Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

This is a continuation of my review of the Lord’s patience with the 24,000 killed by Moses, Phineas and the judges or tribes of Israel after joining themselves to Baal of Peor. The old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires1never learns very much from its experience with the Lord (Exodus 17:1-3a ESV).

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” [Table] But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses…

The old human wasn’t learning that The Lord is at hand2 but was ruled by its own anxiety instead, unable and unwilling in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving [to] let [its] requests be made known to God.3 The truth seemed harsh when Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him,4 You are of your father the devil, and your will (θέλετε, a form of θέλω) is to do your father’s desires (ἐπιθυμίας, a form of ἐπιθυμία).5 But hear the words of the old human:

Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?6

Who but the devil wishes this for the nation in whom all the families of the earth [shall] be blessed?7 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”8 But again, the Lord had a different plan (Exodus 17:5-7 ESV).

And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go [Table]. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel [Table]. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Jesus, the One new human, said, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?9 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all [Table]. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you [Table].10 But, how?

How does one seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness? “If anyone would come after me,” Jesus told his disciples, “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”11 I didn’t read the ESV in the early years. So, I’ll go back in time: If any man will (θέλει, a form of θέλω) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.12 I knew I couldn’t wander around after Jesus like Peter, James and John did, so I figured following Him had something to do with reading about Him in the Bible.

The stories in the Gospel narratives describing what Jesus did and said as an adult always began with the story of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12 ESV):

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by13 the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”

Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river14 Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance [Table]. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire [Table].
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire [Table]. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat (τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ) into the barn, but the chaff (τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον) he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

An article, “Ancient Jewish History: Pharisees, Sadducees & Essenes,” on Jewish Virtual Library online describes the “factions” mentioned above:

Of the various factions that emerged under Hasmonean rule, three are of particular interest: the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.

The Pharisees
The most important of the three were the Pharisees because they are the spiritual fathers of modern Judaism. Their main distinguishing characteristic was a belief in an Oral Law that God gave to Moses at Sinai along with the Torah. The Torah, or Written Law, was akin to the U.S. Constitution in the sense that it set down a series of laws that were open to interpretation. The Pharisees believed that God also gave Moses the knowledge of what these laws meant and how they should be applied. This oral tradition was codified and written down roughly three centuries later15 in what is known as the Talmud.
The Pharisees also maintained that an after-life existed, and that God punished the wicked and rewarded the righteous in the world to come. They also believed in a messiah who would herald an era of world peace.
Pharisees were in a sense blue-collar Jews who adhered to the tenets developed after the destruction of the Temple; that is, such things as individual prayer and assembly in synagogues.

The Sadducees
The Sadducees were elitists who wanted to maintain the priestly caste, but they were also liberal in their willingness to incorporate Hellenism into their lives, something the Pharisees opposed. The Sadducees rejected the idea of the Oral Law and insisted on a literal interpretation of the Written Law; consequently, they did not believe in an afterlife, since it is not mentioned in the Torah. The focus of Sadducee life was rituals associated with the Temple.
The Sadducees disappeared around 70 A.D., after the destruction of the Second Temple. None of the writings of the Sadducees has survived, so the little we know about them comes from their Pharisaic opponents.

These two “parties” served in the Great Sanhedrin, a kind of Jewish Supreme Court made up of 71 members whose responsibility was to interpret civil and religious laws.

My search on Jewish Virtual Library for “John the Baptist” found nothing of consequence. But an article, “John the Baptist – A Jewish Preacher Recast as the Herald of Jesus” on The Torah online reads:

The historical John, יוחנן, was a thoroughly Jewish religious preacher, who had little if any relation to Jesus and his movement…
Yohannan’s [John’s] use of immersion in water (“baptism”) as a symbol of purification of sins occurs in the sectarian literature found in the caves around Qumran…
John the Baptist and the Dead Sea sectarians share the use of water immersion for purification of the spirit. John may have been a member of the sect who went off on his own;[8] alternately, John may never have been part of the Essenes community, and this idea of spiritual purification through immersion was more widely known among Judeans during the late Second Temple period.

The article, “Ancient Jewish History: Pharisees, Sadducees & Essenes,” on Jewish Virtual Library online had the following to say about the Essenes:

A third faction, the Essenes, emerged out of disgust with the other two. This sect believed the others had corrupted the city and the Temple. They moved out of Jerusalem and lived a monastic life in the desert, adopting strict dietary laws and a commitment to celibacy.
The Essenes are particularly interesting to scholars because they are believed to be an offshoot of the group that lived in Qumran, near the Dead Sea. In 1947, a Bedouin shepherd stumbled into a cave containing various ancient artifacts and jars containing manuscripts describing the beliefs of the sect and events of the time.
The most important documents, often only parchment fragments that had to be meticulously restored, were the earliest known copies of the Old Testament. The similarity of the substance of the material found in the scrolls to that in the modern scriptures has confirmed the authenticity of the Bible used today.

I have already considered what happened next in Exodus in another context, but want to repeat it here as another example of the Lord’s patience with the old human as well as the limits of that patience (Exodus 17:8-13 ESV).

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand” [Table]. So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill [Table]. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed [Table]. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun [Table]. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword [Table].

I am willing these days to assume that if I had the Lord’s written record of his interactions with Amalek, it would show a similar pattern of patience with the old human of Amelak to that shown to the old human of Israel. I wonder, however, if there was anyone like Moses in Amalek or if that grace was reserved for the nation in whom all the families of the earth [shall] be blessed?16 When the old human of Amalek attacked the old human of Israel that the Lord had chosen, the Lord’s patience toward the old human of Amalek was diminished. (Exodus 17:14-16 ESV):

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

The story of Jesus as an adult continues (Matthew 3:13-17 ESV):

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” [Table] But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him [Table]; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

So, as I attempted to follow Jesus by reading about Him, I got baptized without knowing why. Eventually, however, I came to a story about Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-6 ESV).

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came17 to Ephesus. There he found18 some disciples. And19 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said,20 “No, we have not even21 heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said,22 “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said,23 “John24 baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”25 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came26 on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

This was Moses’ desire for all the Lord’s people27 when he became overwhelmed, feeling alone, caring for the old human of Israel (Numbers 11:16, 17 ESV).

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

The Complete Jewish Bible on Chabad.org online renders this giving of the spirit, and I will increase the spirit that is upon you and bestow it upon them. Rashi explained:

and I will increase. Heb. וְאָצַלְתִּי, as the Targum renders it: וַאִרַבֵּי, and I will increase, as in “But against the nobles of (אֲצִילֵי) the children of Israel” (Exod. 24:11).
and bestow it upon them. What did Moses resemble at that time? A candle placed upon a candelabrum; everyone lights from it, yet its brightness is not diminished. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:17, Midrash Tanchuma Beha’alothecha 12]

And the Lord did as He promised Moses (Numbers 11:24-29 ESV):

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it28 on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

According to a note (4) in the NET Matthew quoted Isaiah 40:3 in Matthew 3:3. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Matthew 3:3b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 40:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 40:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου. εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν

Matthew 3:3b (NET)

Isaiah 40:3 (NETS)

Isaiah 40:3 (English Elpenor)

The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.’ A voice of one crying out in the wilderness; “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the paths of our God. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God.

Tables comparing Exodus 17:1; 17:3; 17:4; 17:7; 17:8; 17:14; 17:15; 17:16; Numbers 11:29; 11:16; 11:17; 11:24; 11:25; 11:26; 11:27; 11:28 and Isaiah 40:3 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 17:1; 17:3; 17:4; 17:7; 17:8; 17:14; 17:15; 17:16; Numbers 11:29; 11:16; 11:17; 11:24; 11:25; 11:26; 11:27; 11:28 and Isaiah 40:3 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 3:3; 3:6; Acts 19:1-4 and 19:6 in the NET and KJV follow.

Exodus 17:1 (Tanakh)

Exodus 17:1 (KJV)

Exodus 17:1 (NET)

And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their stages, according to the commandment of HaShem, and encamped in Rephidim; and there was no water for the people to drink. And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the wilderness of Sin according to the Lord’s instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink.

Exodus 17:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀπῆρεν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου Σιν κατὰ παρεμβολὰς αὐτῶν διὰ ῥήματος κυρίου καὶ παρενεβάλοσαν ἐν Ραφιδιν οὐκ ἦν δὲ ὕδωρ τῷ λαῷ πιεῖν ΚΑΙ ἀπῇρε πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου Σὶν κατὰ παρεμβολὰς αὐτῶν διά ῥήματος Κυρίου καὶ παρενεβάλοσαν ἐν Ῥαφιδείν· οὐκ ἦν δὲ ὕδωρ τῷ λαῷ πιεῖν

Exodus 17:1 (NETS)

Exodus 17:1 (English Elpenor)

And the entire congregation of the sons of Israel set out from the wilderness of Sin according to their encampments by the word of the Lord, and they camped at Raphidin. But there was no water for the people to drink. And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the wilderness of Sin, according to their encampments, by the word of the Lord; and they encamped in Raphidin: and there was no water for the people to drink.

