Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 10

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.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 3:11 (Tanakh/KJV)

Genesis 3:11 (NET)

Genesis 3:11 (NETS)

Genesis 3:11 (English Elpenor)

And He said (וַיֹּ֕אמֶר): ‘Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?’ And the Lord God said (‘āmar, ויאמר), “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” And he said (καὶ εἶπεν) to him, “Who told you that you are naked, unless you have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, of this one alone, not to eat from it?” And God said (καὶ εἶπεν Θεός) to him, Who told thee that thou wast naked, unless thou hast eaten of the tree concerning which I charged thee of it alone not to eat?

Here the Hebrew verb וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (‘āmar) was translated And He said (Tanakh, KJV) or And the Lord God said (NET). A note (28) in the NET explained:

Heb “and he said.” The referent (the Lord God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

It goes a long way to explaining the different translations in the Septuagint: καὶ εἶπεν (BLB), And he said (NETS), or καὶ εἶπεν Θεὸς (Elpenor), And God said (English Elpenor). But why did He ask this misleading question in the first place? Why didn’t He just come straight out with it, right here in the beginning?

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Isaiah 46:9b, 10 (Tanakh/KJV)

Isaiah 46:9b, 10 (NET)

Isaiah 46:9b, 10 (NETS)

Isaiah 46:9b, 10 (English Elpenor)

I am God (אֵל֙), and there is none else; I am God (אֱלֹהִ֖ים), and there is none like me [Table], I am God (‘ēl, אל), I have no peer; I am God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים), and there is none like me, I am God ( θεός), and there is no other besides me [Table], I am God ( Θεός), and there is none other beside me,
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure (חֶפְצִ֖י) [Table]: who announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred; who says, ‘My plan will be realized, I will accomplish what I desire (ḥēp̄eṣ, חפצי);’ declaring the last things first, before they happen, and at once they came to pass, and I said, “My whole plan shall stand, and I will do all the things I have planned (βεβούλευμαι)” [Table], telling beforehand the latter events before they come to pass, and they are accomplished together: and I said, all my counsel shall stand, and I will do all things that I have planned (βεβούλευμαι):

It has taken the better part of a lifetime for me to recognize that these declarative statements, of which I am so fond, are remedial education for dullards. This is the take-home message I was expected to understand from the first two chapters of Genesis, and probably would have if not for a heart and mind dominated by sin, that innate drive to do my own thing even if, especially if, God disapproves.

Paul’s confession comes readily to mind (Romans 7:7b, 8a NET):

I would not have known sin except through the law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of wrong desires.

The “educated” minds I fawned over when I was younger would have me believe that God was not unique, knowledgeable or determined to accomplish all his pleasure until Isaiah declared Him so sometime after his alleged prophecies came to pass, because “God” was the creation of lying Jews. But what happens if I assume that the Creator of the heavens and the earth1 was already unique, knowledgeable and determined to accomplish all his pleasure in the beginning? What might I understand if I don’t assume that He was ignorant of what had transpired, guessing by some form of reasoning and in need of Adam’s confirmation that He had guessed correctly?

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 3:12 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:12 (NET)

Genesis 3:12 (NETS)

Genesis 3:12 (English Elpenor)

And the man said: ‘The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.’ The man said, “The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.” And Adam said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And Adam said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me– she gave me of the tree and I ate.

With my mind cleansed of the idea that God was ignorant, guessing at what had transpired and seeking Adam’s confirmation, buttressed by the knowledge that He was already unique, knowledgeable and determined to accomplish all his pleasure, I assume that Adam’s response was what God wanted to achieve when He asked the question. A table comparing Adam’s answer to the narrator’s description of what had transpired follows.

Adam

Narrator

The woman whom you gave me, The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion for him who corresponds to him” [Table]…So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man’s side and closed up the place with flesh [Table]. Then the Lord God made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man [Table].

Genesis 2:18, 21, 22 (NET)

she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.

Genesis 3:12 (NET)

She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it [Table].

Genesis 3:6b (NET)

The Lord God asked Eve a similar question.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 3:13 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:13 (NET)

Genesis 3:13 (NETS)

Genesis 3:13 (English Elpenor)

And HaShem (יְהֹוָ֧ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֛ים) said unto the woman: ‘What is this thou hast done?’ And the woman said: ‘The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.’ So the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman replied, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” And God (κύριος θεὸς) said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The snake tricked me, and I ate.” And the Lord (Κύριος) God ( Θεὸς) said to the woman, Why hast thou done this? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me and I ate.

Here the narrator called God יְהֹוָ֧ה (Yᵊhōvâ) in the Masoretic text which was corroborated by Κύριος in both versions of the Septuagint, though the NETS translation God might indicate the existence of another version without Κύριος. A table comparing Eve’s answer to the narrator’s description of what had transpired follows.

Eve

Narrator

The serpent tricked me, The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die [Table], for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” [Table].

Genesis 3:4, 5 (NET)

and I ate.

Genesis 3:13b (NET)

When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it [Table].

