Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 4

Posted on April 13, 2026 by admin

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 desires¹—never 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 Jesus…knew 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 2^nd 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

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

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Back to Exploration, Part 19

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 Genesis 28:14b (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 3^rd 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.

²¹ In the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text David was spelled Δαυὶδ, and δαβιδ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τοὺς ἱερεῖς here in the accusative case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τοις ιερευσιν in the dative case.

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 2^nd 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”).

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀγαθὸν ποιῆσαι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the compound verb αγαθοποιησαι.

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 3^rd 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)

³⁰ From “The Pharisees and Herodians: Pharisees” in the Topical Encyclopedia on Bible Hub online.

³¹ From “The Pharisees and Herodians: Herodians” in the Topical Encyclopedia on Bible Hub online.

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

Posted on February 25, 2026 by admin

This is a continuation of “a fuller consideration” of “Matthew’s and the Holy Spirit’s word choices”¹ in Matthew 12:18-21. It became apparent in another essay that Behold, my servant whom I have chosen² wasn’t a quotation from Isaiah 42:1 exclusively: Behold my servant, whom I uphold.³ While preparing this essay I watched Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut again, which helped to illustrate the difference between them.

I recalled my first viewing (with my own eyes wide shut) enjoying the visual smorgasbord of female nudes in classic poses, even as I struggled to find some point to its story beyond a celebration that the Lord God made a woman and brought her to Adam. The story begins, I suppose, when Alice Harford (Nicole Kidman)—having resisted the dubious “charms” of a cad at a Christmas party—is offended by her husband’s lack of jealousy over her, his too facile faith in her fidelity. She angrily and hurtfully recounts her own conflicting emotions over an unconsummated lust for a stranger at a hotel on a family vacation that summer.

The persistent (and explicit) mental image of his beautiful young wife’s desire for another man, a naval officer, propels Bill Harford (Tom Cruise), a successful medical doctor, on a dark parody of a Hero’s Journey, even a mockery of the concept of the hero’s journey. It seems, at first, like a cinematic foray into Baal worship as described by B. Z. Goldberg in “The Sacred Fire, the story of sex in religion,” consorting with prostitutes as religious rite and ritual. Bill’s bookend encounters with Mr. Milich (Rade Šerbedžija), a costumer he bribed to reopen his shop late that night, were a poignant reminder that a prostitute is somebody’s daughter.

Bill needed a tuxedo, a cape with a hood and a mask to gain admittance to a secret orgy he heard about after a timely phone call from Alice aborted an impromptu assignation with Domino (Vinessa Shaw), a prostitute who had propositioned him as he wandered the streets. Awakened by Bill, as he reopens his shop Milich discovers his underage daughter (Leelee Sobieski) entertaining two older men. “We were invited here by the young lady,” one of them explains as Milich rages: “The young lady? It is my daughter. And couldn’t you see she is a child? You will have to explain to police.” Then he lashes out at his child, “You little whore! I’ll kill you for this.” Milich locks the two men in the front room of his shop as his daughter flees and cowers behind Bill.

Then Milich tends again to his rental business as his half-naked daughter, clinging to Bill for protection, whispers coquettishly into Bill’s ear. The scene ends without revealing how Bill extricates himself from her grasp or leaves her to her fate, which sets up the bookend scene the next morning. As he returns the rental costume (everything but the missing mask), Milich’s daughter, still in her underwear, emerges from the front of the shop, smiling. Her father greets her warmly and introduces her properly to Dr. Harford. Then the same two men from the night before emerge through the same doorway, fully clothed and looking like satisfied customers, and they are regarded as such by Mr. Milich.

Perplexed, Bill reminds Milich of his intent to call the police last night (without mentioning his intent to kill his daughter). “Well, uh, things change,” Milich responds, “we have come to another arrangement.” Then he offers his daughter to Bill as another potential rental item of interest, since Bill is clearly of interest to her. But the story has morphed into a thriller as Bill investigates the disappearance of a musician friend, Nick Nightingale (Todd Field), who told him about the secret orgy in the first place, and the suspiciously timed death of a prostitute, Mandy Curran (Julienne Davis), who offered herself as a sacrifice to “redeem” Bill from further humiliation (and other more lethal threats) when he was unmasked as an unwelcome intruder at the secret orgy.

Only at the end did I recognize “Eyes Wide Shut” as a love story. And after another divorce and a few more years of Bible study with God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit, I realize it’s a love story about the grace of God, protecting Dr. and Mrs. Harford from the deceitful desires of their old human during three nights and three days when their marriage is severely tested.

Once he confesses all to Alice, Bill is uneasy, questioning what his wife is thinking and where he stands with her. Alice Harford, beautiful deeper than even her face or form, ponders aloud:

What do I think we should do? (Their young daughter Helena [Madison Eginton] interrupts.) What do I think? I don’t know. I mean, maybe I… (She tends to Helena again.) Maybe I think we should be grateful, grateful that we’ve managed to survive through all of our (she searches for a word) adventures—whether they were real or only a dream.

Gratitude is appropriate. Neither Bill nor Alice had any occasion for pride over any works of righteousness which had been done by any righteousness of their own derived from any law: Behold my servant, whom I uphold.⁴ This isn’t exactly what one expects of Jesus—Behold, my servant whom I have chosen⁵—but is appropriate to consider for servants who are not yet born from above, not yet created by means of [Christ]…into one new human.⁶

The Hebrew word translated I uphold was אֶתְמָךְ, a form of תָּמַךְ (tāmaḵ), which was translated ἀντιλήμψομαι or ἀντιλήψομαι in the Septuagint, forms of ἀντιλαμβάνω in the middle voice. The first occurrence of a form of תָּמַךְ (tāmaḵ) in the Masoretic text occurs in the story of Israel blessing Joseph and his two sons.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 48:17 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 48:17 (NET)	Genesis 48:17 (NETS) Table	Genesis 48:17 (English Elpenor)
And when Joseph saw that his father was laying his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he held up (וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ) his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.	When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him. So he took (tāmaḵ, ויתמך) his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.	Now when Ioseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it seemed grievous to him, and Ioseph took hold (καὶ ἀντελάβετο) of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasse’s head.	And Joseph having seen that his father put his right hand on the head of Ephraim– it seemed grievous to him; and Joseph took hold (καὶ ἀντελάβετο) of the hand of his father, to remove it from the head of Ephraim to the head of Manasse.

The next occurrence is found in the story of Israel’s battle with Amalek.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 17:12 (Tanakh/KJV)	Exodus 17:12 (NET)	Exodus 17:12 (NETS)	Exodus 17:12 (English Elpenor)
But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up (תָּֽמְכ֣וּ) his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.	When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up (tāmaḵ, תמכו) his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down.	But Moyses’ hands were heavy. And they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hor kept supporting (ἐστήριζον) his hands, here one and there one. And the hands of Moyses were supported until the setting of the sun.	But the hands of Moses were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it; and Aaron and Or supported (ἐστήριζον) his hands one on this side and the other on that, and the hands of Moses were supported till the going down of the sun.

In the first occurrence Joseph held up, took, took hold of his father’s hand to correct what he perceived as wrong. In the second occurrence Aaron and Hur stayed up, held up, kept supporting, supported Moses’ hands to help him do what they perceived as right (Exodus 17:10, 11, 13 ESV):

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…And [because of a form of תָּמַךְ (tāmaḵ) done by Aaron and Hur] Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

David wrote (Psalm 16:1, 2, 5 ESV):

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold (תּוֹמִ֥יךְ, a form of תָּמַךְ, tāmaḵ) my lot.

When I returned to the church where I became an atheist, I believed wholeheartedly that Jesus would finally help me have my own righteousness derived from the law,⁷ which was a major departure from many years of experience that I was neither faithful nor good enough to receive any help from Him at all. My last hope before I disbelieved Him entirely was that He would punish me for my sins. He didn’t, not in anyway I expected or perceived.

When He brought me back I didn’t actually “know” that I wanted Him to help me have my own righteousness derived from the law, because I didn’t yet know that there was any alternative to my own righteousness derived from the law. So, though He still didn’t help me have my own righteousness derived from the law, He helped me to know and to desire his righteousness (τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ), the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.⁸

The Greek words translated the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness were: τὴν, the righteousness that, διὰ, comes by way, πίστεως Χριστοῦ, of Christ’s faithfulness. A note (11) in the NET goes into some detail about scholarly arguments over translation here: in the ESV for instance τὴν διὰ πίστεως Χριστοῦ was translated that which comes through faith in Christ.⁹ While the arguments are interesting, the writer was Paul, who also wrote (Galatians 2:20 EXP11):

By means of Christ I have been crucified, but I live hereafter not I but He lives within me, Christ, so who now I live within flesh, by faithfulness I live by means of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul is faithful because the indwelling Christ makes it so. And Paul didn’t retain this grace as a special privilege to himself alone (Ephesians 2:8-10 EXP14):

For by means of grace you are, were and continue to be saved through faith, and this not from within you, God’s gift, not out from works, so that no one may boast [about oneself]. For we are his workmanship, created by means of Christ Jesus to good works which God prepared beforehand, so that by means of them we may walk.

At the conclusion of another essay I wrote:

Just as the conjunction καὶ (and) in Jesus’ prayer doesn’t deny his divinity but highlights and accentuates his humanity, even as the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,¹² so God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) chose this new human: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen. Eternal life is to know the only true God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and this new human. How? by knowing Jesus Christ, through the Bible certainly, yet equally if not more importantly, through the time spent with the One who died to fulfill the Scriptures.

I chide myself for being so slow to understand. The relationship between Jesus as Christ and the new human is actually quite explicit (Romans 5:12-21 ESV).

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man (δι᾿ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου), and death through sin, and so death spread to all men (εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους) because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come [Table].

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass (τῷ τοῦ ἑνὸς παραπτώματι), much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man (τῇ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου) Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin (οὐχ ὡς δι᾿ ἑνὸς ἁμαρτήσαντος). For the judgment following one trespass (ἐξ ἑνὸς) brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass (τῷ τοῦ ἑνὸς παραπτώματι), death reigned through that one man (διὰ τοῦ ἑνός), much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man (διὰ τοῦ ἑνὸς) Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as one trespass (ὡς δι᾿ ἑνὸς παραπτώματος) led to condemnation for all men (εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους), so one act of righteousness (δι᾿ ἑνὸς δικαιώματος) leads to justification and life for all men (εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους). For as by the one man’s disobedience (διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου) the many were made sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὶ κατεστάθησαν οἱ πολλοί), so by the one man’s obedience (διὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς) the many will be made righteous (δίκαιοι κατασταθήσονται οἱ πολλοί). Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And again (1 Corinthians 15:45-49 ESV):

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”;¹⁰ the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven [Table]. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven [Table].

And here, I return to Matthew 12:18a (ESV).

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.

I’ll continue with the idea (NET note 28) that Isaiah 42:1 is a good place to start looking for the source of the quotation my beloved (ὁ ἀγαπητός μου). The next Hebrew word in Isaiah 42:1 in the Masoretic text is בְּחִירִ֖י, a form of בָּחִיר (bāḥîr):

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 42:1 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Isaiah 42:1 (NET)	Isaiah 42:1 (NETS) Table	Isaiah 42:1 (English Elpenor)
mine elect (בְּחִירִ֖י)	my chosen one (bāḥîr, בחירי)	Israel is my chosen (Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου)	Israel is my chosen (᾿Ισραὴλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου)

In another essay I considered why the Septuagint translators may have been inclined to add Israel to these words, and won’t repeat it here. But does Matthew 12:18 help to corroborate the Masoretic text as more original this time?

Matthew 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 42:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 42:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἀγαπητός μου	Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου	᾿Ισραὴλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου
Matthew 12:18 (NET)	Isaiah 42:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 42:1 (English Elpenor)
the one I love	Israel is my chosen	Israel is my chosen

Granted, the word Ισραηλ is missing from Matthew’s quotation as it is from the apparent source in the Masoretic text of Isaiah. But is ἀγαπητός a fitting synonym for ἐκλεκτός, or a reasonable translation of בְּחִירִ֖י, a form of בָּחִיר (bāḥîr)? The singular adjective ἀγαπητός in the nominative case doesn’t occur in the Greek translation of Isaiah. There are, however, two occurrences of other forms.

The first is fairly straightforward (Isaiah 5:1-4 ESV):

Let me sing for my beloved
my love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
and hewed out a wine vat in it;
and he looked for it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
and men of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more was there to do for my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?

The Hebrew word translated my love in my love song concerning his vineyard above was דּוֹדִ֖י, a form of דּוֹד (dôḏ). A table with more detail follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 5:1 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 5:1 (NET)	Isaiah 5:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:1 (English Elpenor)
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved (לִֽידִידִ֔י) a song of my beloved (דּוֹדִ֖י) touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved (לִֽידִידִ֖י) hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:	I will sing to my love (yāḏîḏ, לידידי)—a song to my lover (dôḏ, דודי) about his vineyard. My love (yāḏîḏ, לידידי) had a vineyard on a fertile hill.	I will now sing for the beloved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ) a song of the loved one (τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ) concerning my vineyard: The beloved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ) had a vineyard on a hill, on a fertile place.	Now I will sing to [my] beloved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ) a song of my beloved (τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ μου) concerning my vineyard. [My] beloved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ) had a vineyard on a high hill in a fertile place.

So, one Hebrew word occurs twice in the Masoretic text: לִֽידִידִ֔י, a form of יָדִיד (yāḏîḏ), to my wellbeloved / My wellbeloved (Tanakh, KJV), to my love / My love (NET). It was translated τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ in the Septuagint, for the beloved / The beloved (NETS), to [my] beloved / [My] beloved (English Elpenor). And another occurs once: דּוֹדִ֖י, a form of דּוֹד (dôḏ), of my beloved (Tanakh, KJV), to my lover (NET). The ESV translators chose my love, abandoning any sense of personality, treating דּוֹדִ֖י, a form of דּוֹד (dôḏ), simply as an adjective describing song. It was translated τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ in the BLB Septuagint, of the loved one (NETS), and τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ μου in the Elpenor Septuagint, of my beloved (English Elpenor).

