The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

Posted on March 7, 2022 by admin

This is a continuation of my consideration of God’s love for Satan revealed in the book of Job. I’ve stepped away some from the main topic to consider Satan’s power if and only if the Lord removes the hedge (śûḵ, שׁכת) He has made around Job and his household and all that he has on every side.¹ And this was the experiment Satan proposed to test his hypothesis explaining Job’s fear (yārē’, ירא; Septuagint: σέβεται, a form of σέβω, worship) of God.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:17 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 1:17 (NET)	Job 1:17 (NETS)	Job 1:17 (English Elpenor)
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”	While he was still speaking, a further messenger came and said to Iob, “Horsemen formed three columns against us, and they encircled the camels and carried them off and killed the servants with daggers, but I alone escaped, and I came to tell you.”	While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, The horsemen formed three companies against us, and surrounded the camels, and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I only escaped, and am come to tell thee.

I called this kind of power “Satan 101”: persuading unscrupulous people—who may have been lusting after Job’s camels already—that this was the opportune moment to strike. Something else needs to be addressed here, however, the formula: While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said…and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. This formula will be repeated one more time.

This side of the judgment seat of Christ it seems most prudent to me to assume that this is the way events unfolded. It’s what the text says. But if I sit down with Job someday and he says, “No, no, it happened over a week,” or a month or six months, I won’t be offended. Something about the way the book of Job is constructed tells me I’m reading a dramatic retelling of a true story.

According to “A Glossary of Terms Essential to Describing Literature in the English Major (rev. 9/26/01)” online:

time compression/expansion [is] a dramatic or narrative device by which an author manipulates characters’ and readers’ emotions through speeding up or slowing down the apparent rate of time on the stage or in time.

Though I find it difficult to imagine the culture that might enjoy a presentation of Job as entertainment and edification, it’s fairly easy to recognize that this repeated formula could create a ripple of nervous laughter in an audience, comic relief to ease the tension of the horrors portrayed on stage.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:18 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 1:18 (NET)	Job 1:18 (NETS)	Job 1:18 (English Elpenor)
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:	While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,	While he was still speaking, another messenger came, saying to Job, “As your sons and daughters were eating and drinking at their elder brother’s,	While he is yet speaking, another messenger comes, saying to Job, While thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking with their elder brother,

If I am standing before the judgment seat of Christ and He asks why I believed that all these things happened to Job in a short period of time, I can answer: While the statement at the beginning of this section—And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house²—seems out of place at first, the final messenger’s repetition of that very statement seems to indicate that you wanted me to know that all of this occurred during the course of this meal.

If on the other hand Jesus asks why I believed that these events and their revelations happened over the course of a week or a month or six months, I would be left stuttering and stammering something I learned in an English class at school about dramatic writing and time compression.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:19 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 1:19 (NET)	Job 1:19 (NETS)	Job 1:19 (English Elpenor)
And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men (הַנְּעָרִ֖ים), and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	and suddenly a great wind swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people (naʿar, הנערים), and they died! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”	suddenly a great wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and the house fell on your children (τὰ παιδία σου), and they died, but I alone escaped, and I came to tell you.”	suddenly a great wind came on from the desert, and caught the four corners of the house, and the house fell upon thy children (τὰ παιδία σου), and they are dead; and I have escaped alone, and am come to tell thee.

Satan had power over the wind to destroy a house and take human life if and only if God gave him leave to do so. “All right then,” the Lord said to Satan when He authorized his scientific experiment, “everything he has is in your power (literally: in your hand). Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!”³ As scientific experiments go, this one was brutal.

Admittedly, I don’t feel it fully until Job’s children were killed, but the Hebrew word in the Masoretic text for servants and young people was the same [see the table below]. God, I believe, felt everything of the cost of this scientific experiment before He authorized it and loved Satan enough to proceed anyway. But what about Job’s children and servants?

A story Jesus told comes to mind here (Luke 16:19-21 NET):

“There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. But at his gate lay⁴ a poor man (πτωχὸς) named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,⁵ who longed to eat⁶ what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked⁷ his sores.

In another essay I approached this story from the viewpoint of Jesus’ saying, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”⁸ I wrote that his disciples “believed that the rich were blessed by God, that their wealth was a sign of his approval and favor. And I assume they believed this because their religious teachers believed and taught it.” I am right there with them, however, if I consider the blessings and curses Moses pronounced on Israel.

Deuteronomy 28:2-6, 8 (NET)	Deuteronomy 28:15-19, 21 (NET)
All these blessings will come to you in abundance if you obey the Lord your God:	But if you ignore the Lord your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force:
You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field.	You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the field.
Your children will be blessed, as well as the produce of your soil, the offspring of your livestock, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.	Your basket and your mixing bowl will be cursed.
Your basket and your mixing bowl will be blessed.	Your children will be cursed, as well as the produce of your soil, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.
You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.	You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.
The Lord will decree blessing for you with respect to your barns and in everything you do—yes, he will bless you in the land he is giving you.	The Lord will plague you with deadly diseases until he has completely removed you from the land you are about to possess.

If I judge according to external appearance,⁹ I can be as surprised as Jesus’ disciples were (Luke 16:22, 23 NET)

“Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s¹⁰ side. The rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades (ᾅδῃ, a form of ᾅδης), as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham¹¹ far off with Lazarus at his side.

“God does not view things the way people do,” the Lord said to Samuel. “People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”¹² Jesus continued (Luke 16:24, 25 NET):

So [the rich man] called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue because I am in anguish in this fire.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that¹³ in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.

I wrote that this entire story “is not to be taken too literally” when I thought that literally meant to take it as a picture of heaven and hell (the lake of fire). I called Abraham’s response to the rich man “karmic nonsense” until I began to consider that “God’s love [for Lazarus] was revealed after Lazarus’ death.” I stumbled around his response again considering God’s goodness and patience: The Lord…is being patient toward you because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.¹⁴

So here I am again, brought to this story wondering about the deaths of Job’s children and servants. Perhaps I’m ready now to take it and Abraham’s response to the rich man literally. The Lord knew the rich man’s life, choked by thorns: The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.¹⁵ After his death he is brought to an intense focus.

And I no longer feel compelled to assume that the poor man was faithful or virtuous because angels carried him to Abraham’s side if I take Abraham at his word: Lazarus [received] bad things, but now he is comforted here. Abraham continued to answer the request of the rich man (Luke 16:26 NET Table):

Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’

The rich man, Abraham and Lazarus were not spirits likened to wind, free to go wherever they wanted. They were imprisoned, compelled as it were to focus their attentions. The rich man said (Luke 16:27, 28 NET):

‘Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus to my father’s house (for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’

Both the rich man and Lazarus had no less a personage than Abraham, the father of us all, to focus their attentions precisely (Luke 16:29 NET):

But¹⁶ Abraham said,¹⁷ ‘They have¹⁸ Moses¹⁹ and the prophets; they must respond to them.’

Their deaths had not altered the fact that the Bible (as it existed at that time)—Moses and the prophets—remained the primary focus of human attention. The rich man wanted to argue but Abraham was firm (Luke 16:30, 31 NET):

Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses²⁰ and the prophets, they will not²¹ be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

I’m embarrassed how often I’ve missed what is now so clear in this context: Abraham learned everything he knew of Moses and the prophets who followed him from his own place in Hades after his death. I can trust Job’s children and servants to the grace and mercy of God.

The table mentioned above follows:

Reference	Hebrew	Tanakh/KJV, NET	Greek	NETS, English Elpenor
Job 1:15 Table	הַנְּעָרִ֖ים	the servants	τοὺς παῖδας	the servants
Job 1:16 Table	וּבַנְּעָרִ֖ים	and the servants	καὶ τοὺς ποιμένας	the shepherds
Job 1:17	הַנְּעָרִ֖ים	the servants	τοὺς παῖδας	the servants
Job 1:19	הַנְּעָרִ֖ים	the young men, the young people	τὰ παιδία σου	your children, thy children

Tables comparing Job 1:17; 1:18; 1:19; Deuteronomy 28:2; 28:15; 28:3; 28:16; 28:4; 28:17; 28:5; 28:18; 28:6; 28:19; 28:8; 28:21 and 1 Samuel 16:7 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 1:17; 1:18; 1:19; Deuteronomy 28:2; 28:15; 28:3; 28:16; 28:4; 28:17; 28:5; 28:18; 28:6; 28:19; 28:8; 28:21 and 1 Samuel (1 Reigns, 1 Kings) 16:7 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Luke 16:20, 21; 16:22, 23; 16:25; 16:29 and 16:31 in the NET and KJV follow.

Job 1:17 (Tanakh)	Job 1:17 (KJV)	Job 1:17 (NET)
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

Job 1:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἦλθεν ἕτερος ἄγγελος καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς Ιωβ οἱ ἱππεῗς ἐποίησαν ἡμῗν κεφαλὰς τρεῗς καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν τὰς καμήλους καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν αὐτὰς καὶ τοὺς παῗδας ἀπέκτειναν ἐν μαχαίραις ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῗλαί σοι	ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἦλθεν ἕτερος ἄγγελος καὶ εἶπε πρὸς ᾿Ιώβ· οἱ ἱππεῖς ἐποίησαν ἡμῖν κεφαλὰς τρεῖς καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν τὰς καμήλους καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν αὐτὰς καὶ τοὺς παῖδας ἀπέκτειναν ἐν μαχαίραις· ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι
Job 1:17 (NETS)	Job 1:17 (English Elpenor)
While he was still speaking, a further messenger came and said to Iob, “Horsemen formed three columns against us, and they encircled the camels and carried them off and killed the servants with daggers, but I alone escaped, and I came to tell you.”	While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, The horsemen formed three companies against us, and surrounded the camels, and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I only escaped, and am come to tell thee.