Genesis 3:6a (NET)

Both Adam and Eve responded to God’s questions with true answers accurately restating events as related by the narrator of Genesis. The Lord God asked the serpent no questions.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 3:14, 15 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:14, 15 (NET)

Genesis 3:14, 15 (NETS)

Genesis 3:14, 15 (English Elpenor)

And HaShem (יְהֹוָ֨ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֥ים) said unto the serpent: ‘Because thou hast done this, cursed (אָר֤וּר) art thou from among all cattle, and from among all beasts of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. The Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed (‘ārar, ארור) are you above all the cattle and all the living creatures of the field! On your belly you will crawl and dust you will eat all the days of your life. And the Lord (κύριος) God ( θεὸς) said to the snake, “Because you have done this, cursed (ἐπικατάρατος) are you from all the domestic animals and from the wild animals of the earth; upon your chest and belly you shall go, and earth you shall eat all the days of your life. And the Lord (Κύριος) God ( Θεὸς) said to the serpent, Because thou hast done this thou art cursed (ἐπικατάρατος) above all cattle and all the brutes of the earth, on thy breast and belly thou shalt go, and thou shalt eat earth all the days of thy life.
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; they shall bruise (יְשֽׁוּפְךָ֣) thy head, and thou shalt bruise (תְּשׁוּפֶ֥נּוּ) their heel.’ And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; he will strike (šûp̄, ישופך) your head, and you will strike (šûp̄, תשופנו) his heel.” And I will put enmity between you and between the woman and between your offspring and between her offspring; he will watch (τηρήσει) your head, and you will watch (τηρήσεις) his heel.” And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed, he shall watch against (τηρήσει) thy head, and thou shalt watch against (τηρήσεις) his heel.

Here again the narrator called God יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ) in the Masoretic text. It was corroborated by Κύριος in both Greek versions of the Septuagint and Lord in both English translations. Though the Lord God asked the serpent no questions, Rashi described the serpent’s answer to the question: “Why have you done this?”

Now the serpent was cunning: What is the connection of this matter here? Scripture should have juxtaposed (below verse 21): “And He made for Adam and for his wife shirts of skin, and He dressed them.” But it teaches you as a result of what plan the serpent thrust himself upon them. He saw them naked and engaging in intercourse before everyone’s eyes, and he desired her. — [from Gen. Rabbah 18:6]2

And I shall place hatred: You intended that the man should die when he would eat first, and you would marry Eve, and you came to Eve first only because women are easily enticed, and they know how to entice their husbands. Therefore, “I shall place hatred.”3

So, according to Rashi Eve’s nudity stirred-up lust and a murderous plot in the serpent’s heart: the serpent coveted Adam’s wife. If God had clothed Eve properly and given her a shelter for “engaging in intercourse” away from “everyone’s eyes” perhaps none of this would have happened. But I wonder why Rashi assumed that the serpent wanted Eve rather than Adam. All this conjecture leads away from the point:

God questioned Adam: Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?4 Adam answered truthfully relative to the narration of Genesis. The Lord God questioned Eve: What is this you have done?5 She didn’t deny Adam’s answer but added her own perspective truthfully relative to the narration of Genesis. The Lord God asked the serpent no questions at all. Was He unfair? Did He curse the serpent on Eve’s word alone? No, He didn’t need anyone to tell Him what He already knew.

I’m reminded of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4:14, 15 NET):

But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty6 again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life” [Table]. The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come7 here to draw water.”

The Samaritan woman was already drinking out of Jesus’ hand, so to speak. But rather than explaining straightforwardly that the fountain of water springing up to eternal life He spoke of was the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit, as I would have preferred, Jesus’ mind took an abrupt turn (John 4:16 NET):

He8 said to her, “Go call your husband (τὸν ἄνδρα |σου|) and come back here.”

The Samaritan woman might have obeyed Jesus and run to fetch her man: ἄνδρα, a form of ἀνήρ means man as well as husband. But she seemed to grasp his meaning (John 4:17, 18 NET):

The woman replied,9 “I have no husband (ἄνδρα).” Jesus said to her, “Right you are when you said, ‘I have no husband (ἄνδρα),’ for you have had five husbands (ἄνδρας), and the man you are living with now is not your husband (ἀνήρ). This you said truthfully (ἀληθὲς, a form of ἀληθής)!”

The Greek word translated man above was the masculine ὃν rather than the feminine ἥν. I would have known nothing of this woman’s past except for Jesus’ word, which she corroborated when she called, not her husband but, the whole town to Jesus: Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.10 Jesus remained focused on truth (John 4:23, 24 NET):

But11 a time is coming—and now is here—when the true (ἀληθινοὶ, a form of ἀληθινός) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth (ἀληθείᾳ), for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth (ἀληθείᾳ).

The Father seeks (ζητεῖ, a form of ζητέω) such people to be his worshipers, those who will worship the Father in spirit and truth.12 This is quite moving: For the Son of Man came to seek (ζητῆσαι, another form of ζητέω) and to save the lost (τὸ ἀπολωλός).13 Is that why the Lord God questioned Adam and Eve? He sought them as worshipers after they disobeyed Him? To read Jesus’ out-of-his-way effort, to find something truthful in the Samaritan woman He sought, back into the Lord God’s questions to Adam and Eve seems difficult.

Neither the narrator nor the Lord God called Adam’s or Eve’s responses truthful. I’m the one comparing them to the narration and declaring them true. Perhaps it’s safer to say, that I hear Jesus’ personality in the Lord God’s questions. I tell you the solemn truth, Jesus said, the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.14 And, I always do those things that please him.15 This seems like one of those places He saw the Father doing and did likewise.

What I call the Old Testament was written uniquely for, and primarily to, that 12-year-old boy who grew into the man I know as Jesus Christ. And it is his understanding of the Scriptures that I want to know. He is the One who proved Paul’s saying true: live by the Spirit and you will not carry out (οὐ μὴ τελέσητε16) the desires of the flesh.17 He found a loving Father in the pages of Scripture: One who gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life;18 One who did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him;19 One who does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance;20 One who gave all authority in heaven and on earth21 to his Son that his Son will draw all people to22 Himself. Now this is eternal life, the Son prayed to his Father, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.23

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Genesis 3:11; 3:12; 3:13; 3:14 and 3:15 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET; and tables comparing Genesis 3:11; 3:12; 3:13; 3:14 and 3:15 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of John 4:15; 4:16; 4:17 and 4:23 the NET and KJV follow.

