Near Emmaus

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Reading the Book of Isaiah (14:21-32)

As I have mentioned (here) I am participating in “Greek Isaiah in a Year” reading group. These are my notes from this week (14:21-32).

14:21

MT: The imperative הכינו commands for the King’s sons to be prepared for slaughter (מטבח) because of the trespasses of their fathers (בעון אבותם). In the modern western world it may be hard for many of us to understand a paradigm of corporate justice, but this is the assumption with which ancient near easterners functioned. If a father did something evil it represented the family and all were liable for punishment. There continues to be an agricultural apologetic if you will. The sons of the King are prevented from “rising up to inherit the land (ארץ) and fill the face of the world (פני־תבל) with cities.”

LXX: The major difference is the move form 3ms to 2ms: “your children (τὰ τέκνα σου),” which seems to indicate the command is directed at the King. The end result remains slaughter () because of “the sins of your father (ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις τοῦ πατρός σου),” presumably speaking to the King’s children now. The goal is the same: prevent them from arising to inherit the earth (γῆν) to fill the earth (γῆν) with cities.

14:22

MT: YHWH Sabaoth (יהוה צבאות) says he will rise up and cut off Babel “name and remnant and offspring and progeny (שׁם ושׁאר ונין ונכד),” i.e. utter destruction.

LXX: The Lord Sabaoth (κύριος σαβαωθ) will destroy the “name and remnant and descendant (ὄνομα καὶ κατάλειμμα καὶ σπέρμα).”

14:23

MT: Babylon will become the possession of hedgehogs (קפד) and marshy water (ואגמי־מים), i.e., a wilderness. YHWH Sabaoth (יהוה צבאות) will “sweep away with a broom to destruction

(וטאטאתיה במטאטא השׁמד).”

LXX: The depiction of destruction differs slightly in the LXX: God will make Babylon “desolate (ἔρημον) in order that hedgehogs may dwell there (κατοικεῖν ἐχίνους)” and Babylon will be made into nothing (ἔσται εἰς οὐδέν). It will be a “muddy pit unto destruction (πηλοῦ βάραθρον εἰς ἀπώλειαν).”

14:24

MT: YHWH Sabaoth (יהוה צבאות) guarantees these things.

LXX: Same.

14:25

MT: Assyria (אשׁור) is next in line for proclamations of judgment. YHWH declares he will “break” (לשׁבר) and “trample” (אבוסנו) Assyria in “my land and on my mountains (בארצי ועל־הרי).” YHWH will remove Assyria’s yoke (עלו) and burden (וסבלו). The people of God are presented as being treated like oxen. YHWH frees them.

LXX: God will destroy (τοῦ ἀπολέσαι) the Assyrians from “my earth and my mountains (ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς τῆς ἐμῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρέων μου).” As with v. 25b in the MT the basic idea is that God will remove the yoke (ὁ ζυγὸς) and burden (τὸ κῦδος, “glory, renown” should be κúδος, “reproach, abuse”) while trampling (καταπάτημα) the Assyrians.

14:26

MT: This v. summarizes the prophecies: “This is the plan planned (העצה היעוצה) upon all the land

(על־כל־הארץ) and this is the hand being stretched out upon all the nations (על־כל־הגוים).”

LXX: In the LXX the function is the same: to summarize. “This is the plan the Lord planned upon (ἡ βουλή, ἣν βεβούλευται κύριος) the whole inhabited earth (τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην) and this is the lifted hand upon all the inhabiting nations (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς οἰκουμένης).”

14:27

MT: This v. continues the summary with asserting, rhetorical question: Who will frustrate (ומי יפר) YHWH Sabaoth’s (יהוה צבאות) plans (יעץ)? Who will turn back (ומי ישׁיבנה) his stretched out hand

(וידו הנטויה)?

LXX: The LXX differs a bit. YHWH is called “the holy God.” The author asserts that the holy God has made his plans already (ἃ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἅγιος βεβούλευται); therefore, who will disperse it (τίς διασκεδάσει;)? Likewise, “who will turn back the lifted hand (τὴν χεῖρα τὴν ὑψηλὴν τίς ἀποστρέψει;)?”