Job 1:18 (Tanakh)	Job 1:18 (KJV)	Job 1:18 (NET)
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:	While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:	While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,

Job 1:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἄλλος ἄγγελος ἔρχεται λέγων τῷ Ιωβ τῶν υἱῶν σου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων σου ἐσθιόντων καὶ πινόντων παρὰ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτῶν τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ	ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἄλλος ἄγγελος ἔρχεται λέγων τῷ ᾿Ιώβ· τῶν υἱῶν σου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων σου ἐσθιόντων καὶ πινόντων παρὰ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτῶν τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ
Job 1:18 (NETS)	Job 1:18 (English Elpenor)
While he was still speaking, another messenger came, saying to Job, “As your sons and daughters were eating and drinking at their elder brother’s,	While he is yet speaking, another messenger comes, saying to Job, Whle thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking with their elder brother,

Job 1:19 (Tanakh)	Job 1:19 (KJV)	Job 1:19 (NET)
And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	and suddenly a great wind swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

Job 1:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξαίφνης πνεῦμα μέγα ἐπῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ ἥψατο τῶν τεσσάρων γωνιῶν τῆς οἰκίας καὶ ἔπεσεν ἡ οἰκία ἐπὶ τὰ παιδία σου καὶ ἐτελεύτησαν ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῗλαί σοι	ἐξαίφνης πνεῦμα μέγα ἐπῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ ἥψατο τῶν τεσσάρων γωνιῶν τῆς οἰκίας, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἡ οἰκία ἐπὶ τὰ παιδία σου, καὶ ἐτελεύτησαν· ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι
Job 1:19 (NETS)	Job 1:19 (English Elpenor)
suddenly a great wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and the house fell on your children, and they died, but I alone escaped, and I came to tell you.”	suddenly a great wind came on from the desert, and caught the four corners of the house, and the house fell upon thy children, and they are dead; and I have escaped alone, and am come to tell thee.

Deuteronomy 28:2 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:2 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:2 (NET)
And all these blessings shall come upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of HaShem thy G-d.	And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.	All these blessings will come to you in abundance if you obey the Lord your God:

Deuteronomy 28:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἥξουσιν ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ εὐλογίαι αὗται καὶ εὑρήσουσίν σε ἐὰν ἀκοῇ ἀκούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου	καὶ ἥξουσιν ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ εὐλογίαι αὗται καὶ εὑρήσουσί σε, ἐὰν ἀκοῇ ἀκούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου
Deuteronomy 28:2 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:2 (English Elpenor)
and all these blessing shall come upon you and find you, if you hear the voice of the Lord your God:	and all these blessings shall come upon thee, and shall find thee. If thou wilt indeed hear the voice of the Lord thy God,

Deuteronomy 28:15 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:15 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:15 (NET)
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of HaShem thy G-d, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.	But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:	But if you ignore the Lord your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force:

Deuteronomy 28:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν μὴ εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῗν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον καὶ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ κατάραι αὗται καὶ καταλήμψονταί σε	Καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν μὴ εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῖν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, καὶ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ κατάραι αὗται καὶ καταλήψονταί σε
Deuteronomy 28:15 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:15 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be, if you do not listen to the voice of the Lord your God to keep and to do all his commandments, which I command you today, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you:	But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe all his commandments, as many as I charge thee this day, then all these curses shall come on thee, and overtake thee.

Deuteronomy 28:3 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:3 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:3 (NET)
Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.	Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.	You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν πόλει καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ	εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν πόλει καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ
Deuteronomy 28:3 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:3 (English Elpenor)
Blessed be you in the city, and blessed be you in the field.	blessed [shalt] thou [be] in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:16 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:16 (NET)
Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.	Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.	You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν πόλει καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ	ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν πόλει, καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ
Deuteronomy 28:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:16 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be you in the city, and cursed be you in the field.	Cursed [shalt] thou [be] in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:4 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:4 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:4 (NET)
Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the young of thy flock.	Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.	Your children will be blessed, as well as the produce of your soil, the offspring of your livestock, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.

Deuteronomy 28:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εὐλογημένα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου	εὐλογημένα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου καὶ τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου
Deuteronomy 28:4 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:4 (English Elpenor)
Blessed be the progeny of your belly and the produce of your land, the herds of your cows and the flocks of your sheep.	Blessed shall be the offspring of thy body, and the fruits of thy land, and the herds of thy oxen, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Deuteronomy 28:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:17 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:17 (NET)
Cursed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough.	Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.	Your basket and your mixing bowl will be cursed.

Deuteronomy 28:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατοι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου	ἐπικατάρατοι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου
Deuteronomy 28:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:17 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be your storehouses and your reserves.	Cursed shall be thy barns and thy stores.

Deuteronomy 28:5 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:5 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:5 (NET)
Blessed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough.	Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.	Your basket and your mixing bowl will be blessed.

Deuteronomy 28:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εὐλογημέναι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου	εὐλογημέναι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου
Deuteronomy 28:5 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:5 (English Elpenor)
Blessed be your storehouses and your reserves.	Blessed shall be thy barns, and thy stores.

Deuteronomy 28:18 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:18 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:18 (NET)
Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the young of thy flock.	Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.	Your children will be cursed, as well as the produce of your soil, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.

Deuteronomy 28:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου	ἐπικατάρατα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου, τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου
Deuteronomy 28:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:18 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the progeny of your belly and the produce of your land, the herds of your cows and the flocks of your sheep.	Cursed shall be the offspring of thy body, and the fruits of thy land, the herds of thine oxen, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Deuteronomy 28:6 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:6 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:6 (NET)
Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.	Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.	You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

Deuteronomy 28:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε	εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε, καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε
Deuteronomy 28:6 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:6 (English Elpenor)
Blessed be you when you come in, and blessed be you when you go out.	Blessed shalt thou be in thy coming in, and blessed shalt thou be in thy going out.

Deuteronomy 28:19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:19 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:19 (NET)
Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.	Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.	You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.

Deuteronomy 28:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε	ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε
Deuteronomy 28:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:19 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be you when you come in, and cursed be you when you go out.	And all the people fell upon their faces, and said, Truly the Lord [is] God; he [is] God.

Deuteronomy 28:8 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:8 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:8 (NET)
HaShem will command the blessing with thee in thy barns, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto; and He will bless thee in the land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee.	The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.	The Lord will decree blessing for you with respect to your barns and in everything you do—yes, he will bless you in the land he is giving you.

Deuteronomy 28:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀποστείλαι κύριος ἐπὶ σὲ τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐν τοῗς ταμιείοις σου καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῗρά σου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἧς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι	ἀποστείλαι Κύριος ἐπὶ σὲ τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις σου καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα, οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου, ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι
Deuteronomy 28:8 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:8 (English Elpenor)
May the Lord send the blessing upon you in your storerooms and in all things to which you put your hand in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.	The Lord send upon thee his blessing in thy barns, and on all on which thou shalt put thine hand, in the land which the Lord thy God gives thee.

Deuteronomy 28:21 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:21 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:21 (NET)
HaShem will make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until He have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest in to possess it.	The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.	The Lord will plague you with deadly diseases until he has completely removed you from the land you are about to possess.

Deuteronomy 28:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
προσκολλήσαι κύριος εἰς σὲ τὸν θάνατον ἕως ἂν ἐξαναλώσῃ σε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς εἰς ἣν σὺ εἰσπορεύῃ ἐκεῗ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν	προσκολλήσαι Κύριος εἰς σὲ τὸν θάνατον, ἕως ἂν ἐξαναλώσῃ σε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, εἰς ἣν εἰσπορεύῃ ἐκεῖ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν
Deuteronomy 28:21 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:21 (English Elpenor)
May the Lord make death cling to you until it consumes you off the land that you are entering there to inherit it.	The Lord cause the pestilence to cleave to thee, until he shall have consumed thee off the land into which thou goest to inherit it.

