Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 7

This is a continuation of my intent to become much more familiar with the Greek translation of יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ) and יֱהֹוִה֙ (yᵊhōvâ) in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 2:16, 17 (Tanakh)

Genesis 2:16, 17 (NET)

Genesis 2:16, 17 (NETS)

Genesis 2:16, 17 (English Elpenor)

And HaShem (יְהֹוָ֣ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֔ים) commanded the man, saying: ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat [Table]; Then the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, And the Lord (κύριος) God ( θεὸς) commanded Adam, saying, “You shall eat for food of every tree that is in the orchard [Table], And the Lord (Κύριος) God ( Θεὸς) gave a charge to Adam, saying, Of every tree which is in the garden thou mayest freely eat,
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die’ [Table]. but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.” but of the tree for knowing good and evil, of it you shall not eat; on the day that you eat of it, you shall die by death” [Table]. but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil– of it ye shall not eat, but in whatsoever day ye eat of it, ye shall surely die.

I’ll pause just long enough to highlight that the command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge (daʿaṯ, הדעת) of good and evil (NETS: the tree for knowing [γινώσκειν, a form of γινώσκω] good and evil) was given to Adam when he was alone.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 2:18 (Tanakh) Table

Genesis 2:18 (NET)

Genesis 2:18 (NETS) Table

Genesis 2:18 (English Elpenor)

And HaShem (יְהֹוָ֣ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֔ים) said: ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.’ The Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion for him who corresponds to him.” Then the Lord (κύριος) God ( θεός) said, “It is not good that the man is alone; let us make him a helper corresponding to him.” And the Lord (Κύριος) God ( Θεός) said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone, let us make for him a help suitable to him.

If I relied solely on the Masoretic text I would conclude that the singular אעשׁה (I will make) as opposed to the plural נעשׁה (Let us make) indicated that יהוה (Yᵊhōvâ) אלהים (‘ĕlōhîm) was a singular person of the אלהים (‘ĕlōhîm). The rabbis who translated the Septuagint don’t corroborate that conclusion, however. They translated both אעשׁה and נעשׁה ποιήσωμεν, a plural form of ποιέω. Or, perhaps אעשׁה, the singular form, wasn’t in the Hebrew text the rabbis translated into Greek.

Genesis 1:26 (NET) Table

Genesis 2:18 (NET) Table

Then God said, “Let us make (ʿāśâ, נעשׁה) humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.” The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make (ʿāśâ, אעשׁה) a companion for him who corresponds to him.”

Genesis 1:26 (NETS) Table

Genesis 2:18 (NETS) Table

Then God said, “Let us make (ποιήσωμεν) humankind according to our image and according to likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and the cattle and all the earth and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth.” Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man is alone; let us make (ποιήσωμεν) him a helper corresponding to him.”

As a comparison, in Genesis 18:1-3 the Masoretic text had: The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre.1 But the Septuagint read: AND God (θεὸς) appeared to him by the oak of Mambre.2 That appearance was described: Abraham looked up and saw three men (Masoretic text: אנשים; Septuagint: ἄνδρες) standing across from him.3 Abraham addressed this trio as My Lord4 (Masoretic text: אדני) or Lord5 (Septuagint: κύριε).

In Genesis 18:9 the Masoretic text had a plural verb וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ (Tanakh: And they said), where the Septuagint had a singular verb εἶπε(ν) (NETS, English Elpenor: he said).

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 18:9, 10a (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:9, 10a (NET)

Genesis 18:9, 10a (NETS)

Genesis 18:9, 10a (English Elpenor)

And they said (וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ) unto him: ‘Where is Sarah thy wife?’ And he said (וַיֹּ֖אמֶר): ‘Behold, in the tent.’ Then they asked (‘āmar, ויאמרו) him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied (‘āmar, ויאמר), “There, in the tent.” And he said (εἶπεν) to him, “Where is your wife Sarra?” And he said (εἶπεν) in reply, “There, in the tent.” And he said (Εἶπε) to him, Where is Sarrha thy wife? And he answered and said (εἶπεν), Behold! in the tent.
And He said (וַיֹּ֗אמֶר): ‘I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.’ One of them said (‘āmar, ויאמר), “I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” And he said (εἶπεν), “I will come to you, when I return, during this season next year, and Sarra your wife shall have a son.” And he said (εἶπε), I will return and come to thee according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha thy wife shall have a son;

