The Will of God – Jesus, Part 3

Jesus trusted his Father so completely that the flesh of Adam was much more subjugated in Him than in me.  Still, I can think of two incidents where the flesh made an appearance and was recorded by the Gospel writers.  Matthew and Mark had different opinions as to whether the first incident happened before or after Jesus cleansed the temple, but both associated it with that event.

Now early in the morning,1 Matthew recorded, as [Jesus] returned to the city, he was hungry.  After noticing a fig tree by the road he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves.  He said to it, “Never again will there be fruit from you!”  And the fig tree withered at once.2  The tree appeared as if it should have fruit on it but did not have any.  Mark wrote: Now the next day, as they went out from Bethany, [Jesus] was hungry.  After noticing in3 the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it.  When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not4 the5 season for figs.  He6 said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”  And his disciples heard it.7

Mark added the following details: 1) The fig tree that withered at once was overnight, 2) Jesus saw and approached the tree from a distance; and 3) it was not the season for figs.  This is what persuades me that I am witnessing the flesh of Adam in Jesus, a frustration that overcame his reason.

It’s not too hard to see that the actual frustration Jesus vented on the fig tree was the hypocrisy of his own people.  He might have cursed those who were selling and buying in the temple courts8 with chilling effect.  Instead, as a man like Adam He began to drive out those who were selling and buying9 in the temple courts.  He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.  Then he began to teach them10

The second incident occurred in the garden of Gethsemane the night he was betrayed.  Jesus, born of the Spirit of God, knew that the death of the flesh of Adam was part of his Father’s purpose for his life and ministry.  Now my soul is greatly distressed, He said.  And what should I say?  ‘Father, deliver me from this hour’?  No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour.11  But Jesus, also born of the flesh of Adam, prayed, My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me!12

It is important to me to believe that Jesus’ willingness to suffer was of utmost concern to his Father.  I believe Jesus could have said, Father, deliver me from this hour, with complete impunity.  He still would have sat at his Father’s right hand, and his Father would have said something equivalent to, “Don’t worry about it.  We’ll get’em next time, Tiger.”  But Jesus did not pray Father, deliver me from this hour.  He never put his Father in that position.

Jesus prayed, Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me!  Yet not what I will (θέλω), but what you will.13  He was strengthened by the Holy Spirit, then prayed a second time, My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will (θέλημα) must be done.”14  Luke wrote, Father, if you are willing (βούλει, a form of βούλομαι), take this cup away from me.  Yet not my will (θέλημα) but yours be done.15  As subjugated as the flesh was in Jesus He did not rely on his desires (θέλω or θέλημα) to direct his path, but relied on the will of God.

While I am completely convinced by my own experience (for the Scripture doesn’t say it) that the living Holy Spirit of God interceded with Jesus in real time and space, and strengthened Him at that precise moment, I can’t escape how the same Holy Spirit interceded for Jesus in other ways as well.  The flesh of Adam transmitted to Jesus came through his mother.  When I see Jesus praying My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done, I can’t help but see Mary answering Gabriel, Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.16  This is the spirit of the woman who raised Jesus as a boy.

I am becoming more and more convinced that the idea of human sacrifice (including the death of the Lord Jesus) did not originate in the mind of God.  They have also built places of worship in a place called Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they can sacrifice their sons and daughters by fire. That is something I never commanded them to do!  Indeed, it never even entered my mind to command such a thing!17  They have built places here for worship of the god Baal so that they could sacrifice their children as burnt offerings to him in the fire.  Such sacrifices are something I never commanded them to make!  They are something I never told them to do!  Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind!18  They built places of worship for the god Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom [that is, Gehenna] so that they could sacrifice their sons and daughters to the god Molech.  Such a disgusting practice was not something I commanded them to do!  It never even entered my mind to command them to do such a thing!19

Though I don’t believe that Jesus’ sacrifice originated in the mind of God, I do believe it is evidence of how far God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—will go to communicate to the religious minds of those born of the flesh of Adam, who thought that such sacrifice should have some merit.  So as I see Jesus praying, your will must be done, accepting the death that will put an end to sacrifice—I want (θέλω) mercy and not sacrifice20—and an end to oaths of righteousness—I say to you, do not take oaths at all21—and I see his mother praying, let this happen to me according to your word, I also see an unnamed girl who was commemorated for her words, My father, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised,22 after she returned from mourning her virginity and was sacrificed to God to fulfill Jephthah’s reckless oath.  Here I find my understanding of one of Jesus’ more enigmatic sayings, enigmatic to those of us who must follow Him by faith rather than by sight.

If anyone wants to become my follower, Jesus said, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.23  Peter and Paul helped me see what it meant to deny myself, to believe that I have died to sin,24 to say, I do not know the man25 to the old man that was crucified with [Christ] so that the body of sin would no longer dominate26 me.  To take up [my] cross is to join Jesus distrusting my own desires and saying to God, not my will but yours be done.27  And finally, to follow Jesus is to love and forgive others as He did, which is the fulfillment of the law.28  Freely you received, Jesus told his disciples, freely give.29

 

Addendum August 22, 2024:
Tables comparing Jeremiah 7:31 and 32:35 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Jeremiah 7:31 and 32:35 (39:35) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 21:18; Mark 11:13, 14; 11:15 and 11:17 in the KJV and NET follow.

Jeremiah 7:31 (Tanakh)

Jeremiah 7:31 (KJV)

Jeremiah 7:31 (NET)

And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart. They have also built places of worship in a place called Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they can sacrifice their sons and daughters by fire. That is something I never commanded them to do! Indeed, it never even entered my mind to command such a thing!

Jeremiah 7:31 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 7:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὸν βωμὸν τοῦ Ταφεθ ὅς ἐστιν ἐν φάραγγι υἱοῦ Εννομ τοῦ κατακαίειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν ἐν πυρί ὃ οὐκ ἐνετειλάμην αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐ διενοήθην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὸν βωμὸν τοῦ Ταφέθ, ὅς ἐστιν ἐν φάραγγι υἱοῦ ᾿Εννόμ, τοῦ κατακαίειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν ἐν πυρί, ὃ οὐκ ἐνετειλάμην αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐ διενοήθην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου

Jeremiah 7:31 (NETS)

Jeremiah 7:31 (English Elpenor)

And they built the altar of Tapheth, which is in the valley of Hennom’s son, to burn their sons and their daughters with fire—which I did not command them, and I did not intend it in my heart. And they have built the altar of Tapheth, which is in the valley of the son of Ennom, to burn their sons and their daughters with fire; which I did not command them [to do], neither did I design it in my heart.

Jeremiah 32:35 (Tanakh)

Jeremiah 32:35 (KJV)

Jeremiah 32:35 (NET)

And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. They built places of worship for the god Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they could sacrifice their sons and daughters to the god Molech. Such a disgusting practice was not something I commanded them to do. It never even entered my mind to command them to do such a thing! So Judah is certainly liable for punishment.’

Jeremiah 32:35 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 39:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τοὺς βωμοὺς τῇ Βααλ τοὺς ἐν φάραγγι υἱοῦ Εννομ τοῦ ἀναφέρειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν τῷ Μολοχ βασιλεῖ ἃ οὐ συνέταξα αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐκ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ καρδίαν μου τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ βδέλυγμα τοῦτο πρὸς τὸ ἐφαμαρτεῖν τὸν Ιουδαν καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τοὺς βωμοὺς τῇ Βάαλ τοὺς ἐν φάραγγι υἱοῦ ᾿Εννὸμ τοῦ ἀναφέρειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν τῷ Μολὸχ βασιλεῖ, ἃ οὐ συνέταξα αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐκ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ καρδίαν μου, τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ βδέλυγμα τοῦτο πρὸς τὸ ἐφαμαρτεῖν τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν

Jeremiah 39:35 (NETS)

Jeremiah 39:35 (English Elpenor)

And they built the altars to the goddess Baal, which are in the valley of Hennom’s son, to offer up their sons and their daughters to the king, things which I did not intend them to do, and it did not arise in my heart that they do this abomination so as to cause Iouda to sin. And they built to Baal the altars that are in the valley of the son of Ennom, to offer their sons and their daughters to king Moloch; which things I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Juda to sin.