Exodus 17:3 (Tanakh)

Exodus 17:3 (KJV)

Exodus 17:3 (NET)

And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said: ‘Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?’ And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world did you bring us up from Egypt—to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”

Exodus 17:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐδίψησεν δὲ ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς ὕδατι καὶ ἐγόγγυζεν ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγοντες ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἀνεβίβασας ἡμᾶς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀποκτεῖναι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν καὶ τὰ κτήνη τῷ δίψει ἐδίψησε δὲ ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς ὕδατι, καὶ διεγόγγυζεν ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγοντες· ἱνατί τοῦτο; ἀνεβίβασας ἡμᾶς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀποκτεῖναι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν καὶ τὰ κτήνη τῷ δίψει

Exodus 17:3 (NETS)

Exodus 17:3 (English Elpenor)

But the people thirsted there for water, and the people kept complaining against Moyses, saying, “Why is it that you brought us up from Egypt to kill us and our children and animals with thirst?” And the people thirsted there for water, and there the people murmured against Moses, saying, Why is this? hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to slay us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

Exodus 17:4 (Tanakh)

Exodus 17:4 (KJV)

Exodus 17:4 (NET)

And Moses cried unto HaShem, saying: ‘What shall I do unto this people? they are almost ready to stone me.’ And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with this people?—a little more and they will stone me!”

Exodus 17:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐβόησεν δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς κύριον λέγων τί ποιήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ ἔτι μικρὸν καὶ καταλιθοβολήσουσίν με ἐβόησε δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς Κύριον λέγων· τί ποιήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ; ἔτι μικρὸν καὶ καταλιθοβολήσουσί με

Exodus 17:4 (NETS)

Exodus 17:4 (English Elpenor)

Then Moyses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? A little while yet and they will stone me!” And Moses cried to the Lord, saying, What shall I do to this people? yet a little while and they will stone me.

Exodus 17:7 (Tanakh)

Exodus 17:7 (KJV)

Exodus 17:7 (NET)

And the name of the place was called Massah, and Meribah, because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tried HaShem, saying: ‘Is HaShem among us, or not?’ And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not? He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Exodus 17:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου πειρασμὸς καὶ λοιδόρησις διὰ τὴν λοιδορίαν τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ διὰ τὸ πειράζειν κύριον λέγοντας εἰ ἔστιν κύριος ἐν ἡμῖν ἢ οὔ καὶ ἐπωνόμασε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Πειρασμὸς καὶ Λοιδόρησις, διὰ τὴν λοιδορίαν τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ διὰ τὸ πειράζειν Κύριον λέγοντας· εἰ ἔστι Κύριος ἐν ἡμῖν ἢ οὔ

Exodus 17:7 (NETS)

Exodus 17:7 (English Elpenor)

And he called the name of that place Testing and Raillery because of the railing of the sons of Israel and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” And he called the name of that place, Temptation, and Reviling, because of the reviling of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us or not?

Exodus 17:8 (Tanakh)

Exodus 17:8 (KJV)

Exodus 17:8 (NET)

Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim.

Exodus 17:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἦλθεν δὲ Αμαληκ καὶ ἐπολέμει Ισραηλ ἐν Ραφιδιν ῏Ηλθε δὲ ᾿Αμαλὴκ καὶ ἐπολέμει ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν Ῥαφιδείν

Exodus 17:8 (NETS)

Exodus 17:8 (English Elpenor)

Then Amalek came and was fighting Israel at Raphidin. And Amalec came and fought with Israel in Raphidin.

Exodus 17:14 (Tanakh)

Exodus 17:14 (KJV)

Exodus 17:14 (NET)

And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’ And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. The Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua’s hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”

Exodus 17:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν κατάγραψον τοῦτο εἰς μνημόσυνον ἐν βιβλίῳ καὶ δὸς εἰς τὰ ὦτα Ἰησοῖ ὅτι ἀλοιφῇ ἐξαλείψω τὸ μνημόσυνον Αμαληκ ἐκ τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· κατάγραψον τοῦτο εἰς μνημόσυνονἐν [probably μνημόσυνον ἐν] βιβλίῳ καὶ δὸς εἰς τὰ ὦτα ᾿Ιησοῦ, ὅτι ἀλοιφῇ ἐξαλείψω τὸ μνημόσυνον ᾿Αμαλὴκ ἐκ τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν

Exodus 17:14 (NETS)

Exodus 17:14 (English Elpenor)

Then the Lord said to Moyses, “Write this down for a memorial in a book, and put into the ears of Iesous that with a wipe out I will wipe out the memorial of Amalek from what is beneath heaven. And the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and speak [this] in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly blot out the memorial of Amalec from under heaven.

Exodus 17:15 (Tanakh)

Exodus 17:15 (KJV)

Exodus 17:15 (NET)

And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Adonai-nissi. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: Moses built an altar, and he called it “The Lord is my Banner,”

Exodus 17:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν Μωυσῆς θυσιαστήριον κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ κύριός μου καταφυγή καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε Μωυσῆς θυσιαστήριον Κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπωνόμασε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Κύριος καταφυγή μου

Exodus 17:15 (NETS)

Exodus 17:15 (English Elpenor)

And Moyses built an altar to the Lord and called its name “The Lord is my refuge,” And Moses built an altar to the Lord, and called the name of it, The Lord my Refuge.

Exodus 17:16 (Tanakh)

Exodus 17:16 (KJV)

Exodus 17:16 (NET)

And he said: ‘The hand upon the throne of HaShem: HaShem will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’ For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. for he said, “For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord—that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Exodus 17:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 17:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὅτι ἐν χειρὶ κρυφαίᾳ πολεμεῖ κύριος ἐπὶ Αμαληκ ἀπὸ γενεῶν εἰς γενεάς ὅτι ἐν χειρὶ κρυφαίᾳ πολεμεῖ Κύριος ἐπὶ ᾿Αμαλὴκ ἀπὸ γενεῶν εἰς γενεᾶς

Exodus 17:16 (NETS)

Exodus 17:16 (English Elpenor)

because by a secret hand the Lord fights against Amalek from generations to generations. For with a secret hand the Lord wages war upon Amalec to all generations.

Numbers 11:29 (Tanakh)

Numbers 11:29 (KJV)

Numbers 11:29 (NET)

And Moses said unto him: ‘Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all HaShem’S people were prophets, that HaShem would put His spirit upon them!’ And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them! Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for me? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

Numbers 11:29 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 11:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς μὴ ζηλοῖς σύ μοι καὶ τίς δῴη πάντα τὸν λαὸν κυρίου προφήτας ὅταν δῷ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς αὐτῷ· μὴ ζηλοῖς ἐμέ; καὶ τίς δῴη πάντα τὸν λαὸν Κυρίου προφήτας, ὅταν δῷ Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτούς

Numbers 11:29 (NETS)

Numbers 11:29 (English Elpenor)

And Moyses said to him, “Are you really jealous for me? And who might grant that all the Lord’s people be prophets, when the Lord grants his spirit upon them?” And Moses said to him, Art thou jealous on my account? and would that all the Lord’s people were prophets; whenever the Lord shall put his spirit upon them.

Numbers 11:16 (Tanakh)

Numbers 11:16 (KJV)

Numbers 11:16 (NET)

And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee. And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. The Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you.

Numbers 11:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 11:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν συνάγαγέ μοι ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων Ισραηλ οὓς αὐτὸς σὺ οἶδας ὅτι οὗτοί εἰσιν πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν καὶ ἄξεις αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου καὶ στήσονται ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· συνάγαγέ μοι ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ᾿Ισραήλ, οὓς αὐτὸς σὺ οἶδας, ὅτι οὗτοί εἰσι πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν. καὶ ἄξεις αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ στήσονται ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ

Numbers 11:16 (NETS)

Numbers 11:16 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord said to Moyses, “Gather for me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you personally know that they are elders of the people and are their scribes, and you shall lead them to the tent of witness, and they shall stand there with you. And the Lord said to Moses, Gather me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom thou thyself knowest that they are the elders of the people, and their scribes; and thou shalt bring them to the tabernacle of witness, and they shall stand there with thee.

Numbers 11:17 (Tanakh)

Numbers 11:17 (KJV)

Numbers 11:17 (NET)

And I will come down and speak with thee there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the Spirit that is on you, and will put it on them, and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it all by yourself.

Numbers 11:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 11:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ καταβήσομαι καὶ λαλήσω ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἀφελῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπὶ σοὶ καὶ ἐπιθήσω ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς καὶ συναντιλήμψονται μετὰ σοῦ τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ οὐκ οἴσεις αὐτοὺς σὺ μόνος καὶ καταβήσομαι καὶ λαλήσω ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἀφελῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπὶ σοὶ καὶ ἐπιθήσω ἐπ’ αὐτούς, καὶ συναντιλήψονται μετὰ σοῦ τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ οὐκ οἴσεις αὐτοὺς σὺ μόνος

Numbers 11:17 (NETS)

Numbers 11:17 (English Elpenor)

And I will come down and speak there with you, and I will remove some of the spirit that is upon you, and I will place it upon them, and they shall assist you with the onslaught of the people, and you will not bear them alone. And I will go down, and speak there with thee; and I will take of the spirit that is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear together with thee the burden of the people, and thou shalt not bear them alone.

Numbers 11:24 (Tanakh)

Numbers 11:24 (KJV)

Numbers 11:24 (NET)

And Moses went out, and told the people the words of HaShem; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent. And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. He then gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and had them stand around the tabernacle.

Numbers 11:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 11:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Μωυσῆς καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τὰ ῥήματα κυρίου καὶ συνήγαγεν ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτοὺς κύκλῳ τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ ἐξῆλθε Μωυσῆς καὶ ἐλάλησε πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τὰ ρήματα Κυρίου καὶ συνήγαγεν ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτοὺς κύκλῳ τῆς σκηνῆς

Numbers 11:24 (NETS)

Numbers 11:24 (English Elpenor)

And Moyses went out and spoke to the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy men from the elders of the people, and he placed them around the tent. And Moses went out, and spoke the words of the Lord to the people; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and he set them round about the tabernacle.

Numbers 11:25 (Tanakh)

Numbers 11:25 (KJV)

Numbers 11:25 (NET)

And HaShem came down in the cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders; and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did so no more. And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to them, and he took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but did not do so again.

Numbers 11:25 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 11:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ κατέβη κύριος ἐν νεφέλῃ καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ παρείλατο ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ὡς δὲ ἐπανεπαύσατο τὸ πνεῦμα ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν καὶ οὐκέτι προσέθεντο καὶ κατέβη Κύριος ἐν νεφέλῃ καὶ ἐλάλησε πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ παρείλατο ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους· ὡς δὲ ἐπανεπαύσατο πνεῦμα ἐπ’ αὐτούς, καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν καὶ οὐκ ἔτι προσέθεντο

Numbers 11:25 (NETS)

Numbers 11:25 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord came down in a cloud and spoke to him and took away some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy men who were elders. Now as the spirit rested upon them, they also prophesied, and they no longer added. And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy men that were elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied and ceased.

Numbers 11:26 (Tanakh)

Numbers 11:26 (KJV)

Numbers 11:26 (NET)

But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were recorded, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp. But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. But two men remained in the camp; one’s name was Eldad, and the other’s name was Medad. And the Spirit rested on them. (Now they were among those in the registration, but had not gone to the tabernacle.) So they prophesied in the camp.

Numbers 11:26 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 11:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ κατελείφθησαν δύο ἄνδρες ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ ὄνομα τῷ ἑνὶ Ελδαδ καὶ ὄνομα τῷ δευτέρῳ Μωδαδ καὶ ἐπανεπαύσατο ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ οὗτοι ἦσαν τῶν καταγεγραμμένων καὶ οὐκ ἦλθον πρὸς τὴν σκηνήν καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ καὶ κατελείφθησαν δύο ἄνδρες ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ, ὄνομα τῷ ἑνὶ ῾Ελδὰδ καὶ ὄνομα τῷ δευτέρῳ Μωδάδ, καὶ ἐπανεπαύσατο ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς πνεῦμα· καὶ οὗτοι ἦσαν τῶν καταγεγραμμένων καὶ οὐκ ἦλθον πρὸς τὴν σκηνήν· καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ

Numbers 11:26 (NETS)

Numbers 11:26 (English Elpenor)

And two men were left in the camp, the name of the one Eldad and the name of the second Modad, and the spirit rested upon them. And these are among the ones who had been registered, and they did not go to the tent, and they prophesied in the camp. And there were two men left in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Modad; and the spirit rested upon them, and these were of the number of them that were enrolled, but they did not come to the tabernacle; and they prophesied in the camp.

Numbers 11:27 (Tanakh)

Numbers 11:27 (KJV)

Numbers 11:27 (NET)

And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said: ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

Numbers 11:27 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 11:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ προσδραμὼν ὁ νεανίσκος ἀπήγγειλεν Μωυσῇ καὶ εἶπεν λέγων Ελδαδ καὶ Μωδαδ προφητεύουσιν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ καὶ προσδραμὼν ὁ νεανίσκος ἀπήγγειλε Μωυσῇ καὶ εἶπε λέγων· ῾Ελδὰδ καὶ Μωδὰδ προφητεύουσιν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ

Numbers 11:27 (NETS)

Numbers 11:27 (English Elpenor)

And the young man ran out and reported to Moyses and spoke, saying, “Eldad and Modad are prophesying in the camp.” And a young man ran and told Moses, and spoke, saying, Eldad and Modad prophesy in the camp.

Numbers 11:28 (Tanakh)

Numbers 11:28 (KJV)

Numbers 11:28 (NET)

And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: ‘My lord Moses, shut them in.’ And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his choice young men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!”

Numbers 11:28 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 11:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυη ὁ παρεστηκὼς Μωυσῇ ὁ ἐκελεκτὸς εἶπεν κύριε Μωυσῆ κώλυσον αὐτούς καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυὴ ὁ παρεστηκὼς Μωυσῇ, ὁ ἐκλεκτός, εἶπε· κύριε Μωυσῆ, κώλυσον αὐτούς

Numbers 11:28 (NETS)

Numbers 11:28 (English Elpenor)

And Iesous the son of Naue, the one who stood by Moyses, the chosen one, said, “O Sir Moyses—stop them!” And a young man ran and told Moses, and spoke, saying, Eldad and Modad prophesy in the camp.

Isaiah 40:3 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 40:3 (KJV)

Isaiah 40:3 (NET)

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. A voice cries out, “In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord; build a level road through the rift valley for our God.

Isaiah 40:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 40:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου. εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν

Isaiah 40:3 (NETS)

Isaiah 40:3 (English Elpenor)

A voice of one crying out in the wilderness; “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the paths of our God. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God.

Matthew 3:3 (NET)

Matthew 3:3 (KJV)

For he is the one about whom the prophet Isaiah had spoken: “The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.’” For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Matthew 3:3 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 3:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 3:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)

οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ρηθεὶς διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ ουτος γαρ εστιν ο ρηθεις υπο ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου ουτος γαρ εστιν ο ρηθεις υπο ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου

Matthew 3:6 (NET)

Matthew 3:6 (KJV)

and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Matthew 3:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 3:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 3:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν και εβαπτιζοντο εν τω ιορδανη υπ αυτου εξομολογουμενοι τας αμαρτιας αυτων και εβαπτιζοντο εν τω ιορδανη υπ αυτου εξομολογουμενοι τας αμαρτιας αυτων

Acts 19:1-4 (NET)

Acts 19:1-4 (KJV)

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the inland regions and came to Ephesus. And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

Acts 19:1 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 19:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 19:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ τὸν Ἀπολλῶ εἶναι ἐν Κορίνθῳ Παῦλον διελθόντα τὰ ἀνωτερικὰ μέρη [κατ]ελθεῖν εἰς Ἔφεσον καὶ εὑρεῖν τινας μαθητὰς εγενετο δε εν τω τον απολλω ειναι εν κορινθω παυλον διελθοντα τα ανωτερικα μερη ελθειν εις εφεσον και ευρων τινας μαθητας εγενετο δε εν τω τον απολλω ειναι εν κορινθω παυλον διελθοντα τα ανωτερικα μερη ελθειν εις εφεσον και ευρων τινας μαθητας
and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

Acts 19:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 19:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 19:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)

εἶπεν τε πρὸς αὐτούς· εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐλάβετε πιστεύσαντες; οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀλλ᾿ οὐδ᾿ εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἔστιν ἠκούσαμεν ειπεν προς αυτους ει πνευμα αγιον ελαβετε πιστευσαντες οι δε ειπον προς αυτον αλλ ουδε ει πνευμα αγιον εστιν ηκουσαμεν ειπεν προς αυτους ει πνευμα αγιον ελαβετε πιστευσαντες οι δε ειπον προς αυτον αλλ ουδε ει πνευμα αγιον εστιν ηκουσαμεν
So Paul said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.

