Romans, Part 56

Posted on August 18, 2015 by admin

Ezekiel prophesied: For this is what the sovereign (ʼădônây, אדני) Lord (y^ehôvih, יהוה) says: Look, I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy, dark day.^[1] I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them – with judgment!^[2]

I will save my sheep; they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another. I will set one shepherd over them, and he will feed them – namely, my servant David. He will feed them and will be their shepherd. I, the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them; I, the Lord (y^ehôvâh, יהוה), have spoken!^[3]

This is a fitting introduction to this section of the story of Jesus feeding five thousand plus people in the light of his assessment of the Jewish leaders (Ἰουδαῖοι, a form of Ἰουδαῖος)^[4] as an answer to how the Father seeking his own is not self-seeking. And ultimately it is a continuing part of my attempt to view—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord^[5]—as a definition of love (ἀγάπη) rather than as rules.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

And they said, “Should we go and buy bread for two hundred silver coins and give it to them to eat?” He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”

Mark 6:37, 38a (NET)

They replied, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish – unless we go and buy food for all these people.”

Luke 9:13b (NET)

They said to him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” “Bring them here to me,” he replied.

Matthew 14:17, 18 (NET)

When they found out, they said, “Five – and two fish.”

Mark 6:38b (NET)

One of Jesus’ disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “Here is a^[6] boy who has^[7] five barley loaves and two fish, but what good are these for so many people?” [Table]

John 6:8, 9 (NET)

If I accept John’s contention that— Jesus, when he looked up and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread so that these people may eat?”^[8]—I get a slightly different picture of the situation. I suspect that while Jesus taught and healed the people his disciples, anticipating, were on the lookout for food. They didn’t really expect to spend two hundred silver coins, the amount Phillip assessed earlier that day: Philip replied, “Two hundred silver coins worth of bread would not be enough for them, for each one to get a little.”^[9]

Later that evening when they came to Jesus and said—This is an isolated place and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves^[10]—their compassion for the people was tinged by their perceived failure to find a sufficient supply of food. Mark captured their astonishment when Jesus replied—You give them something to eat—Should we go and buy bread for two hundred silver coins [recalling Philip’s earlier assessment] and give it to them to eat?^[11]

How many loaves do you have? Jesus asked. Go and see.^[12]

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “Here is a boy who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what good are these for so many people?”^[13]

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Then he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass.

Matthew 14:19a (NET)

Then he directed them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties.

Mark 6:39, 40 (NET)

Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” So they did as Jesus directed, and the people all sat down.

Luke 9:14b, 15 (NET)

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” (Now there was a lot of grass in that place.) So the men sat down…

John 6:10a (NET)

He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, twelve baskets full.

Matthew 14:19b, 20 (NET)

He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to his disciples to serve the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces and fish that were left over, twelve baskets full.

Mark 6:41-43 (NET)

Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke them. He gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied, and what was left over was picked up – twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Luke 9:16, 17 (NET)

Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed the bread to those who were seated. He then did the same with the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were all satisfied, Jesus said to his disciples, “Gather up the broken pieces that are left over,^[14] so that nothing is wasted.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves left over by the people who had eaten [Table].

John 6:11-13 (NET)

Not counting women and children, there were about five thousand men who ate.

Matthew 14:21 (NET)

Now there were five thousand men who ate the bread.

Mark 6:44 (NET)

(Now about five thousand men were there.)

Luke 9:14a (NET)

… about five thousand in number.

John 6:10b (NET)

I have nothing to add to this scene except the words of y^ehôvih (יהוה) through the prophet Ezekiel: In a good pasture I will feed them; the mountain heights of Israel will be their pasture. There they will lie down in a lush pasture, and they will feed on rich grass on the mountains of Israel. I myself will feed my sheep and I myself will make them lie down, declares the sovereign (ʼădônây, אדני) Lord (y^ehôvih).^[15] Only John’s Gospel narrative picked up on this.

Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
			Now when the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus performed, they began to say to one another, “This is certainly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” John 6:14 (NET)
Immediately (εὐθέως) Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds [Table]. Matthew 14:22 (NET)	Immediately (εὐθὺς) Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dispersed the crowd. Mark 6:45 (NET)
And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. Matthew 14:23a (NET)	After saying good-bye to them, he went to the mountain to pray. Mark 6:46 (NET)		Then Jesus, because he knew they were going to come and seize him by force to make him king, withdrew again up the mountainside alone. John 6:15 (NET)

Luke’s Gospel abandoned this particular narrative thread.

Matthew

Mark

John

When evening came, [Jesus] was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it.

Matthew 14:23b, 24 (NET)

When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on the land. He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.

Mark 6:47, 48a (NET)

Now when evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and started to cross the lake to Capernaum. (It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.) By now a strong wind was blowing and the sea was getting rough.

John 6:16-18 (NET)

John’s Gospel narrative gives me the impression that Jesus’ disciples waited around for Him a bit longer than Matthew’s εὐθέως (translated, immediately NET or straightway KJV) or Mark’s εὐθὺς (translated, immediately NET or straightway KJV) led me at first to believe. As I look at it now I think εὐθέως and εὐθὺς spoke more to Jesus’ urgency dismissing his disciples because he knew [the people who saw the miraculous sign] were going to come and seize him by force to make him king.

Matthew

Mark

John

As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear. But immediately (εὐθὺς) Jesus spoke to them: “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

Matthew 14:25-27 (NET)

As the night was ending, he came to them walking on the sea, for he wanted to pass by them. When they saw him walking on the water they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately (εὐθὺς) he spoke to them: “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

Mark 6:48b-50 (NET)

Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they caught sight of Jesus walking on the lake, approaching the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”

John 6:19, 20 (NET)

Only Matthew recorded what happened next. I wonder if the tax collector’s prayer Jesus spoke^[16] about was Matthew’s (also known as Levi).^[17]

Matthew

Mark

John

Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus [Table]. But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately (εὐθέως) Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith (ὀλιγόπιστε, a form of ὀλιγόπιστος), why did you doubt?”

Matthew 14:28-31 (NET)

I have written about this before.^[18]

Matthew

Mark

John

When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:32, 33 (NET)

Then he went up with them into the boat, and the wind ceased. They were completely astonished, because they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Mark 6:51, 52 (NET)

Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately (εὐθέως) the boat came to the land where they had been heading.

John 6:21 (NET)

Matthew wrote, Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Mark wrote, They were completely astonished, because they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. And John let both stand without comment. This was curious until I stepped back into the scene.

If I crawl into the boat and look first through Matthew’s eyes as he watched Peter get out of the boat at Jesus’ command and walk on the water toward Him, it’s immaterial to me that Peter began to flounder. Of course he did. What was astonishing was that he stood and walked at all! Truly, Jesus is the Son of God.

If, on the other hand, I get out of the boat with Peter (the presumed source of Mark’s Gospel narrative) and take those few tentative steps, see the wind whipping up the waves, fear and begin to sink… While it is not immaterial that Jesus reached out his hand and caught me, my focus is his question: why did you doubt? And until the Holy Spirit was given, truly, Peter’s heart was hardened, as were the hearts of all the rest of Jesus’ disciples and all Israel (Isaiah 6 NET): it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.^[19]

I’ll continue this thread in the next essay.

Romans, Part 57

^[1] Ezekiel 34:11, 12 (NET)

^[2] Ezekiel 34:16 (NET)

^[3] Ezekiel 34:22-24 (NET)

^[4] John 5:16-47 (NET) Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders (Ἰουδαῖοι) began persecuting him (verse 16).

^[5] Romans 12:11 (NET) Table

^[6] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[7] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὃς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο (KJV: which).

^[8] John 6:5 (NET)

^[9] John 6:7 (NET)

^[10] Matthew 14:15 (NET)

^[11] Mark 6:37 (NET)

^[12] Mark 6:38a (NET)

^[13] John 6:8, 9 (NET)

^[14] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπερίσσευσαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επερισσευσεν (KJV: remained over and above).