Matthew 21:18 (NET)

Matthew 21:18 (KJV)

Now early in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

Matthew 21:18 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 21:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 21:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Πρωὶ_ δὲ |ἐπανάγων| εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπείνασεν πρωιας δε επαναγων εις την πολιν επεινασεν πρωιας δε επαναγων εις την πολιν επεινασεν

Mark 11:13, 14 (NET)

Mark 11:13, 14 (KJV)

After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

Mark 11:13 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 11:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 11:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἰδὼν συκῆν ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἔχουσαν φύλλα ἦλθεν, εἰ ἄρα τι εὑρήσει ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν οὐδὲν εὗρεν εἰ μὴ φύλλα· γὰρ καιρὸς οὐκ ἦν σύκων και ιδων συκην μακροθεν εχουσαν φυλλα ηλθεν ει αρα ευρησει τι εν αυτη και ελθων επ αυτην ουδεν ευρεν ει μη φυλλα ου γαρ ην καιρος συκων και ιδων συκην μακροθεν εχουσαν φυλλα ηλθεν ει αρα ευρησει τι εν αυτη και ελθων επ αυτην ουδεν ευρεν ει μη φυλλα ου γαρ ην καιρος συκων
He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

Mark 11:14 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 11:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 11:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτῇ· μηκέτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐκ σοῦ μηδεὶς καρπὸν φάγοι. καὶ ἤκουον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτη μηκετι εκ σου εις τον αιωνα μηδεις καρπον φαγοι και ηκουον οι μαθηται αυτου και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτη μηκετι εκ σου εις τον αιωνα μηδεις καρπον φαγοι και ηκουον οι μαθηται αυτου

Mark 11:15 (NET)

Mark 11:15 (KJV)

Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

Mark 11:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 11:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 11:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Καὶ ἔρχονται εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα. Καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν ἤρξατο ἐκβάλλειν τοὺς πωλοῦντας καὶ τοὺς ἀγοράζοντας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας τῶν κολλυβιστῶν καὶ τὰς καθέδρας τῶν πωλούντων τὰς περιστερὰς κατέστρεψεν και ερχονται εις ιεροσολυμα και εισελθων ο ιησους εις το ιερον ηρξατο εκβαλλειν τους πωλουντας και αγοραζοντας εν τω ιερω και τας τραπεζας των κολλυβιστων και τας καθεδρας των πωλουντων τας περιστερας κατεστρεψεν και ερχονται εις ιεροσολυμα και εισελθων ο ιησους εις το ιερον ηρξατο εκβαλλειν τους πωλουντας και αγοραζοντας εν τω ιερω και τας τραπεζας των κολλυβιστων και τας καθεδρας των πωλουντων τας περιστερας κατεστρεψεν

Mark 11:17 (NET)

Mark 11:17 (KJV)

Then he began to teach them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!” And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Mark 11:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 11:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 11:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἐδίδασκεν καὶ ἔλεγεν |αὐτοῖς|· οὐ γέγραπται ὅτι ὁ οἶκος μου οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν; ὑμεῖς δὲ πεποιήκατε αὐτὸν σπήλαιον λῃστῶν και εδιδασκεν λεγων αυτοις ου γεγραπται οτι ο οικος μου οικος προσευχης κληθησεται πασιν τοις εθνεσιν υμεις δε εποιησατε αυτον σπηλαιον ληστων και εδιδασκεν λεγων αυτοις ου γεγραπται οτι ο οικος μου οικος προσευχης κληθησεται πασιν τοις εθνεσιν υμεις δε εποιησατε αυτον σπηλαιον ληστων

1 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had Πρωὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πρωιας (KJV: in the morning), a form of πρωΐα.

2 Matthew 21:18, 19 (NET)

3 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the preposition ἀπὸ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

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

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

7 Mark 11:12-14 (NET)

9 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article τοὺς preceding buying. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

10 Mark 11:15b-17a (NET)

11 John 12:27 (NET)

12 Matthew 26:39a (NET) Table

13 Matthew 26:39 (NET) Table

14 Matthew 26:42 (NET) Table

15 Luke 22:42 (NET) Table

16 Luke 1:38 (NET)

17 Jeremiah 7:31 (NET)

18 Jeremiah 19:5 (NET) Table

19 Jeremiah 32:35 (NET)

20 Matthew 9:13 and 12:7 (NET) ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν a quotation of Hosea 6:6 [Table] from the Septuagint, ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν.  Hosea 6:6 translated from contemporary Hebrew reads, For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice (NET).  See also Hebrews 10:5-9 (NET).

21 Matthew 5:34 (NET)

22 Judges 11:36 (NET) Table

23 Matthew 16:24 (NET)

26 Romans 6:6 (NET)

27 Luke 22:42 (NET) Table

29 Matthew 10:8 (NET) Table

Romans, Part 11

Paul continued to describe the difference between those who hear (ἀκροαταὶ, a form of ἀκροατής) and those who do (ποιηταὶ, a form of ποιητής) the law.  For circumcision has its value (ὠφελεῖ, a form of ὠφελέω) if you practice (πράσσῃς, a form of πράσσω) the law (νόμον, a form of νόμος), but if you break (παραβάτης) the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος), your circumcision has become uncircumcision.1  I wasn’t going to delve into circumcision here, but I can’t resist the first occurrence in John 7.  Perhaps an appreciation of Jesus’ frustration will do more to distinguish the ἀκροατής from the ποιητής of the law.

Jesus was staying in Galilee, avoiding Judea because the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him.2  This stemmed from an incident when He healed a man who had been disabled3 for thirty-eight4 years.5  So the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and6 you are not permitted to carry your7 mat.”  But8 he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”  They asked9 him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat10 and walk’?”11  The healed man didn’t know who made him well.

Later Jesus found the man in the temple and said, Look, you have become well.  Don’t sin any more, lest anything worse happen to you.12  Sad to say I understand this man perfectly.  For thirty-eight years, fifty-two times each year, he kept the Sabbath by not standing up, picking up his mat or walking.  One Sabbath Jesus came up to him and said, Stand up!13  Pick up your mat and walk.14  For some reason, inexplicable except for the grace of God, the man believed this stranger and tried to stand up, pick up his mat and walk.  Immediately the man was healed, and he picked up his mat and started walking.15  When Jesus told him, Don’t sin any more, the healed man was conscience stricken that he had stood up, picked up his mat and walked on the Sabbath.  So he trotted back and informed the Jewish leaders that Jesus was the one who had made him well.16

Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began persecuting him.17

Before I get too carried away with the blindness of ancient Jewish leaders I’ll relate a fairly contemporary tale.  I was standing just inside the doorway with the Pastor of a small Bible church one Sunday before the evening service.  A car pulled up in the parking lot.  A visiting couple got out and made their way toward the door.  The Pastor opened the door and extended his hand to help the woman up the stair.  She refused his hand and stopped in the doorway.

“Before I come in here, I just want to know one thing,” she said belligerently.  “Did Jesus turn water into wine?”

I’d never experienced anything like this, but reasoned quickly that this was a Bible church, the woman wanted to make sure that we believed the fundamentals of the faith, including Jesus’ miracles.

“No,” the Pastor said.

I was stunned.  But that was nothing compared to my confusion when the woman smiled, took the Pastor’s hand and entered the church.  Later, when I got him alone, I asked, “How did you know that no was the right answer?”