1 Samuel 16:7 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)	1 Samuel 16:7 (NET)
But HaShem said unto Samuel: ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but HaShem looketh on the heart.’	But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.	But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way people do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 16:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Σαμουηλ μὴ ἐπιβλέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῦ μηδὲ εἰς τὴν ἕξιν μεγέθους αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἐξουδένωκα αὐτόν ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἐμβλέψεται ἄνθρωπος ὄψεται ὁ θεός ὅτι ἄνθρωπος ὄψεται εἰς πρόσωπον ὁ δὲ θεὸς ὄψεται εἰς καρδίαν	καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Σαμουήλ· μὴ ἐπιβλέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῦ μηδὲ εἰς τὴν ἕξιν μεγέθους αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐξουδένωκα αὐτόν· ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἐμβλέψεται ἄνθρωπος, ὄψεται ὁ Θεός, ὅτι ἄνθρωπος ὄψεται εἰς πρόσωπον, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ὄψεται εἰς καρδίαν
1 Reigns 16:7 (NETS)	1 Kings 16:7 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to Samouel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the posture of his size, because I have rejected him, for God will not look as a mortal will see, for a mortal will see into a face, but God will see into a heart.”	But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance, nor on his stature, for I have rejected him; for God sees not as man looks; for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Luke 16:20, 21 (NET)	Luke 16:20, 21 (KJV)
But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,	And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πτωχὸς δέ τις ὀνόματι Λάζαρος ἐβέβλητο πρὸς τὸν πυλῶνα αὐτοῦ εἱλκωμένος	πτωχος δε τις ην ονοματι λαζαρος ος εβεβλητο προς τον πυλωνα αυτου ηλκωμενος	πτωχος δε τις ην ονοματι λαζαρος ος εβεβλητο προς τον πυλωνα αυτου ηλκωμενος

who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores

And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἐπιθυμῶν χορτασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν πιπτόντων ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τοῦ πλουσίου· ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ κύνες ἐρχόμενοι ἐπέλειχον τὰ ἕλκη αὐτοῦ	και επιθυμων χορτασθηναι απο των ψιχιων των πιπτοντων απο της τραπεζης του πλουσιου αλλα και οι κυνες ερχομενοι απελειχον τα ελκη αυτου	και επιθυμων χορτασθηναι απο των ψιχιων των πιπτοντων απο της τραπεζης του πλουσιου αλλα και οι κυνες ερχομενοι απελειχον τα ελκη αυτου

Luke 16:22, 23 (NET)	Luke 16:22,23 (KJV)
“Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.	And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐγένετο δὲ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πτωχὸν καὶ ἀπενεχθῆναι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς τὸν κόλπον Ἀβραάμ· ἀπέθανεν δὲ καὶ ὁ πλούσιος καὶ ἐτάφη	εγενετο δε αποθανειν τον πτωχον και απενεχθηναι αυτον υπο των αγγελων εις τον κολπον του αβρααμ απεθανεν δε και ο πλουσιος και εταφη	εγενετο δε αποθανειν τον πτωχον και απενεχθηναι αυτον υπο των αγγελων εις τον κολπον αβρααμ απεθανεν δε και ο πλουσιος και εταφη

And in Hades, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, ὑπάρχων ἐν βασάνοις, ὁρᾷ Ἀβραὰμ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν καὶ Λάζαρον ἐν τοῖς κόλποις αὐτοῦ	και εν τω αδη επαρας τους οφθαλμους αυτου υπαρχων εν βασανοις ορα τον αβρααμ απο μακροθεν και λαζαρον εν τοις κολποις αυτου	και εν τω αδη επαρας τους οφθαλμους αυτου υπαρχων εν βασανοις ορα τον αβρααμ απο μακροθεν και λαζαρον εν τοις κολποις αυτου

Luke 16:25 (NET)	Luke 16:25 (KJV)
But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.	But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἶπεν δὲ Ἀβραάμ· τέκνον, μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ Λάζαρος ὁμοίως τὰ κακά· νῦν δὲ ὧδε παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι	ειπεν δε αβρααμ τεκνον μνησθητι οτι απελαβες συ τα αγαθα σου εν τη ζωη σου και λαζαρος ομοιως τα κακα νυν δε οδε παρακαλειται συ δε οδυνασαι	ειπεν δε αβρααμ τεκνον μνησθητι οτι απελαβες συ τα αγαθα σου εν τη ζωη σου και λαζαρος ομοιως τα κακα νυν δε ωδε παρακαλειται συ δε οδυνασαι

Luke 16:29 (NET)	Luke 16:29 (KJV)
But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’	Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγει δὲ Ἀβραάμ· ἔχουσι Μωϋσέα καὶ τοὺς προφήτας· ἀκουσάτωσαν αὐτῶν	λεγει αυτω αβρααμ εχουσιν μωσεα και τους προφητας ακουσατωσαν αυτων	λεγει αυτω αβρααμ εχουσιν μωσεα και τους προφητας ακουσατωσαν αυτων

Luke 16:31 (NET)	Luke 16:31 (KJV)
He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”	And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ· εἰ Μωϋσέως καὶ τῶν προφητῶν οὐκ ἀκούουσιν, οὐδ᾿ ἐάν τις ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ πεισθήσονται	ειπεν δε αυτω ει μωσεως και των προφητων ουκ ακουουσιν ουδε εαν τις εκ νεκρων αναστη πεισθησονται	ειπεν δε αυτω ει μωσεως και των προφητων ουκ ακουουσιν ουδε εαν τις εκ νεκρων αναστη πεισθησονται

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 9

Back to Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 11

Back to The Book of Life, Part 1

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11

Back to Nothing True, Part 2

Back to Nothing True, Part 5

Back to Wonders and False Wonders, Part 3

Back to Who Am I? Part 16

Back to Luke 8:22-56

¹ Job 1:10a (NET) Table

² Job 1:13 (Tanakh, KJV) Table

³ Job 1:12 (NET) Table

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ος (KJV: which) preceding lay (KJV: was laid). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἱλκωμένος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηλκωμενος (KJV: full of sores).

⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had των ψιχιων (KJV: the crumbs) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπέλειχον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απελειχον.

⁸ Mark 10:23b (NET)

⁹ John 7:24a (NET)

¹⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had του preceding Abraham’s here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τον preceding Abraham. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹² 1 Samuel 16:7b (NET)

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συ (KJV: thou) following that. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ 2 Peter 3:9 (NET) Table

¹⁵ Matthew 13:22 (NET) Table

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτω (KJV: unto him) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text had ἔχουσι here, where the NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ἔχουσιν.

¹⁹ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Moses was spelled Μωϋσέα, and μωσεα in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²⁰ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Moses was spelled Μωϋσέως, and μωσεως in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²¹The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὐδ᾿ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουδε (KJV: neither).

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 7

Posted on January 5, 2022 by admin

This is a continuation of my consideration of God’s love for Satan revealed in the book of Job. I left off when יהוה (Yᵊhōvâ) authorized the experiment testing Satan’s hypothesis:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:12 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Job 1:12 (NET)	Job 1:12 (NETS) Table	Job 1:12 (Elpenor English)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.	So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.	Then the Lord said to the salnderer, “Look, all that he has I am giving into your power, but do not touch him.” So the slanderer went out from the Lord.	Then the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I give into thine hand all that he has, but touch not himself. So the devil went out from the presence of the Lord.

Though I considered glossing over the next few verses, it seems relevant now to carefully consider Satan’s power if and only if the Lord removes the hedge He has made around Job’s household and all that he has: Have you not made a hedge (śûḵ, שׁכת) around him and his household and all that he has on every side?^[1]

Now the day came when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and a messenger came to Job, saying, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing beside them, and the Sabeans swooped down and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”^[2]

To the unbeliever this could seem like coincidence even as someone paying heed to the scripture recognizes it as Satan’s power. Satan had complained about Job’s prosperity and the hedge the Lord had made around it, gotten leave to take that prosperity away, and then it began to happen. Persuading unscrupulous people—who may have been lusting after Job’s oxen and donkeys already—that this was the opportune moment to strike seems a bit like Satan 101. What happened next might be thought of as Satan 201:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:16 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 1:16 (NET)	Job 1:16 (NETS)	Job 1:16 (Elpenor English)
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God (אֱלֹהִ֗ים) is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	While this one was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said, “The fire of God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants—it has consumed them! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”	While he was still speaking, a further messenger came and said to Iob, “Fire fell from the sky and burned up the sheep, and it likewise consumed the shepherds, and when I alone escaped, I came to tell you.”	While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, Fire has fallen from heaven, and burnt up the sheep, and devoured the shepherds like wise; and I having escaped alone am come to tell thee.

I don’t know if אֱלֹהִ֗ים (‘ĕlōhîm), of God (Tanakh, KJV, NET), was ignored by the rabbis who translated the Septuagint or added by the Masoretes. While I assume that The fire of God…from heaven or Fire…from the sky was lightning, a lightning strike (though there is nothing in the text compelling me to limit it to one lightning strike) killing 7,000 sheep and their shepherds is beyond my personal experience. I try to keep an open mind to the possibility that The fire of God…from heaven or Fire…from the sky that killed 7,000 sheep and their shepherds was a phenomenon I haven’t seen..

The point here, I think, is that The fire of God…from heaven or Fire…from the sky that killed 7,000 sheep and their shepherds was under Satan’s control, if and only if God allowed it. That if and only if becomes extremely interesting when considering the story of Elijah and the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:21-24 NET).

Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word. Elijah said to them: “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal.^[3] Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. Then you will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.” All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.”

Here I find another hypothesis and a proposed test for that hypothesis. Elijah’s hypothesis was, The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.^[4] The test for his hypothesis was that the bull that burst spontaneously into flame, his or theirs, designated which God, יהוה (Yᵊhōvâ) or Baal, is the true God. As a scientific experiment this one clearly lacks some controls relative to Satan’s experiment with Job.

The priests of Baal called on him from morning until evening without result (1 Kings 18:25-29). Then Elijah built an altar and called on יהוה (1 Kings 18:36b-39 NET).

“O Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove (yāḏaʿ, יודע; Septuagint: γνώτωσαν, a form of γινώσκω) today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know (yāḏaʿ, וידעו; Septuagint: γνώτω, another form of γινώσκω) that you, O Lord, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.” Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!”