The Greek adjective ἀγαπητοῦ is a singular form of ἀγαπητός in the genitive case. Since Matthew and the Holy Spirit chose ἀγαπητός, referring to Jesus in Matthew 12:18, rather than ἐκλεκτός (which referred to Israel in the Septuagint), I’m primed to respond to the Lord’s questions as follows:

Question 1 (Isaiah 5:4a ESV):
What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it?

Answer 1 (John 3:14-17 ESV):
As Moses¹¹ lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him¹² may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (κρίνῃ, a form of κρίνω; literally judge) the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him [Table].

Question 2 (Isaiah 5:4b ESV):
When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?

Answer 2 (John 3:6, 7; Romans 8:3, 4 ESV):
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’ (ἄνωθεν; literally from above).
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned (κατέκρινεν, a form of κατακρίνω) sin in the flesh (ἐν τῇ σαρκί; or “by means of the flesh”), in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

I tend to understand the allegory of the vineyard as a reference to the people of Israel, more specifically to the people of the southern kingdom of Judah, or even more specifically to the Jews of Jerusalem, at the time of Isaiah. Without denying any of that, Rashi understood the vineyard as Adam, perhaps even humanity more generally (See Rashi’s commentary to Isaiah 5:7). But despite all his insight, including his recognition that God did more for Israel than for Adam, Rashi still hoped in Torah, in law, a millennium after Christ has come, Christ has died, Christ is risen again. And another millennium after Rashi “all the little Jewish children look forward to the happy day when they will begin to learn Chumash [Torah (The Pentateuch)] with Rashi…a new milestone on their wonderful and enchanting road to scholarship and wisdom.”¹³

The only other occurrence of a form of ἀγαπητός in the Greek translation of Isaiah is more difficult because the Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge significantly (Isaiah 26:16-19 ESV).

O Lord, in distress they sought you;
they poured out a whispered prayer
when your discipline was upon them.
Like a pregnant woman
who writhes and cries out in her pangs
when she is near to giving birth,
so were we because of you, O Lord;
we were pregnant, we writhed,
but we have given birth to wind.
We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth,
and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.
Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a dew of light,
and the earth will give birth to the dead [Table].

The differences between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint are reasonably apparent in English translation:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 26:16, 17 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 26:16, 17 (NET)	Isaiah 26:16, 17 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:16, 17, 18a (English Elpenor)
LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.	O Lord, in distress they looked for you; they uttered incantations because of your discipline.	O Lord, in affliction I remembered you; with small affliction your chastening was on us.	Lord, in affliction I remembered thee; thy chastening was to us with small affliction.
Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.	As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver and strains and cries out because of her labor pains, so were we because of you, O Lord.	And as a woman in travail is about to give birth and cries out in her pangs, so were we to your beloved because of the fear of you, O Lord.	And as a woman in travail draws nigh to be delivered, [and] cries out in her pain; so have we been to thy beloved. (18) We have conceived, O Lord, because of thy fear…

I’ll pause here to consider Isaiah 26:17 (26:17, 18a) in more detail:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 26:17 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 26:17 (NET)	Isaiah 26:17 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:17, 18a (English Elpenor)
Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so (כֵּ֛ן) have we been (הָיִ֥ינוּ) in thy sight (מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ), O LORD (יְהֹוָֽה).	As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver and strains and cries out because of her labor pains, so (kēn, כן) were we (hāyâ, היינו) because of you (pānîm, מפניך), O Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יהוה).	And as a woman in travail is about to give birth and cries out in her pangs, so (οὕτως) were we (ἐγενήθημεν) to your beloved (τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου) because of (διὰ) the fear of you (τὸν φόβον σου), O Lord (κύριε).	And as a woman in travail draws nigh to be delivered, [and] cries out in her pain; so (οὕτως) have we been (ἐγενήθημεν) to thy beloved (τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου). (18) We have conceived, O Lord (Κύριε), because of (διὰ) thy fear (τὸν φόβον σου),

The Hebrew word כֵּ֛ן (kēn), so (Tanakh, KJV, NET), was translated οὕτως in the Septuagint, so (NETS, English Elpenor). Then הָיִ֥ינוּ a form of הָיָה (hāyâ), have we been (Tanakh, KJV), were we (NET), was translated ἐγενήθημεν, were we (NETS), have we been (English Elpenor). The next word is absent from the Masoretic text: τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου, to your beloved (NETS), to thy beloved (English Elpenor), only occurs in the Septuagint; ἀγαπητῷ is a form of the adjective ἀγαπητός in the dative case. The rabbis apparently translated a Hebrew manuscript that had a form of דּוֹד (dôḏ) at this point in the word string (based on Isaiah 5:1). The Masoretes either dropped it or favored a manuscript from which it was absent.

The next word מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ, a form of פָּנִים (pānîm), in thy sight (Tanakh, KJV), because of you (NET), was translated διὰ, because of (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. Then again, a word, probably a form of יָרֵא (yārē’), is absent from the Masoretic text, but was translated τὸν φόβον σου, the fear of you (NETS), thy fear (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. And finally, יְהֹוָֽה (yᵊhōvâ), O LORD (Tanakh, KJV), O Lord (NET), in the Masoretic text was translated Κύριε, O Lord (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

In the Greek of the Septuagint there is a point and purpose of this woman in hard labor imagery, a reference to some relationship between that labor and your beloved, thy beloved: so were we to your beloved because of the fear of you, O Lord (NETS), so have we been to thy beloved…O Lord, because of thy fear (English Elpenor). The point and purpose in the Tanakh and KJV translations of the Masoretic text is thy chastening: so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. The NET and ESV translations may hint at some other purpose: so were we because of you, O Lord. But I suspect that hint owes more to the translators’ consultation of the Septuagint than to any strict adherence to the Hebrew of the Masoretic text.

Since Matthew and the Holy Spirit chose ὁ ἀγαπητός μου in Matthew 12:18 my beloved (ESV) to specify Jesus, who fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, rather than Israel (Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου in Isaiah 42:1 in the Septuagint), I’m primed to recognize the identity of τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου, to your beloved (NETS), to thy beloved (English Elpenor) as a prophetic reference to Jesus. And Paul, in his lament, was quite specific about Jesus’ relationship to Israel imagined as a woman in hard labor (Romans 9:1-5 ESV).

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh [Table]. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

The differences between the Masoretic text and Septuagint continue:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 26:18, 19 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 26:18, 19 (NET)	Isaiah 26:18, 19 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:18, 19 (English Elpenor)
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.	We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth, as it were, to wind. We cannot produce deliverance on the earth; no people are born to populate the world.	We conceived and travailed and gave birth; we produced a wind of your salvation on the earth, but those who dwell on the earth will fall.	We have conceived, O Lord, because of thy fear, and have been in pain, and have brought forth the breath of thy salvation, which we have wrought upon the earth: we shall not fall, but all that dwell upon the land shall fall.
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead [Table].	Your dead will come back to life; your corpses will rise up. Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground! For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew, and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits.	The dead shall rise, and those who are in the tombs shall be raised, and those who are in the earth shall rejoice; for the dew from you is healing to them, but the land of the impious shall fall [Table].	The dead shall rise, and they that are in the tombs shall be raised, and they that are in the earth shall rejoice: for the dew from thee is healing to them: but the land of the ungodly shall perish.

A more detailed table of Isaiah 26:18 follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 26:18 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 26:18 (NET)	Isaiah 26:18 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:18 (English Elpenor)
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were (כְּמ֖וֹ) brought forth (יָלַ֣דְנוּ) wind (ר֑וּחַ); we have not (בַּל) wrought (נַ֣עֲשֶׂה) any deliverance (יְשׁוּעֹת֙) in the earth (אֶ֔רֶץ); neither (וּבַֽל) have the inhabitants (יֹֽשְׁבֵ֥י) of the world (תֵבֵֽל) fallen (יִפְּל֖וּ).	We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth (yālaḏ, ילדנו), as it were (kᵊmô, כמו), to wind (rûaḥ, רוח). We cannot (bal, בל) produce (ʿāśâ, נעשׁה) deliverance (yᵊšûʿâ, ישועת) on the earth (‘ereṣ, ארץ); no people (bal, ובל) are born (nāp̄al, יפלו) to populate (yāšaḇ, ישבי) the world (tēḇēl, תבל).	We conceived and travailed and gave birth (ἐτέκομεν); we produced (ἐποιήσαμεν) a wind (πνεῦμα) of your salvation (σωτηρίας σου) on the earth (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς), but (ἀλλὰ) those who dwell (οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες) on the earth (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς) will fall (πεσοῦνται).	We have conceived, O Lord, because of thy fear, and have been in pain, and have brought forth (ἐτέκομεν) the breath (πνεῦμα) of thy salvation (σωτηρίας σου), which we have wrought (ἐποιήσαμεν) upon the earth (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς): we shall not (οὐ) fall (πεσούμεθα), but (ἀλλὰ) all that dwell (πάντες οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες) upon the land (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς) shall fall (πεσοῦνται).

The first word in the Masoretic text to diverge from the Septuagint is כְּמ֖וֹ (kᵊmô), as it were (Tanakh, KJV, NET). There is no counterpart in the Septuagint. But the next word יָלַ֣דְנוּ, a form of יָלַד (yālaḏ), we have…brought forth (Tanakh, KJV), we gave birth (NET), was translated ἐτέκομεν, gave birth (NETS), have brought forth (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. This was followed by ר֑וּחַ (rûaḥ), wind (Tanakh, KJV), to wind (NET), translated πνεῦμα, a wind (NETS), the breath (English Elpenor). Then came יְשׁוּעֹת֙, a form of יְשׁוּעָה (yᵊšûʿâ), any deliverance (Tanakh, KJV), deliverance (NET), translated σωτηρίας σου, of your salvation (NETS), of thy salvation (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

The next word in the Hebrew word string of the Masoretic text is בַּל (bal), not (Tanakh, KJV), cannot (NET). There is no negative particle in the BLB Septuagint; οὐ in the Elpenor Septuagint occurs later in the word string and precedes a different verb. The verb negated in the Hebrew of the Masoretic text is נַ֣עֲשֶׂה, a form of עָשָׂה (ʿāśâ), we have…wrought (Tankah, KJV), We…produce (NET), and was translated ἐποιήσαμεν without any hint of negation in the Septuagint, we produced (NETS), which we have wrought (English Elpenor). And this is followed by אֶ֔רֶץ (ereṣ), in the earth (Tanakh, KJV), on the earth (NET), translated ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, on the earth (NETS), upon the earth (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

In other words, prior to many in Israel rejecting Jesus as Messiah there is Greek evidence of a Hebrew manuscript which prophesied something like: we produced a wind of your salvation on the earth [e.g., your beloved] (NETS); have brought forth the breath of thy salvation [e.g., thy beloved], which we have wrought upon the earth (English Elpenor). And after their rejection the Masoretic text reads: we have as it were brought forth wind [e.g., a fart]; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth (Tanakh, KJV); we gave birth, as it were, to wind; We cannot produce deliverance on the earth (NET).

The next word in the Hebrew word string of the Masoretic text is another negative particle וּבַֽל, a form of בַּל (bal), neither (Tanakh, KJV), no people (NET). Here is where the negative particle οὐ occurs in the Elpenor Septuagint only, preceding πεσούμεθα (a form of πίπτω), we shall not fall (English Elpenor). Frankly, whether this is evidence of yet another Hebrew manuscript or simply an editorial comment identifying The dead [who] shall rise,¹⁴ is of no concern to me at present. Both the BLB and Elpenor Septuagint have the conjunction ἀλλὰ here, but (NETS, English Elpenor), rather than a negative particle when οὐ πεσούμεθα is bracketed aside.

The next word in the Hebrew of the Masoretic text is יִפְּל֖וּ, a form of נָפַל (nāp̄al), have…fallen (Tanakh, KJV), are born (NET), and was translated πεσοῦνται, will fall (NETS), shall fall (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. Then יֹֽשְׁבֵ֥י, a form of יָשַׁב (yāšaḇ), the inhabitants (Tanakh, KJV), to populate (NET), was translated οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες (BLB Septuagint), those who dwell (NETS) and πάντες οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες (Elpenor Septuagint), all that dwell (English Elpenor). Finally, תֵבֵֽל (tēḇēl), of the world (Tanakh, KJV), the world (NET), was translated ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, on the earth (NETS), upon the land (English Elpenor).

None of this persuades me that ἀγαπητός in Matthew 12:18 calls the originality of בְּחִירִ֖י, a form of בָּחִיר (bāḥîr) in Isaiah 42:1, into question. On the contrary, ἀγαπητός seems to be a deliberate choice to bind Isaiah 42 to Isaiah 5 and Isaiah 26 in Matthew 12:18, even as it distinguishes Jesus somewhat from Israel (as translated in the Septuagint). Even in the mutilated remains of Isaiah 26:18 in the Masoretic text one finds ר֑וּחַ (rûaḥ) followed by יְשׁוּעֹת֙, a form of יְשׁוּעָה (yᵊšûʿâ; pronounced yesh-oo’-aw), “spirit of salvation.” As Paul wrote: the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.¹⁵ And Matthew wrote that Jesus fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah.¹⁶ And the Holy Spirit called Him: my beloved¹⁷ (ὁ ἀγαπητός μου).

