1 Samuel 12:1-13 – Samuel’s Example and Call To Integrity

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 14 Feb 2021

Introduction: Peaceful Transfer of Power (vs.1-2)

v.3-5 Samuel’s integrity is witnessed

In vs. 6-12, Samuel calls his people to integrity in their faith.

Conclusion (of sorts) in vs. 12-13

1 Samuel 12:1-13 – Side-by side comparison of versionsA

V.

Septuagint

Brenton

D-R

KJV

NAW

MT

1

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς πάντα ἄνδρα Ισραηλ ἰδοὺ ἤκουσα φωνῆς ὑμῶν εἰς πάντα ὅσα εἴπατέ μοι καὶ ἐβασίλευσα ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς βασιλέα

And Samuel said to all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all things that ye have said to me, and I have set a king over you.

And Samuel said to all Israel: Behold I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkenedB unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have madeC a king over you.

Then Samuel said to all Israel, “See, I have given heed to y’all’s voice – to all that y’all said to me, and I have caused a king to reign over y’all.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, אֶל- כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל, הִנֵּה שָׁמַעְתִּי בְקֹלְכֶם, לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר-אֲמַרְתֶּם לִי; וָאַמְלִיךְ עֲלֵיכֶם, מֶלֶךְ.

2

καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεὺς διαπορεύεται ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν κἀγὼ γεγήρακα καὶ καθήσομαι καὶ οἱ υἱοί μου ἰδοὺ ἐν ὑμῗν κἀγὼ ἰδοὺ διελήλυθα ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν ἐκ νεότητός μου [καὶ]D ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης

And now, behold, the king goes before you; and I am grown old and shall restE; and, behold, my sons are among you; and, behold, I have gone about before you from my youth X to this day.

And now the king goeth before you: but I am old and greyheaded: and my sons are with you: having then conversed with you from my youth unto this day,

And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

So I have been patrolling before your faces from my youth up to this day, but now, see the King patrolling before your faces! And as for me, I have become old and grey, but you see my sons are with y’all.

וְעַתָּה הִנֵּהF הַמֶּלֶךְ מִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם, וַאֲנִי זָקַנְתִּי וָשַׂבְתִּי, וּבָנַי, הִנָּם אִתְּכֶם; וַאֲנִי הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי Gלִפְנֵיכֶם, מִנְּעֻרַי עַד-הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.

3

ἰδοὺ ἐγώ ἀποκρίθητεH κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐνώπιον κυρίου καὶ ἐνώπιον χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ μόσχον τίνος εἴληφα ἢ ὄνον τίνος εἴληφα ἢ X X X τίνα κατεδυνάστευσα ὑμῶν ἢ τίνα ἐξεπίεσα ἢ ἐκ χειρὸς τίνος εἴληφα ἐξίλασμα καὶ ὑπόδημαI ἀποκρίθητε κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀποδώσω ὑμῗν

Behold, here am I, answer against me before the Lord and before his anointed: whose calf have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom of you have I X X X oppressed? or from whose hand have I taken a bribe, even to a sandal? bear witness against me, and I will make restitution to you.

behold [here] I [am]. 3Speak of me before the Lord, and before his anoin­ted, whe­ther I have taken any man's ox, or X ass: If I have wronged any man, if I have oppressed any man, if I have taken a bribe at any man's hand: and I will despise it this day, and will restore [it] to you.

Behold, [here] I [am]: witnessJ against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose assK have I taken? or whom have I defraudedL? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blindM mine eyes therewith? and I will restore [it] X you.

Here I am; give answer to me in the presence of Yahweh and in the presence of His Anointed: Whose cattle have I confiscated? And whose don­key have I confiscated? And whom have I extorted? Whom have I crushed? And from whose hand have I taken a bribe that I would avert my eyes on account of it? If so, I will make restitution to y’all.”

הִנְנִי עֲנוּ בִי נֶגֶד יְהוָה וְנֶגֶד מְשִׁיחוֹ, אֶת-שׁוֹר מִי לָקַחְתִּי וַחֲמוֹרN מִי לָקַחְתִּי וְאֶת-מִי עָשַׁקְתִּי אֶת-מִי רַצּוֹתִיO, וּמִיַּד-מִי לָקַחְתִּי כֹפֶרP, וְאַעְלִים עֵינַי בּוֹ; וְאָשִׁיב, לָכֶם.

4

καὶ εἶπαν [πρὸς Σαμουηλ] οὐκ ἠδίκησας ἡμᾶς καὶ οὐ κατεδυνάστευ­σας [καὶ οὐκ ἔθλασας] ἡμᾶς καὶ οὐκ εἴληφας ἐκ χειρὸς οὐδενὸς οὐδέν

And they said [to Samuel], Thou hast not injured us, and thou hast not oppressed us; [and thou hast not afflicted us,] and thou hast not taken anything from any one’s hand.

And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man's hand.

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

And they said, “You have not extorted us or crushed us or confiscated anything from the hand of anyone.”

וַיֹּאמְרוּ, לֹא עֲשַׁקְתָּנוּ וְלֹא רַצּוֹתָנוּ; וְלֹא-לָקַחְתָּ מִיַּד-אִישׁ, מְאוּמָה.