It was an impressive demonstration. Elijah’s hypothesis—The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God—was not falsified. The logical structure of the scientific method is designed to falsify hypotheses. It doesn’t prove anything except, perhaps, that the effect in question is not due to chance. The test of Elijah’s hypothesis was designed well enough to demonstrate that fire falling from a cloudless sky in the midst of a drought hitting either of two targets at any time near the prayer of the prophets was probably not a random event.

The controls for this particular experiment were: 1) the specified targets for the fire from the sky, the two sacrifices; and 2) the timing of fire falling from the sky, after the prayer of the prophets of Baal or after the prayer of Elijah. But Elijah himself mentioned a variable his test did not control for (I Kings 18:27 NET).

At noon Elijah mocked [the prophets of Baal], “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.”

So, did יהוה (Yᵊhōvâ) send fire from the sky on time and on target, or was it Baal, late and off target? Elijah’s test can’t tell us, especially since he changed the conditions mid-experiment (1 Kings 18:32b, 33b-35).

Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs of seed.…Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” When they had done so, he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench.

If “fire from the sky” was lightning or shared some of the electrical properties of lightning, did Elijah cheat by making his sacrifice a better conductor of electricity than that of the prophets of Baal? The simplest way to improve the rigor of Elijah’s experiment is to repeat it a second time with the conditions reversed:^[5] Let Elijah go first and let the prophets of Baal water down their sacrifice before Elijah prays. But who—other than a prophet of יהוה (Yᵊhōvâ), hearing and obeying his voice—would propose such a test even once, much less twice?

Fortunately, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.^[6] The believer ascertains the identity of the One who caused fire to fall from the sky from the written word of God. And here both the Masoretic text and Septuagint agree; the fire was from Yᵊhōvâ (יְהֹוָ֗ה), translated παρὰ Κυρίου (a form of κύριος) in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Kings 18:38 (Tanakh/KJV)	1 Kings 18:38 (NET)	3 Reigns 18:38 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:38 (Elpenor English)
Then the fire of the LORD (יְהֹוָ֗ה) fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.	Then fire from the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench.	And fire from the Lord (παρὰ κυρίου) fell from heaven and consumed the whole burnt offering and the firewood and the water that was in the thaala and the stones, and the fire licked up the dust.	Then fire fell from the Lord (παρὰ Κυρίου) out of heaven, and devoured the whole-burnt-offerings, and the wood and the water that was in the trench, and the fire licked up the stones and the earth.

My purpose here was to consider this story in the light of the knowledge that Satan does in fact have the power to call fire down from the sky if and only if Yᵊhōvâ (יְהֹוָה) gives him leave to exercise that power. Faith gives me new insight into this story I might miss as an outsider analyzing it as a scientific experiment. Without getting too involved in the question whether Baal was another name for Satan or another entity under Satan’s control, through faith I feel fairly confident assuming that Yᵊhōvâ (יְהֹוָה) did not give Satan leave to interfere with the demonstration of Elijah’s authority to speak on Yᵊhōvâ’s behalf. Elijah prayed: let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.^[7]

But^[8] no one is able^[9] to enter a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man, Jesus told the experts in the law. Then he can thoroughly plunder^[10] his house.^[11] There was no need to command Elijah to water down the sacrifice of the prophets of Baal because Yᵊhōvâ knew He hadn’t given Satan leave to call down fire from the sky (1 Kings 18:25, 26, 28 NET).

Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.” So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made.…they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Kings 18:29 (Tanakh/KJV)	1 Kings 18:29 (NET)	3 Reigns 18:29 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:29 (Elpenor English)
And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.	Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, but there was no sound, no answer, and no response.	and they were acting the prophet until evening came. And it happened, as it was the time for the sacrifice to ascend and there was no voice, that Eliou the Thesbite spoke to the prophets of the offenses, saying, “Stand aside for the present, and I will do my whole burnt offering,” and they stood aside and departed.	And they prophesied until the evening came; and it came to pass as it was the time of the offering of the sacrifice, that Eliu the Thesbite spoke to the prophets of the abominations, saying, Stand by for the present, and I will offer my sacrifice. And they stood aside and departed.

The purpose of a lightning rod is not to call down lightning from the sky, though that might arguably be its effect at times. The purpose of a lightning rod is to offer a direct path to ground, protecting, insulating the house and its occupants from the harmful effects of a lightning strike. Through faith I can see these things as circumstantial evidence that fire from the sky was lightning (or something sharing the electrical properties of lightning), and that Yᵊhōvâ protected those whose hearts would be turned back to Him (not to mention all the other bystanders) by telling his prophet Elijah to drench the sacrifice with water. Hear me, O LORD, Elijah prayed, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.^[12]

I don’t study the Bible because I have some deep interest in ancient Jewish history or even the Jewish or Christian religions. I study the Bible with the Holy Spirit to know…the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent,^[13] to enjoy what Jesus called eternal life (ἡ αἰώνιος ζωὴ) here and now. As I follow Jesus through the Scriptures I not only gain insight into the mind of יְהֹוָה (Yᵊhōvâ) as He commanded Elijah to prepare his sacrifice, I gain insight into the mind and life of Christ.

Jesus didn’t fantasize as a boy about binding strong men and plundering their houses. He didn’t grow up and apply that fantasy to Him or his Father. 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] He saw his Father bind Satan in some of the very same Scriptures He leads me through now, as He studied with the Holy Spirit as a boy. When He promised his disciples that when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth,^[15] He simply recounted his own experience growing up.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Job 1:13; 1:14; 1:15; 1:16; 1 Kings 18:21; 18:22; 18:23; 18:24; 18:36; 18:37; 18:38; 18:39; 18:27; 18:32; 18:33; 18:34; 18:35; 18:25; 18:26; 18:28 and 18:29 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 1:13; 1:14; 1:15; 1:16; 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 18:21; 18:22; 18:23; 18:24; 18:36; 18:37; 18:38; 18:39; 18:27; 18:32; 18:33; 18:34; 18:35; 18:25; 18:26; 18:28 and 18:29 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Mark 3:27 in the NET and KJV follow.

Job 1:13 (Tanakh)	Job 1:13 (KJV)	Job 1:13 (NET)
And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:	And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:	Now the day came when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,

Job 1:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦν ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη οἱ υἱοὶ Ιωβ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ ἔπινον οἶνον ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου	Καὶ ἦν ὡς ἡ ἡμέρα αὕτη, οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ιὼβ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ ἔπινον οἶνον ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου
Job 1:13 (NETS)	Job 1:13 (English Elpenor)
So it was, when it was the set day, Iob’s sons and daughters were drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house.	And it came to pass on a certain day, that Job᾿s sons and his daughters were drinking wine in the house of their elder brother.

Job 1:14 (Tanakh)	Job 1:14 (KJV)	Job 1:14 (NET)
And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:	And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:	and a messenger came to Job, saying, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing beside them,

Job 1:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος ἦλθεν πρὸς Ιωβ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὰ ζεύγη τῶν βοῶν ἠροτρία καὶ αἱ θήλειαι ὄνοι ἐβόσκοντο ἐχόμεναι αὐτῶν	καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος ἦλθε πρὸς ᾿Ιὼβ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τὰ ζεύγη τῶν βοῶν ἠροτρία, καὶ αἱ θήλειαι ὄνοι ἐβόσκοντο ἐχόμεναι αὐτῶν,
Job 1:14 (NETS)	Job 1:14 (English Elpenor)
And, look, a messenger came to Iob and said to him, “The yokes of oxen were plowing, and the she-donkeys were feeding beside them,	And, behold, there came a messenger to Job, and said to him, The yokes of oxen were ploughing, and the she-asses were feeding near them;

Job 1:15 (Tanakh)	Job 1:15 (KJV)	Job 1:15 (NET)
And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	and the Sabeans swooped down and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

Job 1:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλθόντες οἱ αἰχμαλωτεύοντες ᾐχμαλώτευσαν αὐτὰς καὶ τοὺς παῗδας ἀπέκτειναν ἐν μαχαίραις σωθεὶς δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῗλαί σοι	καὶ ἐλθόντες οἱ αἰχμαλωτεύοντες ᾐχμαλώτευσαν αὐτὰς καὶ τοὺς παῖδας ἀπέκτειναν ἐν μαχαίραις· σωθεὶς δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι
Job 1:15 (NETS)	Job 1:15 (English Elpenor)
and marauders came and carried them off, and they killed the servants with daggers, but when I alone escaped, I came to tell you.”	and the spoilers came and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I having escaped alone am come to tell thee.

Job 1:16 (Tanakh)	Job 1:16 (KJV)	Job 1:16 (NET)
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.	While this one was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said, “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants—it has consumed them! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

Job 1:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἦλθεν ἕτερος ἄγγελος καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς Ιωβ πῦρ ἔπεσεν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατέκαυσεν τὰ πρόβατα καὶ τοὺς ποιμένας κατέφαγεν ὁμοίως καὶ σωθεὶς ἐγὼ μόνος ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῗλαί σοι	ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος, ἦλθεν ἕτερος ἄγγελος καὶ εἶπε πρὸς ᾿Ιώβ· πῦρ ἔπεσεν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατέκαυσε τὰ πρόβατα καὶ τοὺς ποιμένας κατέφαγεν ὁμοίως· σωθεὶς δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι
Job 1:16 (NETS)	Job 1:16 (English Elpenor)
While he was still speaking, a further messenger came and said to Iob, “Fire fell from the sky and burned up the sheep, and it likewise consumed the shepherds, and when I alone escaped, I came to tell you.”	While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, Fire has fallen from heaven, and burnt up the sheep, and devoured the shepherds like wise; and I having escaped alone am come to tell thee.

