not choose me, but I chose (ἐξελεξάμην, a form of ἐκλέγω) you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose (ἐξελεξάμην, a form of ἐκλέγω) you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

It seems important to highlight these occurrences to at least begin to meditate on their differences. As Jesus prayed: And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.¹¹ Why did Matthew choose the active voice ἠρέτισα for God’s selection of Jesus when the rabbis clearly chose the middle voice ἐξελεξάμην for His selection of Israel, Jacob and Jeshurun (Septuagint: Israel)? Why did John choose the middle voice ἐξελεξάμην for Jesus’ selection of his disciples?

During a night’s rest as I prepared this essay for publication, the beginnings of that meditation (something beyond a self-centered correction of my own self-centered mistake about benefit) coalesced: to know…the only true God καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας, and whom you have sent (or “whom you sent forth”), Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, Jesus Christ. The first thing I did in the above paragraph after making John 17:3, the reason “It seems important to highlight these occurrences,” explicit (rather than keeping it a secret for the reader to ferret out) was to edit an error: I corrected “for the Father’s selection of Jesus” to “for God’s selection of Jesus.”

I was thinking of whom I have chosen as the Father’s selection of the Son. That was wrong. Just as the conjunction καὶ (and) in Jesus’ prayer doesn’t deny his divinity but highlights and accentuates his humanity, even as the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,¹² so God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) chose this new human: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen. Eternal life is to know the only true God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and this new human. How? by knowing Jesus Christ, through the Bible certainly, yet equally if not more importantly, through the time spent with the One who died to fulfill the Scriptures. He is an eager and able teacher.

I’ll continue considering Matthew 12:18-21 in detail in another essay.

Tables comparing Isaiah 41:8; Genesis 32:28 (32:29); Isaiah 44:1; 44:2; 44:21; 33:15; 41:10; 1 Samuel 25:35; Ezekiel 20:5 and Haggai 2:23 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Isaiah 41:8; Genesis 32:28; Isaiah 44:1; 44:2; 44:21; 33:15; 41:10; 1 Samuel (1 Reigns, 1 Kings) 25:35; Ezekiel 20:5 and Haggai 2:23 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Matthew 12:17 in the KJV and NET follow.

Isaiah 41:8 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 41:8 (KJV)	Isaiah 41:8 (NET)
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.	But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.	“You, my servant Israel, Jacob, whom I have chosen, offspring of Abraham my friend,

Isaiah 41:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 41:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σὺ δέ Ισραηλ παῖς μου Ιακωβ ὃν ἐξελεξάμην σπέρμα Αβρααμ ὃν ἠγάπησα	Σὺ δέ, ᾿Ισραήλ, παῖς μου ᾿Ιακώβ, ὃν ἐξελεξάμην, σπέρμα ῾Αβραάμ, ὃν ἠγάπησα
Isaiah 41:8 (NETS)	Isaiah 41:8 (English Elpenor)
But you, Israel, my servant, Iakob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, whom I have loved,	But thou, Israel, art my servant Jacob, and he whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraam, whom I have loved:

Genesis 32:29 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:28 (KJV)	Genesis 32:28 (NET)
And he said: ‘Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with G-d and with men, and hast prevailed.’	And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.	“No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, “but Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have prevailed.”

Genesis 32:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ οὐ κληθήσεται ἔτι τὸ ὄνομά σου Ιακωβ ἀλλὰ Ισραηλ ἔσται τὸ ὄνομά σου ὅτι ἐνίσχυσας μετὰ θεοῦ καὶ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων δυνατός	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· οὐ κληθήσεται ἔτι τὸ ὄνομά σου ᾿Ιακώβ, ἀλλ᾿ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἔσται τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὅτι ἐνίσχυσας μετὰ Θεοῦ, καὶ μετ᾿ ἀνθρώπων δυνατὸς ἔσῃ
Genesis 32:28 (NETS)	Genesis 32:28 (English Elpenor)
Then he said to him, “Your name shall no longer be called Iakob, but Israel shall be your name because you have prevailed with a god, and with humans you are powerful.”	And he said to him, Thy name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name; for thou hast prevailed with God, and shalt be mighty with men.

Isaiah 44:1 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 44:1 (KJV)	Isaiah 44:1 (NET)
Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:	Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:	“Now, listen, Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen!”