The verb וַיֹּ֗אמֶר switched to the singular (Tanakh: And He said) in Genesis 18:10 in the Masoretic text as it was in both verses in the Septuagint: εἶπε(ν) (NETS, English Elpenor: he said). The NET translators chose One of them said (note 29) to account for this change. So in the Masoretic text only one of the trio of men that appeared to Abraham as יהוה (Masoretic text) or θεὸς (Septuagint) prophesied the birth of Sarah’s son.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 18:13, 14 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:13, 14 (NET)

Genesis 18:13, 14 (NETS)

Genesis 18:13, 14 (English Elpenor)

And HaShem (יְהֹוָ֖ה) said unto Abraham: ‘Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old? The Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child when I am old?’ And the Lord (κύριος) said to Abraam, “Why is it that Sarra laughed within herself, saying, ‘Shall I then indeed give birth? But I have grown old.’ And the Lord (Κύριος) said to Abraam, Why is it that Sarrha has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? but I am grown old.
Is any thing too hard for HaShem (מֵֽיהֹוָ֖ה). At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.’ Is anything impossible for the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, מיהוה)? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” Can it be that a matter is impossible with God (τῷ θεῷ)? In this season I will come back to you next year, and Sarra shall have a son.” Shall anything be impossible with the Lord (τῷ Θεῷ)? At this time I will return to thee seasonably, and Sarrha shall have a son.

But in the Septuagint the trio of men that appeared to Abraham as θεὸς was called the Lord (κύριος) and spoke with one voice. I notice also in the Masoretic text that the Lord called Himself מֵֽיהֹוָ֖ה (Yᵊhōvâ) to Abraham, but the translators of the Septuagint did not corroborate that with κύριος. They chose τῷ Θεῷ instead.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 18:16, 17 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:16, 17 (NET)

Genesis 18:16, 17 (NETS)

18:16, 17 (English Elpenor)

And the men rose up (וַיָּקֻ֤מוּ) from thence, and looked out (וַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ) toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. When the men got up (qûm, ויקמו) to leave, they looked out (šāqap̄, וישקפו) over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) And when the men had set out (ἐξαναστάντες) from there, they looked (κατέβλεψαν) down upon the face of Sodoma and Gomorra, and Abraam was going along with them. And the men having risen up (᾿Εξαναστάντες) from thence looked (κατέβλεψαν) towards Sodom and Gomorrha. And Abraam went with them, attending them on their journey.
And HaShem (וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה) said: ‘Shall I (אֲנִי֙) hide from Abraham that which I (אֲנִ֥י) am doing; Then the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, ויהוה) said, “Should I (‘ănî, אני) hide from Abraham what I (‘ănî, אני) am about to do? And the Lord ( δὲ κύριος) said, “Surely I (ἐγὼ) shall not hide from my servant Abraam what I (ἐγὼ) am about to do? And the Lord ( δὲ Κύριος) said, Shall I (ἐγὼ) hide from Abraam my servant what things I (ἐγὼ) intend to do?

Here the actions of the three men (possibly four including Abraham) were described with plural verbs. When וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה (Yᵊhōvâ) spoke He emphasized his singular nature with אֲנִ֥י in the Masoretic text and ἐγὼ in the Septuagint. Still, the emphasis seems to highlight the oneness of the three men called κύριος that appeared to Abraham as θεὸς in the Septuagint, while the Masoretic text seems to indicate that only one of the three men was יהוה.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 18:20, 21 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:20, 21 (NET)

Genesis 18:20, 21 (NETS)

Genesis 18:20, 21 (English Elpenor)