Then it was his turn to be stunned that I would impugn his sincerity.  “Because it is the right answer,” he said defensively.  I argued fairly ineffectively for the distinction between Jesus and John the Baptist,18 but he was having none of it.  “Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler,”19 he quoted the Proverb.  Though he never pressed me on it, I got the message that because of this Proverb Jesus would not make, serve or encourage anyone to drink alcohol—no matter what the Bible seemed to be saying to me.

Obviously I have been blinder than this many times.  It’s not fair to judge the Pastor or the woman by this one idiosyncrasy, though I do think she was looking for a Pastor who would dance to her flute.  She obviously didn’t return.  I wonder at times why I stayed so long.  But the people there were nice to me.  Some said the church would close if I left.  The church closed sometime after I finally left.  I don’t really think there is any cause and effect there.

Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy [Table].  For six days you may labor and do all your work [Table], but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; 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 [Table].  For in six days the Lord 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 blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy [Table].20

As far as the Jewish leaders were concerned no man of God would heal a disabled man on the Sabbath and tell him to Stand up!  Pick up your mat and walk.  Jesus told them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.”21  But that didn’t help at all.  For this reason the Jewish leaders were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God.22

Frankly, the way I’ve presented the story so far puts the Jewish leaders on a lot firmer ground scripturally than my Pastor.  But if I bring in a similar story from Luke’s Gospel, the picture gets a bit more nuanced.  Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath.  A woman23 was there who had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen24 years.  She was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely.25  Jesus healed her (Luke 13:14-17 NET).

But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six26 days on which work should be done!  So come and be healed on those days,27 and not on the Sabbath day.”  Then28 the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites29 (ὑποκριταί, a form of ὑποκριτής)!  Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall, and lead it to water?”  Then shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be released from this imprisonment on the Sabbath day?”  When he said this all his adversaries were humiliated, but the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things he was doing.

Humiliated Jewish leaders were not Jesus’ only adversaries.  While He was staying out of Judea because they wanted to kill him, as the beginning of the feast of Tabernacles approached, his brothers advised him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing.  For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret.  If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.”  (For not even his own brothers believed in him.)30

Mark’s Gospel account gives me the impression that it was Jesus’ persistence in healing on the Sabbath even after the Pharisees began plotting31 with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him32 over it that alarmed his mother and his brothers.  On one homecoming (probably to Peter’s house) they went out to restrain him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”33  While the experts in the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the ruler of demons he casts out demons.”34

This is the context for Jesus’ saying, “Who are my mother and35 my brothers?”  And looking at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!  For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”36  It is also probably a better context to consider—Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me37than Jephthah’s sacrifice of his daughter.  Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind!38 The Lord told Jeremiah.

 

Addendum: November 19, 2020
Tables comparing Proverbs 20:1 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Proverbs 20:1 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing John 5:5; 5:10-12; 5:8; 5:16, 17; Luke 13:11; 13:14, 15; Mark 3:6 and 3:33 in the NET and KJV follow.

Proverbs 20:1 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 20:1 (KJV)

Proverbs 20:1 (NET)

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever goes astray by them is not wise.

Proverbs 20:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 20:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀκόλαστον οἶνος καὶ ὑβριστικὸν μέθη πᾶς δὲ συμμειγνύμενος αὐτῇ οὐκ ἔσται σοφός ΑΚΟΛΑΣΤΟΝ οἶνος καὶ ὑβριστικὸν μέθη, πᾶς δὲ ἄφρων τοιούτοις συμπλέκεται

Proverbs 20:1 (NETS)

Proverbs 20:1 (English Elpenor)

Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink is something insolent, and everyone who mixes with it will not be wise. Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink full of violence: but every fool is entangled with them.

John 5:5 (NET)

John 5:5 (KJV)

Now a man was there who had been disabled for 38 years. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἦν δέ τις ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖ τριάκοντα [καὶ] ὀκτὼ ἔτη ἔχων ἐν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ αὐτοῦ ην δε τις ανθρωπος εκει τριακονταοκτω ετη εχων εν τη ασθενεια ην δε τις ανθρωπος εκει τριακοντα και οκτω ετη εχων εν τη ασθενεια

John 5:10-12 (NET)

John 5:10-12 (KJV)

So the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and you are not permitted to carry your mat.” The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Ἔλεγον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τῷ τεθεραπευμένῳ· σάββατον ἐστιν, καὶ οὐκ ἔξεστιν σοι ἆραι τὸν κράβαττον |σου| ελεγον ουν οι ιουδαιοι τω τεθεραπευμενω σαββατον εστιν ουκ εξεστιν σοι αραι τον κραββατον ελεγον ουν οι ιουδαιοι τω τεθεραπευμενω σαββατον εστιν ουκ εξεστιν σοι αραι τον κραββατον
But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

|| δὲ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς· ὁ ποιήσας με ὑγιῆ ἐκεῖνος μοι εἶπεν· ἆρον τὸν κράβαττον σου καὶ περιπάτει απεκριθη αυτοις ο ποιησας με υγιη εκεινος μοι ειπεν αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει απεκριθη αυτοις ο ποιησας με υγιη εκεινος μοι ειπεν αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει
They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν· τίς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ εἰπών σοι· ἆρον καὶ περιπάτει ηρωτησαν ουν αυτον τις εστιν ο ανθρωπος ο ειπων σοι αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει ηρωτησαν ουν αυτον τις εστιν ο ανθρωπος ο ειπων σοι αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει

John 5:8 (NET)

John 5:8 (KJV)

Jesus said to him, “Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.” Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττον σου καὶ περιπάτει λεγει αυτω ο ιησους εγειραι αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει λεγει αυτω ο ιησους εγειραι αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει

John 5:16, 17 (NET)

John 5:16, 17 (KJV)

Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began persecuting him. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐδίωκον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ὅτι ταῦτα ἐποίει ἐν σαββάτῳ και δια τουτο εδιωκον τον ιησουν οι ιουδαιοι και εζητουν αυτον αποκτειναι οτι ταυτα εποιει εν σαββατω και δια τουτο εδιωκον τον ιησουν οι ιουδαιοι και εζητουν αυτον αποκτειναι οτι ταυτα εποιει εν σαββατω
So he told them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Ὁ δὲ  ἀπεκρίνατο αὐτοῖς· ὁ πατήρ μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται καγὼ ἐργάζομαι ο δε ιησους απεκρινατο αυτοις ο πατηρ μου εως αρτι εργαζεται καγω εργαζομαι ο δε ιησους απεκρινατο αυτοις ο πατηρ μου εως αρτι εργαζεται καγω εργαζομαι

Luke 13:11 (NET)

Luke 13:11 (KJV)

and a woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years.  She was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ πνεῦμα ἔχουσα ἀσθενείας ἔτη δεκαοκτὼ καὶ ἦν συγκύπτουσα καὶ μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακύψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές και ιδου γυνη ην πνευμα εχουσα ασθενειας ετη δεκα και οκτω και ην συγκυπτουσα και μη δυναμενη ανακυψαι εις το παντελες και ιδου γυνη ην πνευμα εχουσα ασθενειας ετη δεκα και οκτω και ην συγκυπτουσα και μη δυναμενη ανακυψαι εις το παντελες

Luke 13:14, 15 (NET)

Luke 13:14, 15 (KJV)