Genesis 3:11 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:11 (KJV)

Genesis 3:11 (NET)

And He said: ‘Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?’ And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the Lord God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

Genesis 3:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 3:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τίς ἀνήγγειλέν σοι ὅτι γυμνὸς εἶ μὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου οὗ ἐνετειλάμην σοι τούτου μόνου μὴ φαγεῖν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἔφαγες καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Θεός· τίς ἀνήγγειλέ σοι ὅτι γυμνὸς εἶ, εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, οὗ ἐνετειλάμην σοι τούτου μόνου μὴ φαγεῖν, ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἔφαγες

Genesis 3:11 (NETS)

Genesis 3:11 (English Elpenor)

And he said to him, “Who told you that you are naked, unless you have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, of this one alone, not to eat from it?” And God said to him, Who told thee that thou wast naked, unless thou hast eaten of the tree concerning which I charged thee of it alone not to eat?

Genesis 3:12 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:12 (KJV)

Genesis 3:12 (NET)

And the man said: ‘The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.’ And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. The man said, “The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.”

Genesis 3:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 3:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Αδαμ ἡ γυνή ἣν ἔδωκας μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ αὕτη μοι ἔδωκεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ᾿Αδάμ· ἡ γυνή, ἣν ἔδωκας μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, αὕτη μοι ἔδωκεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, καὶ ἔφαγον

Genesis 3:12 (NETS)

Genesis 3:12 (English Elpenor)

And Adam said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And Adam said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me– she gave me of the tree and I ate.

Genesis 3:13 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:13 (KJV)

Genesis 3:13 (NET)

And HaShem G-d said unto the woman: ‘What is this thou hast done?’ And the woman said: ‘The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.’ And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. So the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman replied, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”

Genesis 3:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 3:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῇ γυναικί τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή ὁ ὄφις ἠπάτησέν με καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ εἶπε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῇ γυναικί· τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας; καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή· ὁ ὄφις ἠπάτησέ με, καὶ ἔφαγον

Genesis 3:13 (NETS)

Genesis 3:13 (English Elpenor)

And God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The snake tricked me, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, Why hast thou done this? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me and I ate.

Genesis 3:14 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:14 (KJV)

Genesis 3:14 (NET)

And HaShem G-d said unto the serpent: ‘Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou from among all cattle, and from among all beasts of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the cattle and all the living creatures of the field! On your belly you will crawl and dust you will eat all the days of your life.

Genesis 3:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 3:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῷ ὄφει ὅτι ἐποίησας τοῦτο ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν θηρίων τῆς γῆς ἐπὶ τῷ στήθει σου καὶ τῇ κοιλίᾳ πορεύσῃ καὶ γῆν φάγῃ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου καὶ εἶπε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ὄφει· ὅτι ἐποίησας τοῦτο, ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν θηρίων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· ἐπὶ τῷ στήθει σου καὶ τῇ κοιλίᾳ πορεύσῃ καὶ γῆν φαγῇ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου.

Genesis 3:14 (NETS)

Genesis 3:14 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord God said to the snake, “Because you have done this, cursed are you from all the domestic animals and from the wild animals of the earth; upon your chest and belly you shall go, and earth you shall eat all the days of your life. And the Lord God said to the serpent, Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattle and all the brutes of the earth, on thy breast and belly thou shalt go, and thou shalt eat earth all the days of thy life.

Genesis 3:15 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:15 (KJV)

Genesis 3:15 (NET)

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; they shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise their heel.’ And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Genesis 3:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 3:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔχθραν θήσω ἀνὰ μέσον σου καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός σου καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῆς αὐτός σου τηρήσει κεφαλήν καὶ σὺ τηρήσεις αὐτοῦ πτέρναν καὶ ἔχθραν θήσω ἀνὰ μέσον σοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός σου καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῆς· αὐτός σου τηρήσει κεφαλήν, καὶ σὺ τηρήσεις αὐτοῦ πτέρναν

Genesis 3:15 (NETS)

Genesis 3:15 (English Elpenor)

And I will put enmity between you and between the woman and between your offspring and between her offspring; he will watch your head, and you will watch his heel.” And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed, he shall watch against thy head, and thou shalt watch against his heel.

John 4:15 (NET)

John 4:15 (KJV)

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

John 4:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 4:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 4:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)

λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ γυνή· κύριε, δός μοι τοῦτο τὸ ὕδωρ, ἵνα μὴ διψῶ μηδὲ διέρχωμαι ἐνθάδε ἀντλεῖν λεγει προς αυτον η γυνη κυριε δος μοι τουτο το υδωρ ινα μη διψω μηδε ερχωμαι ενθαδε αντλειν λεγει προς αυτον η γυνη κυριε δος μοι τουτο το υδωρ ινα μη διψω μηδε ερχομαι ενθαδε αντλειν

John 4:16 (NET)

John 4:16 (KJV)

He said to her, “Go call your husband and come back here.” Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

John 4:16 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 4:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 4:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)