And HaShem (יְהֹוָ֔ה) said: ‘Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous. So the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant Then the Lord (κύριος) said, “The outcry concerning Sodoma and Gomorra has been increased, and their sins are very great! And the Lord (Κύριος) said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha has been increased towards me, and their sins are very great.
I will go down (אֵֽרֲדָה) now, and see (וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה) whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will know.’ that I must go down (yāraḏ, ארדה) and see (rā’â, ואראה) if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. If not, I want to know.” So when I go down (καταβὰς) I shall see (ὄψομαι) whether they are perpetrating according to the outcry concerning them that is coming to me, but if not—that I may know.” I will therefore go down (καταβὰς) and see (ὄψομαι), if they completely correspond with the cry which comes to me, and if not, that I may know.

Here יְהֹוָ֔ה (Masoretic text), Κύριος (Septuagint), told Abraham that He (singular) will go down now, and see. Readers of the Septuagint can understand that θεὸς, who appeared to Abraham as three men, speaks truthfully with a singular voice. Readers of the Masoretic text must be a little more flexible and forgiving regarding truth.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 18:22 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:22 (NET)

Genesis 18:22 (NETS)

Genesis 18:22 (English Elpenor)

And the men (הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים) turned from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before HaShem (יְהֹוָֽה). The two men (‘îš, האנשים) turned and headed toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה). And after the men (ἄνδρες) had turned away from there, they went to Sodoma, but Abraam was still standing before the Lord (κυρίου). And the men (ἄνδρες) having departed thence, came to Sodom; and Abraam was still standing before the Lord (Κυρίου).

So once the men (plural) left for Sodom, Abraham stood yet before יְהֹוָֽה (Masoretic text), Κυρίου (Septuagint). If plural men are subtracted from three men, then two left and one remained. The translators of the NET did the arithmetic for us: The two men turned and headed toward Sodom.

Reading the Masoretic text one would assume that two men left leaving the one יְהֹוָֽה. Reading the Septuagint one can assume that two of the three men who appeared to Abraham as θεὸς, called Κύριος, went to Sodom to fulfill the Lord’s word: “So when I go down I shall see whether they are perpetrating according to the outcry concerning them that is coming to me, but if not—that I may know.”6 The one who remained could also be called יְהֹוָֽה (Masoretic text), Κυρίου (Septuagint).

In the Masoretic text the promise, “So when I go down I shall see whether they are perpetrating according to the outcry concerning them that is coming to me, but if not–that I may know,” was a euphemistic expression fulfilled by minions, and יְהֹוָֽה relied still on hearsay for his judgment. The Septuagint, about a thousand years older than the Masoretic text, persuades me that I was probably mistaken when I assumed that יְהֹוָֽה was one7 of the אֱלֹהִ֔ים.

I am more inclined now to assume that the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit8 is יְהֹוָֽה. I am more willing to answer the question, is יְהֹוָֽה the Father, the Son or the Holy Spirit, yes. But this aside into Genesis 18, fruitful as it proved to be, was intended to provide context for two examples of אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה (ʿāśâ) translated with singular verbs in Greek.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 18:29, 30 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:29, 30 (NET)

Genesis 18:29, 30 (NETS)

Genesis 18:29, 30 (English Elpenor)

And he spoke unto Him yet again, and said: ‘Peradventure there shall be forty found there.’ And He said: ‘I will not do (אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה) it for the forty’s sake.’ Abraham spoke to him again, “What if 40 are found there?” He replied, “I will not do (ʿāśâ, אעשׁה) it for the sake of the 40.” And he continued still to speak to him and said, “But if forty should be found there?” And he said, “On account of the forty I will not destroy (ἀπολέσω) it.” And he continued to speak to him still, and said, But if there should be found there forty? And he said, I will not destroy (ἀπολέσω) it for the forty’s sake.
And he said: ‘Oh, let not the L-rd be angry, and I will speak. Peradventure there shall thirty be found there.’ And He said: ‘I will not do (אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה) it, if I find thirty there’ [Table]. Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak! What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do (ʿāśâ, אעשׁה) it if I find thirty there.” And he said, “Pardon, Lord, if I should speak. But if thirty should be found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy (ἀπολέσω) it, if I find thirty there” [Table]. And he said, Will there be anything [against me], Lord, if I shall speak? but if there be found there thirty? And he said, I will not destroy (ἀπολέσω) it for the thirty’s sake.