^[15] Ezekiel 34:14, 15 (NET)

^[16] Luke 18:9-14 (NET)

^[17] Compare: Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:14-17, Luke 5:27-32 (NET)

^[18] Romans, Part 17

^[19] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

Solomon’s Wealth, Part 3

Posted on April 29, 2012 by admin

Since I opened this context can of worms, and found that expanding the context gave me a different perspective on the meaning of a particular passage, I’ll expand the context again. Even before there were kings in Israel, God gave laws for the then future kings (Deuteronomy 17:14-20).

When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law on a scroll given to him by the Levitical priests. It must be with him constantly and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and observe all the words of this law and these statutes and carry them out.¹

The passage titled Solomon’s Wealth goes on and on about Solomon’s gold. The law he was supposed to read everyday said he must not accumulate much silver and gold (Deuteronomy 17:17 NET). Solomon’s wealth included a massive throne exalted six steps above everyone else in the room. The law Solomon was commanded to follow carefully said he should not exalt himself above his fellow citizens (Deuteronomy 17:19-20 NET). Solomon’s twelve thousand Egyptian horses were also explicitly forbidden by the law intended to ensure that he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom in Israel (Deuteronomy 17:16, 20 NET).

Here is a contrast of the two passages:

Solomon’s Wealth (1 Kings 10:14-28 NET)

Provision for Kingship (Deuteronomy 17:16-20 NET)

Solomon received 666 talents of gold per year [Table], besides what he collected from the merchants, traders, Arabian kings, and governors of the land [Table]. King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; 600 measures of gold were used for each shield [Table]. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold were used for each of these shields. The king placed them in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest [Table].

1 Kings 10:14-17 (NET)

All of King Solomon’s cups were made of gold, and all the household items in the Palace of the Lebanon Forest were made of pure gold. There were no silver items, for silver was not considered very valuable in Solomon’s time [Table]. Along with Hiram’s fleet, the king had a fleet of large merchant ships that sailed the sea. Once every three years the fleet came into port with cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks [Table]. King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the earth [Table]. Everyone in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom [Table]. Year after year visitors brought their gifts, which included items of silver, items of gold, clothes, perfume, spices, horses, and mules [Table].

1 Kings 10:21-25 (NET)

…he must not accumulate much silver and gold.

Deuteronomy 17:17b (NET)

The king made a large throne decorated with ivory and overlaid it with pure gold [Table]. There were six steps leading up to the throne, and the back of it was rounded on top. The throne had two armrests with a statue of a lion standing on each side [Table]. There were twelve statues of lions on the six steps, one lion at each end of each step. There was nothing like it in any other kingdom [Table].

1 Kings 10:18-20 (NET)

When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law on a scroll given to him by the Levitical priests. It must be with him constantly and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and observe all the words of this law and these statutes and carry them out. Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left…

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 (NET)

Solomon accumulated chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept them in assigned cities and in Jerusalem [Table]. The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones; cedar was as plentiful as sycamore fig trees are in the lowlands [Table]. Solomon acquired his horses from Egypt and from Que; the king’s traders purchased them from Que [Table].

1 Kings 10:26-28 NET

Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, for the Lord has said you must never again return that way.

Deuteronomy 17: 16 (NET)

If I ignore the topical headings and chapter markings in 1 Kings, both of which are later additions to the text, and simply continue reading after the section called Solomon’s Wealth, I find that Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. Solomon followed his wives in the worship of other gods (1 Kings 11:1-5). The law for the kings of Israel stated explicitly that the king should not take many wives lest his affections turn aside (Deuteronomy 17:17 NET).

The Lord Punishes Solomon for Idolatry (1 Kings 11:1-8 NET)

Provision for Kingship (Deuteronomy 17:16-20 NET)

King Solomon fell in love with many foreign women (besides Pharaoh’s daughter), including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.” But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them. He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines; his wives had a powerful influence over him. When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. Solomon worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte and the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.