14:28

MT: This v. marks a transition. “In the year King Ahaz’s death (בשׁנת־מות המלך אחז) came this oracle

(היה המשׂא הזה).”

LXX: Same, with “oracle” being (τὸ ῥῆμα).

14:29

MT: Odd imagery in this warning against Philistia (פלשׁת): the rod that used to strike them has been broken. This may refer to Judah’s dominance of Philistia. In the future the “serpent’s root” (כי־משׁרשׁ נחשׁ) will produce a viper (צפע) and the “fruit” (ופריו) of this viper will be a flying serpent (שׂרף מעופף)!

LXX: Philistia is replaced the generic “foreign-heathen” (οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι). This may be the LXX’s updating of Isaiah. The odd imagery is maintained: there will be a serpents (ὄφεων) which will have a descendants that is are asps (ἔκγονα ἀσπίδων) from which will come forth a flying serpents (ὄφεις πετόμενοι).

14:30

MT: On the flip side the root (שׁרשׁך) of Philistia will be put to death through famine (והמתי ברעב) and the famine will slay their remnant (ושׁאריתך יהרג), i.e. Philistia will starve to death.  Meanwhile, the first born of the poor (among Israel, בכורי דלים) will eat while the need stretch out (ואביונים לבטח ירבצו) to relax in safety.

LXX: Similar message to MT: the poor will “graze” (βοσκηθήσονται πτωχοὶ, like animals?) “through him” (διʼ αὐτοῦ) and in peace the poor men will rest (πτωχοὶ δὲ ἄνδρες ἐπʼ εἰρήνης ἀναπαύσονται). “He” will kill their seed through famine (ἀνελεῖ δὲ λιμῷ τὸ σπέρμα σου) and their remnant (κατάλειμμά).

14:31 

MT: The gates wail (הילילי שׁער) and the city cries out (זַעקי־עיר) as smoke (מצפון עשׁן בא) appears in the north indicating the approach of a fully committed (“no stragglers in his ranks/place,” ואין בודד במועדיו) army.

LXX: “Cry out gates of the city (ὀλολύζετε, πύλαι πόλεων)! Let the troubled cities cry out (κεκραγέτωσαν πόλεις τεταραγμέναι)!” Then all the heathen foreigners (οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι πάντες) are warned about the smoke from the north (καπνὸς ἀπὸ βορρᾶ ἔρχεται).

14:32

MT: The Prophet asks, “How will he answer the messengers of the nation

(ומה־יענה מלאכי־גוי)?” The answer: YHWH established Zion (יהוה יסד ציון) and in Zion the afflicted poor (יחסו עניי) of his people seek refuge.

LXX: The “messengers of the nations” are the “kings of the nations” (βασιλεῖς ἐθνῶν). Since the Lord has established Zion (κύριος ἐθεμελίωσεν Σιων) he will “save” he afflicted of the people (σωθήσονται οἱ ταπεινοὶ τοῦ λαοῦ).

__________

See older notes:

1:1-12:6

13:1-22

14:1-4

14:5-8

14:9-20

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Reading the Book of Isaiah (14:9-20)

As I have mentioned (here) I am participating in “Greek Isaiah in a Year” reading group. These are my notes from this week (14:9-20).

14:9

MT: Sheol (שׁאול) rejoices and comes out to meet the King. Sheol arouses the spirits (of the dead, רפאים) and all the “he-goats (כל־עתודי),” likely a phrase for the rulers of the nations (מלכי גוים), Sheol causes to arise from their thrones. I can’t tell if v. 9b is saying that Sheol is bringing dead ruler off current thrones to greet another dead ruler, or if this is the author’s way of saying that Sheol causes all kings to arise from their thrones.

LXX: Hades is embittered (ἐπικράνθη) by having to meet the King. Interesting how the mood differs from the MT. The MT presents Sheol as excited to welcome the King to his death. The LXX presents Hades as disappointed that he has to meet the King. The “giant rulers” (appositional οἱ γίγαντες οἱ ἄρξαντες) may mean something like “the mighty, ruling ones.” I’m not sure that the LXX intends to convey the idea of giant rulers. These ones are the kings of the nations (βασιλεῖς ἐθνῶν).

14:10

MT: The kings observe that the King has become “weak like us”

(חלית כמונו). This explains v. 9b. Sheol captures all the rulers, eventually, even Babel’s King.

LXX: The King was “captured/taken” (ἑάλως) like all other kings. He is “reckoned” (κατελογίσθης) like the other kings.

14:11

MT: The pride of the King is “brought down” (Hofal: הורד) by Sheol. Maggots are spread out (as a bed?) and worms are the covering. Gross.

LXX: The glory (ἡ δόξα) of the King will go down into Hades (εἰς ᾅδου). Decay (στρώσουσιν σῆψιν) will be spread out and worms will be as covers (σκώληξ). 

14:12 

MT: This v. begins with great exclamation: “How! ( איך) you have fallen from the heavens (משׁמים), shining one (הילל), Son of the Dawn (בן־שׁחר).” These may have been titles for the King of Babel: shining one, Son of the Dawn, one who came from heaven. This language is appropriate for a god, which makes them jest in this context. What god will be swallowed by Sheol? Rather than be in heaven, the King was cut down to the ground (נגדעת לארץ, like a tree?! see v. 8). He is described as one who weakened (חולשׁ) the nations (גוים).

LXX: The King is fallen (ἐξέπεσεν) from heaven (ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ). He is called “the dawn-bringer” (ἑωσφόρος) and “the one rising early morn” (ὁ πρωὶ ἀνατέλλων). He was the one sending (ὁ ἀποστέλλων, light?) into all the nations (τὰ ἔθνη). Now he will be rubbed into the earth (συνετρίβη εἰς τὴν γῆν). 

14:13

MT: The King of Babel made divine claims. He spoke to himself in his heart (בלבבך) telling himself that he will ascend to the heavens (השׁמים). He would go to the star of God (לכוכבי־אל). He planned to exalt his own throne (כסאי). He would sit on the mount of meeting (בהר־מועד) in the extreme north.

LXX: The King spoke to his mind (i.e., thought to himself, ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ) about ascending into the heavens (τὸν οὐρανὸν). He planned to put his throne (τὸν θρόνον) above the “star of heaven” (τῶν ἄστρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ). He would do this on the mountains of the north.

14:14

MT: Then he said he would ascend above the clouds (על־במתי עב) resembling (אדמה) the Most High (לעליון).

LXX: Then he said he would ascend above the clouds (ἐπάνω τῶν νεφελῶν) being like (ὅμοιος) the Highest (τῷ ὑψίστῳ).

14:15 

MT: Rather than ascend to heaven the King will descend to Sheol (אל־שׁאול תורד). Contra the King’s desire to ascend to the highest mountains, higher than the clouds, he will go the deepest part of the pit (אל־ירכתי־בור) of Sheol.

LXX: The King will descend into Hades (εἰς ᾅδου καταβήσῃ) instead. He will fall to the base/foundation of the earth (τὰ θεμέλια τῆς γῆς). 

14:16

MT: The people who see this ponder to themselves, “This is the man who made the earth shiver (מרגיז האָרץ), who caused kingdoms the shake (מרעישׁ ממלכות)?”

LXX: The people say, “This is the man who provoked (ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ παροξύνων) the earth (τὴν γῆν), shaking kingdoms (βασιλεῖς)?” 

14:17

MT: The King made the inhabited world (תבל) like deserts and the cities (עריו) he tore down. For the prisoners () he did not open to their house ().

LXX:  The King is described as having made (θεὶς) the entire inhabited world (τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην) into a desert (ἔρημον). Also, he leveled cities (τὰς πόλεις καθεῖλεν). The miserable (ἐπαγωγῇ) were not loosed (οὐκ ἔλυσεν).

14:18 

MT: All the kings of the nations (כל־מלכי גוים) “lie down,” i.e., die (שׁכבו). There is an emphasis here. The author says “all” (כל) and then repeats “all of them” (כלם) to enhance the point. This is done “in glory” (בכבוד) as a man in his home (אישׁ בביתו). “House” means “tomb” here: the “house” of their death.

LXX: The message is the same as the MT. All the “kings of the nations (πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς τῶν ἐθνῶν) fall asleep (ἐκοιμήθησαν) in honor (ἐν τιμῇ), like a man in his home (ἄνθρωπος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ).” One thing to note is that בכבוד could have been a form of doxa, glory.

14:19

MT: The threat against the King of Babel is that he will not die an honored king like others. The author declare emphatically, “but you” (ואתה) to emphasize that he is different from the other kings. Rather, he will be “thrown/cast” (השׁלכת) from his sepulcher (מקברך). The King is called an “abhorred branch” (כנצר נתעב). “Branch” language reminds me of that used about a royal descendant of David. The murderous behavior of the King will result in his own gruesome death. The King is “clothed” (לבושׁ) with those who he has pierced by the sword (מטעני חרב). He will go down to the “stones of the pit” (אל־אבני־בור , the pit is Sheol, see v. 15) “like a trampled corpse (כפגר מובס).”

LXX: This v. has a slightly different message from the MT. It begins with a casting down (ῥιφήσῃ), but it is onto a mountain like a sickly dead one (ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν ὡς νεκρὸς ἐβδελυγμένος) rather than a sepulcher. He joins the many who have died and gone to Hades (εἰς ᾅδου) after being pierced with swords (μαχαίραις). The cloak mixed in blood (ἱμάτιον ἐν αἵματι πεφυρμένον) analogy appears and continues into v. 21. It cannot be purified (οὐκ ἔσται καθαρόν).

14:20

MT: The King will not be “united” with the past kings in a sepulcher (בקבורה). Two reasons are given: (1) the King ruined his land (כי־ארצך שׁחת) and (2) he slaughtered his people (עמך הרגת). An additional curse is pronounced: no one will proclaim the descendants (זרע) of the evil ones forever (לעולם).

LXX: The purity motif continues. The King will not be clean/pure (καθαρός). Why? Because (διότι) “my earth” (τὴν γῆν μου, God’s) “you destroyed” (ἀπώλεσας) and “my people” (τὸν λαόν μου) “you killed” (ἀπέκτεινας). The shift moves from the King destroying his own land and people to ruing God’s earth and killing his people. The King will not exist forever (εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον, the MT speaks of the descendants not being proclaimed “forever”) and he is called a “evil seed” (σπέρμα πονηρόν).

__________

See older notes:

1:1-12:6

13:1-22

14:1-4

14:5-8


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Reading the Book of Isaiah (14:5-8)

As I have mentioned (here) I am participating in “Greek Isaiah in a Year” reading group. I’ve fallen a bit behind these last few weeks (I should be through chapter 18!), so I will approach this with a new format for my notes next week/ These are my notes from this week (14:5-8).

14:5—in the MT YHWH breaks the “staff” (מטה) of the evil ones and the “rod” (שׁבט) of rulers. In the LXX the “yoke” (τὸν ζυγὸν) of sinners (ἁμαρτωλῶν) and rulers. YHWH is called “God” (ὁ θεὸς).

14:6—the people (עמים/ἔθνος) in wrath receiving unceasing blows and YHWH rules the nations (גוים/ἔθνος) in anger (רדה באף). LXX uses ἔθνος twice. The line of thought in the LXX likely ends in v. 7a (ἀνεπαύσατο πεποιθώς): “he himself rested convincingly.”

14:7—the appositional נחה שׁקטה presents a time of “undisturbed/quiet rest” upon “all the land” (כל־הארץ). The land has been mentioned a handful of times as relates to judgment. Creation is personified as breaking out into a loud cry, but a positive one (NASB: “break forth into shouts of joy,” NET: “break into song”; MT: פצחו רנה). The LXX says the whole earth shouted with joyfulness: πᾶσα ἡ γῆ βοᾷ μετʼ εὐφροσύνης. I can’t help but see a connection to Romans 8:18-25 here. Creation is relieved when humanities Edenic exile ends. As the LXX leaves room for a cosmic reading of this text, so Paul presents a cosmic understanding of Creation’s eschatological freedom.

14:8—begins with an amazing depiction of the cypress trees rejoicing with the people

(גם־ברושׁים שׂמחו לך) as well as the cedars of Lebanon (ארזי לבנון). The LXX names the tree of Lebanon (τὰ ξύλα τοῦ Λιβάνου) and the cedars of Lebanon (ἡ κέδρος τοῦ Λιβάνου). The LXX word for “rejoice” is the same as the one if the previous v., εὐφράνθησαν. The earth rejoices. The cedars rejoice. While there is no marker to introduce the statement in the MT or LXX, the rest of the v. seems to be a statement. MT: “Since you laid down (שׁכבת) no cutter has come up to us.” The LXX: “Since you were put to sleep (κεκοίμησαι), the cutter has not come up to us.” The King of Babylon’s use of the forests have led the forest to rejoice in his demise.

__________

See older notes:

1:1-12:6

13:1-22

14:1-4


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A head of words? (Daniel 7:1)

Daniel 7:1 reads, “In year one of Belshazzar king of Babel, Daniel saw a dream and a visions of his head upon his bed; then, the dream he wrote a head of words, he said…” This is a very wooden translation for the sake of noting the odd word play that I don’t quite understand. Now, the dream and vision that he saw “of his head” (ראשׁה) is idiomatic for something like “in his head/mind,” so don’t be confused when the dream recorded in vv. 2-8 has nothing to do with Daniel’s noggin. It is the second mention of “head” is the one that confuses me.

It says that Daniel wrote “a head of words (ראשׁ מלין),” which the NASB interprets to be “a summary,” the NIV as “the substance,” and a footnote for the NRSV as “the beginning of words.” I am inclined to go with the NRSV’s footnote. A “head” can be a beginning. It may be that there is a play on words mixed with a conceptual rhythm: the “beginning” of Belshazzar’s reign corresponds with Daniel seeing visions in his head of which he provides the “head/beginning” words describing the vision?

For what it’s worth, the LXX does not have corresponding words. Rather, it reads, “…and the dream he wrote (καὶ τὸ ἐνύπνιον ἔγραψεν).” My inclination is to presume that the author(s) of Greek Daniel preferred to avoid the quirky wording rather than that the Hebrew text from which it was translated did not include the words, which were added later. It makes more sense that difficult wording was removed than added.

Anyone have another take on this Aramaic idiom?


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Reading the Book of Isaiah (14:1-4)

As I have mentioned (here) I am participating in “Greek Isaiah in a Year” reading group. I’ve fallen a bit behind these last couple weeks, and this week was particularly busy, so my notes are few. These are my notes from this week (14:1-5).

14:1—YHWH will (imperfect, ירחם) show compassion upon “Jacob” and he has chosen (present, ובחר) Israel, again. (The LXX uses future for both: ἐλεήσει and ἐκλέξεται.) It is interesting how a future action is predicated on a present reality, even prior to judgment coming. The land (אדמתם/τῆς γῆς) will be given rest. This is interesting to observe as part of the coming judgment: the land has been overworked. Sojourners (הגר/ὁ γιώρας) will be joined (Nifil: ונלוה and ונספחו ) to “the house of Jacob.” The LXX anticipates the mood of the next v. using a word for “handed over” (προστεθήσεται) to translate both parts of this sentence.

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Reading the Book of Isaiah (13.1-22)

As I have mentioned (here) I am participating in “Greek Isaiah in a Year” reading group. These are my notes from this week (13:1-22).

If the font does not appear correctly I have been using SBL Greek and Hebrew fonts. If you’d prefer to download a PDF I will try to remember to post one each week: PDF Chapters 1-12: Notes on the Book of Isaiah 1_12; PDF 13:1-22: Notes on the Book of Isaiah 13_24.

13:1—This v. marks the beginning a new section. In 1:1 the vision concerned Judah and Jerusalem (על־יהודה וירושׁלם/κατὰ τῆς Ιουδαίας καὶ κατὰ Ιερουσαλημ). Now, the vision concerns Babylon (משׂא בבל/κατὰ Βαβυλῶνος). Isaiah’s self-identity remains the same: the son of Amoz (בן־אמוץ/υἱὸς Αμως).

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