The Greek word ἀπολέσω (I willdestroy) is clearly singular. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint demonstrated that they would translate אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה with a singular verb if אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה was the word they found in the Hebrew text rather than the plural נעשׁה.

Tables comparing Genesis 18:9; 18:10; 18:13; 18:14; 18:16; 18:17; 18:20; 18:21; 18:22 and 18:29 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET; and tables comparing Genesis 18:9; 18:10; 18:13; 18:14; 18:16; 18:17; 18:20; 18:21; 18:22 and 18:29 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and a table comparing the Greek of Matthew 28:19 in the NET and KJV follow.

Genesis 18:9 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:9 (KJV)

Genesis 18:9 (NET)

And they said unto him: ‘Where is Sarah thy wife?’ And he said: ‘Behold, in the tent.’ And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.”

Genesis 18:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν ποῦ Σαρρα ἡ γυνή σου ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν ἰδοὺ ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ Εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν· ποῦ Σάρρα ἡ γυνή σου; ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ

Genesis 18:9 (NETS)

Genesis 18:9 (English Elpenor)

And he said to him, “Where is your wife Sarra?” And he said in reply, “There, in the tent.” And he said to him, Where is Sarrha thy wife? And he answered and said, Behold! in the tent.

Genesis 18:10 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:10 (KJV)

Genesis 18:10 (NET)

And He said: ‘I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.’ And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.– And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. One of them said, “I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him.

Genesis 18:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δέ ἐπαναστρέφων ἥξω πρὸς σὲ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰς ὥρας καὶ ἕξει υἱὸν Σαρρα ἡ γυνή σου Σαρρα δὲ ἤκουσεν πρὸς τῇ θύρᾳ τῆς σκηνῆς οὖσα ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ εἶπε δέ· ἐπαναστρέφων ἥξω πρὸς σὲ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰς ὥρας, καὶ ἕξει υἱὸν Σάρρα ἡ γυνή σου. Σάρρα δὲ ἤκουσε πρὸς τῇ θύρᾳ τῆς σκηνῆς, οὖσα ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ

Genesis 18:10 (NETS)

Genesis 18:10 (English Elpenor)

And he said, “I will come to you, when I return, during this season next year, and Sarra your wife shall have a son.” And Sarra, who was behind him, listened at the tent door. And he said, I will return and come to thee according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha thy wife shall have a son; and Sarrha heard at the door of the tent, being behind him.

Genesis 18:13 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:13 (KJV)

Genesis 18:13 (NET)

And HaShem said unto Abraham: ‘Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child when I am old?’

Genesis 18:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Αβρααμ τί ὅτι ἐγέλασεν Σαρρα ἐν ἑαυτῇ λέγουσα ἆρά γε ἀληθῶς τέξομαι ἐγὼ δὲ γεγήρακα καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς ῾Αβραάμ· τί ὅτι ἐγέλασε Σάρρα ἐν ἑαυτῇ, λέγουσα· ἆρά γε ἀληθῶς τέξομαι; ἐγὼ δὲ γεγήρακα

Genesis 18:13 (NETS)

Genesis 18:13 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord said to Abraam, “Why is it that Sarra laughed within herself, saying, ‘Shall I then indeed give birth? But I have grown old.’ And the Lord said to Abraam, Why is it that Sarrha has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? but I am grown old.

Genesis 18:14 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:14 (KJV)

Genesis 18:14 (NET)

Is any thing too hard for HaShem. At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.’ Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Is anything impossible for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.”