But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six days on which work should be done!  So come and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.” And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἔλεγεν τῷ ὄχλῳ ὅτι ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι· ἐν αὐταῖς οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου αποκριθεις δε ο αρχισυναγωγος αγανακτων οτι τω σαββατω εθεραπευσεν ο ιησους ελεγεν τω οχλω εξ ημεραι εισιν εν αις δει εργαζεσθαι εν ταυταις ουν ερχομενοι θεραπευεσθε και μη τη ημερα του σαββατου αποκριθεις δε ο αρχισυναγωγος αγανακτων οτι τω σαββατω εθεραπευσεν ο ιησους ελεγεν τω οχλω εξ ημεραι εισιν εν αις δει εργαζεσθαι εν ταυταις ουν ερχομενοι θεραπευεσθε και μη τη ημερα του σαββατου
Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites!  Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall and lead it to water? The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἀπεκρίθη δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος καὶ εἶπεν· ὑποκριταί, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὄνον ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης καὶ |ἀπαγαγὼν| ποτίζει απεκριθη ουν αυτω ο κυριος και ειπεν υποκριτα εκαστος υμων τω σαββατω ου λυει τον βουν αυτου η τον ονον απο της φατνης και απαγαγων ποτιζει απεκριθη ουν αυτω ο κυριος και ειπεν υποκριται εκαστος υμων τω σαββατω ου λυει τον βουν αυτου η τον ονον απο της φατνης και απαγαγων ποτιζει

Mark 3:6 (NET)

Mark 3:6 (KJV)

So the Pharisees went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἐξελθόντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι εὐθὺς μετὰ τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν συμβούλιον ἐδίδουν κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀπολέσωσιν και εξελθοντες οι φαρισαιοι ευθεως μετα των ηρωδιανων συμβουλιον εποιουν κατ αυτου οπως αυτον απολεσωσιν και εξελθοντες οι φαρισαιοι ευθεως μετα των ηρωδιανων συμβουλιον εποιουν κατ αυτου οπως αυτον απολεσωσιν

Mark 3:33 (NET)

Mark 3:33 (KJV)

He answered them and said, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτοῖς λέγει τίς ἐστιν ἡ μήτηρ μου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί [μου] και απεκριθη αυτοις λεγων τις εστιν η μητηρ μου η οι αδελφοι μου και απεκριθη αυτοις λεγων τις εστιν η μητηρ μου η οι αδελφοι μου

1 Romans 2:25 (NET)

2 John 7:1 (NET)

3 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had αὐτοῦ following disabled.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

5 John 5:5 (NET)

8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article and the conjunction δὲ preceding he answered.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

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

11 John 5:10-12 (NET)

12 John 5:14 (NET)

14 John 5:8 (NET)

15 John 5:9 (NET)

16 John 5:15 (NET)

17 John 5:16 (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εζητουν αυτον αποκτειναι (KJV: and sought to slay him) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

19 Proverbs 20:1 (NKJV)

20 Exodus 20:8-11 (NET)

21 John 5:17 (NET)

22 John 5:18 (NET)

23 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ην (KJV: there was) following woman.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

25 Luke 13:11 (NET)

26 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὅτι preceding six.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

28 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: then).

29 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural ὑποκριταί here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the singular υποκριτα (KJV: hypocrite).

30 John 7:3-5 (NET)

32 Mark 3:6 (NET)

33 Mark 3:21 (NET)

34 Mark 3:22 (NET)

35 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had καὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had η (KJV: or).

36 Mark 3:33-35 (NET)

37 Matthew 10:37 (NET)

38 Jeremiah 19:5 (NET) Table

David’s Forgiveness, Part 3

The Social Construction of Reality helped me understand my own life in a new way.  I didn’t take my Dad’s advice to avoid or watch out for women too much to heart.  Though, now that I think about it, I’ve never had sex without the benefit of some form of birth control.  I did, however, deeply internalize my uselessness and meaninglessness.  And I learned even better than I knew that I was the cause of my Dad’s problems.  They were my fault.

Now before I go too far with this I need to say that my Dad was not a son of his father’s youth but of his old age.  My Dad’s father died when my Dad was eight, leaving the family destitute and my Dad fearful for his own welfare and survival.  In other words, while I might fault my father for who or what he was, my father’s father for all practical purposes was not.

My father provided well enough for my survival and welfare that I grew up taking it and him for granted.  And to be fair to him, the other legacy he bequeathed me was his constant admonition from Proverbs 4:7 (KJV; Addendum below): Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.  There are times, admittedly, when I look at myself with dismay as little more than a program carrying out my father’s command.  But considering the relationship with my father in this multigenerational-social-construction-of-reality way made it fairly obvious to me that there are many ways to make a son less than a blessing, ways that fall far short of taking that son’s life.  So I discarded that reason for the death of David’s first son with Bathsheba.

Another thought occurred to me: maybe the Lord Jesus didn’t want the child of an adulterous affair and a murderous cover-up to become king of Israel.  But Jephthah—one of the Judges—was the son of an adulterous affair between Gilead and a prostitute, and The Lord’s spirit empowered Jephthah.1

I’ve covered Jephthah pretty thoroughly elsewhere and won’t do it again here, except to comment on the reality that was socially constructed for Jephthah’s daughter by her father and other adults around her.  They apparently wholeheartedly believed the Lord’s command, If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.2  Jephthah’s daughter’s response when she learned of her father’s oath, and who was to be the victim, indicated that she knew and believed this command, too.  My father, she said, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised.  After all, the Lord vindicated you before your enemies, the Ammonites.3

Nothing I believe or think or feel about Jephthah can or should taint my admiration for this girl’s childlike faith.  It is as stunning today as it was to Jephthah’s contemporaries.  She only asked for two months reprieve that she might mourn her virginity with her friends.  Jephthah granted her request.

Perhaps he hoped she would flee.  He would never see her again.  She would be as good as dead to him, but she would live.  But she, like her father, was true to her word and returned after two months as she promised.

Perhaps he hoped for a pardon as he prepared the sacrifice.  The Lord Jesus had commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and then at the last moment provided a substitute for the boy.  No angel came to stay Jephthah’s hand.  No substitute was provided.  Jephthah sacrificed his daughter, his only child.  Even after the fact the Lord Jesus remained silent.  No prophets came, no dreams, no word from the Lord.  Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.4

Since the Lord was silent, what social reality could the Israelites of Jephthah’s day construct except that Jephthah was an honorable and righteous man, fulfilling his vow to the Lord, no matter the cost?  After all, Jesus told his disciples, whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.5  It was many years after Jephthah’s time in the Proverbs of Solomon that I see the first glimmer of a subtle hint: It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, “Holy!” and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.6  To declare something “Holy” was equivalent to vowing it to the Lord.  This proverb may have had Jephthah in view.  Even so, it said little more than to consider your vows carefully or you may end up like Jephthah, sacrificing your daughter for righteousness’ sake.

It was many years after that, when the Israelites were sacrificing their children to Baal, the Lord Jesus finally spoke to the prophet Jeremiah and said: Such sacrifices are something I never commanded them to make! They are something I never told them to do! Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind!7  The first time I understood this passage, I thought it was the most disingenuous thing I had ever heard.  Actually, I went ballistic, “What did you expect them to think?!” I shrieked with that tone in my voice that said, “what, are you stupid or something?”

If you ever hear that I was struck by lightning, you’ll know why, though subsequent years of daily infusion of spiritual fruit8 have tempered my temper some, especially with the Lord.  And beginning to recognize the religious mind as a human phenomena as opposed to a divine one, that God is always reaching out to communicate to us through this ungodly barrier, hasn’t hurt.  Let’s face it, historically speaking God was late to the game with both a law and a religion.  There is no indication in Genesis that Cain’s (or Abel’s) offering was God’s idea.