1 Kings 11:1-5 (NET)

Furthermore, on the hill east of Jerusalem Solomon built a high place for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom. He built high places for all his foreign wives so they could burn incense and make sacrifices to their gods.

1 Kings 11:7, 8 (NET)

Furthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside (e.g, from the commandments to the right or left)…

Deuteronomy 17:17a (NET)

There is a summation statement: Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight…² With a topical heading, Solomon’s Wealth, and another topical heading, The Lord Punishes Solomon for Idolatry, and a chapter change from ten to chapter eleven, this summation appears only to apply to Solomon’s many wives and idolatry. But if I consider that Solomon defied every law God gave the kings of Israel—Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant³—I need to question the reliability of the topical headings and chapter break here.

So I have one passage in the Bible that seemed at first glance (with my view limited only to that particular passage) to be a laundry list of Solomon’s wealth and power. When I expanded the context to include an incident from Solomon’s life, the same passage became the fulfillment of God’s promise to Solomon. When I expanded the context again to include God’s law (an incident in the life of the nation of Israel) the same passage became an indictment of Solomon’s reign as king. Now I’m ready to recant and say that Solomon’s dream was just a dream, that it had nothing to do with how rich he was or wasn’t.

Addendum: April 7, 2020
Near the climax of the movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” combat veteran Major Lennox (Josh Duhamel) shouts to two unarmed civilians caught in combat: “You guys stick with me, you understand? You stay on my ass.” He takes one of them, Mikaela (Megan Fox), by the hand. The other, Sam (Shia LaBeouf), heads off his own way. Mikaela lives; Sam dies.

Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee…saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). He said to them, “Follow me.”⁴ The Greek words translated Follow me were δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου. According to the Koine Greek Lexicon online ὀπίσω means “toward the back, after, back, backward, (get) behind; follow, close behind (in time); backside, buttocks.” Though it may offend the religious mind, Jesus said essentially, “You stay on my ass,” and I will turn you into fishers of people!⁵ Solomon did not stay on the Lord’s (y^ehôvâh, יְהֹוָ֖ה) ass, as his father David had done.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
1 Kings 11:6 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:6 (NET)	3 Reigns 11:8 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:6 (Elpenor English)
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after (אַחֲרֵ֥י) the LORD, as did David his father.	Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight; he did not remain loyal to (ʼachar, אַחֲרֵ֥י) the Lord, as his father David had.	and Salomon did evil before the Lord; he did not go after (ὀπίσω) the Lord as Dauid his father.	And Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he went not after (ὀπίσω) the Lord, as David his father.

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 17:18; 17:19; 17:17; 17:20; 17:16; 1 Kings 11:1; 11:2; 11:3; 11:4; 11:5; 11:7; 11:8 and 11:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Deuteronomy 17:18; 17:19; 17:17; 17:20; 17:16; 1 Kings (3 Kings, 3 Reigns) 11:1; 11:2; 11:3; 11:4; 11:5 (11:6); 11:7 (11:5); 11:8 (11:7) and 11:6 (11:8) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following these is a table comparing Matthew 4:18 in the NET and KJV.

Deuteronomy 17:18 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:18 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:18 (NET)
And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites.	And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:	When he sits on his royal throne he must make a copy of this law on a scroll given to him by the Levitical priests.

Deuteronomy 17:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται ὅταν καθίσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ γράψει ἑαυτῷ τὸ δευτερονόμιον τοῦτο εἰς βιβλίον παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων τῶν Λευιτῶν	καὶ ὅταν καθίσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ γράψει αὐτῷ τὸ δευτερονόμιον τοῦτο εἰς βιβλίον παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων τῶν Λευιτῶν
Deuteronomy 17:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:18 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be, when he has set upon the seat of his rule, that he shall write for himself this second law in a book from the priests, the Leuites.	And when he shall be established in his government, then shall he write for himself this repetition of the law into a book by the hands of the priests the Levites;

Deuteronomy 17:19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:19 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:19 (NET)
And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear HaShem his G-d, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them;	And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:	It must be with him constantly, and he must read it as long as he lives, so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and observe all the words of this law and these statutes and carry them out.