1 Kings 18:21 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:21 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:21 (NET)
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.	And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.	Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word.

1 Kings 18:21 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ προσήγαγεν Ηλιου πρὸς πάντας καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῗς Ηλιου ἕως πότε ὑμεῗς χωλανεῗτε ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέραις ταῗς ἰγνύαις εἰ ἔστιν κύριος ὁ θεός πορεύεσθε ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ εἰ δὲ ὁ Βααλ αὐτός πορεύεσθε ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ λαὸς λόγον	καὶ προσήγαγεν ᾿Ηλιοὺ πρὸς πάντας, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ᾿Ηλιού· ἕως πότε ὑμεῖς χωλανεῖτε ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς ἰγνύαις; εἰ ἔστι Κύριος ὁ Θεός, πορεύεσθε ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ· εἰ δὲ ὁ Βάαλ, πορεύεσθε ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ. καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ λαὸς λόγον
3 Reigns 18:21 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:21 (English Elpenor)
And Eliou came near to all, and Eliou said to them, “How long will you go limping on both legs? If the Lord is God, go after him, but if Baal is he, go after him.” And the people did not answer a word.	And Eliu drew near to them all: and Eliu said to them, How long wilt ye halt on both feet? if the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, follow him. And the people answered not a word.

1 Kings 18:22 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:22 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:22 (NET)
Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.	Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.	Elijah said to them: “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal.

1 Kings 18:22 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ηλιου πρὸς τὸν λαόν ἐγὼ ὑπολέλειμμαι προφήτης τοῦ κυρίου μονώτατος καὶ οἱ προφῆται τοῦ Βααλ τετρακόσιοι καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρες καὶ οἱ προφῆται τοῦ ἄλσους τετρακόσιοι	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ηλιοὺ πρὸς τὸν λαόν· ἐγὼ ὑπολέλειμμαι προφήτης τοῦ Κυρίου μονώτατος, καὶ οἱ προφῆται τοῦ Βάαλ τετρακόσιοι καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρες, καὶ οἱ προφῆται τοῦ ἄλσους τετρακόσιοι
3 Reigns 18:22 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:22 (English Elpenor)
And Eliou said to the people, “I all alone am left over as a prophet of the Lord, and Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty men, and the prophets of the grove, four hundred.	And Eliu said to the people, I am left, the only one prophet of the Lord; and the prophets of Baal [are] four hundred and fifty men, and the prophets of the groves four hundred.

1 Kings 18:23 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:23 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:23 (NET)
Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:	Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:	Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire.

1 Kings 18:23 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δότωσαν ἡμῗν δύο βόας καὶ ἐκλεξάσθωσαν ἑαυτοῗς τὸν ἕνα καὶ μελισάτωσαν καὶ ἐπιθέτωσαν ἐπὶ τῶν ξύλων καὶ πῦρ μὴ ἐπιθέτωσαν καὶ ἐγὼ ποιήσω τὸν βοῦν τὸν ἄλλον καὶ πῦρ οὐ μὴ ἐπιθῶ	δότωσαν ἡμῖν δύο βόας, καὶ ἐκλεξάσθωσαν ἑαυτοῖς τὸν ἕνα καὶ μελισάτωσαν καὶ ἐπιθέτωσαν ἐπὶ τῶν ξύλων καὶ πῦρ μὴ ἐπιθέτωσαν, καὶ ἐγὼ ποιήσω τὸν βοῦν τὸν ἄλλον, καὶ πῦρ οὐ μὴ ἐπιθῶ
3 Reigns 18:23 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:23 (English Elpenor)
Let them give us two bulls, and let them choose the one for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, and let them put on no fire, and I will do the other bull and will put on no fire.	Let them give us two oxen, and let them choose one for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire [on] the wood: and I will dress the other bullock, and put on no fire.

1 Kings 18:24 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:24 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:24 (NET)
And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.	And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.	Then you will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.” All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.”

1 Kings 18:24 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ βοᾶτε ἐν ὀνόματι θεῶν ὑμῶν καὶ ἐγὼ ἐπικαλέσομαι ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ μου καὶ ἔσται ὁ θεός ὃς ἐὰν ἐπακούσῃ ἐν πυρί οὗτος θεός καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ εἶπον καλὸν τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐλάλησας	καὶ βοᾶτε ἐν ὀνόματι θεῶν ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐγὼ ἐπικαλέσομαι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ μου, καὶ ἔσται ὁ θεὸς ὃς ἐὰν ἐπακούσῃ ἐν πυρί, οὗτος Θεός. καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ εἶπον· καλὸν τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ἐλάλησας
3 Reigns 18:24 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:24 (English Elpenor)
And shout in the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord, my God, and it will be, the god who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered and said, “The word which you spoke is good!”	And do ye call loudly on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord my God, and it shall come to pass that the God who shall answer by fire, he [is] God. And all the people answered and said, The word which thou hast spoken [is] good.

1 Kings 18:36 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:36 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:36 (NET)
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.	And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.	When it was time for the evening offering, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.

1 Kings 18:36 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνεβόησεν Ηλιου εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ εἶπεν κύριε ὁ θεὸς Αβρααμ καὶ Ισαακ καὶ Ισραηλ ἐπάκουσόν μου κύριε ἐπάκουσόν μου σήμερον ἐν πυρί καὶ γνώτωσαν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ὅτι σὺ εἶ κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ κἀγὼ δοῦλός σου καὶ διὰ σὲ πεποίηκα τὰ ἔργα ταῦτα	καὶ ἀνεβόησεν ᾿Ηλιοὺ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ εἶπε· Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ ᾿Ισραήλ, ἐπάκουσόν μου, Κύριε, ἐπάκουσόν μου σήμερον ἐν πυρί, καὶ γνώτωσαν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ὅτι σὺ εἶ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐγὼ δοῦλός σου καὶ διὰ σὲ πεποίηκα τὰ ἔργα ταῦτα
3 Reigns 18:36 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:36 (English Elpenor)
And Eliou cried aloud to heaven and said, “O Lord, God of Abraam and Isaak and Israel, heed me, heed me today with fire, and let all this people know that you are Lord, God of Israel, and I am your slave, and I have done these works on your account.	And Eliu cried aloud to the heaven, and said, Lord God of Abraam, and Isaac, and Israel, answer me, O Lord, answer me this day by fire, and let all this people know that thou art the Lord, the God of Israel, and I [am] thy servant, and for thy sake I have wrought these works.

1 Kings 18:37 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:37 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:37 (NET)
Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.	Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.	Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.”

1 Kings 18:37 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:37 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπάκουσόν μου κύριε ἐπάκουσόν μου ἐν πυρί καὶ γνώτω ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ὅτι σὺ εἶ κύριος ὁ θεὸς καὶ σὺ ἔστρεψας τὴν καρδίαν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ὀπίσω	ἐπάκουσόν μου, Κύριε, ἐπάκουσόν μου ἐν πυρί, καὶ γνώτω ὁ λαὸς οὗτος, ὅτι σὺ εἶ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς καὶ σὺ ἔστρεψας τὴν καρδίαν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ὀπίσω
3 Reigns 18:37 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:37 (English Elpenor)
Heed me, O Lord, heed me with fire, and let this people know that you are Lord God and that you turned the heart of this people back.”	Hear me, O Lord, hear me, and let this people know that thou art the Lord God, and thou hast turned back the heart of this people.

1 Kings 18:38 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:38 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:38 (NET)
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.	Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.	Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench.

1 Kings 18:38 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:38 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔπεσεν πῦρ παρὰ κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατέφαγεν τὸ ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ τὰς σχίδακας καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ἐν τῇ θααλα καὶ τοὺς λίθους καὶ τὸν χοῦν ἐξέλιξεν τὸ πῦρ	καὶ ἔπεσε πῦρ παρὰ Κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατέφαγε τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ τὰς σχίδακας καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ τοὺς λίθους καὶ τὸν χοῦν ἐξέλειξε τὸ πῦρ
3 Reigns 18:38 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:38 (English Elpenor)
And fire from the Lord fell from heaven and consumed the whole burnt offering and the firewood and the water that was in the thaala and the stones, and the fire licked up the dust.	Then fire fell from the Lord out of heaven, and devoured the whole-burnt-offerings, and the wood and the water that was in the trench, and the fire licked up the stones and the earth.

1 Kings 18:39 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:39 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:39 (NET)
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.	And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.	When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!”

1 Kings 18:39 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:39 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔπεσεν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπον ἀληθῶς κύριός ἐστιν ὁ θεός αὐτὸς ὁ θεός	καὶ ἔπεσε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπον· ἀληθῶς Κύριος ὁ Θεός, αὐτὸς ὁ Θεός
3 Reigns 18:39 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:39 (English Elpenor)
And all the people fell on their face and said, “Truly the Lord is God; he is God.”	And all the people fell upon their faces, and said, Truly the Lord [is] God; he [is] God.

1 Kings 18:27 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:27 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:27 (NET)
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.	And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.	At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.”