At the designated time Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering to the Lord.9  It was either Cain’s idea or if the phrase And it happened at the end of days actually carries the meaning At the designated time that the translators of the NET have assigned it, it was Adam’s idea.  The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased.  So Cain became very angry, and his expression was downcast.10  His religion and his worship were unacceptable, but his younger brother’s religion and worship was?  I am an older brother, believe me, I feel Cain’s anger and dejection.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast?  Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door.  It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.”11  My mom tells a story about a time when I was angry with the boy next door.  She tried to soothe my anger with counsel about Jesus and turning the other cheek.  Apparently, I didn’t get the message any better than Cain did.  I left the house, saying, “I’ll make him turn the other cheek.”  Cain subdued his brother Abel by killing him.  I don’t recall what I did to the boy next door.  I know he survived it.

What have you done? The Lord said to Cain.  The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!  So now, you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.  When you try to cultivate the ground it will no longer yield its best for you.  You will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.12  Cain said, My punishment is too great to endure!13

For a long time I believed Cain.  But as I look back now this banishment from his occupation as a tiller of the field sounds more like the events that became David’s life after the Lord forgave his sin.  Cain’s punishment would have been his death.  Now scripture rolls and boils and tumbles in my mind:  before the law was given, sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin when there is no law.14

So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God.  For when we were in the flesh, the sinful desires, aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.  But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.15

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.16  He was not slow to establish a law of specific commandments and punishments, or a religion of specific rites and obligations.  He was positively resistant to the idea.  He chose to drown all but eight human beings and start over rather than establish a law or a religion.  I can only assume that He relented when it proved to be the only way to communicate to and through the ungodliness of human religious minds.  Even as He gave the law and founded the Hebrew religion He resisted it, saying defiantly to Moses, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.17

But that was all in my future the first time I understood Him to say, such a thing never even entered my mind!18  “All this started when you told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac,” I continued my rant.  “It culminates with God the Father sacrificing his only begotten Son, and somewhere in the middle of it all is Jephthah.  It never entered your mind that desperate people might think this was a good way to get your attention?”

I calmed down eventually and felt bad.  But I didn’t have some wonderful intuitive answer.  For me at the time it was a matter of brute faith.  I had to force myself to give the Lord Jesus the benefit of the doubt and simply believe that He is self-aware enough to determine the boundary between his thoughts and ours, to distinguish between his intent and his foreknowledge of our misunderstanding of that intent, and that He speaks sincerely and without guile.

Finally, with his feet firmly planted on earth, Jesus gave a definitive answer to Jephthah, to Israel and to me in the Sermon on the Mount: Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, “Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.”  But I say to you, do not take oaths at all….Let your word be “Yes, yes” or “No, no.”  More than this is from the evil one.19  The NIV translated this verse:  “Simply, let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

Now if I ask, Why would Jesus consider Jephthah’s oath from the evil one? the answer seems fairly obvious.  If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, Jephthah vowed to the Lord, then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites – he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.20  I’m going to give Jephthah the benefit of the doubt that he intended to offer a goat to bribe God to help him defeat the Ammonites, and he was willing to let God choose which, or any, or all, of his goats.  I think the translators of the NET have deliberately made Jephthah’s oath even more from the evil one.21

But imagine with me for a moment that Jephthah intended to bribe God with any or all of his goats.  God could have brought any goat, or as many goats as He wanted, out to meet Jephthah on his triumphant return.  But God didn’t bring any goats to meet Jephthah.  God wasn’t satisfied with goats as a bribe.  God wanted Jephthah’s daughter, his only child.  What was Jephthah to do?  Certainly God deserves to be bribed with something better than goats.

Jephthah acted on a kind of faith.  It would have been very difficult for him to see that the bribe, the oath, was the evil, and the thing that Jephthah should have repented.  To paraphrase Paul, I can testify that Jephthah was zealous for God, but his zeal was not in line with the truth.  For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish his own righteousness, he did not submit to God’s righteousness.22  But Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and Paul’s letter to the Romans were not part of Jephthah’s socially constructed reality.  Why not? I began to wonder.

Why were You silent for so long? I asked the Lord.

 

Addendum: June 21, 2020
When I discovered that Proverbs 4:7 wasn’t in the Septuagint my first thought was, “Well, that figures!”  I talked with my brother about it.  He thought it was somewhere else but couldn’t find it.  I read all of Proverbs in English translation of the Elpenor Septuagint and didn’t recognize it in any other chapter.  I also did a search of the Greek words I imagined might underlie the English translation and didn’t discover it in Proverbs.  I haven’t searched every book in the Septuagint.

I don’t know for certain what Dad actually meant when he quoted it.  He suffered a stroke and couldn’t speak or write before it ever occurred to me to ask.  I had assumed that wisdom and understanding were science and engineering.  He idolized electrical engineers.  I had also assumed that he didn’t mean the Bible, especially my mother’s interpretation of it.  At least, the Bible wasn’t where I sought wisdom or understanding as a child.  Proverbs 2:1-12 is a fairly accurate description how I understand the disputable Proverbs 4:7 as I run its programming today.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Proverbs 2:1-12 (Tanakh) Proverbs 2:1-12 (NET) Proverbs 2:1-12 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:1-12 (English Elpenor)

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; My son, if, when you accept the saying of my commandment, you hide it with yourself, [My] son, if thou wilt receive the utterance of my commandment, and hide it with thee;
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding, your ear will be attentive to wisdom, and you shall incline your heart to understanding; yes, you shall incline it to the admonition of your son. thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son.
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; indeed, if you call out for discernment—shout loudly for understanding— For if you call upon wisdom and raise your voice for understanding, as well as seek perception with a loud voice, For it thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding; (τὴν δὲ αἴσθησιν ζητήσῃς μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ was not translated into English.)
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure, and if you seek it like silver and search for it like treasures, and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. then you will understand how to fear the Lord, and you will discover knowledge about God. then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will find divine knowledge. then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. Because the Lord gives wisdom, also from his presence come knowledge and understanding, For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence [come] knowledge and understanding,
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He stores up effective counsel for the upright, and is like a shield for those who live with integrity, and he stores up salvation for those who succeed; he will shield their journey and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way;
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. to guard the paths of the righteous and to protect the way of his pious ones. to guard the ways of righteous deeds, and he will protect the way of the ones who revere him. that he may guard the righteous ways: and he will preserve the way of them that fear him.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity—every good way. Then you will understand righteousness and judgment, and you will make all good courses straight. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment; and shalt direct all thy course aright.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; For wisdom will enter your heart, and moral knowledge will be attractive to you. For if wisdom comes into your mind and perception seems pleasing to your soul, For if wisdom shall come into thine understanding, and discernment shall seem pleasing to thy soul,
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: Discretion will protect you, understanding will guard you, good counsel will guard you, and holy insight will protect you good counsel shall guard thee, and holy understanding shall keep thee;

Tables comparing Proverbs 4:7; 2:1; 2:2; 2:3; 2:4; 2:5; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9, 2:10; 2:11; 2:12; Judges 11:29; Numbers 30:2 (30:3); Judges 11:36; 11:40; Proverbs 20:25; Jeremiah 19:5; Genesis 4:3; 4:4; 4:5; 4:6; 4:7; 4:10; 4:11; 4:12; 4:13; Judges 11:30 and 11:31 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Proverbs 4:7; 2:1; 2:2; 2:3; 2:4; 2:5; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9; 2:10; 2:11; 2:12; Judges 11:29; Numbers 30:2 (30:3); Judges 11:36; 11:40; Proverbs 20:25; Jeremiah 19:5; Genesis 4:3; 4:4; 4:5; 4:6; 4:7; 4:10; 4:11; 4:12; 4:13; Judges 11:30 and 11:31 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Proverbs 4:7 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)

Proverbs 4:7 (NET)

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Wisdom is supreme—so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!