Deuteronomy 17:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναγνώσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ ἵνα μάθῃ φοβεῗσθαι κύριον τὸν θεὸν αὐτοῦ φυλάσσεσθαι πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα ποιεῗν	καὶ ἔσται μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναγνώσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μάθῃ φοβεῖσθαι Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου καὶ φυλάσσεσθαι πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα ποιεῖν
Deuteronomy 17:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:19 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all these commandments and these statutes to do them	and it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord thy God, and to keep all these commandments, and to observe these ordinances:

Deuteronomy 17:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:17 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:17 (NET)
Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.	Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.	Furthermore, he must not marry many wives lest his affections turn aside, and he must not accumulate much silver and gold.

Deuteronomy 17:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐ πληθυνεῗ ἑαυτῷ γυναῗκας οὐδὲ μεταστήσεται αὐτοῦ ἡ καρδία καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον οὐ πληθυνεῗ ἑαυτῷ σφόδρα	καὶ οὐ πληθυνεῖ ἑαυτῷ γυναῖκας, ἵνα μὴ μεταστῇ αὐτοῦ ἡ καρδία· καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον οὐ πληθυνεῖ ἑαυτῷ σφόδρα
Deuteronomy 17:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:17 (English Elpenor)
And he shall not multiply wives for himself, neither shall he turn his heart away; also silver and gold he shall not multiply exceedingly for himself.	And he shall not multiply to himself wives, lest his heart turn away; and he shall not greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Deuteronomy 17:20 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:20 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:20 (NET)
that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.	That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.	Then he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens or turn from the commandments to the right or left, and he and his descendants will enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom in Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα μὴ ὑψωθῇ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ ἵνα μὴ παραβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν δεξιὰ ἢ ἀριστερά ὅπως ἂν μακροχρονίσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῗς υἱοῗς Ισραηλ	ἵνα μὴ ὑψωθῇ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ παραβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν δεξιὰ ἢ ἀριστερά, ὅπως ἂν μακροχρονίσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐτοῦ, αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραήλ
Deuteronomy 17:20 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:20 (English Elpenor)
so that his heart may not be exalted above his brothers so that he turn not aside from the commandments, right or left, in order that he be long-lived in his rule, he and his sons among the sons of Israel.	that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, that he depart not from the commandments on the right hand or on the left; that he and his sons may reign long in his dominion among the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 17:16 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 17:16 (NET)
Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses; forasmuch as HaShem hath said unto you: ‘Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.’	But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.	Moreover, he must not accumulate horses for himself or allow the people to return to Egypt to do so, for the Lord has said you must never again return that way.

Deuteronomy 17:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 17:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διότι οὐ πληθυνεῗ ἑαυτῷ ἵππον οὐδὲ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃ τὸν λαὸν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ὅπως πληθύνῃ ἑαυτῷ ἵππον ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν οὐ προσθήσετε ἀποστρέψαι τῇ ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ἔτι	διότι οὐ πληθυνεῖ ἑαυτῷ ἵππον οὐδὲ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃ τὸν λαὸν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ὅπως μὴ πληθύνῃ αὐτῷ ἵππον, ὁ δὲ Κύριος εἶπεν· οὐ προσθήσεσθε ἀποστρέψαι τῇ ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ἔτι
Deuteronomy 17:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 17:16 (English Elpenor)
For he shall not multiply cavalry for himself or return the people to Egypt in order to multiply cavalry for himself, but the Lord has said to you, “You shall never add to return that way.”	For he shall not multiply to himself horses, and he shall by no means turn the people back to Egypt, lest he should multiply to himself horses; for the Lord said, Ye shall not any more turn back by that way.

1 Kings 11:1 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:1 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:1 (NET)
But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:	But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;	King Solomon fell in love with many foreign women (besides Pharaoh’s daughter), including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites.

