εἰσῆλθεν δὲ Μωυσῆς καὶ διηγήσατο τῷ λαῷ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα ἀπεκρίθη δὲ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς φωνῇ μιᾷ λέγοντες πάντας τοὺς λόγους οὓς ἐλάλησεν Κύριος ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα (Exodus 24:3 LXX)
וַיָּבֹ֣א מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיְסַפֵּ֤ר לָעָם֙ אֵ֚ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֑ים וַיַּ֨עַן כָּל־הָעָ֜ם קֹ֤ול אֶחָד֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
Introduction: From Divine Speech to Human Response
In this foundational verse, Moshe delivers YHWH’s covenantal revelation to the people, and they respond with united obedience. The Greek Septuagint faithfully reflects the Hebrew structure while adding a striking expansion: the people say not only “we will do” but also “and we will hear” (ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα). This addition opens rich discussion about obedience, reception, and Greek interpretive tendencies in covenantal texts.
Grammatical Focus: Additive Interpretation and Voice Unification
The Hebrew ends with נַעֲשֶֽׂה (“we will do”)—a powerful collective affirmation. The Septuagint renders this with two future indicatives: ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα (“we will do and we will hear”). This transformation introduces a reverse logic of experience, implying reception after obedience. The use of φωνῇ μιᾷ (“with one voice”) faithfully reflects קֹול אֶחָד, yet the participial form λέγοντες adds structural nuance.
Hebrew-Greek Morphological Comparison
| Hebrew Word | Greek Translation | Grammatical Notes | Translation Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּבֹ֣א מֹשֶׁ֗ה | εἰσῆλθεν δὲ Μωυσῆς | Wayyiqtol (3ms) → aorist indicative + coordinating δὲ | Temporal coordination |
| וַיְסַפֵּ֤ר לָעָם֙ | καὶ διηγήσατο τῷ λαῷ | Hiphil wayyiqtol → deponent aorist with indirect object | Functional match with middle-style reporting |
| אֵ֚ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה | πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ θεοῦ | Construct chain → article + accusative plural + genitive | Lexical substitution: דִּבְרֵי → ῥήματα |
| וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֑ים | καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα | Construct form → nominative article + plural noun | Lexical shift: מִשְׁפָּטִים → δικαιώματα |
| וַיַּ֨עַן כָּל־הָעָ֜ם | ἀπεκρίθη δὲ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς | Wayyiqtol → passive aorist middle deponent | Voice change: active → deponent |
| קֹ֤ול אֶחָד֙ | φωνῇ μιᾷ | Noun + numeral → dative singular with adjective | Idiomatic rendering |
| וַיֹּאמְר֔וּ | λέγοντες | Wayyiqtol (3mp) → present participle | Verbal compression with participial flow |
| כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה | πάντας τοὺς λόγους οὓς ἐλάλησεν Κύριος | Relative clause + verb → relative clause + aorist active | Expanded clarity in Greek clause structure |
| נַעֲשֶֽׂה | ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα | Qal imperfect cohortative → 2 coordinated future indicatives | Interpretive expansion with theological nuance |
Theological and Syntactic Insights
- Addition of “we will hear”: The Greek adds ἀκουσόμεθα, absent in the Hebrew. This may reflect a broader Jewish oral tradition (cf. Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 88a) or theological commentary—placing obedience and reception in a dynamic sequence.
- Participial Verbal Flow: The Hebrew has a chain of sequential verbs; the LXX uses participles (λέγοντες) for smoother discourse rhythm, common in Greek narrative.
- “Mishpatim” as “dikaiomata”: This translation leans into legalistic nuance, rendering God’s “rulings” as “righteous ordinances,” framing the Torah within ethical-legal categories intelligible to Greek readers.
Reflections at the Threshold
This verse captures the solemn beauty of Israel’s covenant assent. The Septuagint’s rendering preserves the core structure of the Hebrew while subtly expanding the people’s response. “We will do” becomes “we will do and we will hear”—a translation that echoes the paradox of faith preceding full understanding. Here, grammar becomes theology: a moment of national speech shaped by participles, prepositions, and the courage to obey what has been heard—and what has not yet been.