Proverbs 4:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 4:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

N/A N/A

Proverbs 4:7 (NETS)

Proverbs 4:7 (English Elpenor)

N/A N/A

Proverbs 2:1 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:1 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:1 (NET)

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; My child, if you receive my words, and store up my commands inside yourself,

Proverbs 2:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

υἱέ ἐὰν δεξάμενος ῥῆσιν ἐμῆς ἐντολῆς κρύψῃς παρὰ σεαυτῷ ΥΙΕ, ἐὰν δεξάμενος ῥῆσιν ἐμῆς ἐντολῆς κρύψῃς παρὰ σεαυτῷ

Proverbs 2:1 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:1 (English Elpenor)

My son, if, when you accept the saying of my commandment, you hide it with yourself, [My] son, if thou wilt receive the utterance of my commandment, and hide it with thee;

Proverbs 2:2 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:2 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:2 (NET)

So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding,

Proverbs 2:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὑπακούσεται σοφίας τὸ οὖς σου καὶ παραβαλεῗς καρδίαν σου εἰς σύνεσιν παραβαλεῗς δὲ αὐτὴν ἐπὶ νουθέτησιν τῷ υἱῷ σου ὑπακούσεται σοφία τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ παραβαλεῖς καρδίαν σου εἰς σύνεσιν, παραβαλεῖς δὲ αὐτὴν ἐπὶ νουθέτησιν τῷ υἱῷ σου

Proverbs 2:2 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:2 (English Elpenor)

your ear will be attentive to wisdom, and you shall incline your heart to understanding; yes, you shall incline it to the admonition of your son. thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son.

Proverbs 2:3 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:3 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:3 (NET)

Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; indeed, if you call out for discernment—shout loudly for understanding—

Proverbs 2:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐὰν γὰρ τὴν σοφίαν ἐπικαλέσῃ καὶ τῇ συνέσει δῷς φωνήν σου τὴν δὲ αἴσθησιν ζητήσῃς μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ ἐὰν γὰρ τὴν σοφίαν ἐπικαλέσῃ καὶ τῇ συνέσει δῷς φωνήν σου, τὴν δὲ αἴσθησιν ζητήσῃς μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ

Proverbs 2:3 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:3 (English Elpenor)

For if you call upon wisdom and raise your voice for understanding, as well as seek perception with a loud voice, For it thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding;

Proverbs 2:4 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:4 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:4 (NET)

If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure,

Proverbs 2:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐὰν ζητήσῃς αὐτὴν ὡς ἀργύριον καὶ ὡς θησαυροὺς ἐξερευνήσῃς αὐτήν καὶ ἐὰν ζητήσῃς αὐτὴν ὡς ἀργύριον καὶ ὡς θησαυροὺς ἐξερευνήσῃς αὐτήν

Proverbs 2:4 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:4 (English Elpenor)

and if you seek it like silver and search for it like treasures, and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures;

Proverbs 2:5 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:5 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:5 (NET)

Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. then you will understand how to fear the Lord, and you will discover knowledge about God.

Proverbs 2:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τότε συνήσεις φόβον κυρίου καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν θεοῦ εὑρήσεις τότε συνήσεις φόβον Κυρίου καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν Θεοῦ εὑρήσεις

Proverbs 2:5 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:5 (English Elpenor)

then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will find divine knowledge. then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2:6 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:6 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:6 (NET)

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 2:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὅτι κύριος δίδωσιν σοφίαν καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ γνῶσις καὶ σύνεσις ὅτι Κύριος δίδωσι σοφίαν, καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ γνῶσις καὶ σύνεσις

Proverbs 2:6 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:6 (English Elpenor)

Because the Lord gives wisdom, also from his presence come knowledge and understanding, For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence [come] knowledge and understanding,

Proverbs 2:7 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:7 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:7 (NET)

He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He stores up effective counsel for the upright, and is like a shield for those who live with integrity,

Proverbs 2:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ θησαυρίζει τοῗς κατορθοῦσι σωτηρίαν ὑπερασπιεῗ τὴν πορείαν αὐτῶν καὶ θησαυρίζει τοῖς κατορθοῦσι σωτηρίαν, ὑπερασπιεῖ τὴν πορείαν αὐτῶν

Proverbs 2:7 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:7 (English Elpenor)

and he stores up salvation for those who succeed; he will shield their journey and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way;

Proverbs 2:8 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:8 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:8 (NET)

He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. to guard the paths of the righteous and to protect the way of his pious ones.

Proverbs 2:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τοῦ φυλάξαι ὁδοὺς δικαιωμάτων καὶ ὁδὸν εὐλαβουμένων αὐτὸν διαφυλάξει τοῦ φυλάξαι ὁδοὺς δικαιωμάτων καὶ ὁδὸν εὐλαβουμένων αὐτὸν διαφυλάξει

Proverbs 2:8 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:8 (English Elpenor)

to guard the ways of righteous deeds, and he will protect the way of the ones who revere him. that he may guard the righteous ways: and he will preserve the way of them that fear him.

Proverbs 2:9 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:9 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:9 (NET)

Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity—every good way.

Proverbs 2:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τότε συνήσεις δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα καὶ κατορθώσεις πάντας ἄξονας ἀγαθούς τότε συνήσεις δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα καὶ κατορθώσεις πάντας ἄξονας ἀγαθούς

Proverbs 2:9 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:9 (English Elpenor)

Then you will understand righteousness and judgment, and you will make all good courses straight. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment; and shalt direct all thy course aright.

Proverbs 2:10 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:10 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:10 (NET)

When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul; For wisdom will enter your heart, and moral knowledge will be attractive to you.

Proverbs 2:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐὰν γὰρ ἔλθῃ ἡ σοφία εἰς σὴν διάνοιαν ἡ δὲ αἴσθησις τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ καλὴ εἶναι δόξῃ ἐὰν γὰρ ἔλθῃ ἡ σοφία εἰς σὴν διάνοιαν, ἡ δὲ αἴσθησις τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ καλὴ εἶναι δόξῃ

Proverbs 2:10 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:10 (English Elpenor)

For if wisdom comes into your mind and perception seems pleasing to your soul, For if wisdom shall come into thine understanding, and discernment shall seem pleasing to thy soul,

Proverbs 2:11 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:11 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:11 (NET)

Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: Discretion will protect you, understanding will guard you,

Proverbs 2:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

βουλὴ καλὴ φυλάξει σε ἔννοια δὲ ὁσία τηρήσει σε βουλὴ καλὴ φυλάξει σε, ἔννοια δὲ ὁσία τηρήσει σε

Proverbs 2:11 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:11 (English Elpenor)

good counsel will guard you, and holy insight will protect you good counsel shall guard thee, and holy understanding shall keep thee;

Proverbs 2:12 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 2:12 (KJV)

Proverbs 2:12 (NET)

To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; to deliver you from the way of the wicked, from those speaking perversity,

Proverbs 2:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 2:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἵνα ῥύσηταί σε ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ κακῆς καὶ ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς λαλοῦντος μηδὲν πιστόν ἵνα ρύσηταί σε ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ κακῆς καὶ ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς λαλοῦντος μηδὲν πιστόν

Proverbs 2:12 (NETS)

Proverbs 2:12 (English Elpenor)

in order that it can rescue you from an evil way and from a man who speaks nothing reliable. to deliver thee from the evil way, and from the man that speaks nothing faithfully.

Judges 11:29 (Tanakh)

Judges 11:29 (KJV)

Judges 11:29 (NET)

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. The Lord’s Spirit empowered Jephthah.  He passed through Gilead and Manasseh and went to Mizpah in Gilead. From there he approached the Ammonites.

