The Children of Promise, Part 2

Posted on April 27, 2024 by admin

Paul wrote, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.¹ In another essay I asked, “So, if God did not allow [Abimelech] to touch Sarah, why didn’t He do the same for Pharaoh and Sarai?” I’m hoping that a thorough study of the story of Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah will give me a richer understanding of Paul’s contrast between the children of the flesh and the children of promise, as well as an answer to that question. The next two verses in Genesis, a literary forerunner of the cinematic montage, follow:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:8, 9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:8, 9 (NET)	Genesis 12:8, 9 (NETS)	Genesis 12:8, 9 (English Elpenor)
And [Abram] removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, and called upon the name of HaShem.	Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord.	And from there he withdrew to the mountain to the east of Baithel and set up his tent there—Baithel towards the sea and Haggai to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.	And he departed thence to the mountain eastward of Baethel, and there he pitched his tent in Baethel near the sea, and Aggai toward the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord.
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.	Abram continually journeyed by stages down to the Negev.	And Abram set out, and as he traveled he encamped in the wilderness.	And Abram departed and went and encamped in the wilderness.

This is how Abram saw the land that God promised I will show you:² he moved…and pitched his tent…he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord,³ day after week after month after year. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place⁴ he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land⁵ as though it were a foreign country, living in tents…⁶ You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.⁷

In another essay I thought the Lord’s first promise to Abram began in verse 2. Until I got to verse 8 I completely missed the little one verb promise in the first verse: אַרְאֶֽךָּ (rā’â), I will show thee (Tanakh), and σοι δείξω in Greek in the Septuagint, I will show you (NETS). The Greek verb δείξω is a form of δεικνύω: “to show, point out, make known; to explain, prove; to cause to be seen; to point to; to bring to light, display; to demonstrate.”

So what was it about verse 8 that triggered me to find God’s promise in verse 1? Abram’s faithfulness wandering in the promised land day after week after month after year. As I wrote in another essay: “The enabling grace of God, implicit in his call or command, is manifest among the children of promise as obedience to his word.”

The writer of Hebrews began his remarks about Abraham with five beautiful words: Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν. It is a brilliant shorthand that has taken me a lifetime to begin to understand, mostly through trial and error. The first word Πίστει is a dative form of πίστις: “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.”⁸ By faith is an acceptable translation but it is clearly shorthand for, by being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.⁹

The Greek word translated as a passive verb phrase being sure was actually a noun, ὑπόστασις: “sustenance, support, subsistence; foundation (of a building); substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality; possessions, property; situation, condition; existence; rebellion, resistance; good chance of (something happening); realization; mutually agreed tariff; troops stationed at a military base.” I understand why the author chose it: For this reason I tell you, Jesus said, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.¹⁰ But I can also see that if anyone understood the writer of Hebrews to be suggesting that faith is the “substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality,” then James’ faith was perfected by works¹¹ was a welcome corrective.

The NET translators’ passive verb phrase being convinced of was another noun in Greek, ἔλεγχος: “rebuttal, refutation, reproach; proof, proving; act of questioning; conviction (of a sinner); reproof, censure, correction; something that deserves open criticism.” This noun coupled with the passive verb phrase chosen by the NET translators implies a long history of divine instruction from unbelief to disbelief to faith, as does Abram’s response to the Lord’s simple promise: I will show you:¹² It makes my question seem unnecessary, but I’ll ask it anyway: was this faith, Abraham’s certainty and conviction, something which originated with Abraham, or Abram?

Consider James again: You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.¹³ The Greek words translated his faith were ἡ πίστις; literally “the faith.” Perhaps “the faithfulness” is a better way to understand it: You see that the faithfulness was working together with his works and the faithfulness was perfected by works. In other words, Abraham’s acts of obedience to God’s word brought faithfulness to its intended conclusion. So, if the apparent faithfulness of Abraham didn’t originate with Abraham, then from what place or what source did it originate?

For from him and through him and to him are all things, Paul wrote of God. To him be glory forever! Amen.¹⁴ This is an important key to understanding the Scriptures. And so, I will understand Πίστει here as shorthand for “By God’s faithfulness.” The next word in the writer of Hebrews’ shorthand was καλούμενος.

It is a passive form of καλέω: “Grammatical voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), or the subject is the recipient of the action (passive voice). If the subject of the sentence is being acted upon, then the verb is referred to as being in the passive voice.”¹⁵ The translation, when he was called, is fine and adding Paul’s key to the Scriptures, Life, the Universe and Everything is not anything I’ve ever heard debated: when he was called by God: “By God’s faithfulness, when he was called by God, Abraham (Ἀβραὰμ)…”

The fourth word is ὑπήκουσεν, a form of ὑπακούω, translated obeyed in the NET. That feels like a short circuit to me. This whole word string is an admirable description of the obedience of faith (ὑπακοὴν πίστεως) that Paul considered the hallmark of his apostleship (Romans 1:5 NET):

Through [Jesus Christ our Lord] we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name.

The word string, to bring about the, may be a lot to ask of εἰς. I would be willing to modify it: grace and…apostleship “into” or “unto” or “for” obedience of faith or “faith’s obedience.” What I’m calling a “short circuit,” leaping to obeyed as a translation of ὑπήκουσεν alone, is what adults do to children.

Adults have neither time nor patience for children to learn the fruit of the Spirit, or to walk or live by the Spirit, the obedience of faith in other words. Adults expect to be obeyed immediately in the flesh. And that’s how children learn to obey—or not. It’s quite a culture shock if they bring this kind of “obedience in the flesh” to Jesus and He calls them actors, pretending to righteousness. For my purposes in this essay I’ll translate ὑπήκουσεν as he listened. Adding Paul’s key would render it: “he listened to God.”

So, that gives me: “By God’s faithfulness, when he was called by God, Abraham listened to God.” The final word of this beautiful word string is ἐξελθεῖν, an infinitive form of ἐξέρχομαι, to go out. And again, adding Paul’s key would render it, “to go out in the power of God.” So, I have this word string as a beautiful description of the obedience of faith practiced by the children of promise:

The obedience of faith practiced by the children of promise

Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν

“By God’s faithfulness, when he was called by God, Abraham listened to God to go out in the power of God”

For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God.¹⁶ So he journeyed to a land God promised: I will show you.¹⁷ It seems fairly obvious now that this promised land was a shadow cast by the new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.¹⁸ And that insight makes a definition of what I’ll call the obedience practiced by the children of the flesh possible.