λέγει αὐτῇ· ὕπαγε φώνησον τὸν ἄνδρα |σου| καὶ ἐλθὲ ἐνθάδε λεγει αυτη ο ιησους υπαγε φωνησον τον ανδρα σου και ελθε ενθαδε λεγει αυτη ο ιησους υπαγε φωνησον τον ανδρα σου και ελθε ενθαδε

John 4:17 (NET)

John 4:17 (KJV)

The woman replied, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “Right you are when you said, ‘I have no husband,’ The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

John 4:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 4:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 4:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἀπεκρίθη ἡ γυνὴ καὶ εἶπεν |αὐτῷ|· οὐκ ἔχω ἄνδρα. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· καλῶς εἶπας ὅτι ἄνδρα οὐκ ἔχω· απεκριθη η γυνη και ειπεν ουκ εχω ανδρα λεγει αυτη ο ιησους καλως ειπας οτι ανδρα ουκ εχω απεκριθη η γυνη και ειπεν ουκ εχω ανδρα λεγει αυτη ο ιησους καλως ειπας οτι ανδρα ουκ εχω

John 4:23 (NET)

John 4:23 (KJV)

But a time is coming—and now is here—when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

John 4:23 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 4:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 4:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἀλλὰ ἔρχεται ὥρα καὶ νῦν ἐστιν, ὅτε οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταὶ προσκυνήσουσιν τῷ πατρὶ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ· καὶ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ τοιούτους ζητεῖ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτόν αλλ ερχεται ωρα και νυν εστιν οτε οι αληθινοι προσκυνηται προσκυνησουσιν τω πατρι εν πνευματι και αληθεια και γαρ ο πατηρ τοιουτους ζητει τους προσκυνουντας αυτον αλλ ερχεται ωρα και νυν εστιν οτε οι αληθινοι προσκυνηται προσκυνησουσιν τω πατρι εν πνευματι και αληθεια και γαρ ο πατηρ τοιουτους ζητει τους προσκυνουντας αυτον

1 Gensis 1:1b (NET) Table

2 From Rashi’s commentary to Genesis 3:1 (Tanakh), chabad.org

3 From Rashi’s commentary to Genesis 3:15 (Tanakh), chabad.org

4 Genesis 3:11 (NET)

5 Genesis 3:13a (NET)

6 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had διψήσει here in the future tense and indicative mood, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had διψήσῃ (KJV: shallthirst) in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood. Since the negation is οὐ μὴ here, διψήσῃ is the stronger of the two: the subjunctive of emphatic negation.

8 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο ιησους (KJV: Jesus) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

9 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had αὐτῷ (“to him”) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

10 John 4:29a (NET)

12 John 4:23b (NET)

13 Luke 19:10 (NET)

14 John 5:19 (NET) Table

15 John 8:29b (NET) Table

16 This is a subjunctive of emphatic negation: “However, when this combination [οὐ µή (ou mē)] is attached to an Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is what has been termed the Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation. As was pointed out above, the Subjunctive Mood indicates the probability of an event, and the Aorist Tense emphasizes an action as simply occurring, without any specific reference to time, apart from the use of an adverbial modifier (e.g., that which would describe when, where, how much, or how often). Thus, when you have οὐ µή (ou mē) in combination with the Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is the absolute and unequivocal denial of the probability of an event EVER OCCURING at any moment or time in the future.” From “EMPHATIC NEGATIONS IN BIBLICAL GREEK” on the BLB Blog online.

17 Galatians 5:16 (NET)

18 John 3:16 (NET) Table

19 John 3:17 (NET) Table

20 2 Peter 3:9b (NET) Table

21 Matthew 28:18b (NET) Table

22 John 12:32b (NET)

23 John 17:3 (NET)

Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 8

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.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 2:19, 20 (Tanakh)

Genesis 2:19, 20 (NET)

Genesis 2:19, 20 (NETS)

Genesis 2:19, 20 (English Elpenor)

And out of the ground HaShem (יְהֹוָ֨ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֜ים) formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them; and whatsoever the man would call every living creature, that was to be the name thereof [Table]. The Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) formed out of the ground every living animal of the field and every bird of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them, and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. And out of the earth God ( θεὸς) furthermore formed all the animals of the field and all the birds of the sky and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them, and anything, whatever Adam called it as living creature, this was its name [Table]. And God ( Θεὸς) formed yet farther out of the earth all the wild beasts of the field, and all the birds of the sky, and he brought them to Adam, to see what he would call them, and whatever Adam called any living creature, that was the name of it.
And the man gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a help meet (עֵ֖זֶר) for him [Table]. So the man named all the animals, the birds of the air, and the living creatures of the field, but for Adam no companion (ēzer, עזר) who corresponded to him was found. And Adam gave names to all the cattle and to all the birds of the sky and to all the animals of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper (βοηθὸς) like him [Table]. And Adam gave names to all the cattle and to all the birds of the sky, and to all the wild beasts of the field, but for Adam there was not found a help (βοηθὸς) like to himself.

I’ll pause to highlight that יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ) אֱלֹהִ֜ים (ĕlōhîm) in the Masoretic text was simply Θεὸς in the Septuagint. Also, I want to spend a few moments with עֵ֖זֶר (ēzer), translated help meet (Tanakh/KJV) and companion (NET) both here and in Genesis 2:18.

A note (57) in the NET reads:

Traditionally “helper.” The English word “helper,” because it can connote so many different ideas, does not accurately convey the connotation of the Hebrew word עֵזֶר (ʿezer). Usage of the Hebrew term does not suggest a subordinate role, a connotation which English “helper” can have. In the Bible God is frequently described as the “helper,” the one who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, the one who meets our needs. In this context the word seems to express the idea of an “indispensable companion.” The woman would supply what the man was lacking in the design of creation and logically it would follow that the man would supply what she was lacking, although that is not stated here. See further M. L. Rosenzweig, “A Helper Equal to Him,” Jud 139 (1986): 277-80.