Israel…pursued a law that would lead to righteousness¹⁸…as if it were based on works,¹⁹ Paul assessed the failure of his brothers, [his] kinsmen according to the flesh.²⁰ The Masoretes confirmed his assessment: we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind. We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth.²¹ In other words, they did not pursue it by faith²² in the faithfulness of God: Behold my servant, whom I uphold.²³ And many still reject his “spirit of salvation,” Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved.²⁴

When Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) returned home late on the third night, he found the missing mask he had to purchase from the man who prostituted his own daughter. He found that mask, which he wore in a vain attempt to fit in at a secret orgy hoping in vain to hide his true identity, lying on his pillow in his place in his bed next to his sleeping wife—and he repented.

Tables comparing Exodus 17:12; 17:11; 17:13; Psalm 16:1; 16:2; 16:5; Isaiah 5:1; 5:2; 5:3; 5:4; 26:16; 26:17 and 26:18 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 17:12; 17:11; 17:13; Psalm 16:1 (15:1); 16:2 (15:2); 16:5 (15:5); Isaiah 5:1; 5:2; 5:3; 5:4; 26:16; 26:17 and 26:18 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing John 3:14, 15 in the KJV and NET follow.

Exodus 17:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:12 (KJV)	Exodus 17:12 (NET)
But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.	But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.	When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down.

Exodus 17:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
αἱ δὲ χεῖρες Μωυσῆ βαρεῖαι καὶ λαβόντες λίθον ὑπέθηκαν ὑπ᾽ αὐτόν καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ Ααρων καὶ Ωρ ἐστήριζον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐντεῦθεν εἷς καὶ ἐντεῦθεν εἷς καὶ ἐγένοντο αἱ χεῖρες Μωυσῆ ἐστηριγμέναι ἕως δυσμῶν ἡλίου	αἱ δὲ χεῖρες Μωυσῆ βαρεῖαι· καὶ λαβόντες λίθον ὑπέθηκαν ὑπ᾿ αὐτόν, καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ ῍Ωρ ἐστήριζον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, ἐντεῦθεν εἷς καὶ ἐντεῦθεν εἷς· καὶ ἐγένοντο αἱ χεῖρες Μωυσῆ ἐστηριγμέναι ἕως δυσμῶν ἡλίου
Exodus 17:12 (NETS)	Exodus 17:12 (English Elpenor)
But Moyses’ hands were heavy. And they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hor kept supporting his hands, here one and there one. And the hands of Moyses were supported until the setting of the sun.	But the hands of Moses were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it; and Aaron and Or supported his hands one on this side and the other on that, and the hands of Moses were supported till the going down of the sun.

Exodus 17:11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:11 (KJV)	Exodus 17:11 (NET)
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.	And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.	Whenever Moses would raise his hands, then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest his hands, then Amalek prevailed.

Exodus 17:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγίνετο ὅταν ἐπῆρεν Μωυσῆς τὰς χεῖρας κατίσχυεν Ισραηλ ὅταν δὲ καθῆκεν τὰς χεῖρας κατίσχυεν Αμαληκ	καὶ ἐγίνετο ὅταν ἐπῇρε Μωυσῆς τὰς χεῖρας, κατίσχυεν ᾿Ισραήλ· ὅταν δὲ καθῆκε τὰς χεῖρας, κατίσχυεν ᾿Αμαλήκ
Exodus 17:11 (NETS)	Exodus 17:11 (English Elpenor)
And it happened whenever Moyses held up his hands, Israel was prevailing, and whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was prevailing.	And it came to pass, when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands, Amalec prevailed.

Exodus 17:13 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:13 (KJV)	Exodus 17:13 (NET)
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.	And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.	So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his army with the sword.

Exodus 17:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐτρέψατο Ἰησοῦς τὸν Αμαληκ καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας	καὶ ἐτρέψατο ᾿Ιησοῦς τὸν ᾿Αμαλὴκ καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας
Exodus 17:13 (NETS)	Exodus 17:13 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous routed Amalek and all his people by slaughter of dagger.	And Joshua routed Amalec and all his people with the slaughter of the sword.

Psalm 16:1 (Tanakh)	Psalm 16:1 (KJV)	Psalm 16:1 (NET)
Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.	Michtam of David. Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.	A prayer of David. Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you.

Psalm 16:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 15:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
στηλογραφία τῷ Δαυιδ φύλαξόν με κύριε ὅτι ἐπὶ σοὶ ἤλπισα	Στηλογραφία τῷ Δαυΐδ. – ΦΥΛΑΞΟΝ με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐπὶ σοὶ ἤλπισα
Psalm 15:1 (NETS)	Psalm 15:1 (English Elpenor)
A stele inscription. Pertaining to Dauid. Guard me, O Lord, because in you I hoped.	[A writing of David.] Keep me, O Lord; for I have hoped in thee.

Psalm 16:2 (Tanakh)	Psalm 16:2 (KJV)	Psalm 16:2 (NET)
O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;	O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;	I say to the Lord, “You are the Lord, my only source of well-being.”

Psalm 16:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 15:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπα τῷ κυρίῳ κύριός μου εἶ σύ ὅτι τῶν ἀγαθῶν μου οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις	εἶπα τῷ Κυρίῳ· Κύριός μου εἶ σύ, ὅτι τῶν ἀγαθῶν μου οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις
Psalm 15:2 (NETS)	Psalm 15:2 (English Elpenor)
I said to the Lord, “My Lord you are, because you have no need of my goods.”	I said to the Lord, Thou art my Lord; for thou hast no need of my goodness.

Psalm 16:5 (Tanakh)	Psalm 16:5 (KJV)	Psalm 16:5 (NET)
The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.	The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.	Lord, you give me stability and prosperity; you make my future secure.

Psalm 16:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 15:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριος ἡ μερὶς τῆς κληρονομίας μου καὶ τοῦ ποτηρίου μου σὺ εἶ ὁ ἀποκαθιστῶν τὴν κληρονομίαν μου ἐμοί	Κύριος μερὶς τῆς κληρονομίας μου καὶ τοῦ ποτηρίου μου· σὺ εἶ ὁ ἀποκαθιστῶν τὴν κληρονομίαν μου ἐμοί
Psalm 15:5 (NETS)	Psalm 15:5 (English Elpenor)
The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup; you are the one who restores to me my inheritance.	The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou art he that restores my inheritance to me.

Isaiah 5:1 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:1 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:1 (NET)
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:	Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:	I will sing to my love—a song to my lover about his vineyard. My love had a vineyard on a fertile hill.

Isaiah 5:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ᾄσω δὴ τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ᾆσμα τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου ἀμπελὼν ἐγενήθη τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ἐν κέρατι ἐν τόπῳ πίονι	ΑΣΩ δὴ τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ἆσμα τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ μου τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου. ἀμπελὼν ἐγενήθη τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ἐν κέρατι, ἐν τόπῳ πίονι
Isaiah 5:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:1 (English Elpenor)
I will now sing for the beloved a song of the loved one concerning my vineyard: The beloved had a vineyard on a hill, on a fertile place.	Now I will sing to [my] beloved a song of my beloved concerning my vineyard. [My] beloved had a vineyard on a high hill in a fertile place.

Isaiah 5:2 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:2 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:2 (NET)
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.	And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.	He built a hedge around it, removed its stones, and planted a vine. He built a tower in the middle of it and constructed a winepress. He waited for it to produce edible grapes, but it produced sour ones instead.

Isaiah 5:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ φραγμὸν περιέθηκα καὶ ἐχαράκωσα καὶ ἐφύτευσα ἄμπελον σωρηχ καὶ ᾠκοδόμησα πύργον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ προλήνιον ὤρυξα ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλήν ἐποίησεν δὲ ἀκάνθας	καὶ φραγμὸν περιέθηκα καὶ ἐχαράκωσα καὶ ἐφύτευσα ἄμπελον Σωρὴχ καὶ ὠκοδόμησα πύργον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ προλήνιον ὤρυξα ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλήν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας
Isaiah 5:2 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:2 (English Elpenor)
And I put a hedge around it and fenced it in and planted a Sorech vine, and I built a tower in the midst of it and dug out a wine vat in it, and I waited for it to produce a cluster of grapes, but it produced thorns.	And I made a hedge round it, and dug a trench, and planted a choice vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and dug a place for the wine-vat in it: and I waited [for it] to bring forth grapes, and it brought forth thorns.

Isaiah 5:3 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:3 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:3 (NET)
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.	And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.	So now, residents of Jerusalem, people of Judah, you decide between me and my vineyard!

Isaiah 5:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Ιουδα καὶ οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐν Ιερουσαλημ κρίνατε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀμπελῶνός μου	καὶ νῦν, οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ ᾿Ιούδα, κρίνατε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀναμέσον τοῦ ἀμπελῶνός μου
Isaiah 5:3 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:3 (English Elpenor)
And now, man of Ioudas and those who dwell in Ierousalem, judge between me and my vineyard.	And now, ye dwellers in Jerusalem, and [every] man of Juda, judge between me and my vineyard.

Isaiah 5:4 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:4 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:4 (NET)
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?	What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?	What more can I do for my vineyard beyond what I have already done? When I waited for it to produce edible grapes, why did it produce sour ones instead?

Isaiah 5:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τί ποιήσω ἔτι τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησα αὐτῷ διότι ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλήν ἐποίησεν δὲ ἀκάνθας	τί ποιήσω ἔτι τῷ ἀμπελώνί μου καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησα αὐτῷ; διότι ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλήν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας
Isaiah 5:4 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:4 (English Elpenor)
What more might I do for my vineyard, and I have not done for it? Because I waited for it to produce a cluster of grapes, but it produced thorns,	What shall I do any more to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? Whereas I expected [it] to bring forth grapes, but it has brought forth thorns.

Isaiah 26:16 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 26:16 (KJV)	Isaiah 26:16 (NET)
LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.	LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.	O Lord, in distress they looked for you; they uttered incantations because of your discipline.

Isaiah 26:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 26:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριε ἐν θλίψει ἐμνήσθην σου ἐν θλίψει μικρᾷ ἡ παιδεία σου ἡμῖν	Κύριε, ἐν θλίψει ἐμνήσθην σου, ἐν θλίψει μικρᾷ ἡ παιδεία σου ἡμῖν
Isaiah 26:16 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:16 (English Elpenor)
O Lord, in affliction I remembered you; with small affliction your chastening was on us.	Lord, in affliction I remembered thee; thy chastening was to us with small affliction.

Isaiah 26:17 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 26:17 (KJV)	Isaiah 26:17 (NET)
Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.	Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.	As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver and strains and cries out because of her labor pains, so were we because of you, O Lord.

Isaiah 26:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 26:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὡς ἡ ὠδίνουσα ἐγγίζει τοῦ τεκεῖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ ὠδῖνι αὐτῆς ἐκέκραξεν οὕτως ἐγενήθημεν τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου διὰ τὸν φόβον σου κύριε	καὶ ὡς ἡ ὠδίνουσα ἐγγίζει τοῦ τεκεῖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ ὠδῖνι αὐτῆς ἐκέκραξεν, οὕτως ἐγενήθημεν τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου διὰ τὸν φόβον σου, Κύριε
Isaiah 26:17 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:17 (English Elpenor)
And as a woman in travail is about to give birth and cries out in her pangs, so were we to your beloved because of the fear of you, O Lord.	And as a woman in travail draws nigh to be delivered, [and] cries out in her pain; so have we been to thy beloved.

Isaiah 26:18 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 26:18 (KJV)	Isaiah 26:18 (NET)
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.	We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.	We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth, as it were, to wind. We cannot produce deliverance on the earth; no people are born to populate the world.

Isaiah 26:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 26:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν γαστρὶ ἐλάβομεν καὶ ὠδινήσαμεν καὶ ἐτέκομεν πνεῦμα σωτηρίας σου ἐποιήσαμεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀλλὰ πεσοῦνται οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	ἐν γαστρὶ ἐλάβομεν καὶ ὠδινήσαμεν καὶ ἐτέκομεν· πνεῦμα σωτηρίας σου ἐποιήσαμεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, οὐ πεσούμεθα, ἀλλὰ πεσοῦνται πάντες οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Isaiah 26:18 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:18 (English Elpenor)
We conceived and travailed and gave birth; we produced a wind of your salvation on the earth, but those who dwell on the earth will fall.	We have conceived, O Lord, because of thy fear, and have been in pain, and have brought forth the breath of thy salvation, which we have wrought upon the earth: we shall not fall, but all that dwell upon the land shall fall.

John 3:14, 15 (NET)	John 3:14, 15 (KJV)
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,	And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

John 3:14 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 3:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 3:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ καθὼς Μωϋσῆς ὕψωσεν τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	και καθως μωσης υψωσεν τον οφιν εν τη ερημω ουτως υψωθηναι δει τον υιον του ανθρωπου	και καθως μωσης υψωσεν τον οφιν εν τη ερημω ουτως υψωθηναι δει τον υιον του ανθρωπου

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 3:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 3:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐν αὐτῷ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον	ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον	ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 4

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 3

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

Back to Antichrist, Part 6

¹ Justice and Mercy

² Matthew 12:18a (ESV)

³ Isaiah 42:1a (ESV) Table

⁴ Isaiah 42:1a (ESV) Table

⁵ Matthew 12:18a (ESV)

⁶ From “Eyes Wide Shut: Adaptation” on Wikipedia online: Kubrick adapted Eyes Wide Shut with co-writer Frederic Raphael from Arthur Schnitzler’s 1926 novella Dream Story…For the film, Kubrick transposed the events to 1990s Greenwich Village in New York City, instead featuring an American doctor, Bill, and his wife, Alice.^[19] In an introduction to a Penguin Classics edition of Dream Story, Raphael wrote that, “Fridolin is not declared to be a Jew, but his feelings of cowardice, for failing to challenge his aggressor, echo the uneasiness of Austrian Jews in the face of Gentile provocation.”^[20] Kubrick, who frequently removed references to Jewishness of characters in the novels he adapted,^[21][22] felt that the character of Bill should be a “Harrison Ford-ish goy” and created the surname of Harford as an allusion to the actor.^[23]

⁷ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

⁸ Philippians 3:9c (NET)

⁹ Philippians 3:9c (ESV)

¹⁰ See A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 4 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to Genesis 2:7b in the Septuagint.