Isaiah 44:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 44:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν δὲ ἄκουσον παῖς μου Ιακωβ καὶ Ισραηλ ὃν ἐξελεξάμην	ΝΥΝ δὲ ἄκουσον, ᾿Ιακὼβ ὁ παῖς μου καὶ ᾿Ισραήλ, ὃν ἐξελεξάμην
Isaiah 44:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 44:1 (English Elpenor)
But now hear, O Iakob my servant and Israel whom I have chosen!	But now hear, Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen.

Isaiah 44:2 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 44:2 (KJV)	Isaiah 44:2 (NET)
Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.	Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.	This is what the Lord, the one who made you, says—the one who formed you in the womb and helps you: “Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

Isaiah 44:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 44:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὕτως λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ποιήσας σε καὶ ὁ πλάσας σε ἐκ κοιλίας ἔτι βοηθηθήσῃ μὴ φοβοῦ παῖς μου Ιακωβ καὶ ὁ ἠγαπημένος Ισραηλ ὃν ἐξελεξάμην	οὕτω λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ποιήσας σε καὶ ὁ πλάσας σε ἐκ κοιλίας· ἔτι βοηθηθήσῃ, μὴ φοβοῦ, παῖς μου ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ ἠγαπημένος ᾿Ισραήλ, ὃν ἐξελεξάμην
Isaiah 44:2 (NETS)	Isaiah 44:2 (English Elpenor)
Thus says the Lord God who made you and who formed you from the womb; You will still be helped; do not fear, O Iakob my servant and the beloved Israel whom I have chosen,	Thus saith the Lord God that made thee, and he that formed thee from the womb; Thou shalt yet be helped: fear not, my servant Jacob; and beloved Israel, whom I have chosen.

Isaiah 44:21 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 44:21 (KJV)	Isaiah 44:21 (NET)
Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.	Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.	Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel, for you are my servant. I formed you to be my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you!

Isaiah 44:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 44:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μνήσθητι ταῦτα Ιακωβ καὶ Ισραηλ ὅτι παῖς μου εἶ σύ ἔπλασά σε παῖδά μου καὶ σύ Ισραηλ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου μου	Μνήσθητι ταῦτα ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ ᾿Ισραήλ, ὅτι παῖς μου εἶ σύ· ἔπλασά σε παῖδά μου, καὶ σὺ ᾿Ισραὴλ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου μου
Isaiah 44:21 (NETS)	Isaiah 44:21 (English Elpenor)
Remember these things, O Iakob and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you as my servant, and you, Israel, do not forget me.	Remember these things, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant; I have formed thee [to be] my servant: and do thou, Israel, not forget me.

Isaiah 33:15 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 33:15 (KJV)	Isaiah 33:15 (NET)
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;	He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;	The one who lives uprightly and speaks honestly, the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures and rejects a bribe, the one who does not plot violent crimes and does not seek to harm others—

Isaiah 33:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 33:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πορευόμενος ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ λαλῶν εὐθεῖαν ὁδόν μισῶν ἀνομίαν καὶ ἀδικίαν καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀποσειόμενος ἀπὸ δώρων βαρύνων τὰ ὦτα ἵνα μὴ ἀκούσῃ κρίσιν αἵματος καμμύων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἵνα μὴ ἴδῃ ἀδικίαν	πορευόμενος ἐν διακαιοσύνῃ,¹³ λαλῶν εὐθεῖαν ὁδόν, μισῶν ἀνομίαν καὶ ἀδικίαν καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀποσειόμενος ἀπὸ δώρων, βαρύνων τὰ ὦτα, ἵνα μὴ ἀκούσῃ κρίσιν αἵματος, καμμύων τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, ἵνα μὴ ἴδῃ ἀδικίαν
Isaiah 33:15 (NETS)	Isaiah 33:15 (English Elpenor)
One walking in righteousness, speaking a straight way, hating lawlessness and unrighteousness and shaking off his hands from gifts, making his ears dull, lest he hear a judgment of blood, shutting his eyes, lest he see unrighteousness—	He that walks in righteousness, speaking rightly, hating transgression and iniquity, and shaking his hands from gifts, stopping his ears that he should not hear the judgment of blood, shutting his eyes that he should not see injustice.

Isaiah 41:10 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)	Isaiah 41:10 (NET)
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.	Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.	Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you—yes, I help you—yes, I uphold you with my victorious right hand!