The obedience practiced by the children of the flesh

“By my faith in my own calling, I listened to my own inner voice to go out in my own strength”

This is the life trajectory projected by the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires¹⁹ to a wished-for-land of my own ambition, to make my name great for my own praise and my own glory. And this innate belief, the natural inheritance of our flesh, can taint or corrupt, distort or pervert even such beautiful words as Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν. I’ll pick up where I left off in Genesis as the plot begins to thicken.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:10, 11 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:10, 11 (NET)	Genesis 12:10, 11 (NETS)	Genesis 12:10, 11 (English Elpenor)
And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land [Table].	There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay for a while because the famine was severe.	And a famine occurred upon the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine prevailed upon the land [Table].	And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, because the famine prevailed in the land.
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife: ‘Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon [Table].	As he approached Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman.	And it came about when Abram drew near to enter into Egypt that Abram said to his wife Sara, “I do know that your are a woman beautiful in countenance [Table],	And it came to pass when Abram drew nigh to enter into Egypt, Abram said to Sara his wife, I know that thou art a fair woman.

This concern occurred to him at the border of the promised land. But that promised land, with boundaries and borders one might draw on a map, was only a shadow. I want to focus this time on that land God promised: I will show you.²⁰

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:12, 13 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:12, 13 (NET)	Genesis 12:12, 13 (NETS)	Genesis 12:12, 13 (English Elpenor)
And it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say: This is his wife; and they will kill me, but thee they will keep alive [Table].	When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive.	it will be, therefore, that should the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’, and they will kill me, but you they will keep for themselves [Table].	It shall come to pass then that when the Egyptians shall see thee, they shall say, This is his wife, and they shall slay me, but they shall save thee alive.
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee’ [Table].	So tell them you are my sister so that it may go well for me because of you and my life will be spared on account of you.”	Say, therefore, ‘I am his sister’, so that it may go well with me because of you, and my soul will live on your account” [Table],	Say, therefore, I am his sister, that it may be well with me on account of thee, and my soul shall live because of thee.

This doesn’t sound like faith to me. That’s really the only thing I need to recognize here. But since I’m approaching things differently this time, I wonder: Why have I always been waylaid here, focused on Abram’s fear and unbelief? And I think I have an answer: I talk a good game. I can write things like:

Πίστει is shorthand for “By God’s faithfulness.”

But when I want to do good, evil is present with me.²¹ Doubts and arguments come to mind: No, Abram’s faith is what matters. God’s faithfulness, though beyond dispute, is not the issue here. Such doubts and arguments arise even as I write this essay, but this time I can ignore them by focusing my attention on the land God promised: I will show you.²²

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:14-17 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:14-17 (NET)	Genesis 12:14-17 (NETS)	Genesis 12:14-17 (English Elpenor)
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair [Table].	When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.	And it came about when Abram entered into Egypt—as the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful— [Table]	And it came to pass when Abram entered into Egypt– the Egyptians having seen his wife that she was very beautiful–
And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house [Table].	When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh,	that then the rulers of Pharao saw her and praised her to Pharao and brought her into Pharao’s house [Table].	that the princes of Pharao saw her, and praised her to Pharao and brought her into the house of Pharao.
And he dealt well with Abram for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels [Table].	and he did treat Abram well on account of her. Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.	And for her sake they dealt well with Abram, and he had sheep and calves and donkeys, male and female slaves, mules and camels [Table].	And they treated Abram well on her account, and he had sheep, and calves, and asses, and men-servants, and women-servants, and mules, and camels.
And HaShem plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife [Table].	But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.	And God tried Pharao and his house with great and grievous trials because of Sara, Abram’s wife [Table].	And God afflicted Pharao with great and severe afflictions, and his house, because of Sara, Abram’s wife.

This is utterly offensive to the religious mind. It believes, or wants me to believe, that all that transpired for Abram was the result, or should have been the result, of Abram’s faith or faithfulness rather than God’s (since I refuse to be thrown off the scent this time as Abram prospers pimping his beautiful wife). But the religious mind tips its hand here. I should probably say plainly that what I am calling the religious mind is a masquerade, an act, put on by the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires.²³ It would prefer to persuade me to believe that nothing transpired for Abram, because Abram as revealed in the Bible never existed, because the Bible lies about everything that’s written in it, especially God, because there is no God but me—e.g., the old man.

If I pay attention instead to the land God promised: I will show you,²⁴ what does that land look like? God’s promise, and be thou a blessing,²⁵ you will exemplify divine blessing,²⁶ and you shall be one blessed,²⁷ and thou shalt be blessed,²⁸ didn’t fail because Abram was faithless. It didn’t cease in response to Sarai’s apparent adultery in obedience to her husband’s command. This becomes another confirmation that Πίστει truly is the writer of Hebrew’s shorthand for “By God’s faithfulness.”

And I see something else, too (Romans 9:22, 23 NET).

But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction? And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory…

This story of Abram, Sarai and Pharoah, as well as my own confusion about this story, helps me see that the objects of wrath prepared for destruction which God has endured with much patience refers, not only to Pharoah but, to something within Abram and Sarai as well: the old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires.²⁹

I’ll continue with this in another essay.

Tables comparing Genesis 12:8 and 12:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Genesis 12:8 and 12:9 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Hebrews 11:8, 9 in the NET and KJV follow.

Genesis 12:8 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:8 (KJV)	Genesis 12:8 (NET)
And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, and called upon the name of HaShem.	And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.	Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord.

Genesis 12:8 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 12:8 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ ἀπέστη ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος κατ᾽ ἀνατολὰς Βαιθηλ καὶ ἔστησεν ἐκεῖ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ Βαιθηλ κατὰ θάλασσαν καὶ Αγγαι κατ᾽ ἀνατολάς καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ θυσιαστήριον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου	καὶ ἀπέστη ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος κατὰ ἀνατολὰς Βαιθὴλ καὶ ἔστησεν ἐκεῖ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ, Βαιθὴλ κατὰ θάλασσαν καὶ ᾿Αγγαὶ κατὰ ἀνατολάς· καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ θυσιαστήριον τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου
Genesis 12:8 (NETS)	Genesis 12:8 (English Elpenor)
And from there he withdrew to the mountain to the east of Baithel and set up his tent there—Baithel towards the sea and Haggai to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.	And he departed thence to the mountain eastward of Baethel, and there he pitched his tent in Baethel near the sea, and Aggai toward the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord.

Genesis 12:9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:9 (KJV)	Genesis 12:9 (NET)
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.	And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.	Abram continually journeyed by stages down to the Negev.

Genesis 12:9 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 12:9 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ ἀπῆρεν Αβραμ καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐστρατοπέδευσεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ	καὶ ἀπῇρεν ῞Αβραμ καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐστρατοπέδευσεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ
Genesis 12:9 (NETS)	Genesis 12:9 (English Elpenor)
And Abram set out, and as he traveled he encamped in the wilderness.	And Abram departed and went and encamped in the wilderness.

Hebrews 11:8, 9 (NET)	Hebrews 11:8, 9 (KJV)
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going.	By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Hebrews 11:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 11:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 11:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τόπον ὃν ἤμελλεν λαμβάνειν εἰς κληρονομίαν, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν μὴ ἐπιστάμενος ποῦ ἔρχεται	πιστει καλουμενος αβρααμ υπηκουσεν εξελθειν εις τον τοπον ον ημελλεν λαμβανειν εις κληρονομιαν και εξηλθεν μη επισταμενος που ερχεται	πιστει καλουμενος αβρααμ υπηκουσεν εξελθειν εις τον τοπον ον ημελλεν λαμβανειν εις κληρονομιαν και εξηλθεν μη επισταμενος που ερχεται

By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

Hebrews 11:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 11:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 11:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πίστει παρῴκησεν εἰς γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσας μετὰ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς	πιστει παρωκησεν εις την γην της επαγγελιας ως αλλοτριαν εν σκηναις κατοικησας μετα ισαακ και ιακωβ των συγκληρονομων της επαγγελιας της αυτης	πιστει παρωκησεν εις την γην της επαγγελιας ως αλλοτριαν εν σκηναις κατοικησας μετα ισαακ και ιακωβ των συγκληρονομων της επαγγελιας της αυτης

Back to Matthew 8:23-34

Back to Exploration, Part 2

¹ Romans 9:8 (NET)

² Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

³ Genesis 12:8 (NET)

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τον preceding place. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article την preceding land. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ Hebrews 11:8, 9a (NET)

⁷ James 2:22 (NET)

⁸ Noun Cases: Dative Case, from GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁹ Hebrews 11:1 (NET)

¹⁰ Mark 11:24 (NET) Table

¹¹ James 2:22 (NET)

¹² Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

¹³ James 2:22 (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 11:36 (NET)

¹⁵ Grammatical Voice of Verbs: Passive Voice, from Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹⁶ Hebrews 11:10 (NET)

¹⁷ Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

¹⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (NET)

¹⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

²⁰ Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

²¹ Romans 7:21b (NET)

²² Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

²³ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

²⁴ Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

²⁵ Genesis 12:2b (Tanakh) Table

²⁶ Genesis 12:2b (NET) Table

²⁷ Genesis 12:2b (NETS) Table

²⁸ Genesis 12:2b (English Elpenor) Table

²⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 5

Posted on June 23, 2022 by admin

This is a continuation of my intent to become much more familiar with the Greek translation of יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ) and יֱהֹוִה֙ (yᵊhōvâ) in the Septuagint. There were no occurrences of either in Genesis 1:1-27.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 1:28 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 1:28 (NET)	Genesis 1:28 (NETS) Table	Genesis 1:28 (English Elpenor)
And G-d (אֱלֹהִים֒) blessed them [man: male and female]; and G-d (אֱלֹהִ֗ים) said unto them: ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth’.	God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) blessed them [humankind] and [Note 57: God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) said] to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.”	And God (ὁ θεὸς) blessed them [humankind], saying, “Increase, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and all the cattle and all the earth and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth.”	And God (ὁ Θεός) blessed them [man: male and female], saying, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the seas and flying creatures of heaven, and all the cattle and all the earth, and all the reptiles that creep on the earth.

Here is another example of the graciousness of God’s word: He gives the gifts He deems appropriate to whomever He chooses to give them. The Hebrew word translated blessed was וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ (bāraḵ) and was translated ηὐλόγησεν and εὐλόγησεν (both forms of εὐλογέω) in the Septuagint. But the graciousness of God’s word didn’t end here.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 1:29, 30 (Tanakh)	Genesis 1:29, 30 (NET)	Genesis 1:29, 30 (NETS)	Genesis 1:29, 30 (English Elpenor)
And G-d (אֱלֹהִ֗ים) said: ‘Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed–to you it shall be for food [Table];	Then God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) said, “I now give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.	And God (ὁ θεός) said, “See, I have given to you any herbage, sowable, seeding seed, which is over all the earth, and any tree that has in itself fruit of sowable seed—to you it shall be for food— [Table]	And God (ὁ Θεός) said, Behold I have given to you every seed-bearing herb sowing seed which is upon all the earth, and every tree which has in itself the fruit of seed that is sown, to you it shall be for food.
and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is a living soul, I have given every green herb for food’ And it was so [Table].	And to all the animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has living breath in it—I give every green plant for food.” It was so.	and to all the wild animals of the earth and to all the birds of the sky and to every creeping thing that creeps on the earth that has in itself the animating force of life,—and all green herbage for food.” And it became so [Table].	And to all the wild beasts of the earth, and to all the flying creatures of heaven, and to every reptile creeping on the earth, which has in itself the breath of life, even every green plant for food; and it was so.

The Hebrew word translated I have given (Tanakh) and give (NET) was נָתַ֨תִּי (nāṯan). It was translated δέδωκα (a form of δίδωμι) in the Septuagint. I tend to understand this giving as a continuation of the blessing, and another example of the graciousness of God’s word. But the addition of the phrase, And it was so, is the form I’ve recognized¹ as describing the power of God’s word: He spoke and it happened as He said.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 1:31 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 1:31 (NET)	Genesis 1:31 (NETS) Table	Genesis 1:31 (English Elpenor)
And G-d (אֱלֹהִים֙) saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.	God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) saw all that he had made—and it was very good! There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.	And God (ὁ θεὸς) saw all the things that he had made, and see, they were exceedingly good. And it came to be evening, and it came to be morning, a sixth day.	And God (ὁ Θεὸς) saw all the things that he had made, and, behold, they were very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Here on the sixth day the qualifier ט֖וֹב (ṭôḇ), translated καλά (a form of καλός) in the Septuagint and good in English, was modified by מְאֹ֑ד (mᵊ’ōḏ) in Hebrew, λίαν in the Septuagint and very in English.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 2:1-3 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:1-3 (NET)	Genesis 2:1-3 (NETS)	Genesis 2:1-3 (English Elpenor)
And the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them [Table].	The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them.	And the sky and the earth were finished, and all their arrangement [Table].	AND the heavens and the earth were finished, and the whole world of them.
And on the seventh day G-d (אֱלֹהִים֙) finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made [Table].	By the seventh day God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) finished the work that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work that he had been doing.	And on the sixth day God (ὁ θεὸς) finished his works that he had made, and he left off on the seventh day from all his works that he had made [Table].	And God (ὁ Θεὸς) finished on the sixth day his works which he made, and he ceased on the seventh day from all his works which he made.
And G-d (אֱלֹהִים֙) blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it He rested from all His work which G-d (אֱלֹהִ֖ים) in creating had made [Table].	God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he ceased all the work that he (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) had been doing in creation.	And God (ὁ θεὸς) blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it he left off from all his works that God (ὁ θεὸς) had begun to make [Table].	And God (ὁ Θεὸς) blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it he ceased from all his works which God (ὁ Θεὸς) began to do.

Here is another example of the graciousness of God’s word: He gives the gifts He deems appropriate to whomever He chooses to give them. The Hebrew word translated blessed was וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ (bāraḵ) and was translated ηὐλόγησεν and εὐλόγησεν (both forms of εὐλογέω) in the Septuagint. Here it seems the gift of blessing was given to the seventh day of the week.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 20:8-11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:8-11 (NET)	Exodus 20:8-11 (NETS)	Exodus 20:8-11 (English Elpenor)
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy [Table].	“Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy.	Remember the day of the sabbaths to consecrate it [Table].	Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work [Table];	For six days you may labor and do all your work,	For six days you shall labor and do all your labor [Table],	Six days thou shalt labour, and shalt perform all thy work.
but the seventh day is a sabbath unto HaShem (לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה) thy G-d (אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ), in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates [Table];	but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, ליהוה) your God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהיך); on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates.	but on the seventh day there is Sabbata to the Lord (κυρίῳ) your God (τῷ θεῷ σου). You shall not do in it any labor, you and your son and your daughter, your male slave and your female slave, your ox and your draft animal and any animal of yours and the guest who resides among you [Table].	But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord (Κυρίῳ) thy God (τῷ Θεῷ σου); on it thou shalt do no work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy servant nor thy maidservant, thine ox nor thine ass, nor any cattle of thine, nor the stranger that sojourns with thee.
in six days HaShem (יְהֹוָ֜ה) made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore HaShem (יְהֹוָ֛ה) blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it [Table].	For in six days the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.	For in six days the Lord (κύριος) made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things in them, and he rested on the seventh day and consecrated it. For this reason the Lord (κύριος) blessed the seventh day and consecrated it [Table].	For in six days the Lord (Κύριος) made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and all things in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord (Κύριος) blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.

Will I perceive this as an unwarranted intrusion into my plans and schemes, or as a welcome respite from subsistence?

Jesus faced religious authorities who tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them.² I, too, recall after a long week at my subsistence job hearing that god was just more work I should have been doing all along. The Sabbath was made for people, Jesus instructed the Pharisees, not people for the Sabbath.³

And so we sinful people needed some extra instruction to understand to whom this gracious gift was given. Here in the law the sabbath was unto לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה (Yᵊhōvâ) אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ (‘ĕlōhîm) because יְהֹוָ֜ה (Yᵊhōvâ) made heaven and earth in six days, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore יְהֹוָ֛ה (Yᵊhōvâ) blessed the sabbath day. The introduction of יהוה (Yᵊhōvâ) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (‘ĕlōhîm) in Genesis follows.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 2:4 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:4 (NET)	Genesis 2:4 (NETS)	Genesis 2:4 (English Elpenor)
These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, in the day that HaShem (יְהֹוָ֥ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֖ים) made earth and heaven.	This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created—when the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) made the earth and heavens.	This is the book of the origin of heaven and earth, when it originated, on the day that God (ὁ θεὸς) made the sky and the earth	This [is] the book of the generation of heaven and earth, when they were made, in the day in which the Lord (Κύριος) God (ὁ Θεὸς) made the heaven and the earth,

The Elpenor Septuagint had the Greek word Κύριος here for the Hebrew יהוה (Yᵊhōvâ). The BLB Septuagint did not.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 2:5-7 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:5-7 (NET)	Genesis 2:5-7 (NETS)	Genesis 2:5-7 (English Elpenor)
No shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for HaShem (יְהֹוָ֤ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִים֙) had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground;	Now no shrub of the field had yet grown on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.	and all verdue of the field before it came to be upon the earth and all herbage of the field before it sprang up, for God (ὁ θεὸς) had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was not a human to till the earth,	and every herb of the field before it was on the earth, and all the grass of the field before it sprang up, for God (ὁ Θεὸς) had not rained on the earth, and there was not a man to cultivate it.
but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.	Springs would well up from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.	yet a spring would rise from the earth and water the whole face of the earth.	But there rose a fountain out of the earth, and watered the whole face of the earth.
Then HaShem (יְהֹוָ֨ה) G-d (אלהים) formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [Table].	The Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.	And God (ὁ θεὸς) formed man, dust from the earth, and breathed into his face a breath of life, and the man became a living being [Table].	And God (ὁ Θεὸς) formed the man [of] dust of the earth, and breathed upon his face the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.

None of these occurrences of יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ) in the Masoretic text was corroborated by the Septuagint.

Paul contrasted Adam and Christ (1 Corinthians 15:45-49 NET):

So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living person”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven [Table]. Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust, and like the one from heaven, so too those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bear the image of the man of heaven [Table].

A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation in 1 Corinthians 15:45 to that of Genesis 2:7 in the Septuagint follows:

1 Corinthians 15:45b (NET Parallel Greek)	Genesis 2:7b (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:7b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένετο ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος Ἀδὰμ εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν,	ἐγένετο ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν	ἐγένετο ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν
1 Corinthians 15:45b (NET)	Genesis 2:7b (NETS)	Genesis 2:7b (English Elpenor)
“The first man, Adam, became a living person”;	the man became a living being.	the man became a living soul.

The Hebrew word translated man in Genesis 2:7 was הָֽאָדָ֗ם (‘āḏām).

Tables comparing Genesis 2:4; 2:5 and 2:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET; and tables comparing Genesis 2:4; 2:5 and 2:6 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek follow.

Genesis 2:4 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:4 (KJV)	Genesis 2:4 (NET)
These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, in the day that HaShem G-d made earth and heaven.	These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,	This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created—when the Lord God made the earth and heavens.

Genesis 2:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
αὕτη ἡ βίβλος γενέσεως οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς ὅτε ἐγένετο ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν	Αὕτη ἡ βίβλος γενέσεως οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, ὅτε ἐγένετο· ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν
Genesis 2:4 (NETS)	Genesis 2:4 (English Elpenor)
This is the book of the origin of heaven and earth, when it originated, on the day that God made the sky and the earth	This [is] the book of the generation of heaven and earth, when they were made, in the day in which the Lord God made the heaven and the earth,

Genesis 2:5 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:5 (KJV)	Genesis 2:5 (NET)
No shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for HaShem G-d had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground;	And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.	Now no shrub of the field had yet grown on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.

Genesis 2:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πᾶν χλωρὸν ἀγροῦ πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντα χόρτον ἀγροῦ πρὸ τοῦ ἀνατεῗλαι οὐ γὰρ ἔβρεξεν ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἦν ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν γῆν	καὶ πᾶν χλωρὸν ἀγροῦ πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντα χόρτον ἀγροῦ πρὸ τοῦ ἀνατεῖλαι· οὐ γὰρ ἔβρεξεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἦν ἐργάζεσθαι αὐτήν
Genesis 2:5 (NETS)	Genesis 2:5 (English Elpenor)
and all verdue of the field before it came to be upon the earth and all herbage of the field before it sprang up, for God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was not a human to till the earth,	and every herb of the field before it was on the earth, and all the grass of the field before it sprang up, for God had not rained on the earth, and there was not a man to cultivate it.

Genesis 2:6 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:6 (KJV)	Genesis 2:6 (NET)
but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.	But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.	Springs would well up from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.

Genesis 2:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πηγὴ δὲ ἀνέβαινεν ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπότιζεν πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς	πηγὴ δὲ ἀνέβαινεν ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπότιζε πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς
Genesis 2:6 (NETS)	Genesis 2:6 (English Elpenor)
yet a spring would rise from the earth and water the whole face of the earth.	But there rose a fountain out of the earth, and watered the whole face of the earth.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 6

¹ Genesis 1:3 and Genesis 1:9 (in the Masoretic text)

² Matthew 23:4 (NET) Table

³ Mark 2:27 (NET) Table

David’s Forgiveness, Part 5

Posted on August 10, 2012 by admin

Though the death of David’s first son with Bathsheba alerted me that I couldn’t categorize these events as punishments, it was another aspect of David’s personal karma from the hand of Jesus that made it apparent that something else was at play (2 Samuel 12:11, 12 NET).

I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight [Table]! Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight [Table].

The fulfillment of this promise began when Amnon, one of David’s sons, fell madly in love with his half-sister Tamar. But she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.¹ In other words, it was much easier to seduce married, or shall I say sexually experienced, women in ancient Israel than virgins, especially a sister. Amnon confided in a friend, Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah…a very crafty man.² Jonadab had a plan Amnon executed flawlessly.

First, Amnon pretended to be ill. When David came to Amnon’s house to visit his son, Amnon asked, Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.³ Apparently David sensed no guile in his son’s request. Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him,⁴ he told his daughter Tamar.

Tamar did as she was told by her father. She went to Amnon’s house, kneaded the dough and baked the cakes in front of him. When she offered the pan to Amnon, he wouldn’t eat. Get everyone out of here!⁵ he said. After everyone left Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.⁶

Apparently Tamar sensed no guile in her brother’s request. She followed Amnon into the bedroom. As she brought the cakes to him, he grabbed her and said, Come on! Get in bed with me, my sister!

No, my brother! Tamar replied, Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing! How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools in Israel!⁷

So far Tamar’s protest and the apparent social construct of her reality were congruent with the law: If a man has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity.⁸ And, You must not have sexual intercourse with your sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she is born in the same household or born outside it; you must not have sexual intercourse with either of them.⁹ But her protest ended with a stridently incongruent comment: Just speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.¹⁰

Was she a frightened girl saying whatever desperate thing popped into her head? Or did she truly believe David would break the law for Amnon’s sake? Did she have some unique insight into her father’s character? I’ve never answered these questions to my own satisfaction, but the attempt has uncovered some interesting things I want to pursue here.

Lot, Abraham’s nephew, traveled with his uncle when Abraham set out to search for the land God promised him. Eventually, Lot settled in Sodom. After the destruction of Sodom, Lot lived with his two daughters in a cave in the mountains. The girls, living at what must have seemed like the end of the world, got their father drunk on two successive nights and took turns sleeping with him to preserve their family line. The older daughter had a son named Moab who became the ancestor of the Moabites. The younger daughter had a son named Ben-Ammi, the ancestor of the Ammonites.

This story is from Genesis.¹¹ Thus far in the Bible there was nothing resembling a law of sexual regulation except the command, Be fruitful and multiply!¹² It is interesting to note, however, that despite the lack of regulation and the fact that Lot had lost his wife, his daughters did not suppose that he would fall willingly into their scheme unless he was so drunk he didn’t know or remember what he had done.

The socially constructed reality these girls lived in was also notable for a rather curious human regulation. It had not been that many days since their father offered them as rape victims to an angry mob to protect two guests who spent the night under his roof. Something similar to this “law of the guest” is still practiced by the tribes that sheltered Osama bin Laden in the mountains between Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is not proclaimed in the Bible as a command from God. It is simply reported in the context of Sodom. But apparently this man-made custom had such power over Lot that he would sooner see harm come to his own daughters than guests who had come under the protection of his roof. I think it is safe to assume that girls socialized into that reality were more earthy regarding sexual matters than the prissy misses of a more chivalrous age.

So I can understand this rather odd story in the context of that socially constructed reality. And apparently the genetic diseases and defects of evolution were not yet so predominant that incest necessarily gave them expression. Considering the history of mate selection recorded in the Bible, Adam’s and Eve’s sons, Cain and Abel, married their sisters, presumably, with impunity. DNA was still fresh and pure. I can imagine the social reality for Cain’s sons, let’s say. The more traditional among them longed to grow up and marry a sister just like Dad. But for the innovator there was a brand new exotic form of female, Uncle Abel’s daughters, cousins. (Adam was rather prolific, so there were also young aunts to consider.)

In the next generation the ultra-orthodox might marry their sisters like Grandpa. The traditional might marry cousins (or aunts) like Dad. The innovator had even more varieties of exotic females to choose from. And the innovator’s options only continued to expand. Lot was more of an innovator. His daughters were engaged to men from Sodom, men who laughed at him and refused to flee with him when he warned them of the city’s impending destruction. Abraham, more of a traditionalist, sent his faithful servant back to his own country to his own relatives to acquire a wife for his son Isaac. Yes, he went to a family reunion to pick up chicks, for his son.

It’s not too hard to imagine that when the Lord Jesus delivered the law against incest to Moses, it was received as rather scandalous. It went against too many traditional and orthodox views of appropriate mate selection. It favored the innovator as righteous. I assume that ancient Israelites knew nothing of the recipe for human beings stored in DNA, the chance processes that alter that recipe to produce genetic defects and diseases, the recessive nature of those mutations, the Punnett square or any of the scientific rationale that bolsters anti-incest legislation today. So when a child with a genetic defect was born to a couple that did not heed the law, what could they believe but that the Lord was punishing them for disobeying his law?

Amnon cared more for his passion than God’s law. He overpowered [Tamar] and humiliated her by raping her.¹³

Addendum: November 11, 2020
I was surprised that the rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ἠγάπησεν (a form of ἀγαπάω) to describe Amnon’s affection for Tamar: and Amnon the son of David loved (ἠγάπησεν) her (2 Kings 13:1b English Elpenor). Granted, they had no access to Paul’s definition of ἀγάπη (1 Corinthians 13), but since Paul hadn’t mentioned sexual attraction I had all but banished it from my understanding of ἀγαπάω/ἀγάπη.

As I looked into it briefly I was just as surprised to discover that they had chosen ἐράσθητι (a form of ἐράω) for a children’s love for their parents’ teaching: And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love (ἐράσθητι) it, and it shall keep thee (Proverbs 4:6 English Elpenor). It occurs to me that a study of ἀγαπάω/ἀγάπη and ἐράω/ἔρως in the Septuagint could be very illuminating.

If someone reading this is motivated to do the work to make the tables and analyze the occurrences in Hebrew and Greek, I’ll be happy to publish it in installments here under your name or anonymously as you wish. The article on Eros on “the Love of God project” online is good place to start for source material. The BLB Septuagint is searchable once you have the word forms down (and spelled correctly).

Such an undertaking requires a younger mind that cares more. I am old. I am single. I can’t even imagine a woman who would tolerate my Bible study routine.

I wrote that “Amnon pretended to be ill,” but the Hebrew word was a form of חָלָה (chalah) translated into Greek with a form of ἀῤῥωστέω.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 13:2 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:2 (NET)	2 Reigns 13:2 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:2 (Elpenor English)
And Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick (לְהִתְחַלּ֗וֹת) because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do any thing unto her.	But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick (chalah, להתחלות) over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.	And Amnon was tormented so as to be ill (ἀρρωστεῗν) because of Themar his sister, for she was a virgin, and it was excessive in Amnon’s sight to do anything to her.	And Amnon was distressed even to sickness (ἀρρωστεῖν), because of Themar his sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed very difficult for Amnon to do anything to her.
2 Samuel 13:6 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:6 (NET)	2 Reigns 13:6 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:6 (English Elpenor)
So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick (וַיִּתְחָ֑ל); and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king: ‘Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.’	So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick (chalah, ויתחל). When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”	And Amnon lay down and became ill (ἠρρώστησεν), and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Do let Themar my sister come to me and roll two rolls in my sight, and I will eat from her hand.”	So Ammon lay down, and made himself sick (ἠρρώστησε); and the king came in to see him: and Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, my sister Themar come to me, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, and I will eat them at her hand.

The final occurrence of a form of חָלָה (chalah) in this story is in Jonadab’s explanation of his scheme.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 13:5 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:5 (NET)	2 Reigns 13:5 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:5 (Elpenor English)
And Jonadab said unto him: ‘Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick (וְהִתְחָ֑ל); and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him: Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.’	Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick (chalah, והתחל). When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”	And Ionadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and act weak (μαλακίσθητι), and your father will come in to see you, and you shall say to him, ‘Do let Themar my sister come and feed me some morsels, and let her prepare food in my sight so that I may see and eat from her hands.’”	And Jonadab said to him, Lie upon thy bed, and make thyself sick (μαλακίσθητι), and thy father shall come in to see thee; and thou shalt say to him, Let, I pray thee, Themar my sister come, and feed me with morsels, and let her prepare food before my eyes, that I may see and eat at her hands.

Here the rabbis translated it μαλακίσθητι (a form of μαλακίζω) in the Septuagint. Nothing in these words or in any of the words around them implies that Amnon was pretending. It isn’t necessary to mock him or ridicule this distress—וַיֵּ֨צֶר (yatsar) in Hebrew, translated was so distressed (Tanakh) and became frustrated (NET), ἐθλίβετο (a form of θλίβω) in Greek, translated was tormented (NET) and was distressed (English Elpenor)—to disapprove of his rape of Tamar. The pain a man feels over a desirable woman he can’t have for whatever reason isn’t assuaged by pretending it isn’t real pain.

Paul wrote (2 Corinthians 1:3-6 NET):

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ¹⁴ overflows to you. But if we are afflicted (θλιβόμεθα, another form of θλίβω), it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort¹⁵ that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

I mentioned the tribes in Afghanistan and Pakistan and then failed to footnote that remark. The following quote is from the The Irish Times article online, “Meet the Pashtuns, the Afghani tribe who rule Pakistan’s’wild west,’” November 10, 2001:

The moral code [e.g., Pashtunwali] also enshrines a principle of hospitality and protection of guests, and this extends even to enemies under one’s roof who surrender their arms upon entering and come under the host’s protection.

“If you look at the Afghanistan crisis, Osama bin Laden is a guest of the Taliban and the Afghan nation who are protecting their guest. People are now dying there but the Afghan people still protect him,” says Badshah [Jan Badshah, a Pashtun from the settled Charsadda district, an all-Pashtun area outside Peshawar].

“If somebody killed a person who disgraced their guest, by Pakistani law he is a criminal. As far as we are concerned we do not consider him a criminal because he is upholding our norms.”

But the very same article calls into question whether Jan Badshah’s contemporaries would surrender their daughters to protect a guest:

At its most extreme, Pashtunwali dictates that a man is duty bound to defend the honour of women in his family or clan which may be violated by as little as an unwelcome lingering glance.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 13:1; 13:2; 13:3; 13:6; 13:7; 13:9; 13:10; 13:11; 13:12; 13:13; Leviticus 18:9; Genesis 1:28; 2 Samuel 13:14 and 13:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:1; 13:2; 13:3; 13:6; 13:7; 13:9; 13:10; 13:11; 13:12; 13:13; Leviticus 18:9; Genesis 1:28; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:14 and 13:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. A table comparing 2 Corinthians 1:5, 6 in the NET and KJV follows those.

2 Samuel 13:1 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:1 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:1 (NET)
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.	And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.	Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her.

2 Samuel 13:1 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθη μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ υἱῷ Δαυιδ ἀδελφὴ καλὴ τῷ εἴδει σφόδρα καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῇ Θημαρ καὶ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὴν Αμνων υἱὸς Δαυιδ	ΚΑΙ ἐγενήθη μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ υἱῷ Δαυὶδ ἀδελφὴ καλὴ τῷ εἴδει σφόδρα, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῇ Θημάρ, καὶ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὴν ᾿Αμνὼν υἱὸς Δαυίδ.
2 Reigns 13:1 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:1 (English Elpenor)
And it happened after this that Abessalom son of Dauid had a sister very beautiful in appearance, and her name was Themar, and Amnon son of Dauid loved her.	And it happened after this that Abessalom the son of David had a very beautiful sister, and her name [was] Themar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 Samuel 13:2 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:2 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:2 (NET)
And Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do any thing unto her.	And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.	But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.

2 Samuel 13:2 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐθλίβετο Αμνων ὥστε ἀρρωστεῗν διὰ Θημαρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ ὅτι παρθένος ἦν αὐτή καὶ ὑπέρογκον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς Αμνων τοῦ ποιῆσαί τι αὐτῇ	καὶ ἐθλίβετο ᾿Αμνὼν ὥστε ἀρρωστεῖν διὰ Θημὰρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι παρθένος ἦν αὕτη, καὶ ὑπέρογκον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ᾿Αμνὼν τοῦ ποιῆσαί τι αὐτῇ
2 Reigns 13:2 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:2 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon was tormented so as to be ill because of Themar his sister, for she was a virgin, and it was excessive in Amnon’s sight to do anything to her.	And Amnon was distressed even to sickness, because of Themar his sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed very difficult for Amnon to do anything to her.

2 Samuel 13:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:3 (NET)
But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.	But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.	Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man.

2 Samuel 13:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦν τῷ Αμνων ἑταῗρος καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ιωναδαβ υἱὸς Σαμαα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Δαυιδ καὶ Ιωναδαβ ἀνὴρ σοφὸς σφόδρα	καὶ ἦν τῷ ᾿Αμνὼν ἑταῖρος, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ ᾿Ιωναδάβ, υἱὸς Σαμαὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Δαυίδ· καὶ ᾿Ιωναδὰβ ἀνὴρ σοφὸς σφόδρα
2 Reigns 13:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:3 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon had a companion, and his name was Ionadab son of Samaa the brother of Dauid, and Ionadab was a very crafty man.	And Amnon had a friend, and his name [was] Jonadab, the son of Samaa the brother of David: and Jonadab [was] a very cunning man.

2 Samuel 13:6 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:6 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:6 (NET)
So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick; and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king: ‘Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.’	So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.	So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”

2 Samuel 13:6 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκοιμήθη Αμνων καὶ ἠρρώστησεν καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἰδεῗν αὐτόν καὶ εἶπεν Αμνων πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ἐλθέτω δὴ Θημαρ ἡ ἀδελφή μου πρός με καὶ κολλυρισάτω ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς μου δύο κολλυρίδας καὶ φάγομαι ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς	καὶ ἐκοιμήθη ᾿Αμνὼν καὶ ἠρρώστησε, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἰδεῖν αὐτόν, καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αμνὼν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα· ἐλθέτω δὴ Θημὰρ ἡ ἀδελφή μου πρός με καὶ κολλυρισάτω ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου δύο κολλυρίδας, καὶ φάγομαι ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:6 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:6 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon lay down and became ill, and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Do let Themar my sister come to me and roll two rolls in my sight, and I will eat from her hand.”	So Ammon lay down, and made himself sick; and the king came in to see him: and Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, my sister Themar come to me, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, and I will eat them at her hand.

2 Samuel 13:7 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:7 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:7 (NET)
Then David sent home to Tamar, saying: ‘Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him food.’	Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat.	So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.”

2 Samuel 13:7 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Θημαρ εἰς τὸν οἶκον λέγων πορεύθητι δὴ εἰς τὸν οἶκον Αμνων τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου καὶ ποίησον αὐτῷ βρῶμα	καὶ ἀπέστειλε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Θημὰρ εἰς τὸν οἶκον λέγων· πορεύθητι δὴ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου καὶ ποίησον αὐτῷ βρῶμα
2 Reigns 13:7 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:7 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid sent to Themar, to the house, saying, “Do go to the house of Amnon your brother, and prepare food for him.”	And David sent to Themar to the house, saying, Go now to thy brother’s house, and dress him food.

2 Samuel 13:9 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:9 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:9 (NET)
And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said: ‘Have out all men from me.’ And they went out every man from him.	And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.	But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!” So everyone left.

2 Samuel 13:9 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸ τήγανον καὶ κατεκένωσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν φαγεῗν καὶ εἶπεν Αμνων ἐξαγάγετε πάντα ἄνδρα ἐπάνωθέν μου καὶ ἐξήγαγον πάντα ἄνδρα ἀπὸ ἐπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἔλαβε τὸ τήγανον καὶ κατεκένωσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησε φαγεῖν. καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αμνών· ἐξαγάγετε πάντα ἄνδρα ἀπὸ ἐπάνωθέν μου· καὶ ἐξήγαγον πάντα ἄνδρα ἐπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 13:9 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:9 (English Elpenor)
And she took the frying-pan and emptied it out before him, but he did not want to eat. And Amnon said, “Lead out every man from upon me.” And they led out every man from upon him.	And she took the frying pan and poured them out before him, but he would not eat. And Amnon said, Send out every man from about me. And they removed every man from about him.

2 Samuel 13:10 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:10 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:10 (NET)
And Amnon said unto Tamar: ‘Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat of thy hand.’ And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.	And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.	Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom.

2 Samuel 13:10 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αμνων πρὸς Θημαρ εἰσένεγκε τὸ βρῶμα εἰς τὸ ταμίειον καὶ φάγομαι ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου καὶ ἔλαβεν Θημαρ τὰς κολλυρίδας ἃς ἐποίησεν καὶ εἰσήνεγκεν τῷ Αμνων ἀδελφῷ αὐτῆς εἰς τὸν κοιτῶνα	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αμνὼν πρὸς Θημάρ· εἰσένεγκε τὸ βρῶμα εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖον, καὶ φάγομαι ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου. καὶ ἔλαβε Θημὰρ τὰς κολλυρίδας, ἃς ἐποίησε, καὶ εἰσήνεγκε τῷ ᾿Αμνὼν ἀδελφῷ αὐτῆς εἰς τὸν κοιτῶνα
2 Reigns 13:10 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:10 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon said to Themar, “Bring the food into the chamber, and I will eat from your hand.” And Themar took the rolls that she had prepared and brought them to Amnon her brother, into the bedroom.	And Amnon said to Themar, Bring in the food into the closet, and I will eat of thy hand. And Themar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to her brother Amnon into the chamber.

2 Samuel 13:11 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:11 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:11 (NET)
And when she had brought them near unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her: ‘Come lie with me, my sister.’	And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.	As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me, my sister!”

2 Samuel 13:11 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ προσήγαγεν αὐτῷ τοῦ φαγεῗν καὶ ἐπελάβετο αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ δεῦρο κοιμήθητι μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἀδελφή μου	καὶ προσήγαγεν αὐτῷ τοῦ φαγεῖν, καὶ ἐπελάβετο αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· δεῦρο κοιμήθητι μετ’ ἐμοῦ, ἀδελφή μου.
2 Reigns 13:11 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:11 (English Elpenor)
And she brought them to him to eat, and he took hold of her and said to her “Come on, lie with me, my sister!”	And she brought [them] to him to eat, and he caught hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.

2 Samuel 13:12 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:12 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:12 (NET)
And she answered him: ‘Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel; do not thou this wanton deed.	And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.	But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing!

2 Samuel 13:12 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ μή ἄδελφέ μου μὴ ταπεινώσῃς με διότι οὐ ποιηθήσεται οὕτως ἐν Ισραηλ μὴ ποιήσῃς τὴν ἀφροσύνην ταύτην	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· μή, ἀδελφέ μου· μὴ ταπεινώσῃς με, διότι οὐ ποιηθήσεται οὕτως ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ, μὴ ποιήσῃς τὴν ἀφροσύνην ταύτην
2 Reigns 13:12 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:12 (English Elpenor)
And she said to him, “No, my brother, do not humiliate me; for it shall not be done in this way in Israel; do not do this folly!	And she said to him, Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it ought not to be so done in Israel; do not this folly.

2 Samuel 13:13 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:13 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:13 (NET)
And I, whither shall I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou wilt be as one of the base men in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.’	And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.	How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools in Israel! Just speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

2 Samuel 13:13 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγὼ ποῦ ἀποίσω τὸ ὄνειδός μου καὶ σὺ ἔσῃ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀφρόνων ἐν Ισραηλ καὶ νῦν λάλησον δὴ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ὅτι οὐ μὴ κωλύσῃ με ἀπὸ σοῦ	καὶ ἐγὼ ποῦ ἀποίσω τὸ ὄνειδός μου; καὶ σὺ ἔσῃ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀφρόνων ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ· καὶ νῦν λάλησον δὴ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, ὅτι οὐ μὴ κωλύσῃ με ἀπὸ σοῦ
2 Reigns 13:13 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:13 (English Elpenor)
And I, where will I carry away my shame? And you, you shall be as one of the fools in Israel. And now, do speak to the king; for surely he shall not withhold me from you.”	And I, whither shall I remove my reproach? and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. And now, speak, I pray thee, to the king, for surely he will not keep me from thee.

Leviticus 18:9 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:9 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:9 (NET)
The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or the daughter of thy mother, whether born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.	The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.	You must not have sexual relations with your sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she is born in the same household or born outside it; you must not have sexual relations with either of them.

Leviticus 18:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου ἐκ πατρός σου ἢ ἐκ μητρός σου ἐνδογενοῦς ἢ γεγεννημένης ἔξω οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς	ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου ἐκ πατρός σου ἢ ἐκ μητρός σου ἐνδογενοῦς ἢ γεγεννημένης ἔξω, οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν
Leviticus 18:9 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:9 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover her shame—the shame of your sister, from your father or from your mother, whether born at home or born abroad.	The nakedness of thy sister by thy father or by thy mother, born at home or abroad, their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

Genesis 1:28 (Tanakh)	Genesis 1:28 (KJV)	Genesis 1:28 (NET)
And G-d blessed them; and G-d said unto them: ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth’.	And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.	God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.”

Genesis 1:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 1:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ηὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς λέγων αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεός, λέγων· αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Genesis 1:28 (NETS)	Genesis 1:28 (English Elpenor)
And God blessed them, saying, “Increase, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and all the cattle and all the earth and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth.”	And God blessed them, saying, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the seas and flying creatures of heaven, and all the cattle and all the earth, and all the reptiles that creep on the earth.

2 Samuel 13:14 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:14 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:14 (NET)
Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.	Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.	But he refused to listen to her. He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her.

2 Samuel 13:14 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν Αμνων τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκραταίωσεν ὑπὲρ αὐτὴν καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετ᾽ αὐτῆς	καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ᾿Αμνὼν τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκραταίωσεν ὑπὲρ αὐτὴν καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετ’ αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:14 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:14 (English Elpenor)
But Amnon did not want to listen to her voice, and he prevailed over her and humiliated her and lay with her.	But Amnon would not hearken to her voice; and he prevailed against her, and humbled her, and lay with her.

2 Samuel 13:5 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:5 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:5 (NET)
And Jonadab said unto him: ‘Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick; and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him: Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.’	And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.	Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”

2 Samuel 13:5 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ιωναδαβ κοιμήθητι ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης σου καὶ μαλακίσθητι καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὁ πατήρ σου τοῦ ἰδεῗν σε καὶ ἐρεῗς πρὸς αὐτόν ἐλθέτω δὴ Θημαρ ἡ ἀδελφή μου καὶ ψωμισάτω με καὶ ποιησάτω κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμούς μου βρῶμα ὅπως ἴδω καὶ φάγω ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ᾿Ιωναδάβ· κοιμήθητι ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης σου καὶ μαλακίσθητι, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὁ πατήρ σου τοῦ ἰδεῖν σε, καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτόν· ἐλθέτω δὴ Θημὰρ ἡ ἀδελφή μου καὶ ψωμισάτω με καὶ ποιησάτω κατ’ ὀφθαλμούς μου βρῶμα, ὅπως ἴδω καὶ φάγω ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:5 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:5 (English Elpenor)
And Ionadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and act weak, and your father will come in to see you, and you shall say to him, ‘Do let Themar my sister come and feed me some morsels, and let her prepare food in my sight so that I may see and eat from her hands.’”	And Jonadab said to him, Lie upon thy bed, and make thyself sick, and thy father shall come in to see thee; and thou shalt say to him, Let, I pray thee, Themar my sister come, and feed me with morsels, and let her prepare food before my eyes, that I may see and eat at her hands.

2 Corinthians 1:5, 6 (NET)	2 Corinthians 1:5, 6 (KJV)
For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you.	For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅτι καθὼς περισσεύει τὰ παθήματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς, οὕτως διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ περισσεύει καὶ ἡ παράκλησις ἡμῶν	οτι καθως περισσευει τα παθηματα του χριστου εις ημας ουτως δια χριστου περισσευει και η παρακλησις ημων	οτι καθως περισσευει τα παθηματα του χριστου εις ημας ουτως δια του χριστου περισσευει και η παρακλησις ημων

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἴτε δὲ θλιβόμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως καὶ σωτηρίας· εἴτε παρακαλούμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως τῆς ἐνεργουμένης ἐν ὑπομονῇ τῶν αὐτῶν παθημάτων ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς πάσχομεν	ειτε δε θλιβομεθα υπερ της υμων παρακλησεως και σωτηριας της ενεργουμενης εν υπομονη των αυτων παθηματων ων και ημεις πασχομεν ειτε παρακαλουμεθα υπερ της υμων παρακλησεως και σωτηριας και η ελπις ημων βεβαια υπερ υμων	ειτε δε θλιβομεθα υπερ της υμων παρακλησεως και σωτηριας της ενεργουμενης εν υπομονη των αυτων παθηματων ων και ημεις πασχομεν και η ελπις ημων βεβαια υπερ υμων ειτε παρακαλουμεθα υπερ της υμων παρακλησεως και σωτηριας