This is what the word meant to Moses when he named his sons:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Exodus 18:4 (Tanakh)

Exodus 18:4 (NET)

Exodus 18:4 (NETS)

Exodus 18:4 (English Elpenor)

and the name of the other was Eliezer: ‘for the G-d (אֱלֹהֵ֤י) of my father was my help (בְּעֶזְרִ֔י), and delivered (וַיַּצִּלֵ֖נִי) me from the sword of Pharaoh.’ and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, “The God [ĕlōhîm, אלהי] of my father has been my help [ēzer, בעזרי] and delivered [nāṣal, ויצלני] me from the sword of Pharaoh”). and the name of the second, Eliezer (“for the God [θεὸς] of my father was my help [βοηθός], and he delivered [ἐξείλατό] me from the hand of Pharao”). and the name of the second, Eliezer, saying, For the God (Θεὸς) of my father [is] my helper (βοηθός), and he has rescued (ἐξείλατό) me out of the hand of Pharao.

The Lord as help or helper delivered or rescued Moses’ life. How often is the woman cast as the beauty whose love and grace tames the beast who becomes her husband?

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 2:21, 22 (Tanakh)

Genesis 2:21, 22 (NET)

Genesis 2:21, 22 (NETS)

Genesis 2:21, 22 (English Elpenor)

And HaShem (יְהֹוָ֨ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֧ים) caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the place with flesh instead thereof [Table]. So the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man’s side and closed up the place with flesh. And God ( θεὸς) cast a trance upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs and filled up flesh in its place [Table]. And God ( Θεὸς) brought a trance upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs, and filled up the flesh instead thereof.
And the rib, which HaShem (יְהֹוָ֨ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֧ים) had taken from the man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man [Table]. Then the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. And the rib that he had taken from Adam the Lord (κύριος) God ( θεὸς) fashioned into a woman and brought her to Adam [Table]. And God ( Θεὸς) formed the rib which he took from Adam into a woman, and brought her to Adam.

How magical this must have seemed to people who knew nothing of anesthesia or surgery or DNA or cloning. Now, though this particular procedure may be a bit out of reach, it seems like a routine and mostly anticipated outcome of applied knowledge and power.

I really have nothing to say here about the presence of יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ; Tanakh: Hashem; NET: Lord) in the Masoretic text or the sporadic presence or absence of κύριος (NETS: Lord) in the Septuagint. It seems more or less random to me. I have no idea why editors would add יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ) or translators would refuse to translate it in these particular verses. So, I’ll take a few moments to reprise some of the differences between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint.

Mostly I’ll point to two articles I found online, good articles in my opinion worth the time it takes to read them. I’ll quote and comment on a few things I take issue with. In “Septuagint: Why The Greek Old Testament Still MattersGreg Lanier wrote:

What Exactly Is the Septuagint?

Before discussing its relevance, we have to clarify what is meant by Septuagint. But that is part of the problem. The term itself, when paired with the (the Septuagint, or the LXX), and combined with the fact that you can purchase a copy, might give the false impression that “the Septuagint” is a singular book, produced by a single committee, and published in a single place at a single time.

Replace Septuagint with Bible and one can make exactly the same argument. I’ll continue to use the definite article with Septuagint (and Bible, for that matter) because the language feels forced and awkward without it.

Mr. Lanier then gave an interesting sketch of the origins of the Septuagint, many useful biblical examples and reasons for considering the Septuagint in one’s personal Bible study. He began, however, with one potentially misleading statement:1

Most Christians know that their personal copy of the OT is a translation from the ancient Hebrew text…

I certainly “knew” that growing up. What I didn’t know was that the “ancient” Hebrew text from which my Old Testament was translated was the Masoretic text. In his article “What Is the Masoretic Text? The Beginner’s Guide” Ryan Nelson pointed out:

Most Jews and Protestants consider the Masoretic Text the authoritative Hebrew Bible…While it was written sometime between the seventh and tenth centuries AD, it was based on the meticulously preserved oral tradition and the best available manuscripts of the original Hebrew text.

In other words, the Greek translations known as the Septuagint were mostly completed before Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah, the edited version of the Hebrew text known as the Masoretic text was completed long after.

Mr. Nelson concluded with the following words:2

A triumph of tradition

Without the Masoretes, it’s hard to say what our Bibles would look like today. Perhaps they’d all be based on the Septuagint, or they’d all be based on different versions of the Hebrew Bible. At a pivotal moment in history, when culture, popular teachings, and language itself threatened to erase centuries of tradition, the Masoretes found a way to keep that tradition in the spotlight.

Building on the work of countless rabbis before them, the Masoretes solidified the wording of the Hebrew Bible once-and-for-all.