Isaiah 41:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 41:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ φοβοῦ μετὰ σοῦ γάρ εἰμι μὴ πλανῶ ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὁ θεός σου ὁ ἐνισχύσας σε καὶ ἐβοήθησά σοι καὶ ἠσφαλισάμην σε τῇ δεξιᾷ τῇ δικαίᾳ μου	μὴ φοβοῦ, μετὰ σοῦ γάρ εἰμι· μὴ πλανῶ, ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ὁ Θεός σου ὁ ἐνισχύσας σε καὶ ἐβοήθησά σοι καὶ ἠσφαλισάμην σε τῇ δεξιᾷ τῇ δικαίᾳ μου
Isaiah 41:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 41:10 (English Elpenor)
do not fear, for I am with you; do not wander off, for I am your God who has strengthened you, and I have helped you, and I have made you secure with my righteous right hand.	Fear not; for I am with thee: wander not; for I am thy God, who have strengthened thee; and I have helped thee, and have established thee with my just right hand.

1 Samuel 25:35 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 25:35 (KJV)	1 Samuel 25:35 (NET)
So David received of her hand that which she had brought him; and he said unto her: ‘Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.’	So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.	Then David took from her hand what she had brought to him. He said to her, “Go back to your home in peace. Be assured that I have listened to you and responded favorably.”

1 Samuel 25:35 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 25:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔλαβεν Δαυιδ ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτῆς πάντα ἃ ἔφερεν αὐτῷ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ἀνάβηθι εἰς εἰρήνην εἰς οἶκόν σου βλέπε ἤκουσα τῆς φωνῆς σου καὶ ᾑρέτισα τὸ πρόσωπόν σου	καὶ ἔλαβε Δαυὶδ ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτῆς πάντα, ἃ ἔφερεν αὐτῷ, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· ἀνάβηθι εἰς εἰρήνην εἰς οἶκόν σου· βλέπε, ἤκουσα τῆς φωνῆς σου καὶ ἠρέτισα τὸ πρόσωπόν σου
1 Reigns 25:35 (NETS)	1 Kings 25:35 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid received from her hand all that she had brought him, and he said to her, “Go up to your house in peace; see, I have heeded your voice, and I have chosen your face.”	And David took of her hand all that she brought to him, and said to her, Go in peace to thy house: see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and accepted thy petition.

Ezekiel 20:5 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 20:5 (KJV)	Ezekiel 20:5 (NET)
And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;	And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;	and say to them: “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose Israel I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, “I am the Lord your God.”

Ezekiel 20:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 20:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς τάδε λέγει κύριος ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἡμέρας ᾑρέτισα τὸν οἶκον Ισραηλ καὶ ἐγνωρίσθην τῷ σπέρματι οἴκου Ιακωβ καὶ ἐγνώσθην αὐτοῖς ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἀντελαβόμην τῇ χειρί μου αὐτῶν λέγων ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας ᾑρέτισα τὸν οἶκον ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐγνωρίσθην τῷ σπέρματι οἴκου ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ ἐγνώσθην αὐτοῖς ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἀντελαβόμην τῇ χειρί μου αὐτῶν λέγων· ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Ezekiel 20:5 (NETS)	Ezekiel 20:5 (English Elpenor)
and you shall say to them: This is what the Lord says: From the day that I chose the house of Israel and I was made known to the offspring of the house of Iakob and became known to them in the land of Egypt and took hold of them with my hand, saying: I am the Lord your God,	and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord; From the day that I chose the house of Israel, and became known to the seed of the house of Jacob, and was known to them in the land of Egypt, and helped them with my hand, saying, I am the Lord your God;

Haggai 2:23 (Tanakh)	Haggai 2:23 (KJV)	Haggai 2:23 (NET)
In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.	In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.	On that day,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Haggai 2:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Haggai 2:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ λήμψομαί σε Ζοροβαβελ τὸν τοῦ Σαλαθιηλ τὸν δοῦλόν μου λέγει κύριος καὶ θήσομαί σε ὡς σφραγῖδα διότι σὲ ᾑρέτισα λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ	ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ, λήψομαί σε Ζοροβάβελ τὸν τοῦ Σαλαθιήλ, τὸν δοῦλόν μου, λέγει Κύριος, καὶ θήσομαί σε ὡς σφραγῖδα, διότι σὲ ᾑρέτισα, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ
Haggai 2:23 (NETS)	Haggai 2:23 (English Elpenor)
On that day, says the Lord Almighty, I will take you, O Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, my slave, says the Lord, and I will make you like a signet, for I have chosen you, says the Lord Almighty.	In that day, saith the Lord Almighty, I will take thee, O Zorobabel, the son of Salathiel, my servant, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a seal: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord Almighty.

Matthew 12:17 (NET)	Matthew 12:17 (KJV)
This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:	That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

Matthew 12:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ρηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·	οπως πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος	οπως πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος