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Recent Articles
- Negation, Emphasis, and Syntax in Genesis 9:4
- Nominal Clauses and Enumerations in Exodus 9:3
- Fear, Dominion, and Syntax: A Grammar Lesson from Genesis 9:2
- “And Job Answered and Said”: A Hebrew Lesson on Job 9:1
- Syntax of Covenant Obedience: The Altar of Uncut Stones in Joshua 8:31
- Unlock the Secrets of the Tanakh: Why Hebrew Morphology is the Key
- The Poetics of Verbal Repetition in Proverbs 8:30
- Syntax of the Wave Offering: Moses and the Breast Portion in Leviticus 8:29
- Firm Skies and Deep Springs: Grammar in Proverbs 8:28
- Only the Spoil: A Hebrew Lesson on Joshua 8:27
- Binyanim Under Pressure: Exodus 8:26
- When Service Ends: A Hebrew Lesson on Numbers 8:25
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Category Archives: Septuagint Studies
The Cloudy Day of YHWH: Temporal Markers and Prophetic Syntax in Ezekiel 30:3
כִּֽי־קָרֹ֣וב יֹ֔ום וְקָרֹ֥וב יֹ֖ום לַֽיהוָ֑ה יֹ֣ום עָנָ֔ן עֵ֥ת גֹּויִ֖ם יִֽהְיֶֽה׃
(Ezekiel 30:3)
For the day is near, the day of YHWH is near, a day of cloud; it shall be the time of the nations.
Ezekiel 30:3 comes within a prophetic oracle against Mitsrayim (Egypt), where YHWH speaks of an impending judgment not only upon Egypt but on all surrounding nations. This verse forms the crescendo of the opening movement of Ezekiel 30 and functions as a theologically charged proclamation of the Day of YHWH.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Grammar, Septuagint Studies
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Historical Phonetic Shifts: Changes that Affect Textual Variants
Phonological shifts in Biblical Hebrew weren’t just whispers lost to time—they redirected the way Scripture was written, read, and interpreted. As sounds merged, gutturals eroded, and vowel patterns transformed, scribes across traditions made subtle substitutions, some guided by dialectal accent, others by auditory memory. Variants between the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, and Septuagint often reveal this sonic undercurrent: whether it’s a missing consonant, expanded mater lectionis, or altered verb form, phonetic history shaped the sacred text’s orthographic evolution. Sound, quite literally, left its fingerprint on Scripture’s form and transmission.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Aramaic, Grammar, Septuagint Studies, Textual Criticism
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“Perpetual Order on the Sabbath”: Double Time and Eternal Covenant in Translation
τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων προθήσεται ἔναντι Κυρίου διὰ παντὸς ἐνώπιον τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ διαθήκην αἰώνιον (Leviticus 24:8 LXX)
בְּיֹ֨ום הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת בְּיֹ֣ום הַשַּׁבָּ֗ת יַֽעַרְכֶ֛נּוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה תָּמִ֑יד מֵאֵ֥ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּרִ֥ית עֹולָֽם׃
Repetition and Rhythm in the Hebrew Sanctuary
The Hebrew text of Leviticus 24:8 contains a rare and emphatic doubling: בְּיֹום הַשַּׁבָּ֜ת בְּיֹ֣ום הַשַּׁבָּ֗ת, “On the day of the Sabbath, on the day of the Sabbath.” This repetition serves to underscore sacred time and its cyclical holiness. The Septuagint, however, smooths this poetic doubling into a singular but pluralized expression: τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων, “on the day of the Sabbaths.”… Learn Hebrew
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“Twelve Stones, One Covenant”: How the LXX Shapes Israel’s Tribal Unity
Καὶ ἔγραψεν Μωυσῆς πάντα τὰ ῥήματα Κυρίου ὀρθρίσας δὲ Μωυσῆς τὸ πρωὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν θυσιαστήριον ὑπὸ τὸ ὄρος καὶ δώδεκα λίθους εἰς τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ Ισραηλ (Exodus 24:4 LXX)
וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבֵּ֖חַ תַּ֣חַת הָהָ֑ר וּשְׁתֵּ֤ים עֶשְׂרֵה֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה לִשְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Written Word and Ritual Structure
In Exodus 24:4, Moshe responds to divine revelation with action: he records the covenantal words, rises early, and constructs a sacred structure. The Hebrew presents this as a detailed narrative with sequential wayyiqtol verbs and construct chains.… Learn Hebrew
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“We Will Do and Hear”: Expansion and Emphasis in Israel’s Covenant Response
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׃
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).… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Septuagint Studies, Textual Criticism, Theology
Tagged Exodus 24:3
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Stirring the Spirit of a King: Temporal Clauses, Infinitives, and Divine Causation in Ezra 1:1
וּבִשְׁנַ֣ת אַחַ֗ת לְכֹ֨ורֶשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֔ס לִכְלֹ֥ות דְּבַר־יְהוָ֖ה מִפִּ֣י יִרְמְיָ֑ה הֵעִ֣יר יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־ר֨וּחַ֙ כֹּ֣רֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־פָּרַ֔ס וַיַּֽעֲבֶר־קֹול֙ בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתֹ֔ו וְגַם־בְּמִכְתָּ֖ב לֵאמֹֽר׃
(Ezra 1:1)
And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he caused a proclamation to pass throughout all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying:
Ezra 1:1 begins the historical account of Israel’s return from exile under the decree of King Koresh (Cyrus) of Persia.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Grammar, Septuagint Studies, Theology
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“Blessing the Cursed”: How the Septuagint Reframes Balak’s Complaint
Καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ τί πεποίηκάς μοι εἰς κατάρασιν ἐχθρῶν μου κέκληκά σε καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλόγηκας εὐλογίαν (Numbers 23:11 LXX)
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם מֶ֥ה עָשִׂ֖יתָ לִ֑י לָקֹ֤ב אֹיְבַי֙ לְקַחְתִּ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ בָרֵֽךְ׃
A Dialog of Disappointment: Structure and Surprise
The confrontation between Balak and Balaam is filled with dramatic irony. Balak hired Balaam to curse his enemies, yet blessing pours forth instead. The Hebrew constructs this speech with participles, infinitives, and rhetorical interjection. The Greek Septuagint, while mostly literal, introduces amplifying structures and aspectual precision that shift the emotional tone and rhetorical pacing of Balak’s complaint.… Learn Hebrew
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“Take Off the Gold”: Gender, Syntax, and Directive Clarity in the Golden Calf Prelude
Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Ααρων περιέλεσθε τὰ ἐνώτια τὰ χρυσᾶ τὰ ἐν τοῖς ὠσὶν τῶν γυναικῶν ὑμῶν καὶ θυγατέρων καὶ ἐνέγκατε πρός με (Exodus 32:2 LXX)
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַהֲרֹ֔ן פָּֽרְקוּ֙ נִזְמֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָבִ֖יאוּ אֵלָֽי׃
Commanding in Crisis
When the people clamor for visible leadership, Aharon responds with a precise directive: bring the gold. This verse is not only pivotal in the narrative of the golden calf, but also rich in grammatical structures that the Septuagint translates with notable syntactic clarity.… Learn Hebrew
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Tagged Exodus 32:2
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Fire from My Anger: Divine Wrath and Total Destruction in Deuteronomy 32:22
כִּי־אֵשׁ֙ קָדְחָ֣ה בְאַפִּ֔י וַתִּיקַ֖ד עַד־שְׁאֹ֣ול תַּחְתִּ֑ית וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶ֨רֶץ֙ וִֽיבֻלָ֔הּ וַתְּלַהֵ֖ט מֹוסְדֵ֥י הָרִֽים׃
(Deuteronomy 32:22)
For a fire has been kindled in my nose; it burns to the lowest Sheol, and it consumes the land and its produce, and it scorches the foundations of the mountains.”
Contextual Introduction
Deuteronomy 32:22 forms part of the Shirat Ha’azinu, the Song of Moshe, which is both a poetic prophecy and covenantal indictment against Israel’s disobedience. This verse vividly describes the fury of YHWH’s wrath using the imagery of fire.… Learn Hebrew
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“Where Have You Come From?”: Grammar of Inquiry and Flight in the Hagar Encounter
Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου Αγαρ παιδίσκη Σαρας πόθεν ἔρχῃ καὶ ποῦ πορεύῃ καὶ εἶπεν ἀπὸ προσώπου Σαρας τῆς κυρίας μου ἐγὼ ἀποδιδράσκω (Genesis 16:8 LXX)
וַיֹּאמַ֗ר הָגָ֞ר שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרַ֛י אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה בָ֖את וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֑כִי וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִפְּנֵי֙ שָׂרַ֣י גְּבִרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֖י בֹּרַֽחַת׃
Divine Interrogation in the Wilderness
This verse preserves one of the earliest theophanic dialogues with a woman in the Bible. The angel’s question to Hagar—both searching and compassionate—offers a glimpse into the grammar of inquiry and personal agency. In the Hebrew, the question is poetic and elliptical; in the Greek, it is expanded and formalized.… Learn Hebrew
Posted in Septuagint Studies, Textual Criticism
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