1 Kings 11:1 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμων ἦν φιλογύναιος καὶ ἦσαν αὐτῷ ἄρχουσαι ἑπτακόσιαι καὶ παλλακαὶ τριακόσιαι καὶ ἔλαβεν γυναῗκας ἀλλοτρίας καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα Φαραω Μωαβίτιδας Αμμανίτιδας Σύρας καὶ Ιδουμαίας Χετταίας καὶ Αμορραίας	ΚΑΙ ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαλωμὼν ἦν φιλογύνης. καὶ ἦσαν αὐτῷ γυναῖκες ἄρχουσαι ἑπτακόσιαι καὶ παλλακαὶ τριακόσιαι. καὶ ἔλαβε γυναῖκας ἀλλοτρίας καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα Φαραώ, Μωαβίτιδας, ᾿Αμμανίτιδας, Σύρας καὶ ᾿Ιδουμαίας, Χετταίας καὶ ᾿Αμορραίας,
3 Reigns 11:1 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:1 (English Elpenor)
And King Salomon was a philogynist. And he had seven hundred ruling women and three hundred concubines. And he took foreign women, both the daughter of Pharao, Moabites, Ammonites, Syrians and Idumeans, Chettites and Amorrites,	And king Solomon was a lover of women. [Table16 below] And he took strange women, as well as the daughter of Pharao, Moabitish, Ammanitish women, Syrians and Idumeans, Chettites, and Amorites;

1 Kings 11:2 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:2 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:2 (NET)
Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.	Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.	They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.” But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them.

1 Kings 11:2 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν ὧν ἀπεῗπεν κύριος τοῗς υἱοῗς Ισραηλ οὐκ εἰσελεύσεσθε εἰς αὐτούς καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς ὑμᾶς μὴ ἐκκλίνωσιν τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὀπίσω εἰδώλων αὐτῶν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐκολλήθη Σαλωμων τοῦ ἀγαπῆσαι	ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν, ὧν ἀπεῖπε Κύριος τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραήλ· οὐκ εἰσελεύσεσθε εἰς αὐτούς, καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς ὑμᾶς, μὴ ἐκκλίνωσι τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὀπίσω εἰδώλων αὐτῶν· εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐκολλήθη Σαλωμὼν τοῦ ἀγαπῆσαι
3 Reigns 11:2 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:2 (English Elpenor)
from the nations that the Lord forbade to the sons of Israel: “You shall not go into them, and they shall not go in to you, lest they turn away your hearts after their idols”; Salomon clung to them for love.	of the nations concerning whom the Lord forbade the children of Israel, [saying], Ye shall not go in to them, and they shall not come in to you, lest they turn away your hearts after their idols: Solomon clave to these in love.

1 Kings 11:3 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:3 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:3 (NET)
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.	And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.	He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines; his wives had a powerful influence over him.

1 Kings 11:3 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA (See verse 1 Table12 above)	NA (See verse 1 Table12 above)
3 Reigns 11:3 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:3 (English Elpenor)
NA (See verse 1 Table12 above)	NA (Verse 1: καὶ ἦσαν αὐτῷ γυναῖκες ἄρχουσαι ἑπτακόσιαι καὶ παλλακαὶ τριακόσιαι was not translated into English)

1 Kings 11:4 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:4 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:4 (NET)
For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.	For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.	When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been.

1 Kings 11:4 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν καιρῷ γήρους Σαλωμων καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ τελεία μετὰ κυρίου θεοῦ αὐτοῦ καθὼς ἡ καρδία Δαυιδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξέκλιναν αἱ γυναῗκες αἱ ἀλλότριαι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ὀπίσω θεῶν αὐτῶν	καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν καιρῷ γήρους Σαλωμὼν καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ τελεία μετὰ Κυρίου Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ, καθὼς ἡ καρδία Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξέκλιναν γυναῖκες αἱ ἀλλότριαι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ὀπίσω θεῶν αὐτῶν
3 Reigns 11:4 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:4 (English Elpenor)
And it happened at the time of Salomon’s old age that his heart was not perfect with the Lord, his God, as was the heart of his father Dauid, and his foreign wives turned away his heart after their gods.	And it came to pass in the time of the old age of Solomon, that his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as [was] the heart of David his father. (not translated: καὶ ἐξέκλιναν γυναῖκες αἱ ἀλλότριαι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ὀπίσω θεῶν αὐτῶν)

1 Kings 11:5 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:5 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:5 (NET)
For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.	For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.	Solomon worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte and the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.