Genesis 18:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

μὴ ἀδυνατεῖ παρὰ τῷ θεῷ ῥῆμα εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἀναστρέψω πρὸς σὲ εἰς ὥρας καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σαρρα υἱός μὴ ἀδυνατήσει παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ ρῆμα; εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἀναστρέψω πρὸς σὲ εἰς ὥρας· καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός

Genesis 18:14 (NETS)

Genesis 18:14 (English Elpenor)

Can it be that a matter is impossible with God? In this season I will come back to you next year, and Sarra shall have a son.” Shall anything be impossible with the Lord? At this time I will return to thee seasonably, and Sarrha shall have a son.

Genesis 18:16 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:16 (KJV)

Genesis 18:16 (NET)

And the men rose up from thence, and looked out toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.)

Genesis 18:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐξαναστάντες δὲ ἐκεῖθεν οἱ ἄνδρες κατέβλεψαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον Σοδομων καὶ Γομορρας Αβρααμ δὲ συνεπορεύετο μετ᾽ αὐτῶν συμπροπέμπων αὐτούς ᾿Εξαναστάντες δὲ ἐκεῖθεν οἱ ἄνδρες κατέβλεψαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόρρας. ῾Αβραὰμ δὲ συνεπορεύετο μετ᾿ αὐτῶν συμπροπέμπων αὐτούς

Genesis 18:16 (NETS)

Genesis 18:16 (English Elpenor)

And when the men had set out from there, they looked down upon the face of Sodoma and Gomorra, and Abraam was going along with them. And the men having risen up from thence looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha. And Abraam went with them, attending them on their journey.

Genesis 18:17 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:17 (KJV)

Genesis 18:17 (NET)

And HaShem said: ‘Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing; And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

Genesis 18:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν μὴ κρύψω ἐγὼ ἀπὸ Αβρααμ τοῦ παιδός μου ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ ὁ δὲ Κύριος εἶπεν· οὐ μὴ κρύψω ἐγὼ ἀπὸ ῾Αβραὰμ τοῦ παιδός μου, ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ

Genesis 18:17 (NETS)

Genesis 18:17 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord said, “Surely I shall not hide from my servant Abraam what I am about to do? And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraam my servant what things I intend to do?

Genesis 18:20 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:20 (KJV)

Genesis 18:20 (NET)

And HaShem said: ‘Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; So the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant

Genesis 18:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ κύριος κραυγὴ Σοδομων καὶ Γομορρας πεπλήθυνται καὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν μεγάλαι σφόδρα εἶπε δὲ Κύριος· κραυγὴ Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόρρας πεπλήθυνται πρός με, καὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν μεγάλαι σφόδρα

Genesis 18:20 (NETS)

Genesis 18:20 (English Elpenor)

Then the Lord said, “The outcry concerning Sodoma and Gomorra has been increased, and their sins are very great! And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha has been increased towards me, and their sins are very great.

Genesis 18:21 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:21 (KJV)

Genesis 18:21 (NET)

I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will know.’ I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. that I must go down and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. If not, I want to know.”

Genesis 18:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καταβὰς οὖν ὄψομαι εἰ κατὰ τὴν κραυγὴν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐρχομένην πρός με συντελοῦνται εἰ δὲ μή ἵνα γνῶ καταβὰς οὖν ὄψομαι, εἰ κατὰ τὴν κραυγὴν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐρχομένην πρός με συντελοῦνται, εἰ δὲ μή, ἵνα γνῶ

Genesis 18:21 (NETS)

Genesis 18:21 (English Elpenor)

So when I go down I shall see whether they are perpetrating according to the outcry concerning them that is coming to me, but if not—that I may know.” I will therefore go down and see, if they completely correspond with the cry which comes to me, and if not, that I may know.

Genesis 18:22 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:22 (KJV)

Genesis 18:22 (NET)

And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before HaShem. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. The two men turned and headed toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord.

