ECT Old Testament Masoretic Texts With Variant Wordings

northwye

New member
"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." This Masoretic version of Deuteronomy 18: 19 is a warning, but the consequences of not heeding the words of Christ is not made clear."

Luke's version in Acts 3: 23 is a clear warning of dire consequences for rejecting the words of Christ, "For the time will come that every soul which shall not hear that same Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people." Tyndale NT

The Acts 3: 23 version is not exactly the same as the English translation of the Septuagint, "And whatever man shall not hearken to whatsoever words that prophet shall speak in my name, I will take vengeance on him. "

But the Septuagint version of Deuteronomy 18: 19 is closer in meaning to Luke's version in the New Testament. The Septuagint presents a warning of the consequences of not accepting the message of Christ in saying God will take vengeance on those who reject Christ.

Why is the Masoretic version of Deuteronomy 18: 19 not as explicit in revealing the consequence for rejecting Christ and his message?

http://www.bibliahebraica.com/the_te...retic_text.htm

They say of the Hebrew Masoretic Text that "It was primarily compiled, edited and distributed by a group of Jews known as the Masoretes between the seventh and tenth centuries CE, though the consonants differ little from the text generally accepted in the early second century. "

So, the Hebrew Masoretic text was created after the time of Christ, while the Septuagint was created before the time of Christ.

The Masoretics were a group who sought to restore Judaism - which rejected the
Christian teaching that Christ appeared as a man, and rejected Christ as their Messiah.

Matthew 12:21 (KJV Quoting Isaiah 42:4)
And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Isaiah 42:4 (KJV Taken from Masoretic)
He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the
earth: and the isles shall wait for his law

Isaiah 42:4 (Brenton’s English Translation of the Septuagint)
He shall shine out, and shall not be discouraged, until he have set
judgment on the earth: and in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

The Masoretic movement in trying to restore Judaism and all physical
Israel as the chosen people would reject the teaching that the Gentiles
were to be brought into Israel as equals to the physical descendants of Abraham.
When the Septuagint version of Isaiah 42: 4 is compared to the Masoretic version, which
has nothing on the Gentiles trusting in God, we have to believe that
the wording was changed in the Post-Cross Masoretic Hebrew text.

It looks like the Masoretics changed the wording of Deuteronomy 18: 19 to make it appear that God was not to be severe in his judgment on Israel for rejecting Christ, since the goal of the Masoretics was to restore Talmudic Judaism, which was close to the religion of the Pharisees. And Deuteronomy 18: 19 is not the only text the Masoretics appeared to have changed to make the Old Testament fit better into the mission of the Masorectic mnovement to restore Talmudic Judaism.

Does Christian Zionism have a position on the variant wording of Deuteronomy 18: 19 in the Hebrew Masoretic text?

The Septuagint warns that God will take vengeance on anyone who does not accept to words of Christ. The quote in Acts 3: 23 of Deuteronomy 18: 19 warns that anyone who rejects the words of Christ will be destroyed from among the people.

How then can Christian Zionists honor the nation called Israel in the Middle East as being God's people now, when that Israel rejects Christ?

As they often do, when faced with a scripture whose meaning is in opposition to one of their doctrines, Christian Zionists will bring up another scripture which they think supports their doctrine. In the case of Deuteronomy 18: 19 and the warning against rejecting Christ's words as seen in the Septuagint and in Acts 3: 23 they are likely to bring out some Old Testament prophecy on the restoration of Old Covenant Israel.
 
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northwye

New member
More Comparisons of the Hebrew Masoretic with the Greek Septuagint

Deuteronomy 32: 43, Septuagint, Brenton English: "Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him; rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people, and let all the sons of God strengthen themselves in him; for he will avenge the blood of his sons, and he will render vengeance, and recompense justice to his enemies, and will reward them that hate him; and the Lord shall purge the land of his people."

Deuteronomy 32: 43, Masoretic King James Version: "Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people."

Note that the Masoretic Hebrew text leaves out "let all the angels of God worship him; rejoice ye Gentiles."

Isaiah 42: 4, Septuagint, Brenton English: " He shall shine out, and shall not be discouraged, until he have set judgment on the earth: and in his name shall the Gentiles trust."

Isaiah 42: 4, Masoretic, King James Version: "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law."

The Masoretic Hebrew text leaves out "and in his name shall the Gentiles trust.."

The Masoretic text in both Isaiah 42: 4 and in Deuteronomy 32: 43 leaves out any reference to the Gentiles trusting in Christ or rejoicing in him.

Isaiah 7: 14 is another text which leaves out a specific prophetic revelation about Christ, but the King James Version instead uses the Septuagint version or a wording in agreement with its meaning.

Isaiah 7: 14 in the Septuagint, Brenton English: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel. "

Isaiah 7: 14: King James Version: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

How do we know that the Hebrew Masoretic text says nothing about a virgin in Isaiah 7: 14?

See: https://theisraelbible.com/bible/isaiah/chapter-7#EFo5oJLf5Xv1wZqf.99

"Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the young woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Imanu–El."

http://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/17042/does-isaiah-714-refer-to-a-virgin

"The early Christian writers favored the LXX (Septuagint) translation of Isaiah 7:14 because it was quoted in the Gospel of St. Matthew 1:23. It became the proof text for the doctrine of the virgin birth of Christ for the Church among the early Church Fathers."

Matthew 1: 23 says "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

In the Textus Receptus Greek the word παρθένος, parthenos, short definition,virgin, is translated into English as virgin,
 
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