1 Kings 11:5 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τῇ Ἀστάρτῃ βδελύγματι Σιδωνίων	καὶ τῇ ᾿Αστάρτῃ βδελύγματι Σιδωνίων
3 Reigns 11:6 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:5 (English Elpenor)
and to Astarte, abomination of the Sidonians.	and to Astarte the abomination of the Sidonians.

1 Kings 11:7 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:7 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:7 (NET)
Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.	Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.	Furthermore, on the hill east of Jerusalem Solomon built a high place for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.

1 Kings 11:7 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε ᾠκοδόμησεν Σαλωμων ὑψηλὸν τῷ Χαμως εἰδώλῳ Μωαβ καὶ τῷ βασιλεῗ αὐτῶν εἰδώλῳ υἱῶν Αμμων	τότε ᾠκοδόμησε Σαλωμὼν ὑψηλὸν τῷ Χαμώς, εἰδώλῳ Μωὰβ καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ αὐτῶν εἰδώλῳ υἱῶν ᾿Αμμὼν
3 Reigns 11:5 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:7 (English Elpenor)
Then Salomon built a high place to Chamos, idol of Moab, and to their king, idol of the sons of Ammon,	Then Solomon built a high place to Chamos the idol of Moab, and to their king the idol of the children of Ammon,

1 Kings 11:8 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:8 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:8 (NET)
And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.	And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.	He built high places for all his foreign wives so they could burn incense and make sacrifices to their gods.

1 Kings 11:8 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησεν πάσαις ταῗς γυναιξὶν αὐτοῦ ταῗς ἀλλοτρίαις ἐθυμίων καὶ ἔθυον τοῗς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν	καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησε πάσαις ταῖς γυναιξὶν αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἀλλοτρίαις, αἳ ἐθυμίων καὶ ἔθυον τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν
3 Reigns 11:7 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:8 (English Elpenor)
And thus he did for all his foreign wives; they were offering incense and sacrificing to their idols,	And thus he acted towards all his strange wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed to their idols.

1 Kings 11:6 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:6 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:6 (NET)
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.	And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.	Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight; he did not remain loyal to the Lord, as his father David had.

1 Kings 11:6 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Σαλωμων τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον κυρίου οὐκ ἐπορεύθη ὀπίσω κυρίου ὡς Δαυιδ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐποίησε Σαλωμὼν τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου· οὐκ ἐπορεύθη ὀπίσω Κυρίου ὡς Δαυὶδ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ
3 Reigns 11:8 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:6 (English Elpenor)
and Salomon did evil before the Lord; he did not go after the Lord as Dauid his father.	And Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he went not after the Lord, as David his father.

Matthew 4:18 (NET)	Matthew 4:18 (KJV)
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).	And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Net Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Περιπατῶν δὲ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς Γαλιλαίας εἶδεν δύο ἀδελφούς, Σίμωνα (τὸν λεγόμενον Πέτρον) καὶ Ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, βάλλοντας ἀμφίβληστρον εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν (ἦσαν γὰρ ἁλιεῖς)	περιπατων δε ο ιησους παρα την θαλασσαν της γαλιλαιας ειδεν δυο αδελφους σιμωνα τον λεγομενον πετρον και ανδρεαν τον αδελφον αυτου βαλλοντας αμφιβληστρον εις την θαλασσαν ησαν γαρ αλιεις	περιπατων δε παρα την θαλασσαν της γαλιλαιας ειδεν δυο αδελφους σιμωνα τον λεγομενον πετρον και ανδρεαν τον αδελφον αυτου βαλλοντας αμφιβληστρον εις την θαλασσαν ησαν γαρ αλιεις