Part of the “popular teachings” to which Mr. Nelson referred were proposed by the Karaites. In his article, “The Karaites: A Medieval Jewish Sect” on My Jewish Learning online, Eli Barnavi wrote:

The Karaites are first mentioned in written sources in the late eighth century. They themselves claim to be descendants of dissident sects of the First Temple period, and the rabbinical tradition traces them back to opposition trends of the Second Temple period…

The best part of the Karaite intellectual effort was directed at proving the errors of the Rabbanites. Their critical acuteness and thorough knowledge of rabbinical doctrines ensured the high level of their polemics…

The main hallmark of the Karaites is their rejection [sic] authority of the Oral Law and the belief in the necessity of direct, independent, and critical study of the Bible. A “Karaite” reads the Mikra (the Pentateuch) and recognizes the Scriptures as the exclusive source of religious law…

The Karaite attack was not powerful enough to demolish the rabbinical citadel but it did succeed in breaching its walls, for the sect recruited many converts. Towards the end of the eleventh century, the sect had adherents in most communities within the Muslim world and the Byzantine Empire: in the eastern parts of the caliphate, in Palestine and Egypt, in North Africa, in Spain, and in Asia Minor…

Reprinted with permission from Eli Barnavi’s A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People, published by Schocken Books.

But the “Masoretes found a way to keep that tradition [i.e., the authority of rabbinic Judaism3] in the spotlight.”4 I can’t hear this without recalling Jesus’ words to the Pharisees and experts in the law.

Matthew 15:1-9 (NET)

Mark 7:5-13 (NET)

Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from5 Jerusalem to Jesus and said, “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their6 hands when they eat.” The7 Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed8 hands?”
He said9 to them, “Isaiah prophesied10 correctly11 about you hypocrites, as it is written:12 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.’
Having13 no regard for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition.”14
He answered them, “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? He also said to them, “You neatly reject the commandment of God in order to set up15 your tradition.
For God said,16 ‘Honor your17 father and mother’ and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,” he18 does not need to honor19 his father.’20 You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. For Moses21 said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone tells his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you would have received from me is corban’ (that is, a gift for God), then22 you no longer permit him to do anything for his23 father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.
Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied24 correctly about you when he said, “‘This people25 honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
And you do many things like this.”

This is not to say that the Masoretic text should be discarded. It just seems prudent to remember that it was edited and compiled by potentially hostile witnesses.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 2:23-25 (Tanakh)

Genesis 2:23-25 (NET)

Genesis 2:23-25 (NETS)

Genesis 2:23-25 (English Elpenor)

And the man said: ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man’ [Table]. Then the man said, “This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” And Adam said, “This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of her husband she was taken” [Table]. And Adam said, This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of her husband.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh [Table]. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become one family. Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh [Table]. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed [Table]. The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed. And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed [Table]. And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.

People experimenting with other forms of marriage and other forms of gender beyond male and female are making quite a lot of news as I write this. “In other words, God’s judgment, a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false26 came on those who are presently lost because they did not accept the love of the truth,” I wrote in another essay. Such confirmations of the truth of his word, coupled with my own experience of being drawn to Jesus and the faith He supplies through the fruit of his Spirit give me hope and encouragement to believe Jesus’ word that I don’t necessarily see: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.27

According to a note (9) in the NET Jesus quoted from Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16 in Matthew 15:4a. Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the NET parallel Greek text and the Septuagint follow:

Matthew 15:4a (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 15:4a (NET)

Exodus 20:12a (NETS)

Exodus 20:12a (English Elpenor)

Honor your father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

Matthew 15:4a (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 15:4a (NET)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (English Elpenor)

Honor your father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Septuagint follow:

Matthew 15:4a (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 15:4a (KJV)

Exodus 20:12a (NETS)

Exodus 20:12a (English Elpenor)

Honour thy father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

Matthew 15:4a (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 15:4a (KJV)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (English Elpenor)

Honour thy father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

According to a note (10) in the NET Jesus quoted from Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9 in Matthew 15:4b. Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the NET parallel Greek text and the Septuagint follow:

Matthew 15:4b (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 21:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ τελευτήσει θανάτῳ ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ τελευτήσει θανάτῳ

Matthew 15:4b (NET)

Exodus 21:16 (NETS)

Exodus 21:16 (English Elpenor)

Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death. Let the one who insults his father or his mother end with death. He that reviles his father or his mother shall surely die.

Matthew 15:4b (NET Parallel Greek)

Leviticus 20:9a (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 20:9a (Septuagint Elpenor)

κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν κακῶς εἴπῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἂν κακῶς εἴπῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω

Matthew 15:4b (NET)

Leviticus 20:9a (NETS)

Leviticus 20:9a (English Elpenor)

Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death. A person, a person who speaks severely with his father or his motherwith death let him be put to death Every man who shall speak evil of his father or of his mother, let him die the death

According to a note (14) in the NET Jesus quoted from Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:8, 9. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the NET parallel Greek text and the Septuagint follows:

Matthew 15:8, 9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ο λαος ουτος τω στοματι αυτων και τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου ματην δε σεβονται με διδασκοντες διδασκαλιας ενταλματα ανθρωπων ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῗς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσίν με ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσί με, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας

Matthew 15:8, 9 (NET)

Isaiah 29:13 (NETS)

Isaiah 29:13 (English Elpenor)

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. These people draw near me; they honor me with their lips, while their heart is far from me, and in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts and teachings. And the Lord has said, This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, and they honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: but in vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.

A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Septuagint follows:

Matthew 15:8, 9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονται με διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῗς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσίν με ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσί με, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας

Matthew 15:8, 9 (KJV)

Isaiah 29:13 (NETS)

Isaiah 29:13 (English Elpenor)

“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” These people draw near me; they honor me with their lips, while their heart is far from me, and in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts and teachings. And the Lord has said, This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, and they honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: but in vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.