Acts 19:3 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 19:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 19:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)

εἶπεν τε· εἰς τί οὖν ἐβαπτίσθητε; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· εἰς τὸ Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα ειπεν τε προς αυτους εις τι ουν εβαπτισθητε οι δε ειπον εις το ιωαννου βαπτισμα ειπεν τε προς αυτους εις τι ουν εβαπτισθητε οι δε ειπον εις το ιωαννου βαπτισμα
Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

Acts 19:4 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 19:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 19:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)

εἶπεν δὲ Παῦλος· Ἰωάννης ἐβάπτισεν βάπτισμα μετανοίας τῷ λαῷ λέγων εἰς τὸν ἐρχόμενον μετ᾿ αὐτὸν ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν, τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν ειπεν δε παυλος ιωαννης μεν εβαπτισεν βαπτισμα μετανοιας τω λαω λεγων εις τον ερχομενον μετ αυτον ινα πιστευσωσιν τουτ εστιν εις τον χριστον ιησουν ειπεν δε παυλος ιωαννης μεν εβαπτισεν βαπτισμα μετανοιας τω λαω λεγων εις τον ερχομενον μετ αυτον ινα πιστευσωσιν τουτ εστιν εις τον χριστον ιησουν

Acts 19:6 (NET)

Acts 19:6 (KJV)

and when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Acts 19:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 19:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 19:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἐπιθέντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ Παύλου [τὰς] χεῖρας ἦλθε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς, ἐλάλουν τε γλώσσαις καὶ ἐπροφήτευον και επιθεντος αυτοις του παυλου τας χειρας ηλθεν το πνευμα το αγιον επ αυτους ελαλουν τε γλωσσαις και προεφητευον και επιθεντος αυτοις του παυλου τας χειρας ηλθεν το πνευμα το αγιον επ αυτους ελαλουν τε γλωσσαις και προεφητευον

1 Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

2 Philippians 4:5b (ESV)

3 Philippians 4:6b (ESV)

4 John 8:31a (ESV)

5 John 8:44a (ESV) Table

6 Exodus 17:3b (ESV)

8 Exodus 17:4 (ESV)

9 Matthew 6:25 (ESV) Table

10 Matthew 6:32, 33 (ESV)

11 Matthew 16:24 (ESV)

12 Matthew 16:24 (KJV)

14 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ποταμῷ here, a form of the noun ποταμός. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

15 “In the 3rd century CE, Rabbenu Hakadosh realized that because of growing hardships and persecutions the Jews might not be able to retain by memory all these traditional laws, so he decided to record them.” From “The Oral Law: Mishnah” on Chabad.org online.

17 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had κατελθεῖν here, an infinitive form of κατέρχομαι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ελθειν, an infinitive form of ἔρχομαι.

18 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εὑρεῖν here, an infinitive form of εὑρίσκω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ευρων (KJV: finding), a nominative participle.

20 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον (KJV: they said) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

21 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had οὐδ᾿ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουδε (KJV: not so much as).

23 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had προς αυτους (KJV: unto them) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

24 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μεν (KJV: verily) following John. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

25 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστον (KJV: Christ) preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

27 Numbers 11:29 (ESV)

28and He increased some of the spirit that was on him and bestowed it… Numbers 11:25 (The Complete Jewish Bible)

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 4

This is a continuation of my review of the Lord’s patience with the 24,000 killed by Mosesc, Phineas and the judges or tribes of Israel after joining themselves to Baal of Peor. The old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires1never learns very much from its experience with the Lord (Exodus 16:1-3 ESV).

They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

The old human wasn’t learning that The Lord is at hand.2 It was ruled by its own anxiety instead, unable and unwilling in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving [to] let [its] requests be made known to God.3 The truth seemed harsh when Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him,4 You are of your father the devil, and your will (θέλετε, a form of θέλω) is to do your father’s desires (ἐπιθυμίας, a form of ἐπιθυμία).5 But listen to the desires expressed by the words of the old human when the people’s actual desires were for meat and bread, and some sense of food security:

Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt…

Who but the devil wishes this for the nation in whom all the families of the earth [shall] be blessed?6 Now hear the devil’s hope for Israel:

…you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

But the Lord had different plans (Exodus 16:4-15 ESV):

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not [Table]. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily” [Table]. So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat [Table].

As Jesus, the One new human, grew to maturity, He learned not only from his own experience with God his Father but, like a force multiplier, from the experience of others recorded in Scripture. As an adult He shared those insights, reasoning with the old human who gathered to hear Him (Matthew 6:25-33 ESV).

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [Table] Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin [Table], yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all [Table]. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you [Table].

But Jesusknew all people [Table] and needed no one to bear witness about man (ἀνθρώπου, a form of ἄνθρωπος), for he himself knew what was in man (ἀνθρώπῳ, another form of ἄνθρωπος).7 He knew the old human would not be persuaded by his example of faith and his reasoning alone. “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things?8 He chided Nicodemus (John 3:5-8 NET):

“I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God [Table]. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’ The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

This is Jesus’ key to understanding the Scriptures: to know what is in man as He knew what was in man, to recognize the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires9—in these Bible stories, and to perceive the need to be born from above, born of the Spirit, a new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον)—the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.10

Moses continued (Exodus 16:16-20 ESV):

This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them [Table].

“Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” It seems like a simple enough command to follow, but the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires11—has difficulty with simple commands. It opts more often than not for its own deceitful desires. Moses was angry, but notice the Lord’s patience with the old human: He made sure that what was left over bred worms and stank (e.g., it was [not] good for food). And He made sure in some way that defies human explanation that when they measured [what they had gathered] with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack, fulfilling his command for them irrespective of their own work gathering much or little.

Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning’” [Table]. So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it [Table]. Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field [Table]. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none” [Table].

On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none [Table].12

Patiently the Lord taught the old human, proving his word at every step. But his patience wasn’t limitless (Exodus 16:28-31 ESV).

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? [Table] See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day” [Table]. So the people rested on the seventh day [Table].

Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

We are meant to assume here that God spoke to Moses, who spoke to Aaron, who spoke to the people of Israel (Exodus 4:10-17). The Hebrew verb translated will you refuse is מֵאַנְתֶּם, a plural form of מָאֵן (mā’ēn). Though the translation will you refuse might lead me to expect an imperfect verb—describing “incomplete, ongoing, or potential” action—מֵאַנְתֶּם, a 2nd person form of מָאֵן (mā’ēn), is actually a perfect verb—describing “completed” action—translated refuse ye in the KJV. It is also a Piel stem: “an intensive or causative version of the” Qal stem מָאֵן (mā’ēn). So, the Lord asked a question and the people rested on the seventh day. Why?

If one is inclined to reply, “the fear of the Lord,” I think I’m inclined to agree, though not the kind of fear that prompts a “fight or flight response.” There is no threat, either explicit or implicit, in the Lord’s question: How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? So the people rested on the seventh day. The reasons were already apparent as were the facts—anything left over from the first five days of the week bred worms and stank while anything left over from the sixth day did not stink, and there were no worms in it—and yet some refused to keep the Lord’s commandments and laws: On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather.

The old human is notoriously unreasonable, even to its own harm. After all, the old human’s father, the devil—whose desires the old human wants to do—wants you dead. So again I ask, why did the old human hear the Lord’s question, fear the Lord in the sense of reverencing Him and obey his word?

The One new human taught (Matthew 7:7-11 ESV):

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? [Table] If you then, who are evil (πονηροὶ, a plural form of πονηρός), know how to give good (ἀγαθὰ, a plural form of ἀγαθός) gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things (ἀγαθὰ, a plural form of ἀγαθός) to those who ask him!

This seems to be the key in Exodus as well. Most of the adults the Lord addressed through Moses through Aaron with the question—How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?—were currently, or had been, parents of young children. It is the way God created humankind to live on the earth, the desires He programmed into human hearts. Despite being the old human, parents know how to give good gifts to [their] children. They also know the frustration of children who refuse the good they intend to give them. So here, even the old human can know the heart of God because He made it so from the beginning. So the people [mostly parents] rested on the seventh day.

This is another example of the Lord’s patience with the old human, Israel and the 24,000. And here is a glimpse into what is required to get the old human to rest one day in seven if the Lord commands it. For while we were living in the flesh (e.g., controlled by the old human), our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.13

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh (ἐν σαρκὶ in the dative case; e.g., “by means of the flesh”) cannot please God.14

Paul called my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh15 a cultivated olive tree as distinguished from Gentiles, a wild olive tree.16 I will call them the cultivated old human for the sake of clarity in what follows. As difficult as it was to get Israel to rest one day in seven at the Lord’s command, once that command was inculcated into the cultivated old human, pursued [as] a law that would lead to righteousness17 as if it were based on works,18 even that cultivated old human still found itself at odds with Jesus, the One new human, over this very Sabbath rest (Mark 2:23-3:6 ESV).

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on19 the Sabbath?” And he said20 to them, “Have you never read what David21 did (1 Samuel 21:1-7), when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests22 to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath [Table]. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered23 hand, “Come24 here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good25 or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your26 hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.27 The Pharisees went out and immediately held28 counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him [Table].