Genesis 18:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀποστρέψαντες ἐκεῖθεν οἱ ἄνδρες ἦλθον εἰς Σοδομα Αβρααμ δὲ ἦν ἑστηκὼς ἐναντίον κυρίου καὶ ἀποστρέψαντες ἐκεῖθεν οἱ ἄνδρες ἦλθον εἰς Σόδομα. ῾Αβραὰμ δὲ ἔτι ἦν ἑστηκὼς ἐναντίον Κυρίου

Genesis 18:22 (NETS)

Genesis 18:22 (English Elpenor)

And after the men had turned away from there, they went to Sodoma, but Abraam was still standing before the Lord. And the men having departed thence, came to Sodom; and Abraam was still standing before the Lord.

Genesis 18:29 (Tanakh)

Genesis 18:29 (KJV)

Genesis 18:29 (NET)

And he spoke unto Him yet again, and said: ‘Peradventure there shall be forty found there.’ And He said: ‘I will not do it for the forty’s sake.’ And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake. Abraham spoke to him again, “What if 40 are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the 40.”

Genesis 18:29 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 18:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ προσέθηκεν ἔτι λαλῆσαι πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν ἐὰν δὲ εὑρεθῶσιν ἐκεῖ τεσσαράκοντα καὶ εἶπεν οὐ μὴ ἀπολέσω ἕνεκεν τῶν τεσσαράκοντα καὶ προσέθηκεν ἔτι λαλῆσαι πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ εἶπεν· ἐὰν δὲ εὑρεθῶσιν ἐκεῖ τεσσαράκοντα; καὶ εἶπεν· οὐ μὴ ἀπολέσω ἕνεκεν τῶν τεσσαράκοντα

Genesis 18:29 (NETS)

Genesis 18:29 (English Elpenor)

And he continued still to speak to him and said, “But if forty should be found there?” And he said, “On account of the forty I will not destroy it.” And he continued to speak to him still, and said, But if there should be found there forty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the forty’s sake.

Matthew 28:19 (NET)

Matthew 28:19 (KJV)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

πορευθέντες οὖν μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος πορευθεντες ουν μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος πορευθεντες μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος

1 Genesis 18:1a (NET) Table

2 Genesis 18:1a (NETS) Table

3 Genesis 18:2a (NET) Table

4 Genesis 18:3a (NET) Table

5 Genesis 18:3a (NETS) Table

6 Genesis 18:21 (NETS)

8 Matthew 28:19b (NET)

Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 2

I studied ʽâbar through Genesis.  Nothing so far justifies translating it forgiven in Nathan’s response to David’s confession—Yes, and the Lord has forgiven (ʽâbar, העביר; Septuagint: παρεβίβασεν) your sin.[1]  But ʽâbar kept some evocative company for anyone studying the Torah in Hebrew (Genesis 6:5-7, 11-13 NET).

But the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth.  Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time.  The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended.  So the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) said, “I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them.”

The earth was ruined in the sight of God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, האלהים); the earth was filled with violence.  God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) saw the earth, and indeed it was ruined, for all living creatures on the earth were sinful.  So God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) said to Noah, “I have decided that all living creatures must die, for the earth is filled with violence because of them.  Now I am about to destroy them and the earth.

His chosen method of destruction was water: I am about to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy from under the sky all the living creatures that have the breath of life in them.  Everything that is on the earth will die[2]  The waters completely overwhelmed the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the waters.[3]  So [He] destroyed every living thing that was on the surface of the ground, including people, animals, creatures that creep along the ground, and birds of the sky.  They were wiped off the earth.  Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark survived.  The waters prevailed over the earth for 150 days.[4]

Then ʽâbar was the action of the wind that proceeded (if not caused) the recession of the waters of this destruction: But God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) remembered Noah and all the wild animals and domestic animals that were with him in the ark.  God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהים) caused a wind to blow (ʽâbar, ויעבר; Septuagint: ἐπήγαγεν) over the earth and the waters receded.[5]

The next occurrences of ʽâbar are found in the story of Abram/Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3 NET):

Now the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) said to Abram, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you [Table].  Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing [Table].  I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name” [Table].