According to a note (12) in the NET Jesus quoted from Isaiah 29:13 in Mark 7:6, 7. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the NET parallel Greek text and the Septuagint follows:

Mark 7:6b, 7 (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ λαὸς τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονται με διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῗς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσίν με ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσί με, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας

Mark 7:6b, 7 (NET)

Isaiah 29:13 (NETS)

Isaiah 29:13 (English Elpenor)

This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men. These people draw near me; they honor me with their lips, while their heart is far from me, and in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts and teachings. And the Lord has said, This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, and they honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: but in vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.

Tables comparing Exodus 18:4; Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET; and tables comparing Exodus 18:4; Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 21:17 (21:16) and Leviticus 20:9 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 15:1, 2; 15:4-8; Mark 7:5, 6; 7:8-10 and 7:12 the NET and KJV follow.

Exodus 18:4 (Tanakh)

Exodus 18:4 (KJV)

Exodus 18:4 (NET)

and the name of the other was Eliezer: ‘for the G-d of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.’ And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, “The God of my father has been my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”).

Exodus 18:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 18:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ δευτέρου Ελιεζερ λέγων ὁ γὰρ θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου βοηθός μου καὶ ἐξείλατό με ἐκ χειρὸς Φαραω καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ δευτέρου ῾Ελιέζερ λέγων· ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου βοηθός μου καὶ ἐξείλατό με ἐκ χειρὸς Φαραώ

Exodus 18:4 (NETS)

Exodus 18:4 (English Elpenor)

and the name of the second, Eliezer (“for the God of my father was my help, and he delivered me from the hand of Pharao”). and the name of the second, Eliezer, saying, For the God of my father [is] my helper, and he has rescued me out of the hand of Pharao.

Deuteronomy 5:16 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 5:16 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 5:16 (NET)

Honour thy father and thy mother, as HaShem thy G-d commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, upon the land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Honor your father and your mother just as the Lord your God has commanded you to do, so that your days may be extended and that it may go well with you in the land that he is about to give you.

Deuteronomy 5:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου ὃν τρόπον ἐνετείλατό σοι κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιος γένῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἧς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου, ὃν τρόπον ἐνετείλατό σοι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιος γένῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι

Deuteronomy 5:16 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:16 (English Elpenor)

Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that it may be well with you and that you may be long-lived in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God commanded thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long upon the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee.

Exodus 21:17 (Tanakh)

Exodus 21:17 (KJV)

Exodus 21:17 (NET)

And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death. And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. Whoever treats his father or his mother disgracefully must surely be put to death.

Exodus 21:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ τελευτήσει θανάτῳ ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ τελευτήσει θανάτῳ

Exodus 21:16 (NETS)

Exodus 21:16 (English Elpenor)

Let the one who insults his father or his mother end with death. He that reviles his father or his mother shall surely die.

Leviticus 20:9 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 20:9 (KJV)

Leviticus 20:9 (NET)

For whatsoever man there be that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him. For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him. “‘If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood guilt is on himself.

Leviticus 20:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 20:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν κακῶς εἴπῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ θανατούσθω πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ κακῶς εἶπεν ἔνοχος ἔσται ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἂν κακῶς εἴπῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω· πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ κακῶς εἶπεν; ἔνοχος ἔσται

Leviticus 20:9 (NETS)

Leviticus 20:9 (English Elpenor)

A person, a person who speaks severely with his father or his mother—with death let him be put to death; he has spoken severely with his father or his mother—he shall be liable. Every man who shall speak evil of his father or of his mother, let him die the death; has he spoken evil of his father or his mother? he shall be guilty.

Matthew 15:1, 2 (NET)

Matthew 15:1, 2 (KJV)

Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said, Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

Matthew 15:1 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Τότε προσέρχονται τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων Φαρισαῖοι καὶ γραμματεῖς λέγοντες τοτε προσερχονται τω ιησου οι απο ιεροσολυμων γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι λεγοντες τοτε προσερχονται τω ιησου οι απο ιεροσολυμων γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι λεγοντες
Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.” Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Matthew 15:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)

διὰ τί οἱ μαθηταί σου παραβαίνουσιν τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων; οὐ γὰρ νίπτονται τὰς χεῖρας ὅταν ἄρτον ἐσθίωσιν δια τι οι μαθηται σου παραβαινουσιν την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων ου γαρ νιπτονται τας χειρας αυτων οταν αρτον εσθιωσιν δια τι οι μαθηται σου παραβαινουσιν την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων ου γαρ νιπτονται τας χειρας αυτων οταν αρτον εσθιωσιν

Matthew 15:4-8 (NET)

Matthew 15:4-8 (KJV)

For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Matthew 15:4 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὁ γὰρ θεὸς εἶπεν· τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καί· ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω. ο γαρ θεος ενετειλατο λεγων τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα και ο κακολογων πατερα η μητερα θανατω τελευτατω ο γαρ θεος ενετειλατο λεγων τιμα τον πατερα και την μητερα και ο κακολογων πατερα η μητερα θανατω τελευτατω
But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,” But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

Matthew 15:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὑμεῖς δὲ λέγετε· ὃς ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ πατρὶ ἢ τῇ μητρί· δῶρον ὃ ἐὰν ἐξ ἐμοῦ ὠφεληθῇς [see verse 6] υμεις δε λεγετε ος αν ειπη τω πατρι η τη μητρι δωρον ο εαν εξ εμου ωφεληθης [see verse 6] υμεις δε λεγετε ος αν ειπη τω πατρι η τη μητρι δωρον ο εαν εξ εμου ωφεληθης και ου μη τιμηση τον πατερα αυτου η την μητερα αυτου
he does not need to honor his father.’ You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Matthew 15:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)