No achievements of religious or worldly authority defend one from the dictates of the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.29

The Pharisees were a prominent Jewish sect during the Second Temple period, known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and the oral traditions that they believed were equally authoritative. They were influential in the synagogues and among the common people, emphasizing purity, tithing, and Sabbath observance. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels and spirits, and the coming of the Messiah.30
The Herodians were a political group associated with the Herodian dynasty, which ruled parts of Judea under Roman authority. Unlike the Pharisees, the Herodians were more aligned with the Roman government and the Herodian rulers, who were seen as collaborators with the occupying power. Their primary interest was maintaining the political status quo and the favor of Rome.31

The old human united these natural enemies in common cause against the Word of God come in human flesh, the One new human. What I have called the religious mind focuses primarily on the religious aspect of this phenomenon. The old human is a much better description (though I probably won’t change the name of this site at this late date).

Tables comparing Exodus 16:1; 16:2; 16:3; 16:6; 16:7; 16:8; 16:9; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 16:13; 16:14; 16:16; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:21; 16:22 and 16:31 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 16:1; 16:2; 16:3; 16:6; 16:7; 16:8; 16:9; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 16:13; 16:14; 16:16; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:21; 16:22 and 16:31 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Mark 2:24-26 and 3:3-5 in the NET and KJV follow.

Exodus 16:1 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:1 (KJV)

Exodus 16:1 (NET)

And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 16:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀπῆραν δὲ ἐξ Αιλιμ καὶ ἤλθοσαν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ισραηλ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον Σιν ὅ ἐστιν ἀνὰ μέσον Αιλιμ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Σινα τῇ δὲ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ ἐξεληλυθότων αὐτῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ΑΠῌΡΑΝ δὲ ἐξ Αἰλεὶμ καὶ ἤλθοσαν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον Σίν, ὅ ἐστιν ἀνὰ μέσον Αἰλεὶμ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Σινά. τῇ δὲ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ ἐξεληλυθότων αὐτῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου

Exodus 16:1 (NETS)

Exodus 16:1 (English Elpenor)

And they set out from Ailim, and the entire congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Ailim and between Sina. And on the fifteenth day, in the second month, after they had gone out from the land of Egypt, And they departed from Aelim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Aelim and Sina; and on the fifteenth day, in the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt,

Exodus 16:2 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:2 (KJV)

Exodus 16:2 (NET)

And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness; And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: The entire company of Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.

Exodus 16:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

διεγόγγυζεν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἐπὶ Μωυσῆν καὶ Ααρων διεγόγγυζε πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπὶ Μωυσῆν καὶ ᾿Ααρών

Exodus 16:2 (NETS)

Exodus 16:2 (English Elpenor)

the entire congregation of the sons of Israel was complaining against Moyses and Aaron, all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 16:3 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:3 (KJV)

Exodus 16:3 (NET)

and the children of Israel said unto them: ‘Would that we had died by the hand of HaShem in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’ And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!”

Exodus 16:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ὄφελον ἀπεθάνομεν πληγέντες ὑπὸ κυρίου ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ὅταν ἐκαθίσαμεν ἐπὶ τῶν λεβήτων τῶν κρεῶν καὶ ἠσθίομεν ἄρτους εἰς πλησμονήν ὅτι ἐξηγάγετε ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ταύτην ἀποκτεῖναι πᾶσαν τὴν συναγωγὴν ταύτην ἐν λιμῷ καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ· ὄφελον ἀπεθάνομεν πληγέντες ὑπὸ Κυρίου ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, ὅταν ἐκαθίσαμεν ἐπὶ τῶν λεβήτων τῶν κρεῶν καὶ ἠσθίομεν ἄρτους εἰς πλησμονήν· ὅτι ἐξήγαγε ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ταύτην ἀποκτεῖναι πᾶσαν τὴν συναγωγὴν ταύτην ἐν λιμῷ

Exodus 16:3 (NETS)

Exodus 16:3 (English Elpenor)

and the sons of Israel said to them, “If only we had died, struck by the Lord, in the land, Egypt, when we sat at the cauldrons of meat and were eating bread to the full, because you led us out into this wilderness to kill all this congregation by famine.” And the children of Israel said to them, Would we had died smitten by the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, and ate bread to satiety! for ye have brought us out into this wilderness, to slay all this congregation with hunger.

Exodus 16:6 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:6 (KJV)

Exodus 16:6 (NET)

And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel: ‘At even, then ye shall know that HaShem hath brought you out from the land of Egypt; And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt,

Exodus 16:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς καὶ Ααρων πρὸς πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἑσπέρας γνώσεσθε ὅτι κύριος ἐξήγαγεν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν πρὸς πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ· ἑσπέρας γνώσεσθε ὅτι Κύριος ἐξήγαγεν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου

Exodus 16:6 (NETS)

Exodus 16:6 (English Elpenor)

Then Moyses and Aaron said to the entire congregation of the sons of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the Lord brought you out of the land of Egypt, And Moses and Aaron said to all the congregation of the children of Israel, At even ye shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt;

Exodus 16:7 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:7 (KJV)

Exodus 16:7 (NET)

and in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of HaShem; for that He hath heard your murmurings against HaShem; and what are we, that ye murmur against us?’ And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings against the Lord. As for us, what are we, that you should murmur against us?”

Exodus 16:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ πρωὶ ὄψεσθε τὴν δόξαν κυρίου ἐν τῷ εἰσακοῦσαι τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ ἡμεῖς δὲ τί ἐσμεν ὅτι διαγογγύζετε καθ᾽ ἡμῶν καὶ πρωΐ ὄψεσθε τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου ἐν τῷ εἰσακοῦσαι τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ· ἡμεῖς δὲ τί ἐσμεν ὅτι διαγογγύζετε καθ᾿ ἡμῶν

Exodus 16:7 (NETS)

Exodus 16:7 (English Elpenor)

and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, when he heard your complaining against God. But we, what are we that you complain against us?” and in the morning ye shall see the glory of the Lord, inasmuch as he hears your murmuring against God; and who are we, that ye continue to murmur against us?

Exodus 16:8 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:8 (KJV)

Exodus 16:8 (NET)

And Moses said: ‘This shall be, when HaShem shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that HaShem heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against Him; and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against HaShem.’ And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. Moses said, “You will know this when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to satisfy you, because the Lord has heard your murmurings that you are murmuring against him. As for us, what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.”

Exodus 16:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς ἐν τῷ διδόναι κύριον ὑμῖν ἑσπέρας κρέα φαγεῖν καὶ ἄρτους τὸ πρωὶ εἰς πλησμονὴν διὰ τὸ εἰσακοῦσαι κύριον τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν ὃν ὑμεῖς διαγογγύζετε καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἡμεῖς δὲ τί ἐσμεν οὐ γὰρ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὁ γογγυσμὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν ἀλλ᾽ ἢ κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς· ἐν τῷ διδόναι Κύριον ὑμῖν ἑσπέρας κρέα φαγεῖν καὶ ἄρτους τὸ πρωΐ εἰς πλησμονὴν διὰ τὸ εἰσακοῦσαι Κύριον τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν, ὃν ὑμεῖς διαγογγύζετε καθ᾿ ἡμῶν· ἡμεῖς δὲ τί ἐσμεν; οὐ γὰρ καθ᾿ ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ γογγυσμὸς ὑμῶν· ἀλλ᾿ ἢ κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ

Exodus 16:8 (NETS)

Exodus 16:8 (English Elpenor)

And Moyses said, “When the Lord gives you meat in the evening to eat and bread in the morning to the full, because the Lord heard your complaining which you complain against us, then we, what are we? For not against us is your complaining, but rather against God.” And Moses said, [This shall be] when the Lord gives you in the evening flesh to eat, and bread in the morning to satiety, because the Lord has heard your murmuring, which ye murmur against us: and what are we? for your murmuring is not against us, but against God.

Exodus 16:9 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:9 (KJV)

Exodus 16:9 (NET)

And Moses said unto Aaron: ‘Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel: Come near before HaShem; for He hath heard your murmurings.’ And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings. Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole community of the Israelites, ‘Come before the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings.’”

Exodus 16:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς Ααρων εἰπὸν πάσῃ συναγωγῇ υἱῶν Ισραηλ προσέλθατε ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσακήκοεν γὰρ ὑμῶν τὸν γογγυσμόν εἶπε δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς ᾿Ααρών· εἰπὸν πάσῃ συναγωγῇ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ· προσέλθετε ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ· εἰσακήκοε γὰρ τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν

Exodus 16:9 (NETS)

Exodus 16:9 (English Elpenor)

And Moyses said to Aaron, “Say to the entire congregation of the sons of Israel: Draw near before God. For he heard your complaining.” And Moses said to Aaron, Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before God; for he has heard your murmuring.