1 Kings 18:27 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο μεσημβρίᾳ καὶ ἐμυκτήρισεν αὐτοὺς Ηλιου ὁ Θεσβίτης καὶ εἶπεν ἐπικαλεῗσθε ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ὅτι θεός ἐστιν ὅτι ἀδολεσχία αὐτῷ ἐστιν καὶ ἅμα μήποτε χρηματίζει αὐτός ἢ μήποτε καθεύδει αὐτός καὶ ἐξαναστήσεται	καὶ ἐγένετο μεσημβρία καὶ ἐμυκτήρισεν αὐτοὺς ᾿Ηλιοὺ ὁ Θεσβίτης καὶ εἶπεν· ἐπικαλεῖσθε ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ, ὅτι θεός ἐστιν, ὅτι ἀδολεσχία αὐτῷ ἐστι, καὶ ἅμα μή ποτε χρηματίζει αὐτός, ἢ μή ποτε καθεύδει αὐτός, καὶ ἐξαναστήσεται
3 Reigns 18:27 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:27 (English Elpenor)
And it happened at noon that Eliou the Thesbite mocked them and said, “Call in a loud voice! For he is a god, for prating occupies him, and at the same time he is perhaps giving an oracle, or perhaps he is asleep and will get up.”	And it was noon, and Eliu the Thesbite mocked them, and said, Call with a loud voice, for he is a god; for he is meditating, or else perhaps he is engaged in business, or perhaps he is asleep, and is to be awaked.

1 Kings 18:32 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:32 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:32 (NET)
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.	And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.	With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs of seed.

1 Kings 18:32 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν τοὺς λίθους ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου καὶ ἰάσατο τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ κατεσκαμμένον καὶ ἐποίησεν θααλα χωροῦσαν δύο μετρητὰς σπέρματος κυκλόθεν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου	καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε τοὺς λίθους ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου καὶ ἰάσατο τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ κατεσκαμμένον, καὶ ἐποίησε θάλασσαν χωροῦσαν δύο μετρητὰς σπέρματος κυκλόθεν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου
3 Reigns 18:32 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:32 (English Elpenor)
and he built the stones in the name of the Lord and repaired the altar that had been thrown down and made a thaala around the altar, holding two measures of seed.	And he built up the stones in the name of the Lord, and repaired the altar that had been broken down; and he made a trench that would hold two measures of seed round about the altar.

1 Kings 18:33 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:33 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:33 (NET)
And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.	And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.	He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.”

1 Kings 18:33 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐστοίβασεν τὰς σχίδακας ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ὃ ἐποίησεν καὶ ἐμέλισεν τὸ ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τὰς σχίδακας καὶ ἐστοίβασεν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον	καὶ ἐστοίβασε τὰς σχίδακας ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ὃ ἐποίησε, καὶ ἐμέλισε τὸ ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τὰς σχίδακας καὶ ἐστοίβασεν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ εἶπε· λάβετέ μοι τέσσαρας ὑδρίας ὕδατος καὶ ἐπιχέετε ἐπὶ τὸ ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς σχίδακας· καὶ ἐποίησαν οὕτως
3 Reigns 18:33 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:33 (English Elpenor)
And he piled up the firewood on the altar that he made and cut the whole burnt offering in pieces and laid it on the firewood and piled it on the altar.	And he piled the cleft wood on the altar which he [had] made, and divided the whole-burnt-offering, and laid [it] on the wood, and laid [it] in order on the altar, and said, Fetch me four pitchers of water, and pour [it] on the whole-burnt-offering, and on the wood. And they did so.

1 Kings 18:34 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:34 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:34 (NET)
And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.	And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.	When they had done so, he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time.

1 Kings 18:34 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν λάβετέ μοι τέσσαρας ὑδρίας ὕδατος καὶ ἐπιχέετε ἐπὶ τὸ ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς σχίδακας καὶ ἐποίησαν οὕτως καὶ εἶπεν δευτερώσατε καὶ ἐδευτέρωσαν καὶ εἶπεν τρισσώσατε καὶ ἐτρίσσευσαν	καὶ εἶπε· δευτερώσατε· καὶ ἐδευτέρωσαν. καὶ εἶπε· τρισσώσατε· καὶ ἐτρίσσευσαν
3 Reigns 18:34 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:34 (English Elpenor)
And he said, “Take for me four jars of water, and pour it on the whole burnt offering and on the firewood,” and they did so. And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.	And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

1 Kings 18:35 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:35 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:35 (NET)
And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.	And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.	The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench.

1 Kings 18:35 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ διεπορεύετο τὸ ὕδωρ κύκλῳ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου καὶ τὴν θααλα ἔπλησαν ὕδατος	καὶ διεπορεύετο τὸ ὕδωρ κύκλῳ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν ἔπλησαν ὕδατος
3 Reigns 18:35 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:35 (English Elpenor)
And the water ran all around the altar, and filled the thaala with water.	And the water ran round about the altar, and they filled the trench with water.

1 Kings 18:25 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:25 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:25 (NET)
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.	And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.	Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.”

1 Kings 18:25 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ηλιου τοῗς προφήταις τῆς αἰσχύνης ἐκλέξασθε ἑαυτοῗς τὸν μόσχον τὸν ἕνα καὶ ποιήσατε πρῶτοι ὅτι πολλοὶ ὑμεῗς καὶ ἐπικαλέσασθε ἐν ὀνόματι θεοῦ ὑμῶν καὶ πῦρ μὴ ἐπιθῆτε	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ηλιοὺ τοῖς προφήταις τῆς αἰσχύνης· ἐκλέξασθε ἑαυτοῖς τὸν μόσχον τὸν ἕνα καὶ ποιήσατε πρῶτοι, ὅτι πολλοὶ ὑμεῖς, καὶ ἐπικαλέσασθε ἐν ὀνόματι θεοῦ ὑμῶν καὶ πῦρ μὴ ἐπιθῆτε
3 Reigns 18:25 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:25 (English Elpenor)
And Eliou said to the prophets of shame, “Choose for yourselves the one bull calf, and do it first, for you are many, and call on the name of your god, and put on no fire.”	And Eliu said to the prophets of shame, Choose to yourselves one calf, and dress it first, for ye [are] many; and call ye on the name of your god; but apply no fire.

1 Kings 18:26 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:26 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:26 (NET)
And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.	And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.	So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made.

1 Kings 18:26 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔλαβον τὸν μόσχον καὶ ἐποίησαν καὶ ἐπεκαλοῦντο ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Βααλ ἐκ πρωίθεν ἕως μεσημβρίας καὶ εἶπον ἐπάκουσον ἡμῶν ὁ Βααλ ἐπάκουσον ἡμῶν καὶ οὐκ ἦν φωνὴ καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀκρόασις καὶ διέτρεχον ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου οὗ ἐποίησαν	καὶ ἔλαβον τὸν μόσχον καὶ ἐποίησαν καὶ ἐπεκαλοῦντο ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Βάαλ ἐκ πρωΐθεν ἕως μεσημβρίας καὶ εἶπον· ἐπάκουσον ἡμῶν, ὁ Βάαλ, ἐπάκουσον ἡμῶν· καὶ οὐκ ἦν φωνὴ καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀκρόασις· καὶ διέτρεχον ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, οὗ ἐποίησαν
3 Reigns 18:26 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:26 (English Elpenor)
And they took the bull calf and did it and were calling on the name of Baal from morning until noon and said, “Hear us, O Baal, hear us!” And there was no voice, and there was no hearing, and they ran about on the altar that they made.	And they took the calf and drest it, and called on the name of Baal from morning till noon, and said, hear us, O Baal, hear us. And there was no voice, neither was there hearing, and they ran up and down on the altar which they [had] made.

1 Kings 18:28 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:28 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:28 (NET)
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.	And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.	So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.

1 Kings 18:28 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπεκαλοῦντο ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ κατετέμνοντο κατὰ τὸν ἐθισμὸν αὐτῶν ἐν μαχαίραις καὶ σειρομάσταις ἕως ἐκχύσεως αἵματος ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς	καὶ ἐπεκαλοῦντο ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ κατετέμνοντο κατὰ τὸν ἐθισμὸν αὐτῶν ἐν μαχαίραις καὶ σειρομάσταις ἕως ἐκχύσεως αἵματος ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς
3 Reigns 18:28 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:28 (English Elpenor)
And they were calling in a loud voice and, as was their custom, they were cutting themselves with daggers and lances until the blood gushed out over them,	And they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves according to their custom with knives and lancets until the blood gushed out upon them.

1 Kings 18:29 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 18:29 (KJV)	1 Kings 18:29 (NET)
And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.	And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.	Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, but there was no sound, no answer, and no response.