οὐ μὴ τιμήσει τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἠκυρώσατε τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τὴν παράδοσιν ὑμῶν και ου μη τιμηση τον πατερα αυτου η την μητερα αυτου και ηκυρωσατε την εντολην του θεου δια την παραδοσιν υμων [see verse 5] και ηκυρωσατε την εντολην του θεου δια την παραδοσιν υμων
Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said, Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

Matthew 15:7 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὑποκριταί, καλῶς ἐπροφήτευσεν περὶ ὑμῶν Ἠσαΐας λέγων υποκριται καλως προεφητευσεν περι υμων ησαιας λεγων υποκριται καλως προεφητευσεν περι υμων ησαιας λεγων
“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Matthew 15:8 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ εγγιζει μοι ο λαος ουτος τω στοματι αυτων και τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου εγγιζει μοι ο λαος ουτος τω στοματι αυτων και τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου

Mark 7:5, 6 (NET)

Mark 7:5, 6 (KJV)

The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed hands?” Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

Mark 7:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἐπερωτῶσιν αὐτὸν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς· διὰ τί οὐ περιπατοῦσιν οἱ μαθηταί σου κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ἀλλὰ κοιναῖς χερσὶν ἐσθίουσιν τὸν ἄρτον επειτα επερωτωσιν αυτον οι φαρισαιοι και οι γραμματεις δια τι οι μαθηται σου ου περιπατουσιν κατα την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων αλλα ανιπτοις χερσιν εσθιουσιν τον αρτον επειτα επερωτωσιν αυτον οι φαρισαιοι και οι γραμματεις δια τι οι μαθηται σου ου περιπατουσιν κατα την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων αλλα ανιπτοις χερσιν εσθιουσιν τον αρτον
He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Mark 7:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· καλῶς ἐπροφήτευσεν Ἠσαΐας περὶ ὑμῶν τῶν ὑποκριτῶν, ὡς γέγραπται [ὅτι] οὗτος ὁ λαὸς τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις οτι καλως προεφητευσεν ησαιας περι υμων των υποκριτων ως γεγραπται ουτος ο λαος τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις οτι καλως προεφητευσεν ησαιας περι υμων των υποκριτων ως γεγραπται ουτος ο λαος τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου

Mark 7:8-10 (NET)

Mark 7:8-10 (KJV)

Having no regard for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition.” For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Mark 7:8 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἀφέντες τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κρατεῖτε τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων αφεντες γαρ την εντολην του θεου κρατειτε την παραδοσιν των ανθρωπων βαπτισμους ξεστων και ποτηριων και αλλα παρομοια τοιαυτα πολλα ποιειτε αφεντες γαρ την εντολην του θεου κρατειτε την παραδοσιν των ανθρωπων βαπτισμους ξεστων και ποτηριων και αλλα παρομοια τοιαυτα πολλα ποιειτε
He also said to them, “You neatly reject the commandment of God in order to set up your tradition. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Mark 7:9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· καλῶς ἀθετεῖτε τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα τὴν παράδοσιν ὑμῶν |στήσητε| και ελεγεν αυτοις καλως αθετειτε την εντολην του θεου ινα την παραδοσιν υμων τηρησητε και ελεγεν αυτοις καλως αθετειτε την εντολην του θεου ινα την παραδοσιν υμων τηρησητε
For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

Mark 7:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Μωϋσῆς γὰρ εἶπεν· τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου, καί· ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω μωσης γαρ ειπεν τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα σου και ο κακολογων πατερα η μητερα θανατω τελευτατω μωσης γαρ ειπεν τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα σου και ο κακολογων πατερα η μητερα θανατω τελευτατω

Mark 7:12 (NET)

Mark 7:12 (KJV)

then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

Mark 7:12 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)

οὐκέτι ἀφίετε αὐτὸν οὐδὲν ποιῆσαι τῷ πατρὶ ἢ τῇ μητρί και ουκετι αφιετε αυτον ουδεν ποιησαι τω πατρι αυτου η τη μητρι αυτου και ουκετι αφιετε αυτον ουδεν ποιησαι τω πατρι αυτου η τη μητρι αυτου

3 From the tag line of “The Karaites: A Medieval Jewish Sect,” by Eli Barnavi on My Jewish Learning online: “The Karaites, biblical fundamentalists, challenged the authority of rabbinic Judaism.”

4 From “A triumph of tradition,” “What Is the Masoretic Text? The Beginner’s Guide,” by Ryan Nelson on OverviewBible online

5 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οι απο (KJV: which were of), where the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had simply απο.

6 The NA28, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αὐτῶν here. The NET parallel Greek text did not. See note 5 in the NET.

7 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had καὶ at the beginning of this clause, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επειτα (KJV: Then).

9 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αποκριθεις (KJV: He answered) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

11 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ὅτι καλως (KJV: well) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had only καλῶς.

12 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had οτι (not translated in the NET) following written. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

13 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γαρ (KJV: For) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

14 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had βαπτισμους ξεστων και ποτηριων και αλλα παρομοια τοιαυτα πολλα ποιειτε (KJV: as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

15 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had στήσητε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τηρησητε (KJV: ye may keep).

16 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἶπεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ενετειλατο λεγων (KJV: commanded, saying).

18 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

20 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had η την μητερα αυτου (KJV: or his mother) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

22 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

23 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτου here and following mother. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had neither.

25 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγγιζει μοι τω στοματι αυτων και (KJV: draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

26 2 Thessalonians 2:11b (NET) Table

27 John 12:32 (NET)