Exodus 16:10 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:10 (KJV)

Exodus 16:10 (NET)

And it came to pass, as Aaron spoke unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of HaShem appeared in the cloud. And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. As Aaron spoke to the whole community of the Israelites and they looked toward the wilderness, there the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud,

Exodus 16:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἡνίκα δὲ ἐλάλει Ααρων πάσῃ συναγωγῇ υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ἐπεστράφησαν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον καὶ ἡ δόξα κυρίου ὤφθη ἐν νεφέλῃ ἡνίκα δὲ ἐλάλει ᾿Ααρὼν πάσῃ συναγωγῇ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἐπεστράφησαν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ ἡ δόξα Κυρίου ὤφθη ἐν νεφέλῃ

Exodus 16:10 (NETS)

Exodus 16:10 (English Elpenor)

And when Aaron was speaking to the entire congregation of the sons of Israel, they also turned about towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud. And when Aaron spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they turned toward the wilderness, then the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud.

Exodus 16:11 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:11 (KJV)

Exodus 16:11 (NET)

And HaShem spoke unto Moses, saying: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, and the Lord spoke to Moses,

Exodus 16:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων καὶ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων

Exodus 16:11 (NETS)

Exodus 16:11 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord spoke to Moyses, saying, And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Exodus 16:12 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:12 (KJV)

Exodus 16:12 (NET)

‘I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak unto them, saying: At dusk ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am HaShem your G-d.’ I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God. “I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘During the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be satisfied with bread, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’”

Exodus 16:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἰσακήκοα τὸν γογγυσμὸν τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ λάλησον πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγων τὸ πρὸς ἑσπέραν ἔδεσθε κρέα καὶ τὸ πρωὶ πλησθήσεσθε ἄρτων καὶ γνώσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν εἰσακήκοα τὸν γογγυσμὸν τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ· λάλησον πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγων· τὸ πρὸς ἑσπέραν ἔδεσθε κρέα καὶ τὸ πρωΐ πλησθήσεσθε ἄρτων· καὶ γνώσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν

Exodus 16:12 (NETS)

Exodus 16:12 (English Elpenor)

“I have heard the complaining of the sons of Israel. Speak to them saying: Towards evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord, your God.” I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel: speak to them, saying, Towards evening ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be satisfied with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.

Exodus 16:13 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:13 (KJV)

Exodus 16:13 (NET)

And it came to pass at even, that the quails came up, and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew round about the camp. And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. In the evening the quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning a layer of dew was all around the camp.

Exodus 16:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐγένετο δὲ ἑσπέρα καὶ ἀνέβη ὀρτυγομήτρα καὶ ἐκάλυψεν τὴν παρεμβολήν τὸ πρωὶ ἐγένετο καταπαυομένης τῆς δρόσου κύκλῳ τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐγένετο δὲ ἑσπέρα, καὶ ἀνέβη ὀρτυγομήτρα καὶ ἐκάλυψε τὴν παρεμβολήν· τὸ πρωΐ ἐγένετο καταπαυομένης τῆς δρόσου κύκλῳ τῆς παρεμβολῆς

Exodus 16:13 (NETS)

Exodus 16:13, 14a (English Elpenor)

So evening came and quail came up and covered the camp. Then morning came when the dew was lifting around the camp, And it was evening, and quails came up and covered the camp: (14) in the morning it came to pass as the dew ceased round about the camp,

Exodus 16:14 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:14 (KJV)

Exodus 16:14 (NET)

And when the layer of dew was gone up, behold upon the face of the wilderness a fine, scale-like thing, fine as the hoar-frost on the ground. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. When the layer of dew had evaporated, there on the surface of the wilderness was a thin flaky substance, thin like frost on the earth.

Exodus 16:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τῆς ἐρήμου λεπτὸν ὡσεὶ κόριον λευκὸν ὡσεὶ πάγος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τῆς ἐρήμου λεπτὸν ὡσεὶ κόριον λευκόν, ὡσεὶ πάγος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

Exodus 16:14 (NETS)

Exodus 16:14b (English Elpenor)

and look, upon the surface of the wilderness was something fine like coriander, white like frost on the ground. that, behold, on the face of the wilderness [was] a small thing like white coriander seed, as frost upon the earth.

Exodus 16:16 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:16 (KJV)

Exodus 16:16 (NET)

This is the thing which HaShem hath commanded: Gather ye of it every man according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, shall ye take it, every man for them that are in his tent.’ This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Each person is to gather from it what he can eat, an omer per person according to the number of your people; each one will pick it up for whoever lives in his tent.’”

Exodus 16:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ συνέταξεν κύριος συναγάγετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἕκαστος εἰς τοὺς καθήκοντας γομορ κατὰ κεφαλὴν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν ἕκαστος σὺν τοῖς συσκηνίοις ὑμῶν συλλέξατε τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ συνέταξε Κύριος· συναγάγετε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἕκαστος εἰς τοὺς καθήκοντας, γομὸρ κατὰ κεφαλὴν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν, ἕκαστος σὺν τοῖς συσκηνίοις ὑμῶν συλλέξατε

Exodus 16:16 (NETS)

Exodus 16:16b (English Elpenor)

This is the word that the Lord instructed, ‘Each person gather from it for those appropriate; a gomor per head, according to the number of your souls, each of you with your tent mates collect’.” This is that which the Lord has appointed: gather of it each man for his family, a homer for each person, according to the number of your souls, gather each of you with his fellow-lodgers.

Exodus 16:17 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:17 (KJV)

Exodus 16:17 (NET)

And the children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, some less. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. The Israelites did so, and they gathered—some more, some less.

Exodus 16:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐποίησαν δὲ οὕτως οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ καὶ συνέλεξαν ὁ τὸ πολὺ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἔλαττον ἐποίησαν δὲ οὕτως οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ συνέλεξαν ὁ τὸ πολὺ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἔλαττον

Exodus 16:17 (NETS)

Exodus 16:17 (English Elpenor)

And the sons of Israel did so, and they collected, the one much and the other less. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered some much and some less.

Exodus 16:18 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:18 (KJV)

Exodus 16:18 (NET)

And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. When they measured with an omer, the one who gathered much had nothing left over, and the one who gathered little lacked nothing; each one had gathered what he could eat.

Exodus 16:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ μετρήσαντες τῷ γομορ οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν ὁ τὸ πολύ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἔλαττον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν ἕκαστος εἰς τοὺς καθήκοντας παρ᾽ ἑαυτῷ συνέλεξαν καὶ μετρήσαντες γομόρ, οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν ὁ τὸ πολύ, καὶ ὁ τὸ ἔλαττον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν· ἕκαστος εἰς τοὺς καθήκοντας παρ᾿ ἑαυτῷ συνέλεξαν

Exodus 16:18 (NETS)

Exodus 16:18 (English Elpenor)

And they measured by the gomor. The one with much did not have excess, and the one with less did not have too little. Each person collected for those appropriate at his own home. And having measured the homer [full], he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that had gathered less had no lack; each gathered according to the need of those who belonged to him.

Exodus 16:19 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:19 (KJV)

Exodus 16:19 (NET)

And Moses said unto them: ‘Let no man leave of it till the morning.’ And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

Exodus 16:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς αὐτούς μηδεὶς καταλιπέτω ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πρωί εἶπε δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς αὐτούς· μηδεὶς καταλειπέτω ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πρωΐ

Exodus 16:19 (NETS)

Exodus 16:19 (English Elpenor)

Then Moyses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it to the morning.” And Moses said to them, Let no man leave of it till the morning.

Exodus 16:21 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:21 (KJV)

Exodus 16:21 (NET)

And they gathered it morning by morning, every man according to his eating; and as the sun waxed hot, it melted. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. So they gathered it each morning, each person according to what he could eat, and when the sun got hot, it would melt.

Exodus 16:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ συνέλεξαν αὐτὸ πρωὶ πρωί ἕκαστος τὸ καθῆκον αὐτῷ ἡνίκα δὲ διεθέρμαινεν ὁ ἥλιος ἐτήκετο καὶ συνέλεξαν αὐτὸ πρωΐ πρωΐ, ἕκαστος τὸ καθῆκον αὐτῷ· ἡνίκα δὲ διεθέρμαινεν ὁ ἥλιος, ἐτήκετο

Exodus 16:21 (NETS)

Exodus 16:21 (English Elpenor)

And they collected it morning by morning, each person that which was appropriate for him. But when the sun grew hot, it melted. And they gathered it every morning, each man what he needed, and when the sun waxed hot it melted.

Exodus 16:22 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:22 (KJV)

Exodus 16:22 (NET)

And it came to pass that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one; and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And on the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers per person; and all the leaders of the community came and told Moses..