So Abram left, just as the Lord had told him to do,[6] and ʽâbar was what Abram did as he obeyed yehôvâhAbram traveled (ʽâbar, ויעבר; Septuagint: διώδευσεν[7]) through the land as far as the oak tree of Moreh at Shechem.[8]

I am the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה), He said to Abram still clearly within the word of the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) that came to Abram in a vision,[9] who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.[10]  O sovereign (ʼădônây, אדני) Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה), by what can I know that I am to possess it?[11] Take for me a heifer, He answered, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.[12]

I suppose it is possible that Abram took all these for him and then cut them in two and placed each half opposite the other[13] outside of the vision of verses 1-9.  Perhaps I am meant to take—When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away[14]—in precisely that mundane way.  Then when the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, and great terror overwhelmed him[15] and Abram had a second vision.

My problem with this interpretation is that as Abram slept nocturnal birds of prey came to feast upon the carcasses of the heifer, the goat, the ram, the dove and the pigeon he had protected all day for yehôvâh in the real world, even as Abram heard and saw something completely different in a dream.  I am more inclined to take the text at face value and assume that Abram acted within the vision of Genesis 15:1 and that he was a dream within a vision deep in Genesis 15:13-16 (NET):

Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country.  They will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years [Table].  But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve.  Afterward they will come out with many possessions [Table].  But as for you, you will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age [Table].  In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit [Table].

Then ʽâbar was the action of a smoking firepot with a flaming torch in a vision designed to overcome the doubts of Abram the believer:[16] When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch passed (ʽâbar, עבר; Septuagint: διῆλθον) between the animal parts.[17]  It would have been disconcerting, to say the least, if Abram woke up the next morning to find the bones picked clean by nocturnal birds and other scavengers.

That day, the vision concluded, the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) made a covenant with Abram: “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River [Table]– the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, [Table] Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, [Table] Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites [Table].”[18]

This brings me to the beginning of the Parashat Vayera (פרשת וירא), Genesis 18:1-22:24.  Ben Zion Katz, a pediatrician and self-proclaimed recreational Bible scholar, in an essay—“God’s Appearance to Abraham: Vision or Visit?”—posted on TheTorah.com contrasted “The Traditional Approach” to “A Peshat Reading” of Genesis 18.  In the traditional approach Abraham interrupted a vision of God to entertain three guests.  “This reading thus exemplifies the performance of two mitzvot – visiting the sick and welcoming guests.”

Even when I searched the Bible for mitzvot I was never quite this clever.  I certainly recognized Abraham’s hospitality but had serious doubts and questions about Lot’s practice of the same with two of the same men.  And I didn’t see “visiting the sick” here until I read Dr. Katz article: “God is ‘visiting’ Abraham (in a vision) because Abraham was recuperating from his circumcision.”  As long as I searched the Bible for rules to obey I, like Nicodemus, didn’t seeI tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God[19]—as the take away message of the Old Testament.

I was taught that I must be born again.  I was taught to mock Nicodemus’ dull-wittedness: How can a man be born when he is old?  He cannot enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time, can he?[20] And, How can these things be?[21] But I didn’t understand Jesus’ retort either (John 3:10-12 NET):

Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things?  I tell you the solemn truth, we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony.  If I have told you people about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

I was George McFly in the diner in “Back to the Future.”  I felt as bullied by Jesus as he did by Biff Tannen.  When Jesus turned his attention to Nicodemus, like Biff’s followers turned on Marty, I could feel like a winner for a moment, piling on Nicodemus.  But only for a moment, for Jesus was soon back to bullying me as his words seemed at the time.  God come to earth, mocking everyone who was not God.

The revolution came when I began to see Jesus as a baby and a child learning everything anew.  He studied the Hebrew Bible, what I call the Old Testament, and from it through the Holy Spirit learned the solemn truth (John 3:5-8 NET):

unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  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.