1 Kings 18:29 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 18:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπροφήτευον ἕως οὗ παρῆλθεν τὸ δειλινόν καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ὁ καιρὸς τοῦ ἀναβῆναι τὴν θυσίαν καὶ οὐκ ἦν φωνή καὶ ἐλάλησεν Ηλιου ὁ Θεσβίτης πρὸς τοὺς προφήτας τῶν προσοχθισμάτων λέγων μετάστητε ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ ἐγὼ ποιήσω τὸ ὁλοκαύτωμά μου καὶ μετέστησαν καὶ ἀπῆλθον	καὶ ἐπροφήτευον ἕως οὗ παρῆλθε τὸ δειλινόν. καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ὁ καιρὸς τοῦ ἀναβῆναι τὴν θυσίαν καὶ οὐκ ἦν φωνή. καὶ ἐλάλησεν ᾿Ηλιοὺ ὁ Θεσβίτης πρὸς τοὺς προφήτας τῶν προσοχθισμάτων λέγων· μετάστητε ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν, καὶ ἐγὼ ποιήσω τὸ ὁλοκαύτωμά μου. καὶ μετέστησαν, καὶ ἀπῆλθον
3 Reigns 18:29 (NETS)	3 Kings 18:29 (English Elpenor)
and they were acting the prophet until evening came. And it happened, as it was the time for the sacrifice to ascend and there was no voice, that Eliou the Thesbite spoke to the prophets of the offenses, saying, “Stand aside for the present, and I will do my whole burnt offering,” and they stood aside and departed.	And they prophesied until the evening came; and it came to pass as it was the time of the offering of the sacrifice, that Eliu the Thesbite spoke to the prophets of the abominations, saying, Stand by for the present, and I will offer my sacrifice. And they stood aside and departed.

Mark 3:27 (NET)	Mark 3:27 (KJV)
But no one is able to enter a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can thoroughly plunder his house.	No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀλλ᾿ οὐ δύναται οὐδεὶς εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ εἰσελθὼν τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ διαρπάσαι, ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον τὸν ἰσχυρὸν δήσῃ, καὶ τότε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ διαρπάσει	ου δυναται ουδεις τα σκευη του ισχυρου εισελθων εις την οικιαν αυτου διαρπασαι εαν μη πρωτον τον ισχυρον δηση και τοτε την οικιαν αυτου διαρπασει	ουδεις δυναται τα σκευη του ισχυρου εισελθων εις την οικιαν αυτου διαρπασαι εαν μη πρωτον τον ισχυρον δηση και τοτε την οικιαν αυτου διαρπαση

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

Back to αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ, Part 1

Back to Luke 8:22-56

^[1] Job 1:10a (NET) Table

^[2] Job 1:13-15 (NET)

^[3] The Septuagint had καὶ οἱ προφῆται τοῦ ἄλσους τετρακόσιοι (NETS: and the prophets of the grove, four hundred) following here.

^[4] 1 Kings 18:24b (NET)

^[5] This is what Gideon did with the fleece (Judges 6:36-40) when he was uncertain of God’s intent.

^[6] Romans 10:17 (ESV) Table

^[7] 1 Kings 18:36b (Tanakh, KJV)

^[8] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀλλ᾿ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[9] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the negative particle οὐ preceding is able (KJV: can) and οὐδεὶς (NET: no one; KJV: No man) following, where the Byzantine Majority Text simply had οὐδεὶς preceding.

^[10] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had διαρπάσει, where the Byzantine Majority Text had διαρπαση.

^[11] Mark 3:27 (NET)

^[12] 1 Kings 18:37 (Tanakh/KJV)

^[13] John 17:3b (NET)

^[14] John 5:19 (NET) Table

^[15] John 16:13a (NET) Table

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 6

Posted on October 1, 2021 by admin

This is a continuation of my consideration of God’s love for Satan revealed in the book of Job. I left off at Job 1:8 (NETS) Table:

And the Lord said to him, “Did you give thought to your disposition against my servant Iob—because there is no one of those on the earth like him, a man who is blameless, genuine, religious, staying away from every evil thing?”

I quoted the NETS here not because I think Claude E. Cox the English translator might agree with me. On the contrary the abstract of his paper—“Translator as Author: The Old Greek Translator of Job”—presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in 2015 leads me to believe that he ascribed editorial prerogatives to the Greek translator(s) of Job rather than the Masoretes.

This paper attempts to access the mind of the translator of Job by examining those instances the OG has no correspondence in the source text. Since these pieces of text cannot really be called “translation,” they belong uniquely to the translator.

Johann Cook in a paper titled, “The Profile and some Theological Aspects of the Old Greek of Job – Resurrection and Life after Death as Points in Case¹” quoted from Mr. Cox’s introduction to his translation of Job:^[1]

According to Cox,¹⁹ the OGJOB is a work of good literary quality. The usual Hebraisms that are the tell-tale signs of translation Greek in much of the Septuagint corpus are absent – this applies to LXX Proverbs too. There can be no doubt that the translators of LXX Proverbs and the OGJOB were both steeped in Greek and Jewish culture.²⁰

Another general characteristic of the translation consists of transferring passages from elsewhere in Job or from other parts of the Septuagint into the translation, so-called inter-/intra-textual rendering.²¹ This phenomenon was detected by Dhorme²² and Ziegler and studied by Heater, who calls it “the anaphoric translation technique.”²³

I quoted Mr. Cox’s translation because he alone recognized the foreknowledge of God in προσέσχες τῇ διανοίᾳ σου κατὰ (English Elpenor: Hast thou diligently considered) with his rendering: Did you give thought to your disposition against… Rather than singling Job out to brag about his righteousness, in Mr. Cox’s translation יהוה (Yᵊhōvâ) is fully aware that Satan has singled out Job and set his own heart and mind against him.

I wondered if the Greek translators of Job heard this foreknowledge in the Hebrew from which the Greek was translated: השׁמת (śûm) לבך (lēḇ) על (ʿal). In this particular instance Rashi’s commentary seems to confirm what the Greek translators heard in the Hebrew and what Mr. Cox heard in turn in the Greek: “Have you paid attention to My servant Job: that you should desire to denounce him?” If I had studied Mr. Cox’s translation of Job many years earlier might I have come to a different conclusion about God’s love and my hunger and thirst for righteousness, and served my wife and family better?

I can’t go back. I can only go on.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 1:9 (NET)	Job 1:9 (NETS)	Job 1:9 (Elpenor English)
Then Satan answered the LORD (יְהֹוָ֖ה), and said, Doth Job fear God (אֱלֹהִֽים) for nought?	Then Satan answered the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה), “Is it for nothing that Job fears God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים)?	Then the slanderer answered and said before the Lord (τοῦ κυρίου), “Does Iob really worship the Lord (τὸν θεόν) for nothing?	Then the devil answered, and said before the Lord (τοῦ Κυρίου), Does Job worship the Lord (τὸν Κύριον) for nothing?

Like Eve I’m very susceptible to Satan’s reasoning. I don’t want to take away from this that I should fear (yārē’, יָרֵ֥א) God for nought (ḥinnām, הַ֣חִנָּ֔ם), that true righteousness would be to worship (σέβεται, a form of σέβω) the Lord for nothing (μὴ δωρεὰν). The Greek word δωρεὰν in particular might deceive me.

As you go, Jesus instructed his disciples, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ Heal the sick, raise the dead,^[2] cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely (δωρεὰν) you received, freely (δωρεὰν) give.^[3] Would it not be better to worship the Lord freely? Jesus’ own attitude and the answer to this question are revealed as He continued (Matthew 10:9, 10 NET):

Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts; no bag for the journey; or an extra tunic, or sandals or staff; for the worker deserves his provisions.

Jesus believes the worker deserves his provisions (ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ). This ought to be a no-brainer. My employer provided everything I needed to do the job he also paid me to do. Imagine being sent out to Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers and cast out demons without the grace of God to enable one to do so.

That grace, that enabling power to Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers and cast out demons is what was freely (δωρεὰν) received by Jesus’ disciples. Then and only then did he command them to freely (δωρεὰν) give the benefit of that enabling power to Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers and cast out demons to others. Jesus never asked them to worship Him freely, sending them out to Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers and cast out demons by their own power, their own authority or their own righteousness.

Now without faith it is impossible to please [God], for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.^[4] The Greek words translated he rewards were the noun μισθαποδότης followed by the verb γίνεται (a form of γίνομαι): literally “he becomes the paymaster of” those who seek him. In other words, God is a better employer than the man who “provided everything I needed to do the job he also paid me to do.”

And my God will supply your every need, Paul wrote believing Philippians, according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.^[5] What then shall we say about these things? Paul asked believing Romans rhetorically. If God is for us, who can be against us? Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things [Table]?^[6] (The Greek word translated freely give here was χαρίσεται, a form of χαρίζομαι).

Satan continued:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 1:10 (NET)	Job 1:10 (NETS)	Job 1:10 (Elpenor English)
Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.	Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.	Have you not put a fence around things external to him, both what is within his household as well as what is outside of all that belongs to him, all around? You blessed the works of his hands, and his livestock you increased on the earth.	Hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about his household, and all his possessions round about? and hast thou not blessed the works of his hands, and multiplied his cattle upon the land?

It is difficult to use Satan’s words to decipher what he thinks or believes. Jesus described the devil (διαβόλου, a form of διάβολος) as one who does not uphold the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature because he is a liar and the father of lies.^[7] Still, Satan’s words express a thought or belief as a hypothesis: Job does not fear or worship God freely (or, for nothing). Job worships God because God has blessed the works of Job’s hands and protected the fruit of Job’s labors.

We are told the following about Job:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:2, 3 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 1:2, 3 (NET)	Job 1:2, 3 (NETS)	Job 1:2, 3 (Elpenor English)
And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.	Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.	Now there were born to him seven sons and three daughters.	And he had seven sons and three daughters.
His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.	His possessions included 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys; in addition he had a very great household. Thus he was the greatest of all the people in the east.	And his livestock was: seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-donkeys at pasture; as well he had very many servants and extensive activities in the land, and that man was well-born among those of the east.	And his cattle consisted of seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses in the pastures, and a very great household, and he had a great husbandry on the earth; and that man was [most] noble of the [men] of the east.