Judges 11:29 (Septuagint BLB)

Judges 11:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ Ιεφθαε πνεῦμα κυρίου καὶ διέβη τὴν γῆν Γαλααδ καὶ τὸν Μανασση καὶ διέβη τὴν σκοπιὰν Γαλααδ καὶ ἀπὸ σκοπιᾶς Γαλααδ εἰς τὸ πέραν υἱῶν Αμμων Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ ᾿Ιεφθάε πνεῦμα Κυρίου, καὶ παρῆλθε τὸν Γαλαὰδ καὶ τὸν Μανασσῆ καὶ παρῆλθε τὴν σκοπιὰν Γαλαὰδ εἰς τὸ πέραν υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών

Judges 11:29 (NETS)

Judges 11:29 (English Elpenor)

And a spirit of the Lord came upon Iephthae, and he passed through the land of Galaad and Manasses.  And he passed through the vantage point of Galaad and from the vantage point of Galaad to the other side of the sons of Ammon. And the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthae, and he passed over Galaad, and Manasse, and passed by the watch-tower of Galaad to the other side of the children of Ammon.

Numbers 30:3 (Tanakh)

Numbers 30:2 (KJV)

Numbers 30:2 (NET)

When a man voweth a vow unto HaShem, or sweareth an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.

Numbers 30:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 30:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν εὔξηται εὐχὴν κυρίῳ ἢ ὀμόσῃ ὅρκον ἢ ὁρίσηται ὁρισμῷ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ οὐ βεβηλώσει τὸ ῥῆμα αὐτοῦ πάντα ὅσα ἐὰν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ποιήσει ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἂν εὔξηται εὐχὴν Κυρίῳ ἢ ὀμόσῃ ὅρκον ἢ ὁρίσηται ὁρισμῷ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, οὐ βεβηλώσει τὸ ρῆμα αὐτοῦ· πάντα ὅσα ἂν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, ποιήσει

Numbers 30:3 (NETS)

Numbers 30:3 (English Elpenor)

Person by person—if he vows a vow to the Lord or swears an oath or determines for himself with determination about his soul, he shall not profane his word; everything that proceeds out of his mouth he shall do. Whatsoever man shall vow a vow to the Lord, or swear an oath, or bind himself with an obligation upon his soul, he shall not break his word; all that shall come out of his mouth he shall do.

Judges 11:36 (Tanakh)

Judges 11:36 (KJV)

Judges 11:36 (NET)

And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon. And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon. She said to him, “My father, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised.  After all, the Lord vindicated you before your enemies, the Ammonites.”

Judges 11:36 (Septuagint BLB)

Judges 11:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν πάτερ μου εἰ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἤνοιξας τὸ στόμα σου πρὸς κύριον ποίει μοι ὃν τρόπον ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐποίησέν σοι κύριος ἐκδικήσεις ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Αμμων δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· πάτερ, ἤνοιξας τὸ στόμα σου πρὸς Κύριον; ποίησόν μοι ὃν τρόπον ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ στόματός σου, ἐν τῷ ποιῆσαί σοι Κύριον ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών

Judges 11:36 (NETS)

Judges 11:36 (English Elpenor)

And she said to him, “My father, if against me you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me as it came out of your mouth, now that the Lord has exacted vengeance for you from your enemies, from the sons of Ammon.” And she said to him, Father, hast thou opened thy mouth to the Lord?  Do to me accordingly as [the word] went out of thy mouth, in that the Lord has wrought vengeance for thee on thine enemies of the children of Ammon.

Judges 11:40 (Tanakh)

Judges 11:40 (KJV)

Judges 11:40 (NET)

That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year. That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year. Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.

Judges 11:40 (Septuagint BLB)

Judges 11:40 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐξ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας συνεπορεύοντο αἱ θυγατέρες Ισραηλ θρηνεῗν τὴν θυγατέρα Ιεφθαε τοῦ Γαλααδίτου τέσσαρας ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας ἐπορεύοντο θυγατέρες ᾿Ισραὴλ θρηνεῖν τὴν θυγατέρα ᾿Ιεφθάε τοῦ Γαλααδίτου ἐπὶ τέσσαρας ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ

Judges 11:40 (NETS)

Judges 11:40 (English Elpenor)

from days to days the daughters of Israel would go together to lament the daughter of Iephthae the Galaadite, four days in the year. and it was an ordinance in Israel, [That] the daughters of Israel went from year to year to bewail the daughter of Jephtha the Galaadite for four days in a year.

Proverbs 20:25 (Tanakh)

Proverbs 20:25 (KJV)

Proverbs 20:25 (NET)

It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, “Holy!” and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.

Proverbs 20:25 (Septuagint BLB)

Proverbs 20:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)

παγὶς ἀνδρὶ ταχύ τι τῶν ἰδίων ἁγιάσαι μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εὔξασθαι μετανοεῗν γίνεται παγὶς ἀνδρὶ ταχύ τι τῶν ἰδίων ἁγιάσαι, μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εὔξασθαι μετανοεῖν γίνεται

Proverbs 20:25 (NETS)

Proverbs 20:25 (English Elpenor)

Quickly to consecrate something of his own is a snare to a man, for after making a vow a change of mind can happen. It is a snare to a man hastily to consecrate some of his own property: for [in that case] repentance comes after vowing.

Jeremiah 19:5 (Tanakh)

Jeremiah 19:5 (KJV)

Jeremiah 19:5 (NET)

They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: They have built places here for worship of the god Baal so that they could sacrifice their children as burnt offerings to him in the fire.  Such sacrifices are something I never commanded them to make.  They are something I never told them to do! Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind.

Jeremiah 19:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 19:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν ὑψηλὰ τῇ Βααλ τοῦ κατακαίειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἐν πυρί ἃ οὐκ ἐνετειλάμην οὐδὲ ἐλάλησα οὐδὲ διενοήθην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν ὑψηλὰ τῇ Βάαλ τοῦ κατακαίειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἐν πυρί, ἃ οὐκ ἐνετειλάμην οὐδὲ διενοήθην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου

Jeremiah 19:5 (NETS)

Jeremiah 19:5 (English Elpenor)

and built high places of the goddess Baal to burn their sons with fire, which things I did not command nor intended in my heart. and built high places for Baal, to burn their children in the fire, which things I commanded not, neither did I design [them] in my heart:

Genesis 4:3 (Tanakh)

Genesis 4:3 (KJV)

Genesis 4:3 (NET)

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto HaShem. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. At the designated time Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering to the Lord.

Genesis 4:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 4:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐγένετο μεθ᾽ ἡμέρας ἤνεγκεν Καιν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς θυσίαν τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἐγένετο μεθ᾿ ἡμέρας ἤνεγκε Κάϊν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς θυσίαν τῷ Κυρίῳ,

Genesis 4:3 (NETS)

Genesis 4:3 (English Elpenor)

And it came about after some days that Kain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruits of the earth, And it was so after some time that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice to the Lord.

Genesis 4:4 (Tanakh)

Genesis 4:4 (KJV)

Genesis 4:4 (NET)

And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.  And HaShem had respect unto Abel and to his offering; And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock—even the fattest of them. And the Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 4:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ Αβελ ἤνεγκεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν στεάτων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπεῗδεν ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ Αβελ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῗς δώροις αὐτοῦ καὶ Ἄβελ ἤνεγκε καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν στεάτων αὐτῶν. καὶ ἐπεῖδεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ ῎Αβελ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ,

Genesis 4:4 (NETS)

Genesis 4:4 (English Elpenor)

And Habel, he also brought of the firstlings of his sheep and of their fat portions.  And God looked upon Habel and upon his gifts, And Abel also brought of the first born of his sheep and of his fatlings, and God looked upon Abel and his gifts,

Genesis 4:5 (Tanakh)

Genesis 4:5 (KJV)

Genesis 4:5 (NET)

but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect.  And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.  And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased.  So Cain became very angry, and his expression was downcast.

Genesis 4:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 4:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπὶ δὲ Καιν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῗς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχεν καὶ ἐλύπησεν τὸν Καιν λίαν καὶ συνέπεσεν τῷ προσώπῳ ἐπὶ δὲ Κάϊν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχε. καὶ ἐλυπήθη Κάϊν λίαν, καὶ συνέπεσε τῷ προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ.

Genesis 4:5 (NETS)

Genesis 4:5 (English Elpenor)

but on Kain and on his offerings he was not intent.  And it distressed Kain exceedingly, and he collapsed in countenance. but Cain and his sacrifices he regarded not, and Cain was exceedingly sorrowful and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:6 (Tanakh)

Genesis 4:6 (KJV)

Genesis 4:6 (NET)

And HaShem said unto Cain: ‘Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast?

Genesis 4:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 4:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῷ Καιν ἵνα τί περίλυπος ἐγένου καὶ ἵνα τί συνέπεσεν τὸ πρόσωπόν σου καὶ εἶπε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Κάϊν· ἵνα τί περίλυπος ἐγένου, καὶ ἵνα τί συνέπεσε τὸ πρόσωπόν σου;

Genesis 4:6 (NETS)

Genesis 4:6 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord God said to Kain, “Why have you become deeply grieved, and why has your countenance collapsed? And the Lord God said to Cain, Why art thou become very sorrowful and why is thy countenance fallen?

Genesis 4:7 (Tanakh)

Genesis 4:7 (KJV)

Genesis 4:7 (NET)

If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door; and unto thee is its desire, but thou mayest rule over it.’ If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.  And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door.  It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.”

Genesis 4:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 4:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐκ ἐὰν ὀρθῶς προσενέγκῃς ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς ἥμαρτες ἡσύχασον πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐὰν ὀρθῶς προσενέγκῃς, ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς, ἥμαρτες; ἡσύχασον· πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ

Genesis 4:7 (NETS)

Genesis 4:7 (English Elpenor)

If you offer correctly but do not divide correctly, have you not sinned?  Be still; his recourse is to you, and you will rule over him.” Hast thou not sinned if thou hast brought it rightly, but not rightly divided it? be still, to thee shall be his submission, and thou shalt rule over him.

Genesis 4:10 (Tanakh)

Genesis 4:10 (KJV)

Genesis 4:10 (NET)

And He said: ‘What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground. And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. But the Lord said, “What have you done?  The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!

Genesis 4:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 4:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν θεός τί ἐποίησας φωνὴ αἵματος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου βοᾷ πρός με ἐκ τῆς γῆς καί εἶπε Κύριος· τί πεποίηκας; φωνὴ αἵματος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου βοᾷ πρός με ἐκ τῆς γῆς

Genesis 4:10 (NETS)

Genesis 4:10 (English Elpenor)

And God said, “What have you done?  The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the earth! And the Lord said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood cries to me out of the ground.

Genesis 4:11 (Tanakh)

Genesis 4:11 (KJV)

Genesis 4:11 (NET)

And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; So now you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

Genesis 4:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 4:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ νῦν ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἣ ἔχανεν τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς δέξασθαι τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου καὶ νῦν ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἣ ἔχανε τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς δέξασθαι τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου

Genesis 4:11 (NETS)

Genesis 4:11 (English Elpenor)

And now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened wide its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. And now thou [art] cursed from the earth which has opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand.

Genesis 4:12 (Tanakh)

Genesis 4:12 (KJV)

Genesis 4:12 (NET)

When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth.’ When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. When you try to cultivate the ground it will no longer yield its best for you.  You will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

Genesis 4:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 4:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὅτι ἐργᾷ τὴν γῆν καὶ οὐ προσθήσει τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῆς δοῦναί σοι στένων καὶ τρέμων ἔσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὅτε ἐργᾷ τὴν γῆν, καὶ οὐ προσθήσει τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῆς δοῦναί σοι· στένων καὶ τρέμων ἔσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

Genesis 4:12 (NETS)

Genesis 4:12 (English Elpenor)

For you will till the earth, and it will not continue to yield its strength to you; you will be groaning and trembling on the earth.” When thou tillest the earth, then it shall not continue to give its strength to thee: thou shalt be groaning and trembling on the earth.

Genesis 4:13 (Tanakh)

Genesis 4:13 (KJV)

Genesis 4:13 (NET)

And Cain said unto HaShem: ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear. And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure!

Genesis 4:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 4:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Καιν πρὸς τὸν κύριον μείζων ἡ αἰτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με καὶ εἶπε Κάϊν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεόν· μείζων ἡ αἰτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με

Genesis 4:13 (NETS)

Genesis 4:13 (English Elpenor)

And Kain said to the Lord, “My guilt is too great for me to be forgiven! And Cain said to the Lord God, My crime [is] too great for me to be forgiven.

Judges 11:30 (Tanakh)

Judges 11:30 (KJV)

Judges 11:30 (NET)

And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me,

Judges 11:30 (Septuagint BLB)

Judges 11:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ηὔξατο Ιεφθαε εὐχὴν τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ εἶπεν ἐὰν παραδώσει παραδῷς μοι τοὺς υἱοὺς Αμμων ἐν χειρί μου καὶ ηὔξατο ᾿Ιεφθάε εὐχὴν τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ εἶπεν· ἐὰν διδοὺς δῷς μοι τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Αμμὼν ἐν τῇ χειρί μου

Judges 11:30 (NETS)

Judges 11:30 (English Elpenor)

And Iephthae vowed a vow to the Lord and said, “If with a giving over, you will give over to me the sons of Ammon in my hand, And Jephthae vowed a vow to the Lord, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,

Judges 11:31 (Tanakh)

Judges 11:31 (KJV)

Judges 11:31 (NET)

Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites—he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.”

Judges 11:31 (Septuagint BLB)

Judges 11:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔσται ὃς ἂν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τῶν θυρῶν τοῦ οἴκου μου εἰς ἀπάντησίν μου ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέψαι με ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Αμμων καὶ ἔσται τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἀνοίσω αὐτὸν ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ ἔσται ἐκπορευόμενος, ὃς ἂν ἐξέλθῃ ἀπὸ τῆς θύρας τοῦ οἴκου μου εἰς συνάντησίν μου ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέφειν με ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἀπὸ υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών, καὶ ἔσται τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀνοίσω αὐτὸν ὁλοκαύτωμα

Judges 11:31 (NETS)

Judges 11:31 (English Elpenor)

it shall also be that whoever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, shall also be the Lord’s, and I will offer him up as a whole burnt offering.” then it shall come to pass that whosoever shall first come out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, he shall be the Lord’s: I will offer him up for a whole-burnt-offering.

 


1 Judges 11:29a (NET)

2 Numbers 30:2 (NET)

3 Judges 11:36 (NET)

4 Judges 11:40 (NET)

5 Matthew 10:37b (NET)

6 Proverbs 20:25 (NET)

7 Jeremiah 19:5bc (NET)

9 Genesis 4:3 (NET)

10 Genesis 4:4b, 5 (NET)

11 Geneis 4:6, 7 (NET)

12 Genesis 4:10-12 (NET)  When thou tillest the earth, then it shall not continue to give its strength to thee: thou shalt be groaning and trembling on the earth. Genesis 4:12 (Elpenor English)

13 Genesis 4:13 (NET)

14 Romans 5:13 (NET)

15 Romans 7:4-6 (NET)

16 2 Peter 3:9 (NET) Table

17 Exodus 33:19b (NET) Table

18 Jeremiah 19:5 (NET)

19 Matthew 5:33, 34a, 37 (NET)

20 Judges 11:30, 31 (NET)

21 Consider the same passage in the KJV: And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

22 Paraphrase of Romans 10:2, 3 (NET)