¹¹ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Moses was spelled Μωϋσῆς, and μωσης in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν αὐτῷ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ (KJV: in him should not perish, but). The implicit argument of the critical text, NA²⁸, is that ἐν αὐτῷ is the older and, therefore, more original text. Currently, I would understand ἐν αὐτῷ in the dative case as by means of Him rather than as an indirect object.

¹³ From “Who Was Rashi?” on chabad.org online.

¹⁴ Isaiah 26:19a (English Elpenor) Paul used another form of πίπτω in his rhetorical question regarding Israel’s stumble: So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall [πέσωσιν]? (Romans 11:11 ESV)

¹⁵ 1 Corinthians 15:45b (ESV)

¹⁶ Matthew 12:17b (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Matthew 12:18 (ESV)

¹⁸ Romans 9:31a (ESV) Table

¹⁹ Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

²⁰ Romans 9:3b (ESV) Table

²¹ Isaiah 26:18a (ESV)

²² Romans 9:32a (ESV) Table

²³ Isaiah 42:1a (ESV) Table

²⁴ Matthew 12:18a (ESV) Table

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 1

Posted on December 29, 2025 by admin

The story of Balaam and Balak has been too fruitful to abandon. To continue I’ll introduce the “24,000” (Numbers 25:1-5 ESV).

While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods (‘ĕlōhîm, אֱלֹהֵיהֶן; Septuagint: τῶν εἰδώλων αὐτῶν), and the people ate and bowed down to their gods (‘ĕlōhîm, לֵאלֹהֵיהֶן; Septuagint: τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν). So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”

The apparent difference between what the Lord said to Moses and what Moses said to the judges of Israel deserves some consideration. For the moment, however, I’ll stay focused on the introduction of the “24,000” (Numbers 25:9 ESV).

Nevertheless, those who died by the plague (magēp̄â, בַּמַּגֵּפָה; Septuagint: τῇ πληγῇ) were twenty-four thousand.

After spending so much time¹ recounting the Lord’s patience with two Gentiles—the prophet Balaam and Balak king of Moab—the Lord’s treatment of 24,000 of those whom Paul would later describe as a cultivated olive tree seems abrupt and precipitous. That has more to do with my story-telling than the Lord’s patience. So I’ll spend some time here reviewing his patience with the 24,000 (Exodus 9:13-26 ESV).

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. For this time I will send all my plagues (magēp̄â, מַגֵּפֹתַי; Septuagint: τὰ συναντήματά μου) on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth [Table]. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence (deḇer, בַּדָּבֶר; Septuagint: θανάτῳ or θανατώσω), and you would have been cut off from the earth [Table]. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth [Table]. You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go. Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.”’” Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses [Table], but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the Lord left his slaves and his livestock in the field [Table].

I began here because it is the first occurrence of the noun מַגֵּפָה (magēp̄â) in the Masoretic text (ESV: my plagues). There were six other “plagues” preceding this that the 24,000 certainly heard about, and may have witnessed personally while still in Egypt (Exodus 9:22-26 ESV).

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt.” Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no hail.

The “plague” that killed the 24,000 was the last event described in Numbers before the second census (Numbers 26:63-65 ESV):

These were those listed by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who listed the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai (Numbers 1:1-46). For the Lord had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness” (Numbers 13:1-14:45) Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

My own bias leads me to suspect that the young would be more likely to fall prey to the daughters of Moab, but that bias is shaped by my own experience of a blessed life, knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom [He has] sent² through his indwelling Holy Spirit and the Bible. The juxtaposition of events recounted in Numbers 25 and 26 favors identifying the 24,000 as the last of those cursed to die in the wilderness, witnesses of the final “plague” in Egypt which became the Passover celebration in Israel (Exodus 11:4-10 ESV).

So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction (pālâ, יַפְלֶה; Septuagint: παραδοξάσει, a form of παραδοξάζω) between Egypt and Israel.’ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the Lord hardened (ḥāzaq, וַיְחַזֵּק; Septuagint: ἐσκλήρυνεν, a form of σκληρύνω) Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

Paul referred to this hardening, describing God’s purpose of election, making a distinction between the children of the promise (the children of God) and the children of the flesh. He wrote of his own concern for so many of his own people who had rejected the Lord’s salvation through Jesus the Christ (Romans 9:6-23 ESV).

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”³ This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son”⁴ (Genesis 18:1-15). And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger”⁵ (Genesis 25:1-28) [Table]. As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”⁶

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”⁷ So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy [Table]. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”⁸ So then he has mercy on whomever he wills (θέλει, a form of θέλω), and he hardens (σκληρύνει, another form of σκληρύνω) whomever he wills (θέλει, a form of θέλω).

You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will (βουλήματι, a form of βούλημα)?” [Table] But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”⁹ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—

Who are the vessels of mercy God has chosen in order to make known the riches of his glory? In the immediate context Paul continued, even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles,¹⁰ yet in the broader context of his concern for my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh¹¹ he concluded: God has consigned all to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια), that he may have mercy on all (τοὺς πάντας).¹² As Peter wrote: The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing (βουλόμενος, a participle of βούλομαι) that any should perish, but that all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) should reach repentance.¹³

Jesus said (John 6:44-46; 12:31-33 ESV):

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day [Table]. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all (πάντες, a form of πᾶς) be taught by God.’¹⁴ Everyone (πᾶς) who has heard and learned from the Father [e.g., all (πάντες, a form of πᾶς) will…be taught by God] comes to me [Table]—not that anyone has seen (ἑώρακέν, a form of ὁράω) the Father except he who is from God; he has seen (ἑώρακεν, a form of ὁράω) the Father.

“Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν). He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die [Table].

And so, Jesus—firstborn of Mary, a daughter of Israel through David [see table below], and the Holy Spirit—died on a Roman cross,¹⁵ rejected by most of the chosen people of God his Father. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:1-14 ESV):

“This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight [Table].

“Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. And you shall let none of it remain until the morning [Septuagint: and you shall not break a bone of it (NETS); and a bone of it ye shall not break (English Elpenor)]; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods (‘ĕlōhîm, אֱלֹהֵי; Septuagint: τοῖς θεοῖς) of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast [Table].

And Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 5:6-8 ESV):

Your boasting is not good (καλὸν, a form of καλός; beautiful). Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed [Table]. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

And it happened as the Lord said (Exodus 12:28-32 ESV):

Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”

To conclude this essay I want to consider the apparent difference between what the Lord said to Moses and what Moses said to the judges of Israel (Numbers 25:3b-5 ESV).

And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”

A table comparing the Masoretic text and the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 25:4, 5 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:4, 5 (NET)	Numbers 25:4, 5 (NETS)	Numbers 25:4, 5 (English Elpenor)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Take all (כָּל) the chiefs (רָאשֵׁ֣י) of the people (הָעָ֔ם), and hang them up unto HaShem in face of the sun, that the fierce anger of HaShem may turn away from Israel.’	The Lord said to Moses, “Arrest all (kōl, כל) the leaders (rō’š, ראשי) of the people (ʿam, העם), and hang them up before the Lord in broad daylight, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.”	And the Lord said to Moyses, “Take the chiefs (πάντας τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς) of the people (τοῦ λαοῦ), and make an example of them to the Lord before the sun, and the anger of the Lord’s wrath shall be turned away from Israel.”	And the Lord said to Moses, Take all (πάντας) the princes (τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς) of the people (τοῦ λαοῦ), and make them examples [of judgment] for the Lord in the face of the sun, and the anger of the Lord shall be turned away from Israel.
And Moses said unto the judges (שֹֽׁפְטֵ֖י) of Israel: ‘Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto the Baal of Peor.’	So Moses said to the judges (šāp̄aṭ, שפטי) of Israel, “Each of you must execute those of his men who were joined to Baal Peor.”	And Moyses said to the tribes (ταῖς φυλαῖς) of Israel, “Each of you kill his family-member who has been initiated to Beel-Phegor.”	And Moses said to the tribes (ταῖς φυλαῖς) of Israel, Slay ye every one his friend that is consecrated to Beel-phegor.

The only potentially meaningful difference is שֹֽׁפְטֵ֖י (šāp̄aṭ), translated the judges (Tanakh, NET), in the Masoretic text and ταῖς φυλαῖς, translated the tribes (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. In English, if I limit myself to the immediate context, it sounds as if the Lord intended to make an example (NETS) of a relatively limited number of leaders, while Moses’ intended to execute everyone who sinned. I’ll broaden the context (Exodus 22:20 ESV):

Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the Lord alone, shall be devoted to destruction.

So, I assume that the judges, שֹֽׁפְטֵ֖י (šāp̄aṭ), refers to the seventy elders who received some of the Spirit that is on Moses (Numbers 11:16-17, 24-29), and are to be distinguished from the chiefs (Tanakh) or the leaders (NET), רָאשֵׁ֣י (rō’š), e.g., “the heads,” appointed during the first census. So, I’m assuming that Moses carried out the Lord’s instruction regarding the chiefs appointed during the first census even as he delegated the enforcement of the Lord’s law to the judges or the tribes (ταῖς φυλαῖς). And this just and lawful bloodshed describes the plague on the people of Israel mentioned below (Numbers 25:6-9 ESV):

And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague (magēp̄â, הַמַּגֵּפָה; Septuagint: ἡ πληγὴ) on the people of Israel was stopped. Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

The table (mentioned above) of two different genealogies of Jesus follows. I assume that Matthew’s is the genealogy of Joseph and Luke’s is that of Mary.

The Genealogies of Jesus
Matthew 1:2-16 (ESV)		Luke 3:23-38 (ESV)
		Luke 3:38	God
			Adam
			Seth
			Enos
		Luke 3:37	Cainan
			Mahalaleel
			Jared
			Enoch
			Methusaleh
		Luke 3:36	Lamech
			Noah
			Shem
			Arphaxad
			Cainan
		Luke 3:35	Shelah
			Eber
			Peleg
			Reu
			Serug
		Luke 3:34	Nahor
			Terah
Matthew 1:2	Abraham		Abraham
	Isaac		Isaac
	Jacob		Jacob
	Judah	Luke 3:33	Judah
Matthew 1:3	Perez		Perez
	Hezron		Hezron
	Ram		Arni
			Admin
Matthew 1:4	Amminadab		Amminadab
	Nahshon	Luke 3:32	Nahshon
	Salmon + Rahab		Sala
Matthew 1:5	Boaz + Ruth		Boaz
	Obed		Obed
	Jesse		Jesse
Matthew 1:6	David + the wife of Uriah	Luke 3:31	David
Matthew 1:6	Solomon		Nathan
Matthew 1:7	Rehoboam		Mattatha
	Abijah		Menna
	Asaph		Melea
Matthew 1:8	Jehoshaphat	Luke 3:30	Eliakim
	Joram		Jonam
	Uzziah		Joseph
Matthew 1:9	Jotham		Judah
	Ahaz		Simeon
	Hezekiah	Luke 3:29	Levi
Matthew 1:10	Manasseh		Matthat
	Amos		Joram
	Josiah		Eliezer
Matthew 1:11	Jechoniah		Joshua (Ἰησοῦ)
		Luke 3:28	Er
			Elmadam
			Cosam
			Addi
			Melchi
		Luke 3:27	Neri
Matthew 1:12	Shealtiel		Shealtiel
Matthew 1:12	Zerubbabel		Zerubbabel
Matthew 1:13	Abiud		Rhesa
	Eliakim		Joanan
	Azor	Luke 3:26	Joda
Matthew 1:14	Zadok		Josech
	Achim		Semein
	Eliud		Mattathias
			Maath
		Luke 3:25	Naggai
			Esli
			Nahum
			Amos
			Mattathias
		Luke 3:24	Joseph
			Jannai
			Melchi
Matthew 1:15	Eleazar		Levi
	Matthan		Matthat
	Jacob	Luke 3:23	Heli
Matthew 1:16	Joseph the husband of Mary		Joseph (as was supposed)
Matthew 1:16	of whom Jesus (Ἰησοῦς) was born		Jesus (Ἰησοῦς)

Tables comparing Numbers 25:1; 25:2; 25:3; 25:4; 25:5; 25:9; Exodus 9:13; 9:17; 9:18; 9:19; 9:22; 9:23; 9:24; 9:25; 9:26; Numbers 26:63; 26:64; 26:65; Exodus 11:4; 11:5; 11:6; 11:7; 11:8; 11:9; 11:10; 12:1; 12:2; 12:3; 12:4; 12:5; 12:7; 12:8; 12:9; 12:10; 12:11; 12:12; 12:13; 12:28; 12:29; 12:30; 12:31; 12:32; 22:20 (22:19); Numbers 25:6; 25:7 and 25:8 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Numbers 25:1; 25:2; 25:3; 25:4; 25:5; 25:9; Exodus 9:13; 9:17; 9:18; 9:19; 9:22; 9:23; 9:24; 9:25; 9:26; Numbers 26:63; 26:64; 26:65; Exodus 11:4; 11:5; 11:6; 11:7; 11:8; 11:9; 11:10; 12:1; 12:2; 12:3; 12:4; 12:5; 12:7; 12:8; 12:9; 12:10; 12:11; 12:12; 12:13; 12:28; 12:29; 12:30; 12:31; 12:32; 22:20; Numbers 25:6; 25:7 and 25:8 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Numbers 25:1 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:1 (KJV)	Numbers 25:1 (NET)
And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab.	And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.	When Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to commit sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab.

Numbers 25:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 25:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατέλυσεν Ισραηλ ἐν Σαττιν καὶ ἐβεβηλώθη ὁ λαὸς ἐκπορνεῦσαι εἰς τὰς θυγατέρας Μωαβ	ΚΑΙ κατέλυσεν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν Σαττείν· καὶ ἐβεβηλώθη ὁ λαὸς ἐκπορνεῦσαι εἰς τὰς θυγατέρας Μωάβ
Numbers 25:1 (NETS)	Numbers 25:1 (English Elpenor)
And Israel stayed in Sattim, and the people were profaned by whoring after the daughters of Moab.	And Israel sojourned in Sattin, and the people profaned itself by going a-whoring after the daughters of Moab.

Numbers 25:2 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:2 (KJV)	Numbers 25:2 (NET)
And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.	And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.	These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

Numbers 25:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 25:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκάλεσαν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις τῶν εἰδώλων αὐτῶν καὶ ἔφαγεν ὁ λαὸς τῶν θυσιῶν αὐτῶν καὶ προσεκύνησαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν	καὶ ἐκάλεσαν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς θυσίας τῶν εἰδώλων αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔφαγεν ὁ λαὸς τῶν θυσιῶν αὐτῶν καὶ προσεκύνησαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν
Numbers 25:2 (NETS)	Numbers 25:2 (English Elpenor)
And they invited them to the sacrifices of their idols, and the people ate of their sacrifices and did obeisance to their idols.	And they called them to the sacrifices of their idols; and the people ate of their sacrifices, and worshiped their idols.

Numbers 25:3 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:3 (KJV)	Numbers 25:3 (NET)
And Israel joined himself unto the Baal of Peor; and the anger of HaShem was kindled against Israel.	And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.	When Israel joined themselves to Baal Peor, the anger of the Lord flared up against Israel.

Numbers 25:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 25:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐτελέσθη Ισραηλ τῷ Βεελφεγωρ καὶ ὠργίσθη θυμῷ κύριος τῷ Ισραηλ	καὶ ἐτελέσθη ᾿Ισραὴλ τῷ Βεελφεγώρ· καὶ ὠργίσθη θυμῷ Κύριος τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ
Numbers 25:3 (NETS)	Numbers 25:3 (English Elpenor)
And Israel was initiated to Beel-Phegor, and the Lord was angry with wrath against Israel.	And Israel consecrated themselves to Beel-phegor; and the Lord was very angry with Israel.

Numbers 25:4 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:4 (KJV)	Numbers 25:4 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto HaShem in face of the sun, that the fierce anger of HaShem may turn away from Israel.’	And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.	The Lord said to Moses, “Arrest all the leaders of the people, and hang them up before the Lord in broad daylight, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.”

Numbers 25:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 25:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ λαβὲ πάντας τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ παραδειγμάτισον αὐτοὺς κυρίῳ ἀπέναντι τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ ἀποστραφήσεται ὀργὴ θυμοῦ κυρίου ἀπὸ Ισραηλ	καὶ εἶπε Κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ· λαβὲ πάντας τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ παραδειγμάτισον αὐτοὺς Κυρίῳ κατέναντι τοῦ ἡλίου, καὶ ἀποστραφήσεται ὀργὴ θυμοῦ Κυρίου ἀπὸ ᾿Ισραήλ
Numbers 25:4 (NETS)	Numbers 25:4 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to Moyses, “Take the chiefs of the people, and make an example of them to the Lord before the sun, and the anger of the Lord’s wrath shall be turned away from Israel.”	And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the princes of the people, and make them examples [of judgment] for the Lord in the face of the sun, and the anger of the Lord shall be turned away from Israel.

Numbers 25:5 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:5 (KJV)	Numbers 25:5 (NET)
And Moses said unto the judges of Israel: ‘Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto the Baal of Peor.’	And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.	So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you must execute those of his men who were joined to Baal Peor.”

Numbers 25:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 25:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς ταῖς φυλαῖς Ισραηλ ἀποκτείνατε ἕκαστος τὸν οἰκεῖον αὐτοῦ τὸν τετελεσμένον τῷ Βεελφεγωρ	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς ταῖς φυλαῖς ᾿Ισραήλ· ἀποκτείνατε ἕκαστος τὸν οἰκεῖον αὐτοῦ τὸν τετελεσμένον τῷ Βεελφεγώρ
Numbers 25:5 (NETS)	Numbers 25:5 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said to the tribes of Israel, “Each of you kill his family-member who has been initiated to Beel-Phegor.”	And Moses said to the tribes of Israel, Slay ye every one his friend that is consecrated to Beel-phegor.

Numbers 25:9 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:9 (KJV)	Numbers 25:9 (NET)
And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand.	And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.	Those that died in the plague were 24,000.

Numbers 25:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 25:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένοντο οἱ τεθνηκότες ἐν τῇ πληγῇ τέσσαρες καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες	καὶ ἐγένοντο οἱ τεθνηκότες ἐν τῇ πληγῇ τέσσαρες καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες
Numbers 25:9 (NETS)	Numbers 25:9 (English Elpenor)
And those that died in the blow were twenty-four thousand.	And those that died in the plague were four and twenty thousand.

Exodus 9:13 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:13 (KJV)	Exodus 9:13 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him: Thus saith HaShem, the G-d of the Hebrews: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.	And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.	The Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has said: “Release my people so that they may serve me!

Exodus 9:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν ὄρθρισον τὸ πρωὶ καὶ στῆθι ἐναντίον Φαραω καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτόν τάδε λέγει κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῶν Εβραίων ἐξαπόστειλον τὸν λαόν μου ἵνα λατρεύσωσίν μοι	Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· ὄρθρισον τὸ πρωΐ καὶ στῆθι ἐναντίον Φαραὼ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτόν· τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῶν ῾Εβραίων· ἐξαπόστειλον τὸν λαόν μου, ἵνα λατρεύσωσί μοι
Exodus 9:13 (NETS)	Exodus 9:13 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to Moyses, “Rise early in the morning, and stand before Pharao, and you shall say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says, the God of the Hebrews: Send away my people so that they may serve me.	And the Lord said to Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharao; and thou shalt say to him, These things saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Send away my people that they may serve me.

Exodus 9:17 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:17 (KJV)	Exodus 9:17 (NET)
As yet exaltest thou thyself against My people, that thou wilt not let them go?	As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?	You are still exalting yourself against my people by not releasing them.

Exodus 9:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔτι οὖν σὺ ἐμποιῇ τοῦ λαοῦ μου τοῦ μὴ ἐξαποστεῖλαι αὐτούς	ἔτι οὖν σὺ ἐμποιῇ τοῦ λαοῦ μου τοῦ μὴ ἐξαποστεῖλαι αὐτούς
Exodus 9:17 (NETS)	Exodus 9:17 (English Elpenor)
Still then you hold on to my people so as not to send them away.	Dost thou then yet exert thyself to hinder my people, so as not to let them go?

Exodus 9:18 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:18 (KJV)	Exodus 9:18 (NET)
Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.	Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.	I am going to cause very severe hail to rain down about this time tomorrow, such hail as has never occurred in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.

Exodus 9:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ὕω ταύτην τὴν ὥραν αὔριον χάλαζαν πολλὴν σφόδρα ἥτις τοιαύτη οὐ γέγονεν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἡμέρας ἔκτισται ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης	ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ὕω ταύτην τὴν ὥραν αὔριον χάλαζαν πολλὴν σφόδρα, ἥτις τοιαύτη οὐ γέγονεν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡμέρας ἔκτισται ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης
Exodus 9:18 (NETS)	Exodus 9:18 (English Elpenor)
Look, I am about to rain at this hour tomorrow very abundant hail, such as has not occurred in Egypt from the day which it was founded until this day.	Behold, to-morrow at this hour I will rain a very great hail, such as has not been in Egypt, from the time it was created until this day.

Exodus 9:19 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:19 (KJV)	Exodus 9:19 (NET)
Now therefore send, hasten in thy cattle and all that thou hast in the field; for every man and beast that shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.’	Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.	So now, send instructions to gather your livestock and all your possessions in the fields to a safe place. Every person or animal caught in the field and not brought into the house—the hail will come down on them, and they will die!”’”

Exodus 9:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν οὖν κατάσπευσον συναγαγεῖν τὰ κτήνη σου καὶ ὅσα σοί ἐστιν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ πάντες γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ τὰ κτήνη ὅσα ἂν εὑρεθῇ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς οἰκίαν πέσῃ δὲ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὰ ἡ χάλαζα τελευτήσει	νῦν οὖν κατάσπευσον συναγαγεῖν τὰ κτήνη σου καὶ ὅσα σοί ἐστιν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ· πάντες γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ τὰ κτήνη, ὅσα ἐὰν εὑρεθῇ ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις καὶ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς οἰκίαν, πέσῃ δὲ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὰ ἡ χάλαζα, τελευτήσει
Exodus 9:19 (NETS)	Exodus 9:19 (English Elpenor)
Now, therefore, hurry to gather your animals and whatever belongs to you on the plain. For all the humans and animals, whatever should be found on the plains and should not enter into a dwelling, but the hail should fall upon them, shall die’.”	Now then hasten to gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the fields; for all the men and cattle as many as shall be found in the fields, and shall not enter into a house, (but the hail shall fall upon them,) shall die.

Exodus 9:22 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:22 (KJV)	Exodus 9:22 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.’	And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.	Then the Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward the sky that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on people and on animals, and on everything that grows in the field in the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 9:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν καὶ ἔσται χάλαζα ἐπὶ πᾶσαν γῆν Αἰγύπτου ἐπί τε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ τὰ κτήνη καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν βοτάνην τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ ἔσται χάλαζα ἐπὶ πᾶσαν γῆν Αἰγύπτου, ἐπί τε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ τὰ κτήνη καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν βοτάνην τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Exodus 9:22 (NETS)	Exodus 9:22 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to Moyses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, and there shall be hail on the whole land of Egypt, both on humans and animals and on all herbage which is on the land.”	And the Lord said to Moses, Stretch out thine hand to heaven, and there shall be hail on all the land of Egypt, both on the men and on the cattle, and on all the herbage on the land.

Exodus 9:23 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:23 (KJV)	Exodus 9:23 (NET)
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven; and HaShem sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down unto the earth; and HaShem caused to hail upon the land of Egypt.	And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.	When Moses extended his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire fell to the earth; so the Lord caused hail to rain down on the land of Egypt.

Exodus 9:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξέτεινεν δὲ Μωυσῆς τὴν χεῖρα εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν καὶ κύριος ἔδωκεν φωνὰς καὶ χάλαζαν καὶ διέτρεχεν τὸ πῦρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἔβρεξεν κύριος χάλαζαν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν γῆν Αἰγύπτου	ἐξέτεινε δὲ Μωυσῆς τὴν χεῖρα εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ Κύριος ἔδωκε φωνὰς καὶ χάλαζαν, καὶ διέτρεχε τὸ πῦρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἔβρεξε Κύριος χάλαζαν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν γῆν Αἰγύπτου
Exodus 9:23 (NETS)	Exodus 9:23 (English Elpenor)
Then Moyses stretched out his hand towards heaven, and the Lord gave sounds and hail, and fire ran about on the land, and the Lord rained hail on the whole land of Egypt.	And Moses stretched forth his hand to heaven, and the Lord sent thunderings and hail; and the fire ran along upon the ground, and the Lord rained hail on all the land of Egypt.

Exodus 9:24 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:24 (KJV)	Exodus 9:24 (NET)
So there was hail, and fire flashing up amidst the hail, very grievous, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.	So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.	Hail fell and fire mingled with the hail; the hail was so severe that there had not been any like it in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.

Exodus 9:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἦν δὲ ἡ χάλαζα καὶ τὸ πῦρ φλογίζον ἐν τῇ χαλάζῃ ἡ δὲ χάλαζα πολλὴ σφόδρα σφόδρα ἥτις τοιαύτη οὐ γέγονεν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἀφ᾽ οὗ γεγένηται ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς ἔθνος	ἦν δὲ ἡ χάλαζα καὶ τὸ πῦρ φλογίζον ἐν τῇ χαλάζῃ· ἡ δὲ χάλαζα πολλὴ σφόδρα, ἥτις τοιαύτη οὐ γέγονεν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡμέρας γεγένηται ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς ἔθνος
Exodus 9:24 (NETS)	Exodus 9:24 (English Elpenor)
Now there was hail and fire flashing in the hail. Now the hail was very, very abundant, such as had not occurred in Egypt from the time when a people had come into being upon it.	So there was hail and flaming fire mingled with hail; and the hail was very great, such as was not in Egypt, from the time there was a nation upon it.

Exodus 9:25 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:25 (KJV)	Exodus 9:25 (NET)
And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.	And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.	The hail struck everything in the open fields, both people and animals, throughout all the land of Egypt. The hail struck everything that grows in the field, and it broke all the trees of the field to pieces.

Exodus 9:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπάταξεν δὲ ἡ χάλαζα ἐν πάσῃ γῇ Αἰγύπτου ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους καὶ πᾶσαν βοτάνην τὴν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἐπάταξεν ἡ χάλαζα καὶ πάντα τὰ ξύλα τὰ ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις συνέτριψεν ἡ χάλαζα	ἐπάταξε δὲ ἡ χάλαζα ἐν πάσῃ γῇ Αἰγύπτου ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους, καὶ πᾶσαν βοτάνην τὴν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἐπάταξεν ἡ χάλαζα, καὶ πάντα τὰ ξύλα τὰ ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις συνέτριψεν ἡ χάλαζα
Exodus 9:25 (NETS)	Exodus 9:25 (English Elpenor)
>Then hail struck in all the land of Egypt from human to animal, and all herbage on the plain the hail struck, and all the trees on the plains the hail crushed.	And the hail smote in all the land of Egypt both man and beast, and the hail smote all the grass in the field, and the hail broke in pieces all the trees in the field.

Exodus 9:26 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:26 (KJV)	Exodus 9:26 (NET)
Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.	Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.	Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was there no hail.

Exodus 9:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πλὴν ἐν γῇ Γεσεμ οὗ ἦσαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ οὐκ ἐγένετο ἡ χάλαζα	πλὴν ἐν γῇ Γεσέμ, οὗ ἦσαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ, οὐκ ἐγένετο ἡ χάλαζα
Exodus 9:26 (NETS)	Exodus 9:26 (English Elpenor)
Only in the land, Gesem, where the sons of Israel were, the hail did not occur.	Only in the land of Gesem where the children of Israel were, the hail was not.

Numbers 26:63 (Tanakh)	Numbers 26:63 (KJV)	Numbers 26:63 (NET)
These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.	These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.	These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the Israelites in the rift valley plains of Moab along the Jordan River opposite Jericho.

Numbers 26:63 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 26:63 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ αὕτη ἡ ἐπίσκεψις Μωυσῆ καὶ Ελεαζαρ τοῦ ἱερέως οἳ ἐπεσκέψαντο τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἐν Αραβωθ Μωαβ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ιορδάνου κατὰ Ιεριχω	καὶ αὕτη ἡ ἐπίσκεψις Μωυσῆ καὶ ᾿Ελεάζαρ τοῦ ἱερέως, οἳ ἐπεσκέψαντο τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν ᾿Αραβὼθ Μωάβ, ἐπὶ τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου κατὰ ῾Ιεριχώ
Numbers 26:63 (NETS)	Numbers 26:63 (English Elpenor)
And this is the enrollment of Moyses and Eleazar the priest, who enrolled the sons of Israel in Araboth of Moab near the Jordan opposite Jericho.	And this [is] the numbering of Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in Araboth of Moab, at Jordan by Jericho.

Numbers 26:64 (Tanakh)	Numbers 26:64 (KJV)	Numbers 26:64 (NET)
But among these there was not a man of them that were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.	But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.	But there was not a man among these who had been among those numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the Israelites in the desert of Sinai.

Numbers 26:64 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 26:64 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐν τούτοις οὐκ ἦν ἄνθρωπος τῶν ἐπεσκεμμένων ὑπὸ Μωυσῆ καὶ Ααρων οὓς ἐπεσκέψαντο τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Σινα	καὶ ἐν τούτοις οὐκ ἦν ἄνθρωπος τῶν ἐπεσκεμμένων ὑπὸ Μωυσῆ καὶ ᾿Ααρών, οὓς ἐπεσκέψαντο τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ Σινά
Numbers 26:64 (NETS)	Numbers 26:64 (English Elpenor)
And among these there was not a person of those enrolled by Moyses and Aaron whom—the sons of Israel—they enrolled in the wilderness of Sina.	And among these there was not a man numbered by Moses and Aaron, whom, [even] the children of Israel, they numbered in the wilderness of Sinai.

Numbers 26:65 (Tanakh)	Numbers 26:65 (KJV)	Numbers 26:65 (NET)
For HaShem had said of them: ‘They shall surely die in the wilderness.’ And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.	For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.	For the Lord had said of them, “They will surely die in the wilderness.” And there was not left a single man of them, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Numbers 26:65 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 26:65 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι εἶπεν κύριος αὐτοῖς θανάτῳ ἀποθανοῦνται ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ οὐ κατελείφθη ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐδὲ εἷς πλὴν Χαλεβ υἱὸς Ιεφοννη καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυη	ὅτι εἶπε Κύριος αὐτοῖς· θανάτῳ ἀποθανοῦνται ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· καὶ οὐ κατελείφθη ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐδὲ εἷς, πλὴν Χάλεβ υἱὸς ᾿Ιεφοννὴ καὶ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυή
Numbers 26:65 (NETS)	Numbers 26:65 (English Elpenor)
For the Lord said to them, “They shall die by death in the wilderness.” And there was not left even one of them, except for Caleb son of Iephonne and Iesous son of Naue.	For the Lord said to them, They shall surely die in the wilderness; and there was not left even one of them, except Chaleb the son of Jephonne, and Joshua the [son] of Naue.

Exodus 11:4 (Tanakh)	Exodus 11:4 (KJV)	Exodus 11:4 (NET)
And Moses said: ‘Thus saith HaShem: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt;	And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:	Moses said, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,

Exodus 11:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 11:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς τάδε λέγει κύριος περὶ μέσας νύκτας ἐγὼ εἰσπορεύομαι εἰς μέσον Αἰγύπτου	Καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· περὶ μέσας νύκτας ἐγὼ εἰσπορεύομαι εἰς μέσον Αἰγύπτου
Exodus 11:4 (NETS)	Exodus 11:4 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said, “This is what the Lord says: Around midnight I am going to enter into the midst of Egypt,	And Moses said, These things saith the Lord, About midnight I go forth into the midst of Egypt.

Exodus 11:5 (Tanakh)	Exodus 11:5 (KJV)	Exodus 11:5 (NET)
and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle.	And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.	and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

Exodus 11:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 11:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τελευτήσει πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἀπὸ πρωτοτόκου Φαραω ὃς κάθηται ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ ἕως πρωτοτόκου τῆς θεραπαίνης τῆς παρὰ τὸν μύλον καὶ ἕως πρωτοτόκου παντὸς κτήνους	καὶ τελευτήσει πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, ἀπὸ πρωτοτόκου Φαραώ, ὃς κάθηται ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου, καὶ ἕως πρωτοτόκου τῆς θεραπαίνης τῆς παρὰ τὸν μύλον καὶ ἕως πρωτοτόκου παντὸς κτήνους
Exodus 11:5 (NETS)	Exodus 11:5 (English Elpenor)
and every firstborn in the land, Egypt, shall die, from the firstborn of Pharao, who sits on a throne, to the firstborn of the female slave by the millstone and to the firstborn of every animal.	And every first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharao that sits on the throne, even to the first-born of the woman-servant that is by the mill, and to the first-born of all cattle.

Exodus 11:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 11:6 (KJV)	Exodus 11:6 (NET)
And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be like it any more.	And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.	There will be a great cry throughout the whole land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again.

Exodus 11:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 11:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται κραυγὴ μεγάλη κατὰ πᾶσαν γῆν Αἰγύπτου ἥτις τοιαύτη οὐ γέγονεν καὶ τοιαύτη οὐκέτι προστεθήσεται	καὶ ἔσται κραυγὴ μεγάλη κατὰ πᾶσαν γῆν Αἰγύπτου, ἥτις τοιαύτη οὐ γέγονε καὶ τοιαύτη οὐκ ἔτι προστεθήσεται
Exodus 11:6 (NETS)	Exodus 11:6 (English Elpenor)
And there will be a great cry throughout the whole land of Egypt, such as has not been and such as will not again be repeated.	And there shall be a great cry through all the land of Egypt, such as has not been, and such shall not be repeated any more.

Exodus 11:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 11:7 (KJV)	Exodus 11:7 (NET)
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog whet his tongue, against man or beast; that ye may know how that HaShem doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.	But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.	But against any of the Israelites not even a dog will bark against either people or animals, so that you may know that the Lord distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.’

Exodus 11:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 11:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ οὐ γρύξει κύων τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους ὅπως εἰδῇς ὅσα παραδοξάσει κύριος ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν Αἰγυπτίων καὶ τοῦ Ισραηλ	καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ οὐ γρύξει κύων τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους, ὅπως εἰδῇς ὅσα παραδοξάσει Κύριος ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν Αἰγυπτίων καί τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ
Exodus 11:7 (NETS)	Exodus 11:7 (English Elpenor)
But among all the sons of Israel a dog will not snarl with his tongue from human being to animal in order that you might know by what means the Lord shall distinguish gloriously between the Egyptians and Israel.	But among all the children of Israel shall not a dog snarl with his tongue, either at man or beast; that thou mayest know how wide a distinction the Lord will make between the Egyptians and Israel.

Exodus 11:8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 11:8 (KJV)	Exodus 11:8 (NET)
And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down unto me, saying: Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee; and after that I will go out.’ And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.	And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.	All these your servants will come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” Then Moses went out from Pharaoh in great anger.

Exodus 11:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 11:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ καταβήσονται πάντες οἱ παῖδές σου οὗτοι πρός με καὶ προκυνήσουσίν με λέγοντες ἔξελθε σὺ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαός σου οὗ σὺ ἀφηγῇ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐξελεύσομαι ἐξῆλθεν δὲ Μωυσῆς ἀπὸ Φαραω μετὰ θυμοῦ	καὶ καταβήσονται πάντες οἱ παῖδές σου οὗτοι πρός με καὶ προσκυνήσουσί με λέγοντες· ἔξελθε σὺ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαός σου, οὗ σύ ἀφηγῇ· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐξελεύσομαι. ἐξῆλθε δὲ Μωυσῆς ἀπὸ Φαραὼ μετὰ θυμοῦ
Exodus 11:8 (NETS)	Exodus 11:8, 9a (English Elpenor)
And all these servants of yours shall come down to me and do obeisance before me, saying, ‘Leave, you and all your people, whom you are leading away’, and after these I will go out.” Then Moyses went out from Pharao with wrath.	And all these thy servants shall come down to me, and do me reverence, saying, Go forth, thou and all the people over whom thou presidest, and afterwards I will go forth. (9) And Moses went forth from Pharao with wrath.

Exodus 11:9 (Tanakh)	Exodus 11:9 (KJV)	Exodus 11:9 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Pharaoh will not hearken unto you; that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.’	And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.	The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 11:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 11:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν οὐκ εἰσακούσεται ὑμῶν Φαραω ἵνα πληθύνων πληθύνω μου τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ τέρατα ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ	εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· οὐκ εἰσακούσεται ὑμῶν Φαραώ, ἵνα πληθύνων πληθυνῶ μου τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ τέρατα ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ
Exodus 11:9 (NETS)	Exodus 11:9b (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to Moyses, “Pharao will not listen to you in order that I may multiply my signs and wonders in the land, Egypt.”	And the Lord said to Moses, Pharao will not hearken to you, that I may greatly multiply my signs and wonders in the land [of] Egypt.

Exodus 11:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 11:10 (KJV)	Exodus 11:10 (NET)
And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and HaShem hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.	And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.	So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not release the Israelites from his land.

Exodus 11:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 11:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
Μωυσῆς δὲ καὶ Ααρων ἐποίησαν πάντα τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ τέρατα ταῦτα ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἐναντίον Φαραω ἐσκλήρυνεν δὲ κύριος τὴν καρδίαν Φαραω καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἐξαποστεῖλαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου	Μωυσῆς δὲ καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν ἐποίησαν πάντα τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ τέρατα ταῦτα ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἐναντίον Φαραώ· ἐσκλήρυνε δὲ Κύριος τὴν καρδίαν Φαραώ, καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσεν ἐξαποστεῖλαι τούς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου
Exodus 11:10 (NETS)	Exodus 11:10 (English Elpenor)
So Moyses and Aaron did all these signs and wonders in the land, Egypt, before Pharao. But the Lord hardened Pharao’s heart, and he was unwilling to send away the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt.	And Moses and Aaron wrought all these signs and wonders in the land [of] Egypt before Pharao; and the Lord hardened the heart of Pharao, and he did not hearken to send forth the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:1 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:1 (KJV)	Exodus 12:1 (NET)
And HaShem spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying:	And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,	The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,

Exodus 12:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν καὶ Ααρων ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου λέγων	ΕΙΠΕ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου λέγων
Exodus 12:1 (NETS)	Exodus 12:1 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord spoke to Moyses and Aaron in the land, Egypt, saying:	And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,

Exodus 12:2 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:2 (KJV)	Exodus 12:2 (NET)
This month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.	This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.	“This month is to be your beginning of months; it will be your first month of the year.

Exodus 12:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ μὴν οὗτος ὑμῖν ἀρχὴ μηνῶν πρῶτός ἐστιν ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς μησὶν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ	ὁ μὴν οὗτος ὑμῖν ἀρχὴ μηνῶν, πρῶτός ἐστιν ὑμῖν ἐν τοῖς μησὶ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ
Exodus 12:2 (NETS)	Exodus 12:2 (English Elpenor)
This month shall be for you the beginning of months; it is first for you among the months of the year.	This month [shall be] to you the beginning of months: it is the first to you among the months of the year.

Exodus 12:3 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:3 (KJV)	Exodus 12:3 (NET)
Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying: In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household;	Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:	Tell the whole community of Israel, ‘On the tenth day of this month they each must take a lamb for themselves according to their families—a lamb for each household.

Exodus 12:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
λάλησον πρὸς πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν υἱῶν Ισραηλ λέγων τῇ δεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τούτου λαβέτωσαν ἕκαστος πρόβατον κατ᾽ οἴκους πατριῶν ἕκαστος πρόβατον κατ᾽ οἰκίαν	λάλησον πρὸς πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ λέγων· τῇ δεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τούτου λαβέτωσαν ἕκαστος πρόβατον κατ᾿ οἴκους πατριῶν, ἕκαστος πρόβατον κατ᾿ οἰκίαν
Exodus 12:3 (NETS)	Exodus 12:3 (English Elpenor)
Speak to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “On the tenth of this month let them take, each person, a sheep according to the paternal houses, a sheep for each household.	Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, On the tenth of this month let them take each man a lamb according to the houses of their families, every man a lamb for his household.

Exodus 12:4 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:4 (KJV)	Exodus 12:4 (NET)
and if the household be too little for a lamb, then shall he and his neighbour next unto his house take one according to the number of the souls; according to every man’s eating ye shall make your count for the lamb.	And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.	If any household is too small for a lamb, the man and his next-door neighbor are to take a lamb according to the number of people—you will make your count for the lamb according to how much each one can eat.

Exodus 12:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ ὀλιγοστοὶ ὦσιν οἱ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ὥστε μὴ ἱκανοὺς εἶναι εἰς πρόβατον συλλήμψεται μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν γείτονα τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ψυχῶν ἕκαστος τὸ ἀρκοῦν αὐτῷ συναριθμήσεται εἰς πρόβατον	ἐὰν δὲ ὀλιγοστοὶ ὦσιν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, ὥστε μὴ εἶναι ἱκανοὺς εἰς πρόβατον, συλλήψεται μεθ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν γείτονα τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ψυχῶν· ἕκαστος τὸ ἀρκοῦν αὐτῷ συναριθμήσεται εἰς πρόβατον
Exodus 12:4 (NETS)	Exodus 12:4 (English Elpenor)
But if those in the household are too few so that they are not enough for a sheep, he shall join with himself his nearby neighbor according to the number of souls; you, each one, shall number together that which is sufficient for a sheep.	And if they be few in a household, so that there are not enough for the lamb, he shall take with himself his neighbour that lives near to him,– as to the number of souls, every one according to that which suffices him shall make a reckoning for the lamb.

Exodus 12:5 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:5 (KJV)	Exodus 12:5 (NET)
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year; ye shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats;	Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:	Your lamb must be perfect, a male, one year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

Exodus 12:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρόβατον τέλειον ἄρσεν ἐνιαύσιον ἔσται ὑμῖν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρνῶν καὶ τῶν ἐρίφων λήμψεσθε	πρόβατον τέλειον, ἄρσεν, ἐνιαύσιον ἔσται ὑμῖν· ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρνῶν καὶ τῶν ἐρίφων λήψεσθε
Exodus 12:5 (NETS)	Exodus 12:5 (English Elpenor)
You shall have a perfect sheep, a one-year-old male. You shall take from the lambs and kids.	It shall be to you a lamb unblemished, a male of a year old: ye shall take it of the lambs and the kids.

Exodus 12:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:7 (KJV)	Exodus 12:7 (NET)
And they shall take of the blood, and put it on the two side-posts and on the lintel, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it.	And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.	They will take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and top of the doorframe of the houses where they will eat it.

Exodus 12:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ λήμψονται ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος καὶ θήσουσιν ἐπὶ τῶν δύο σταθμῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν φλιὰν ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις ἐν οἷς ἐὰν φάγωσιν αὐτὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς	καὶ λήψονται ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος καὶ θήσουσιν ἐπὶ τῶν δύο σταθμῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν φλιὰν ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις, ἐν οἷς ἐὰν φάγωσιν αὐτὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς
Exodus 12:7 (NETS)	Exodus 12:7 (English Elpenor)
And they shall take some of the blood and shall put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel in the houses whichever they eat them in.	And they shall take of the blood, and shall put it on the two door-posts, and on the lintel, in the houses in which soever they shall eat them.

Exodus 12:8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:8 (KJV)	Exodus 12:8 (NET)
And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; with bitter herbs they shall eat it.	And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.	They will eat the meat the same night; they will eat it roasted over the fire with bread made without yeast and with bitter herbs.

Exodus 12:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ φάγονται τὰ κρέα τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ ὀπτὰ πυρὶ καὶ ἄζυμα ἐπὶ πικρίδων ἔδονται	καὶ φάγονται τὰ κρέα τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ· ὀπτὰ πυρὶ καὶ ἄζυμα ἐπὶ πικρίδων ἔδονται
Exodus 12:8 (NETS)	Exodus 12:8 (English Elpenor)
And they shall eat the meat this night, roasted in fire, and they shall eat unleavened bread with bitter herbs.	And they shall eat the flesh in this night roast with fire, and they shall eat unleavened [bread] with bitter herbs.

Exodus 12:9 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:9 (KJV)	Exodus 12:9 (NET)
Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; its head with its legs and with the inwards thereof.	Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.	Do not eat it raw or boiled in water, but roast it over the fire with its head, its legs, and its entrails.

Exodus 12:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἔδεσθε ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν ὠμὸν οὐδὲ ἡψημένον ἐν ὕδατι ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ὀπτὰ πυρί κεφαλὴν σὺν τοῖς ποσὶν καὶ τοῖς ἐνδοσθίοις	οὐκ ἔδεσθε ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ὠμὸν οὐδὲ ἡψημένον ἐν ὕδατι, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ ὀπτὰ πυρί, κεφαλὴν σὺν τοῖς ποσὶ καὶ τοῖς ἐνδοσθίοις
Exodus 12:9 (NETS)	Exodus 12:9 (English Elpenor)
You shall not eat from it raw or boiled in water but rather roasted in fire, head with the feet and inner organs.	Ye shall not eat of it raw nor sodden in water, but only roast with fire, the head with the feet and the appurtenances.

Exodus 12:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:10 (KJV)	Exodus 12:10 (NET)
And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.	And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.	You must leave nothing until morning, but you must burn with fire whatever remains of it until morning.

Exodus 12:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἀπολείψετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἕως πρωὶ καὶ ὀστοῦν οὐ συντρίψετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὰ δὲ καταλειπόμενα ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἕως πρωὶ ἐν πυρὶ κατακαύσετε	οὐκ ἀπολείψετε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἕως πρωΐ καὶ ὀστοῦν οὐ συντρίψετε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ· τὰ δὲ καταλειπόμενα ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἕως πρωΐ ἐν πυρὶ κατακαύσετε
Exodus 12:10 (NETS)	Exodus 12:10 (English Elpenor)
You shall not leave any of it until morning, and you shall not break a bone of it. But that which remains from it until morning, you shall burn with fire.	Nothing shall be left of it till the morning, and a bone of it ye shall not break; but that which is left of it till the morning ye shall burn with fire.

Exodus 12:11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:11 (KJV)	Exodus 12:11 (NET)
And thus shall ye eat it: with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste–it is HaShem’S passover.	And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover.	This is how you are to eat it—dressed to travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.

Exodus 12:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὕτως δὲ φάγεσθε αὐτό αἱ ὀσφύες ὑμῶν περιεζωσμέναι καὶ τὰ ὑποδήματα ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ βακτηρίαι ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν καὶ ἔδεσθε αὐτὸ μετὰ σπουδῆς πασχα ἐστὶν κυρίῳ	οὕτω δὲ φάγεσθε αὐτό· αἱ ὀσφύες ὑμῶν περιεζωσμέναι, καὶ τὰ ὑποδήματα ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν, καὶ αἱ βακτηρίαι ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν· καὶ ἔδεσθε αὐτὸ μετὰ σπουδῆς· πάσχα ἐστὶ Κυρίῳ
Exodus 12:11 (NETS)	Exodus 12:11 (English Elpenor)
Now in this way you shall eat it: your loins girded and your sandals on your feet and your staves in your hands. And you shall eat it with haste—it is the Lord’s pascha.	And thus shall ye eat it: your loins girded, and your sandals on your feet, and your staves in your hands, and ye shall eat it in haste. It is a passover to the Lord.

Exodus 12:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:12 (KJV)	Exodus 12:12 (NET)
For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am HaShem.	For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.	“‘I will pass through the land of Egypt in the same night, and I will attack all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of humans and of animals, and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the Lord.

Exodus 12:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ διελεύσομαι ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ καὶ πατάξω πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ποιήσω τὴν ἐκδίκησιν ἐγὼ κύριος	καί διελεύσομαι ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ καὶ πατάξω πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ποιήσω τὴν ἐκδίκησιν· ἐγὼ Κύριος
Exodus 12:12 (NETS)	Exodus 12:12 (English Elpenor)
And I will pass through in the land, Egypt, on this night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land, Egypt, from human being to animal, and on all the gods of the Egyptians I will execute vengeance. I am the Lord.	and I will go throughout the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite every first-born in the land of Egypt both man and beast, and on all the gods of Egypt will I execute vengeance: I [am] the Lord.

Exodus 12:13 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:13 (KJV)	Exodus 12:13 (NET)
And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.	And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.	The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, so that when I see the blood I will pass over you, and this plague will not fall on you to destroy you when I attack the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται τὸ αἷμα ὑμῖν ἐν σημείῳ ἐπὶ τῶν οἰκιῶν ἐν αἷς ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐκεῖ καὶ ὄψομαι τὸ αἷμα καὶ σκεπάσω ὑμᾶς καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν πληγὴ τοῦ ἐκτριβῆναι ὅταν παίω ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ	καὶ ἔσται τὸ αἷμα ὑμῖν ἐν σημείῳ ἐπὶ τῶν οἰκιῶν, ἐν αἷς ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐκεῖ, καὶ ὄψομαι τὸ αἷμα καὶ σκεπάσω ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν πληγὴ τοῦ ἐκτριβῆναι, ὅταν παίω ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ
Exodus 12:13 (NETS)	Exodus 12:13 (English Elpenor)
And the blood shall be for you as a sign on the houses, there where you are, and I will see the blood, and I will protect you, and there shall not be a plague among you to destroy, whenever I strike in the land, Egypt.	And the blood shall be for a sign to you on the houses in which ye are, and I will see the blood, and will protect you, and there shall not be on you the plague of destruction, when I smite in the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:28 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:28 (KJV)	Exodus 12:28 (NET)
And the children of Israel went and did so; as HaShem had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.	And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.	and the Israelites went away and did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 12:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἐποίησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ καθὰ ἐνετείλατο κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ καὶ Ααρων οὕτως ἐποίησαν	καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἐποίησαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καθὰ ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ καὶ ᾿Ααρών, οὕτως ἐποίησαν
Exodus 12:28 (NETS)	Exodus 12:28b (English Elpenor)
And when they went away, the sons of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moyses and Aaron; so they did.	And the children of Israel departed and did as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

Exodus 12:29 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:29 (KJV)	Exodus 12:29 (NET)
And it came to pass at midnight, that HaShem smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle.	And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.	It happened at midnight—the Lord attacked all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the prison, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

Exodus 12:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγενήθη δὲ μεσούσης τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ κύριος ἐπάταξεν πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἀπὸ πρωτοτόκου Φαραω τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου ἕως πρωτοτόκου τῆς αἰχμαλωτίδος τῆς ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ καὶ ἕως πρωτοτόκου παντὸς κτήνους	᾿Εγενήθη δὲ μεσούσης τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ Κύριος ἐπάταξε πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, ἀπὸ πρωτοτόκου Φαραὼ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου ἕως πρωτοτόκου τῆς αἰχμαλωτίδος τῆς ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ καὶ ἕως πρωτοτόκου παντὸς κτήνους
Exodus 12:29 (NETS)	Exodus 12:29 (English Elpenor)
Now it happened during the middle of the night that the Lord struck every firstborn in the land, Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharao who sits upon the throne, to the firstborn of the female captive who is in the pit, even to the firstborn of every animal.	And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharao that sat on the throne, to the first-born of the captive-maid in the dungeon, and the first-born of all cattle.

Exodus 12:30 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:30 (KJV)	Exodus 12:30 (NET)
And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.	And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.	Pharaoh got up in the night, along with all his servants and all Egypt, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no house in which there was not someone dead.

Exodus 12:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναστὰς Φαραω νυκτὸς καὶ πάντες οἱ θεράποντες αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι καὶ ἐγενήθη κραυγὴ μεγάλη ἐν πάσῃ γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ οὐ γὰρ ἦν οἰκία ἐν ᾗ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῇ τεθνηκώς	καὶ ἀναστὰς Φαραὼ νυκτὸς καὶ οἱ θεράποντες αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι καὶ ἐγενήθη κραυγή μεγάλη ἐν πάσῃ γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ· οὐ γὰρ ἦν οἰκία, ἐν ᾗ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῇ τεθνηκώς
Exodus 12:30 (NETS)	Exodus 12:30 (English Elpenor)
And Pharao arose during the night and all his attendants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in the land of Egypt. For there was not a house which had no dead person in it.	And Pharao rose up by night, and his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in all the land of Egypt, for there was not a house in which there was not one dead.

Exodus 12:31 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:31 (KJV)	Exodus 12:31 (NET)
And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said: ‘Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve HaShem, as ye have said.	And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.	Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the night and said, “Get up, get out from among my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, serve the Lord as you have requested!

Exodus 12:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Φαραω Μωυσῆν καὶ Ααρων νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἀνάστητε καὶ ἐξέλθατε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ μου καὶ ὑμεῖς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ βαδίζετε καὶ λατρεύσατε κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ ὑμῶν καθὰ λέγετε	καὶ ἐκάλεσε Φαραὼ Μωυσῆν καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἀνάστητε καὶ ἐξέλθετε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ μου καὶ ὑμεῖς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ· βαδίζετε καὶ λατρεύσατε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ὑμῶν, καθὰ λέγετε
Exodus 12:31 (NETS)	Exodus 12:31 (English Elpenor)
And Pharao summoned Moyese and Aaron during the night and said to them, “Arise, and go out from my people, both you and the sons of Israel. Go! Serve the Lord your God according as you say.	And Pharao called Moses and Aaron by night, and said to them, Rise and depart from my people, both ye and the children of Israel. Go and serve the Lord your God, even as ye say.

Exodus 12:32 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:32 (KJV)	Exodus 12:32 (NET)
Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.’	Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.	Also, take your flocks and your herds, just as you have requested, and leave. But bless me also.”

Exodus 12:32 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 12:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τὰ πρόβατα καὶ τοὺς βόας ὑμῶν ἀναλαβόντες πορεύεσθε εὐλογήσατε δὲ κἀμέ	καὶ τὰ πρόβατα καὶ τοὺς βόας ὑμῶν ἀναλαβόντες πορεύεσθε, εὐλογήσατε δὲ κἀμέ
Exodus 12:32 (NETS)	Exodus 12:32 (English Elpenor)
Take both your sheep and cattle, and get going, but bless me too.”	And take with you your sheep, and your oxen: bless me also, I pray you.