Satan’s hypothesis was that this was the reason Job feared or worshiped God. He proposed a test for this hypothesis.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:11 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 1:11 (NET)	Job 1:11 (NETS)	Job 1:11 (Elpenor English)
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse (יְבָֽרְכֶֽךָּ) thee to thy face.	But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse (bāraḵ, יברכך) you to your face!”	But stretch out your hand, and touch all that he has; surely he will bless (εὐλογήσει) you to your face!”	But put forth thine hand, and touch all that he has: verily he will bless (εὐλογήσει) thee to [thy] face.

A note (30) in the NET reads:

The Hebrew verb is בָּרַךְ (barakh), which means “to bless.” Here is a case where the writer or a scribe has substituted the word “curse” with the word “bless” to avoid having the expression “curse God”…

Rashi’s commentary reads:

But: were you to touch all that he has, would he not blaspheme You to Your face immediately? This is a question…

Another note (53) in the NET reads:

The formula used in the expression is the oath formula: “if not to your face he will curse you” meaning “he will surely curse you to your face.” Satan is so sure that the piety is insincere that he can use an oath formula.

The Greek translators of the Septuagint seem to confirm that oath formula: εἰ μὴν (BLB), translated surely (NETS); ἦ μὴν (Elpenor), translated verily (English Elpenor). By translating εὐλογήσει (a form of εὐλογέω) in the positive sense to bless rather than the negative sense to curse, the English translators of the Septuagint have made Satan’s words sarcastic to the point of mockery.

To review: Satan’s hypothesis is that Job does not fear or worship God freely (or, for nothing); Job worships God because God has blessed the works of Job’s hands and protected the fruit of Job’s labor. Satan’s proposed test of this hypothesis is, strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you (or not bless you) to your face.

God announces the end from the beginning and reveals beforehand what has not yet occurred.^[8] He didn’t need a scientific experiment to know Job’s response. Satan lacks this knowledge. Love is patient, love is kind…^[9] God was both patient with, and kind to, Satan when He authorized this scientific experiment.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 1:12 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 1:12 (NET)	Job 1:12 (NETS)	Job 1:12 (Elpenor English)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.	So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.	Then the Lord said to the slanderer, “Look, all that he has I am giving into your power, but do not touch him.” So the slanderer went out from the Lord.	Then the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I give into thine hand all that he has, but touch not himself. So the devil went out from the presence of the Lord.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Job 1:9; 1:10; 1:2; 1:3; 1:11 and 1:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 1:9; 1:10; 1:2; 1:3; 1:11 and 1:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Matthew 10:8 in the NET and KJV follow.

Job 1:9 (Tanakh)	Job 1:9 (KJV)	Job 1:9 (NET)
Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?	Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?	Then Satan answered the Lord, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God?

Job 1:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπεκρίθη δὲ ὁ διάβολος καὶ εἶπεν ἐναντίον τοῦ κυρίου μὴ δωρεὰν σέβεται Ιωβ τὸν θεόν	ἀπεκρίθη δὲ ὁ διάβολος καὶ εἶπεν ἐναντίον τοῦ Κυρίου· μὴ δωρεὰν ᾿Ιὼβ σέβεται τὸν Κύριον
Job 1:9 (NETS)	Job 1:9 (English Elpenor)
Then the slanderer answered and said before the Lord, “Does Iob really worship the Lord for nothing?	Then the devil answered, and said before the Lord, Does Job worship the Lord for nothing?

Job 1:10 (Tanakh)	Job 1:10 (KJV)	Job 1:10 (NET)
Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.	Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.	Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.

Job 1:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ σὺ περιέφραξας τὰ ἔξω αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἔσω τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἔξω πάντων τῶν ὄντων αὐτῷ κύκλῳ τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ εὐλόγησας καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτοῦ πολλὰ ἐποίησας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	οὐ σὺ περιέφραξας τὰ ἔξω αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἔσω τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἔξω πάντων τῶν ὄντων αὐτοῦ κύκλῳ; τὰ δὲ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ εὐλόγησας καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτοῦ πολλὰ ἐποίησας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Job 1:10 (NETS)	Job 1:10 (English Elpenor)
Have you not put a fence around things external to him, both what is within his household as well as what is outside of all that belongs to him, all around? You blessed the works of his hands, and his livestock you increased on the earth.	Hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about his household, and all his possessions round about? and hast thou not blessed the works of his hands, and multiplied his cattle upon the land?

Job 1:2 (Tanakh)	Job 1:2 (KJV)	Job 1:2 (NET)
And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.	And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.	Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

Job 1:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένοντο δὲ αὐτῷ υἱοὶ ἑπτὰ καὶ θυγατέρες τρεῗς	ἐγένοντο δὲ αὐτῷ υἱοὶ ἑπτὰ καὶ θυγατέρες τρεῖς
Job 1:2 (NETS)	Job 1:2 (English Elpenor)
Now there were born to him seven sons and three daughters.	And he had seven sons and three daughters.

Job 1:3 (Tanakh)	Job 1:3 (KJV)	Job 1:3 (NET)
His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.	His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.	His possessions included 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys; in addition he had a very great household. Thus he was the greatest of all the people in the east.

Job 1:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦν τὰ κτήνη αὐτοῦ πρόβατα ἑπτακισχίλια κάμηλοι τρισχίλιαι ζεύγη βοῶν πεντακόσια ὄνοι θήλειαι νομάδες πεντακόσιαι καὶ ὑπηρεσία πολλὴ σφόδρα καὶ ἔργα μεγάλα ἦν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἦν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῗνος εὐγενὴς τῶν ἀφ᾽ ἡλίου ἀνατολῶν	καὶ ἦν τὰ κτήνη αὐτοῦ πρόβατα ἑπτακισχίλια, κάμηλοι τρισχίλιαι, ζεύγη βοῶν πεντακόσια, θήλειαι ὄνοι νομάδες πεντακόσιαι, καὶ ὑπηρεσία πολλὴ σφόδρα καὶ ἔργα μεγάλα ἦν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· καὶ ἦν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος εὐγενὴς τῶν ἀφ᾿ ἡλίου ἀνατολῶν
Job 1:3 (NETS)	Job 1:3 (English Elpenor)
And his livestock was: seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-donkeys at pasture; as well he had very many servants and extensive activities in the land, and that man was well-born among those of the east.	And his cattle consisted of seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses in the pastures, and a very great household, and he had a great husbandry on the earth; and that man was [most] noble of the [men] of the east.

Job 1:11 (Tanakh)	Job 1:11 (KJV)	Job 1:11 (NET)
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.	But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.	But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”

Job 1:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῗρά σου καὶ ἅψαι πάντων ὧν ἔχει εἰ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει	ἀλλὰ ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ ἅψαι πάντων, ὧν ἔχει· ἦ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει
Job 1:11 (NETS)	Job 1:11 (English Elpenor)
But stretch out your hand, and touch all that he has; surely he will bless you to your face!”	But put forth thine hand, and touch all that he has: verily he will bless thee to [thy] face.

Job 1:12 (Tanakh)	Job 1:12 (KJV)	Job 1:12 (NET)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.	And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.	So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Job 1:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 1:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε εἶπεν ὁ κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ ἰδοὺ πάντα ὅσα ἔστιν αὐτῷ δίδωμι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου ἀλλὰ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἅψῃ καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ διάβολος παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου	τότε εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ· ἰδοὺ πάντα, ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῷ, δίδωμι ἐν τῇ χειρί σου, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἅψῃ. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου
Job 1:12 (NETS)	Job 1:12 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to the slanderer, “Look, all that he has I am giving into your power, but do not touch him.” So the slanderer went out from the Lord.	Then the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I give into thine hand all that he has, but touch not himself. So the devil went out from the presence of the Lord.

Matthew 10:8 (NET)	Matthew 10:8 (KJV)
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.	Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀσθενοῦντας θεραπεύετε, νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε, λεπροὺς καθαρίζετε, δαιμόνια ἐκβάλλετε· δωρεὰν ἐλάβετε, δωρεὰν δότε	ασθενουντας θεραπευετε λεπρους καθαριζετε νεκρους εγειρετε δαιμονια εκβαλλετε δωρεαν ελαβετε δωρεαν δοτε	ασθενουντας θεραπευετε λεπρους καθαριζετε δαιμονια εκβαλλετε δωρεαν ελαβετε δωρεαν δοτε

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 7

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 9

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

Back to Luke 8:22-56

^[1] Johann Cook, “The Profile and some Theological Aspects of the Old Greek of Job – Resurrection and Life after Death as Points in Case,” OTE 24/2 (2011), p. 327

^[2] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus had it following cleanse lepers (KJV: cleanse the lepers). The Byzantine Majority Text did not have it at all.

^[3] Matthew 10:7, 8 (NET)

^[4] Hebrews 11:6 (NET)

^[5] Philippians 4:19 (NET) Table

^[6] Romans 8:31, 32 (NET)

^[7] John 8:44b (NET) Table

^[8] Isaiah 46:10a (NET) Table

^[9] 1 Corinthians 13:4a (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

An attempt to distinguish the mind of Christ from the ordinary religious mind.

Tag Archives: Job 1:10

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 7

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 6