Exodus 16:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐγένετο δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ συνέλεξαν τὰ δέοντα διπλᾶ δύο Γομορ τῷ ἑνί εἰσήλθοσαν δὲ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες τῆς συναγωγῆς καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν Μωυσεῖ ἐγένετο δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ, συνέλεξαν τὰ δέοντα διπλᾶ, δύο γομὸρ τῷ ἑνί· εἰσήλθοσαν δὲ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες τῆς συναγωγῆς καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν Μωυσῇ

Exodus 16:22 (NETS)

Exodus 16:22 (English Elpenor)

But it happened on the sixth day, they collected double what was required, two gomors for one person. And all the leaders of the congregation went in and reported to Moyses. And it came to pass on the sixth day, they gathered double what was needed, two homers for one [man]; and all the chiefs of the synagogue went in and reported it to Moses.

Exodus 16:31 (Tanakh)

Exodus 16:31 (KJV)

Exodus 16:31 (NET)

And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna; and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. The house of Israel called its name “manna.” It was like coriander seed and was white, and it tasted like wafers with honey.

Exodus 16:31 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 16:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐπωνόμασαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Μαν ἦν δὲ ὡς σπέρμα κορίου λευκόν τὸ δὲ γεῦμα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐγκρὶς ἐν μέλιτι καὶ ἐπωνόμασαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, μάν· ἦν δὲ ὡσεὶ σπέρμα κορίου λευκόν, τὸ δὲ γεῦμα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐγκρὶς ἐν μέλιτι

Exodus 16:31 (NETS)

Exodus 16:31 (English Elpenor)

And the sons of Israel called its name Man. Now it was white like coriander seed, but its taste was like cake with honey. And the children of Israel called the name of it Man; and it was as white coriander seed, and the taste of it as a wafer with honey.

Mark 2:24-26 (NET)

Mark 2:24-26 (KJV)

So the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?” And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

Mark 2:24 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 2:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 2:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· ἴδε τί ποιοῦσιν τοῖς σάββασιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν και οι φαρισαιοι ελεγον αυτω ιδε τι ποιουσιν εν τοις σαββασιν ο ουκ εξεστιν και οι φαρισαιοι ελεγον αυτω ιδε τι ποιουσιν εν τοις σαββασιν ο ουκ εξεστιν
He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry— And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

Mark 2:25 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 2:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 2:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ ὅτε χρείαν ἔσχεν καὶ ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ και αυτος ελεγεν αυτοις ουδεποτε ανεγνωτε τι εποιησεν δαβιδ οτε χρειαν εσχεν και επεινασεν αυτος και οι μετ αυτου και αυτος ελεγεν αυτοις ουδεποτε ανεγνωτε τι εποιησεν δαυιδ οτε χρειαν εσχεν και επεινασεν αυτος και οι μετ αυτου
how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread, which is against the law for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to his companions?” How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

Mark 2:26 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 2:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 2:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)

|πῶς| εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγεν, οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν φαγεῖν εἰ μὴ τοὺς ἱερεῖς, καὶ ἔδωκεν καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ οὖσιν πως εισηλθεν εις τον οικον του θεου επι αβιαθαρ του αρχιερεως και τους αρτους της προθεσεως εφαγεν ους ουκ εξεστιν φαγειν ει μη τοις ιερευσιν και εδωκεν και τοις συν αυτω ουσιν πως εισηλθεν εις τον οικον του θεου επι αβιαθαρ αρχιερεως και τους αρτους της προθεσεως εφαγεν ους ουκ εξεστιν φαγειν ει μη τοις ιερευσιν και εδωκεν και τοις συν αυτω ουσιν

Mark 3:3-5 (NET)

Mark 3:3-5 (KJV)

So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.” And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

Mark 3:3 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 3:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 3:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ τὴν |ξηρὰν| χεῖρα ἔχοντι · ἔγειρε εἰς τὸ μέσον και λεγει τω ανθρωπω τω εξηραμμενην εχοντι την χειρα εγειραι εις το μεσον και λεγει τω ανθρωπω τω εξηραμμενην εχοντι την χειρα εγειραι εις το μεσον
Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

Mark 3:4 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 3:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 3:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν |ἀγαθὸν ποιῆσαι| ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀποκτεῖναι; οἱ δὲ ἐσιώπων και λεγει αυτοις εξεστιν τοις σαββασιν αγαθοποιησαι η κακοποιησαι ψυχην σωσαι η αποκτειναι οι δε εσιωπων και λεγει αυτοις εξεστιν τοις σαββασιν αγαθοποιησαι η κακοποιησαι ψυχην σωσαι η αποκτειναι οι δε εσιωπων
After looking around at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Mark 3:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 3:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 3:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ περιβλεψάμενος αὐτοὺς μετ᾿ ὀργῆς, συλλυπούμενος ἐπὶ τῇ πωρώσει τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ· ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρα . καὶ ἐξέτεινεν καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ και περιβλεψαμενος αυτους μετ οργης συλλυπουμενος επι τη πωρωσει της καρδιας αυτων λεγει τω ανθρωπω εκτεινον την χειρα σου και εξετεινεν και αποκατεσταθη η χειρ αυτου υγιης ως η αλλη και περιβλεψαμενος αυτους μετ οργης συλλυπουμενος επι τη πωρωσει της καρδιας αυτων λεγει τω ανθρωπω εκτεινον την χειρα σου και εξετεινεν και αποκατεσταθη η χειρ αυτου υγιης ως η αλλη

1 Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

2 Philippians 4:5b (ESV)

3 Philippians 4:6b (ESV)

4 John 8:31a (ESV)

5 John 8:44a (ESV) Table

7 John 2:24, 25 (ESV)

8 John 3:10 (NET) Table

9 Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

10 Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

11 Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

12 Exodus 16:21-27 (ESV)

13 Romans 7:5 (ESV)

14 Romans 8:5-8 (ESV)

15 Romans 9:3b (ESV) Table

16 Romans 11:24 (ESV)

17 Romans 9:31 (ESV) Table

18 Romans 9:32 (ESV) Table

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

20 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had λέγει here, a 3rd person singular form of λέγω in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτος ελεγεν in the imperfect tense.

23 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the adjective ξηρὰν here, an accusative form of ξηρός, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξηραμμενην, a perfect participle of the verb ξηραίνω.

24 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἔγειρε here, a 2nd person imperative form of ἐγείρω in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had an aorist infinitive εγειραι (e.g., “to stand”).

26 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the genitive pronoun σου here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

27 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀπεκατεστάθη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αποκατεσταθη. Both are listed as 3rd person singular forms of ἀποκαθίστημι in the aorist tense, indicative mood and passive voice. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υγιης ως η αλλη (KJV: whole as the other) at the end of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

28 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐδίδουν here, an imperfect form of δίδωμι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εποιουν (KJV; took), an imperfect form of ποιέω.

29 Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 2

I mentioned in another essay how difficult it is for me to recognize when I’m worshiping an idol. This essay will be somewhat exploratory because I suspect that there is an idol in here somewhere. I’m just not entirely sure where as I begin.

In a Bible study on the book of James my Pastor quoted from Ephesians (Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV):

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God [Table], not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Sometime later, as we shared a meal, I said that it was nice to hear those verses without the customary caveat. He didn’t know what I was talking about. I explained that this and faith were different genders in Greek, and so faith was excluded from the phrase not your own doing. He had never heard such a thing and pulled up the verses on his phone. I admitted I didn’t really believe it any more in any practical way but that I had heard it all my life, and that it still came to mind whenever I considered Ephesians 2:8.

He said it didn’t make any sense: yes, τοῦτο, translated this (ESV), is neuter and πίστεως, translated faith (ESV), is feminine, but so is χάριτι, translated grace (ESV). I said I should probably look more deeply into it. So, here I go.

First, χάριτι in the text was actually Τῇχάριτι, translated by grace (ESV) because both words are in the dative case. The example cited in GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions) was, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.1 Here τῇ προσευχῇ and τῇ δεήσει were translated by prayer and [by] supplication respectively because all are in the dative case.

The Greek words translated faith were πίστεως in the NET parallel Greek text and NA28, and της πιστεως in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.2 My Pastor was right: If πίστεως is excluded from this (τοῦτο) is not your own doing,3 because πίστεως is feminine and τοῦτο is neuter, then Τῇχάριτι should be excluded for the same reason. In other words, both grace and faith would be your own doing (ἐξ ὑμῶν); literally, “out from you.”

In another essay I wrote: “I’m not qualified to engage that argument,” thinking, I suppose, that it was too esoteric for my current knowledge of Koine Greek. But now it appears that I was just too lazy to engage the text. My reasons for including grace in the clause this is not your own doing have nothing to do with the genders of Τῇχάριτι and τοῦτο, but with many other passages of Scripture and a not insignificant amount of personal experience. I cannot exclude faith solely on the basis of the gender of πίστεως and της.

Are there other Scriptures that persuade me that faith is of my own doing? I’ll begin with a New Testament survey of πίστεως4 (Acts 11:19-24 ESV).