Exodus 22:19 (Tanakh)	Exodus 22:20 (KJV)	Exodus 22:20 (NET)
He that sacrificeth unto the gods, save unto HaShem only, shall be utterly destroyed.	He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.	“Whoever sacrifices to a god other than the Lord alone must be utterly destroyed.

Exodus 22:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 22:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ θυσιάζων θεοῖς θανάτῳ ὀλεθρευθήσεται πλὴν κυρίῳ μόνῳ	ὁ θυσιάζων θεοῖς θανάτῳ ἐξολοθρευθήσεται, πλὴν Κυρίῳ μόνῳ
Exodus 22:20 (NETS)	Exodus 22:20 (English Elpenor)
The one who sacrifices to the gods, except to the Lord alone, shall be destroyed.	He that sacrifices to any gods but to the Lord alone, shall be destroyed by death.

Numbers 25:6 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:6 (KJV)	Numbers 25:6 (NET)
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.	And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.	Just then one of the Israelites came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the plain view of Moses and of the whole community of the Israelites, while they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

Numbers 25:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 25:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἐλθὼν προσήγαγεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν Μαδιανῖτιν ἐναντίον Μωυσῆ καὶ ἔναντι πάσης συναγωγῆς υἱῶν Ισραηλ αὐτοὶ δὲ ἔκλαιον παρὰ τὴν θύραν τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου	Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐλθὼν προσήγαγε τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν Μαδιανῖτιν ἐναντίον Μωυσῆ καὶ ἐναντίον πάσης συναγωγῆς υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἔκλαιον παρὰ τὴν θύραν τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου
Numbers 25:6 (NETS)	Numbers 25:6 (English Elpenor)
And behold, a man of the sons of Israel came and brought his brother to the Madianite woman before Moyses and before all the congregation of Israel’s sons, but they were weeping at the door of the tent of witness.	And, behold, a man of the children of Israel came and brought his brother to a Madianitish woman before Moses, and before all the congregation of the children of Israel; and they were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of witness.

Numbers 25:7 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:7 (KJV)	Numbers 25:7 (NET)
And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand.	And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;	When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up from among the assembly, took a javelin in his hand,

Numbers 25:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 25:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδὼν Φινεες υἱὸς Ελεαζαρ υἱοῦ Ααρων τοῦ ἱερέως ἐξανέστη ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς καὶ λαβὼν σειρομάστην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ	καὶ ἰδὼν Φινεὲς υἱὸς ᾿Ελεάζαρ υἱοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν τοῦ ἱερέως ἐξανέστη ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς καὶ λαβὼν σειρομάστην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ
Numbers 25:7 (NETS)	Numbers 25:7 (English Elpenor)
And when Phineas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation. And he took a barbed lance in his hand,	And Phinees the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, and rose out of the midst of the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand,

Numbers 25:8 (Tanakh)	Numbers 25:8 (KJV)	Numbers 25:8 (NET)
And he went after the man of Israel into the chamber, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.	And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.	and went after the Israelite man into the tent and thrust through the Israelite man and into the woman’s abdomen. So the plague was stopped from the Israelites.

Numbers 25:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 25:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰσῆλθεν ὀπίσω τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ Ισραηλίτου εἰς τὴν κάμινον καὶ ἀπεκέντησεν ἀμφοτέρους τόν τε ἄνθρωπον τὸν Ισραηλίτην καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα διὰ τῆς μήτρας αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπαύσατο ἡ πληγὴ ἀπὸ υἱῶν Ισραηλ	εἰσῆλθεν ὀπίσω τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ ᾿Ισραηλίτου εἰς τὴν κάμινον καὶ ἀπεκέντησεν ἀμφοτέρους, τόν τε ἄνθρωπον τὸν ᾿Ισραηλίτην καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα διὰ τῆς μήτρας αὐτῆς· καὶ ἐπαύσατο ἡ πληγὴ ἀπὸ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ
Numbers 25:8 (NETS)	Numbers 25:8 (English Elpenor)
and he went in after the Israelite into the alcove and pierced both of them, both the Israelite man and the woman through her womb. And the blow stopped from Israel’s sons.	and went in after the Israelitish man into the chamber, and pierced them both through, both the Israelitish man, and the woman through her womb; and the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 2

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 4

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 6

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 3

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 4

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

¹ 3 John, Part 4; 3 John, Part 5; 3 John, Part 6; 3 John, Part 7; 3 John, Part 8

² John 17:3b (ESV)

³ The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 4 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁴ Who Am I? Part 14 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁵ Who Am I? Part 14 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁶ Who Am I? Part 14 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁷ David’s Forgiveness, Part 2 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁸ The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 4 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁹ To Make Holy, Part 7 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

¹⁰ Romans 9:24 (ESV)

¹¹ Romans 9:3b (ESV) Table

¹² Romans 11:32 (ESV)

¹³ 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) Table

¹⁴ The Book of Life, Part 1 for a table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation to that of the Septuagint.

¹⁵ Matthew 27:32-61; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:16-42

Romans, Part 23

Posted on October 7, 2012 by admin

Not only [do we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory],¹ but we also rejoice in sufferings (θλίψεσιν, a form of θλίψις),² Paul continued. I’ve already written about the feedback loop that fosters this apparent masochism in believers and won’t do so again. The word translated sufferings in Romans 5:3 (NET) above was translated affliction in 2 Corinthians 1:8 (NET): For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction (θλίψεως, another form of θλίψις) that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living [Table].

I don’t know when Paul’s θλίψεως (θλίψις) began, perhaps as early as his first visit to Ephesus. After he left Corinth he made his way there and went into the synagogue and addressed³ the Jews. When they asked him to stay longer,⁴ he would not consent, but⁵ said farewell⁶ to them⁷ and⁸ added⁹, “I¹⁰ will come back to you again if God wills.” Then¹¹ he set sail from Ephesus…¹² Paul greeted the church in Jerusalem briefly and went home to Antioch. Perhaps he was simply tired and needed a rest. But for Paul who wrote—I could wish that I myself were accursed – cut off from Christ – for the sake of my people, my fellow countrymen¹³—to turn his back on his fellow countrymen when they were eager to hear him again seems like something more troubling than exhaustion.

Admittedly, I have little to go on, but the message of Paul’s letter to the Romans steers me toward the dilemma of the πόρνοι (a form of πόρνος) and the Pharisees. The πόρνοι were men who served a pagan god, a demon, sexually, the vilest of the vile from a Pharisee’s point of view. Yet the πόρνοι were granted faith and repentance in Corinth¹⁴ while so many Pharisees were not. Jesus said it (Matthew 21:28-32 NET).

“What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today [Table].’ The boy answered, ‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart (μεταμεληθεὶς, a form of μεταμέλομαι) and went. The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said,¹⁵ “The first.” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes (πόρναι, a form of πόρνη) will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God! [Table] For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe (ἐπιστεύσατε, a form of πιστεύω) him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes (πόρναι, a form of πόρνη) did believe (ἐπίστευσαν, another form of πιστεύω). Although you saw (ἰδόντες, a form of εἴδω) this, you did not later change your minds (μετεμελήθητε, another form of μεταμέλομαι) and believe (πιστεῦσαι, another form of πιστεύω) him” [Table].

But I think experiencing it was difficult for Paul. Rather than being flippant with the Jews at Ephesus, or using “God’s will” as an excuse, I suspect that Paul was sincerely concerned that God may not will that he return to Ephesus or anywhere else, that Paul despaired even of living the only life he had known since his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Of course, I can be wrong about this. The affliction happened to us (plural) in the province of Asia, we were burdened excessively, and we despaired even of living. Paul seemed to be alone that first Sabbath day in Ephesus. If his affliction came later, then it is more difficult to pin down. Luke didn’t mention it in Acts.

Paul’s affliction may have continued for a long time. He may have referred to it (and its relation to his previous letter to the Corinthians) in Macedonia after returning home for an unspecified amount of time, strengthening the disciples in Galatia and Phyrgia, and then spending two years at Ephesus (2 Corinthians 7:5, 6 NET).

For even when we came into Macedonia, our body had no rest at all, but we were troubled (θλιβόμενοι, a form of θλίβω) in every way – struggles from the outside, fears from within. But God, who encourages the downhearted, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.

Far from being debilitating this affliction in the province of Asia was a very productive period for Paul (Acts 19:11, 12 NET):

God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.¹⁶

Though this seems counterintuitive, the sense of it becomes more apparent when I heed Paul’s own assessment of his affliction (2 Corinthians 1:9 NET):

Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

Jesus said to Paul, My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. And Paul concluded, So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.¹⁷

Paul probably wrote his letter to the Romans during his two year stay at Ephesus in the province of Asia. And I assume that weaknesses, insults, troubles, persecutions and difficulties along with struggles from the outside, and fears from within is what he meant by θλίψις: we also rejoice in sufferings (θλίψεσιν, a form of θλίψις), knowing that suffering (θλῖψις) produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.¹⁸

The word translated knowing above is εἰδότες (a form of εἴδω), to see. Paul was an eyewitness to this transformation of suffering into endurance into character into hope. But again, there is nothing intrinsic to suffering that in and of itself produces endurance. Jesus spoke about the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root (ρίζαν, a form of ῥίζα) in himself and does not endure; when trouble (θλίψεως, another form of θλίψις) or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.¹⁹

Though the phrase he has no root in himself might lead one to the conclusion that the solution is to have deep roots in oneself, the actual solution is to be strengthened with power through [the Father’s] Spirit in the inner person [Table], that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted (ἐρριζωμένοι, a form of ῥιζόω) and grounded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth [Table], and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up (πληρωθῆτε, a form of πληρόω) to all the fullness (πλήρωμα) of God.²⁰

And hope does not disappoint, Paul continued in Romans, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.²¹ I think love here is a kind of shorthand for all the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, because it is not too difficult to see that joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control [Table]²² would all contribute to turning suffering into endurance into character into hope.

Now the question arises, how can one be strengthened with power through [the Father’s] Spirit? For this reason I kneel before the Father [Table], Paul wrote the Ephesians, from whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named. I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person [Table]…²³ Or as Jesus said (Matthew 7:7-11 NET):

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [Table] If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

And Paul concluded (Romans 5:6-8 NET):

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly [Table]. (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Addendum: March 21, 2024
Tables comparing the Greek of Acts 18:19-21 and 19:12 the NET and KJV follow.

Acts 18:19-21 (NET)	Acts 18:19-21 (KJV)
When they reached Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila behind there, but he himself went into the synagogue and addressed the Jews.	And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

Acts 18:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 18:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 18:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
κατήντησαν δὲ εἰς Ἔφεσον, κακείνους κατέλιπεν αὐτοῦ, αὐτὸς δὲ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν διελέξατο τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις	κατηντησεν δε εις εφεσον κακεινους κατελιπεν αυτου αυτος δε εισελθων εις την συναγωγην διελεχθη τοις ιουδαιοις	κατηντησεν δε εις εφεσον και εκεινους κατελιπεν αυτου αυτος δε εισελθων εις την συναγωγην διελεχθη τοις ιουδαιοις

When they asked him to stay longer, he would not consent,

When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;

Acts 18:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 18:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 18:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐρωτώντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ πλείονα χρόνον μεῖναι οὐκ ἐπένευσεν	ερωτωντων δε αυτων επι πλειονα χρονον μειναι παρ αυτοις ουκ επενευσεν	ερωτωντων δε αυτων επι πλειονα χρονον μειναι παρ αυτοις ουκ επενευσεν

but said farewell to them and added, “I will come back to you again if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus,

But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

Acts 18:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 18:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 18:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀλλὰ ἀποταξάμενος καὶ εἰπών· πάλιν ἀνακάμψω πρὸς ὑμᾶς τοῦ θεοῦ θέλοντος, ἀνήχθη ἀπὸ τῆς Ἐφέσου	αλλ απεταξατο αυτοις ειπων δει με παντως την εορτην την ερχομενην ποιησαι εις ιεροσολυμα παλιν δε ανακαμψω προς υμας του θεου θελοντος και ανηχθη απο της εφεσου	αλλ απεταξατο αυτοις ειπων δει με παντως την εορτην την ερχομενην ποιησαι εις ιεροσολυμα παλιν δε ανακαμψω προς υμας του θεου θελοντος ανηχθη απο της εφεσου

Acts 19:12 (NET)	Acts 19:12 (KJV)
so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.	So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

Acts 19:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 19:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 19:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὥστε καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀσθενοῦντας ἀποφέρεσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ χρωτὸς αὐτοῦ σουδάρια ἢ σιμικίνθια καὶ ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν τὰς νόσους, τά τε πνεύματα τὰ πονηρὰ ἐκπορεύεσθαι	ωστε και επι τους ασθενουντας επιφερεσθαι απο του χρωτος αυτου σουδαρια η σιμικινθια και απαλλασσεσθαι απ αυτων τας νοσους τα τε πνευματα τα πονηρα εξερχεσθαι απ αυτων	ωστε και επι τους ασθενουντας επιφερεσθαι απο του χρωτος αυτου σουδαρια η σιμικινθια και απαλλασσεσθαι απ αυτων τας νοσους τα τε πνευματα τα πονηρα εξερχεσθαι απ αυτων

Romans, Part 24

Back to Romans, Part 86

Back to Atonement, Part 8

¹ Romans 5:2b (NET)

² Romans 5:3a (NET)

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had διελέξατο here in the middle voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had διελεχθη (KJV: and reasoned with) in the passive voice. According to the Koine Greek Lexicon online the meaning of both the middle and passive voices is: “to hold a discussion, to hold a conversation.”

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παρ αυτοις (KJV: with them) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀλλ’.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the participle ἀποταξάμενος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απεταξατο (KJV: bade…farewell). Both are in the middle voice. According to the Koine Greek Lexicon online the middle voice means: “to renounce, give up; to say goodbye, bid farewell, forsake, take leave, send away.”