You must all be born from above, because no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.[22]  God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh.  By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.[23]

Dr. Katz continued:

Although clever and ethically uplifting, the traditional reading is not the peshat, the plain meaning of the text. The peshat reading, which is in consonance with modern literary analysis, is rather straightforward.  In verse 1, we are given an introduction that God appeared to Abraham.  That appearance then begins in verse 2, and of the 3 “people” Abraham sees, one is God personified while the other 2 are angels or messengers of God.

My lord (ʼâdôn, אדני), Abraham said, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass (ʽâbar, תעבר; Septuagint: παρέλθῃς[24]) by and leave your servant.[25]  Here ʽâbar became the action that yehôvâh would take if He did not favor Abraham.  Let a little water be brought so that you may all wash your feet and rest under the tree,[26] Abraham continued.  It sounds to me as if Abraham wished to honor his guests in a manner in keeping with the favor their consenting to be his guests implied.  But in the “traditional” commentary Abraham was seen as a strict adherent 430 years before the law:

and bathe your feet: He thought that they were Arabs, who prostrate themselves to the dust of their feet, and he was strict not to allow any idolatry into his house.  But Lot, who was not strict, mentioned lodging before washing, as it is said (below 19:2): “and lodge and bathe your feet.” – [from Gen. Rabbah 54:4]

And let me get a bit of food, Abraham continued, so that you may refresh yourselves since you have passed (ʽâbar, עברתם; Septuagint: ἐξεκλίνατε[27]) by your servant’s home.  After that you may (ʽâbar, תעברו; Septuagint: παρελεύσεσθε[28]) be on your way.[29]  Here even the “traditional” commentary recognized the honor Abraham perceived:

because you have passed by: For I request this from you [i.e., to sustain your hearts] because you have passed by me [i.e., have stopped in my home] to honor me.

If yehôvâh consented not to ʽâbar by Abraham, Abraham’s hospitality would become the reason that yehôvâh ʽâbar Abraham’s tent.  All right, yehôvâh and his two companions replied, you may do as you say.[30]

After Sarah died Abraham negotiated with Ephron for a field with a cave to bury her body.  It was a curious negotiation.  As a wanderer in the promised land Abraham owned no property.  As a respected prince Ephron was willing to give him the property, but Abraham insisted that he would pay full price.  Here ʽâbar was according to the standard of that price: So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and weighed out for him the price that Ephron had quoted in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard (ʽâbar, עבר; Septuagint: δοκίμου) measurement at the time.[31]  The note in the NET reads: “Heb ‘passing for the merchant.’  The final clause affirms that the measurement of silver was according to the standards used by the merchants of the time.”

I’ll continue in the next essay.

[1] 2 Samuel 12:13b (NET) Table

[2] Genesis 6:17 (NET)

[3] Genesis 7:18 (NET)

[4] Genesis 7:23, 24 (NET)

[5] Genesis 8:1 (NET)

[6] Genesis 12:4a (NET)

[7] διώδευσεν, a form of διοδεύω

[8] Genesis 12:6a (NET)

[9] Genesis 15:1 (NET)

[10] Genesis 15:7 (NET)

[11] Genesis 15:8 (NET)

[12] Genesis 15:9 (NET) Table

[13] Genesis 15:10 (NET) Table

[14] Genesis 15:11 (NET) Table

[15] Genesis 15:12 (NET) Table

[16] For what does the scripture say?Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3 NET, quoting Genesis 15:6 NKJV)

[17] Genesis 15:17 (NET) Table

[18] Genesis 15:18-21 (NET)

[19] John 3:3 (NET) Table

[20] John 3:4 (NET)

[21] John 3:9 (NET)

[22] Romans 3:20 (NET)

[23] Romans 8:3, 4 (NET)

[24] παρέλθῃς, a form of παρέρχομαι

[25] Genesis 18:3 (NET)

[26] Genesis 18:4 (NET)

[27] ἐξεκλίνατε, a form of ἐκκλίνω

[28] παρελεύσεσθε, another form of παρέρχομαι

[29] Genesis 18:5a (NET)

[30] Genesis 18:5b (NET)

[31] Genesis 23:16 (NET)