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen (Acts 8:1-3) traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord [Table]. The report of this came to the ears of the church in5 Jerusalem,6 and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose [Table], for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

The Greek words translated who believed in—and a great number who believed turned to the Lord7—were πιστεύσας in the NET parallel Greek text and NA28, and simply πιστευσας in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text (KJV: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord). Adding to πιστεύσας (a participle of the verb πιστεύω) leaves the possibility open that some who believed had not yet turned (ἐπέστρεψεν, a form of ἐπιστρέφω) to the Lord (Matthew 13:18-23; Luke 8:11-15).

What interests me more in this context is: And the hand of the Lord was with them:8 καὶ ἦν χεὶρ κυρίου μετ᾿ αὐτῶν. The pronoun αὐτῶν is masculine, feminine and neuter, and most likely9 refers back to the Hellenists (τοὺς Ἑλληνιστὰς) and forward to a great number who believed: πολύς τε ἀριθμὸς πιστεύσας. In other words, the hand of the Lord is cited preceding the faith of a great number of the Hellenists. Was Luke simply being polite to the Lord when the actual situation was that the faith of a great number of the Hellenists was of their own doing?

When [Barnabas] came and saw the grace (τὴν χάριν) of God, he was glad.10 What was the grace of God that Barnabas saw (ἰδὼν, a form of εἴδω)? he exhorted [the great number of the Hellenists who believed] to remain faithful (προσμένειν, an infinitive form of προσμένω) to the Lord with steadfast purpose.11 It sounds as if Luke attributed their faith to the grace of God. Was he puffing God up with false praise when the actual situation was that the faith of a great number of the Hellenists was of their own doing?

The text continued: for [Barnabas] was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.12 The Greek word translated faith here was πίστεως, a form of the noun πίστις. Being full of the Holy Spirit (πλήρης πνεύματος ἁγίου) precedes being full of faith. This makes sense since πίστις, translated faithfulness (ESV), is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law13the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law [Table].14

Since I am making so much of the word order, should I assume that Barnabas was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith because he was a good man (ἦν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς)? I’ve made that assumption before. It’s not false unless I’m thinking causatively: goodness (ἀγαθωσύνη) is another aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. So I assume now that Luke and the Holy Spirit used full of the Holy Spirit and of faith to clarify their intended meaning: for he was a good man.15 And a great many people were added to the Lord.16

This is not my experience. I don’t see a great many peopleadded to the Lord in my immediate vicinity. I won’t blame the hand of the Lord. That leaves: I am not a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. I’ll own that and continue to Do [my] best to present [myself] to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.17 But If I rejected that diagnosis, would I blame those who are dead in…trespasses and sins for their lack of faith in Christ?

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [Table] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind [Table].18

So, blaming them would depend, I suppose, on who I credit for making me alive together with Christ.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace (τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ) in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [Table].19

Approached in this way it becomes quite telling that my faith and my works are absent here: This is about God’s mercy, God’s great love, God made us alive together with Christ (συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ) by God’s grace, God raised us up with him (συνήγειρεν, a form of συνεγείρω) and seated us with him (συνεκάθισεν, a form of συγκαθίζω) in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Why? For his own purpose: so that in the coming ages he might show (ἐνδείξηται, a form of ἐνδείκνυμι) the immeasurable riches of his grace.

There is nothing uncertain about so thathe might show: ἐνδείξηται is a subjunctive form of ἐνδείκνυμι in a purpose clause: “the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.”20 The only uncertainty here is why English translators persist in their refusal to translate Greek verbs in the subjunctive mood in purpose or result clauses into English. But when does/did all of this happen?

The verbs συνεζωοποίησεν, συνήγειρεν, συνεκάθισεν and even ἐνδείξηται are in the aorist tense and συνεζωοποίησεν, συνήγειρεν and συνεκάθισεν are in the indicative mood:

The aorist is said to be “simple occurrence” or “summary occurrence”, without regard for the amount of time taken to accomplish the action. This tense is also often referred to as the ‘punctiliar’ tense. ‘Punctiliar’ in this sense means ‘viewed as a single, collective whole,’ a “one-point-in-time” action, although it may actually take place over a period of time. In the indicative mood the aorist tense denotes action that occurred in the past time, often translated like the English simple past tense.

For example: “God…made us alive together with Christ.” Eph 2:5

“He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil 1:621

When I begin to perceive any of this as true corresponds to when I received the Holy Spirit. When I as a five-year-old child prayed a sinner’s prayer to Jesus to escape from burning in hell for all eternity, nothing happened except that I believed I didn’t need to fear hell.22 When I as a twenty-something atheist stoner prayed, “If you’re really out there, I really want to know you,”23 the Holy Spirit invaded my ψυχή: “soul, life, creature, living being, physical life, life-force; corpse, dead person; an individual person.”

I didn’t think much of the Gospel then. Been there, done that, I thought. The Gospel just didn’t work out for me. This time I was going to do it right. The objective truth of the Bible was irrelevant to me. Its truth was like that of a contract. There were things for me to do and things God would do in exchange. He knew what the contract I held in my hand said, and so could I.24

In no objective sense did I as a twenty-something atheist stoner turn in faith to Jesus Christ. I was more like a bibliolater standing before the Bible as Israel stood before Mount Sinai, saying, All that the LORD has spoken [I] will do.25 I didn’t keep my promise. He certainly knew I couldn’t keep my promise. Why did He give me his own Holy Spirit then and not when I was five?

I want to pause here to compile a brief dossier on Barnabas (Acts 4:33-37; 9:26-31; 11:22, 25, 26 ESV):

And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet [Table].

And when [Paul, aka Saul] had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple [Table]. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him [Table]. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied [Table].

The report of this (Acts 11:19-21) came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul [aka Paul], and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians [Table].

The people who tried to lead the five-year-old me to the Lord, led me to atheism instead. It was certainly not their intent, just a fact. The twenty-something bibliolater me went back to the same church of the very same people, believing they were right and I was wrong. The difference? I was about twenty years older, but more to the point, I had been given the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. When I heard teaching or preaching the Holy Spirit brought other Scriptures to my mind. Sometimes those Scriptures agreed with what was taught or preached. That was a good day. Sometimes they did not. But I was studying the Bible on my own with the Holy Spirit, the Father and his Son. Eventually, Paul’s writings, writings that may never have been written (Acts 13:1-3) if Barnabas had not gone to Tarsus to look for Saul and brought him to Antioch, led me to Jesus. It is impossible for me to credit all of this to my faith or my effort, though I cannot imagine it transpiring apart from both.

The solution I return to over and over is:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed (ὑπηκούσατε , a form of ὑπακούω) so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation (τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν κατεργάζεσθε) with fear and trembling, for it is God who works ( ἐνεργῶν) in you, both to will (τὸ θέλειν) and to work (τὸ ἐνεργεῖν) for his good pleasure (τῆς εὐδοκίας) [Table].26

I’ll pick this up in another essay. A table comparing Acts 11:22 in the NET and KJV follows.

Acts 11:22 (NET)

Acts 11:22 (KJV)

A report about them came to the attention of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.

Acts 11:22 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 11:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 11:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Ἠκούσθη δὲ ὁ λόγος εἰς τὰ ὦτα τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς οὔσης ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ περὶ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐξαπέστειλαν Βαρναβᾶν ἕως Ἀντιοχείας ηκουσθη δε ο λογος εις τα ωτα της εκκλησιας της εν ιεροσολυμοις περι αυτων και εξαπεστειλαν βαρναβαν διελθειν εως αντιοχειας ηκουσθη δε ο λογος εις τα ωτα της εκκλησιας της εν ιεροσολυμοις περι αυτων και εξαπεστειλαν βαρναβαν διελθειν εως αντιοχειας

1 Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

2 For a brief discussion of these textural differences see αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ, Part 2 .

3 Ephesians 2:8b (ESV) Table

4 I’ll return to consider Acts 6:5 in another essay.

5 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had τῆς οὔσης ἐν (“that was in”) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had της εν.

7 Acts 11:21b (ESV) Table

8 Acts 11:21a (ESV) Table

9 Perhaps I should say, “is in closest proximity to.” I can’t eliminate the possibility that αὐτῶν also refers to some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spokepreaching the Lord Jesus (Acts 11:20 ESV), but then the hand of the Lord seems more laissez faire, not opposed to them, rather than the cause of what transpired.

10 Acts 11:23a (ESV) Table

11 Acts 11:23b (ESV) Table

12 Acts 11:24 (ESV)

13 Galatians 5:18 (ESV)

14 Galatians 5:22, 23 (ESV)

15 Acts 11:24a (ESV)

16 Acts 11:24b (ESV)

17 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

18 Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)

19 Ephesians 2:4-7 (ESV)

25 Exodus 19:8b (ESV) Table

26 Philippians 2:12, 13 (ESV)