5

καὶ εἶπεν [Σαμουηλ] πρὸς τὸν [λαόν]Q μάρτυς κύριος ἐν ὑμῗν καὶ X μάρτυς χριστὸς αὐτοῦ σήμερον ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὅτι οὐχ εὑρήκατε ἐν χειρί μου οὐθέν καὶ εἶπαν μάρτυς

And [Samuel] said to the [people], The Lord is witness among you, and X his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand: and they said, He is witness.

And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and his anoint­ed is witness this day, that you have not found any thing in my hand. And they said: He is witness.

And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and X his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.

So, he said to them, “Yahweh is a witness – and so is His Anointed – concerning y’all this day, that no [confiscated] item has been found in my possession.” And {they} said, “He is a witness.”

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם עֵד יְהוָה בָּכֶם, וְעֵד מְשִׁיחוֹ הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה--כִּי לֹא מְצָאתֶם בְּיָדִי, מְאוּמָה; וַיֹּאמֶרR, עֵד. {פ}

6

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν λέγων [μάρτυς]S κύριος ὁ ποιήσας τὸν Μωυσῆν καὶ τὸν Ααρων ὁ ἀναγαγὼν τοὺς πατέρας μῶν ἐξ XT Αἰγύπτου

And Samuel spoke to the people, saying, The Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron [is witness], who brought our fathers up out of Egypt.

And Samuel said to the people: It is the Lord, who made Moses and Aaron, and brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt.

And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord that advancedU Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

Then Samuel said to the people, “It is Yahweh who took action with Moses and Aaron and who brought {our} fathers up from the land of Egypt.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, אֶל- הָעָם: יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶת- אַהֲרֹן, וַאֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה אֶת-אֲבֹתֵיכֶםV, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.

7

καὶ νῦν κατάστητε καὶ δικάσωW ὑμᾶς ἐνώπιον κυρίου [καὶ ἀπαγγελῶ ὑμῗν] τὴν πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην κυρίου ἃ ἐποίησεν ἐν ὑμῗν καὶ ἐν τοῗς πατράσιν ὑμῶν

And now stand still, and I will judge you before the Lord; [and I will relate to you] all the righteousnessX of the Lord, the things which he has wrought among you and your fathers.

Now therefore stand up, that I may plead in judg­ment against you before the Lord, concerning all the XkindnessX of the Lord, which he hath shewn to you, and to your fathers:

Now therefore stand still, that I may reasonY with you before the Lord of all the righteous [acts] of the Lord, which he didZ to you and to your fathers.

So now, stand at attention, while I make a case with y’all before the face of Yahweh concerning all of Yahweh’s acts-of-righteousness which He did with y’all and with your forefathers.

וְעַתָּה, הִתְיַצְּבוּAA וְאִשָּׁפְטָה אִתְּכֶם--לִפְנֵי יְהוָה: אֵת כָּל-צִדְקוֹת יְהוָהAB, אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה אִתְּכֶם וְאֶת-אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם.

8

ὡς εἰσῆλθεν Ιακωβ [καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ] εἰς Αἴγυπτον [καὶ ἐταπ­είνωσεν αὐτοὺς Αἴγυ­πτος] καὶ ἐβόη­σαν οἱ πατέρες μῶνAC πρὸς κύριον καὶ ἀπέ­στειλ­εν κύρ­ιος τὸν Μωυ­σῆν καὶ τὸν Ααρων καὶ ἐξ­ήγαγενAD τοὺς πατέρ­ας μῶν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ κατ­ῴκισεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ

When Jacob [and his sons] went into Egypt, [and Egypt humbled them,] then Xour fathers cried to the Lord, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron; and [t]he[y]AE brought Xour fathers out of Egypt, and he made them to dwell in this place.

How Jacob went into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the Lord: and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and brought your fathers out of Egypt: and made them dwell in this place.

When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwellAF in this place.

When Jacob and his descendants went to Egypt {and Egypt humbled them}, then your forefathers cried out to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent Mo­ses and Aaron, and {He} brought your forefathers out from Egypt and settled them in this place.

כַּאֲשֶׁר-בָּא יַעֲקֹבAG, מִצְרָיִםAH--וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, אֶל- יְהוָה, וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוָה אֶת-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶת-אַהֲרֹן וַיּוֹצִיאוּ אֶת- אֲבֹתֵיכֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם, וַיֹּשִׁבוּםAI בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה.

9

καὶ ἐπελάθοντο κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπέδοτο αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῗρας Σισαρα ἀρχιστρατήγου [Ιαβιν βασιλέως] Ασωρ καὶ εἰς χεῗρας ἀλλοφύλων καὶ εἰς χεῗρας βασιλέως Μωαβ καὶ ἐπολέμησαν ἐν αὐτοῗς

And they forgot the Lord their God, and he sold them into the hand[s] of Sisara captain of the host of [Jabis king of] Asor, and into the hand[s] of the Philistines, and into the hand[s] of the king of Moab; and XheXAJ fought with them.

And they forgot the Lord their God, and he delivered them into the hand[s] of Sisara, captain of the army of Hasor, and into the hand[s] of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

And when they forgat the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

But they forgot Yahweh their God, so He sold them into the control of Sisera, the army-chief of Hatzor, and into the control of the Philis­tines, and into the control of the King of Moab, and they made war upon them.

וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ, אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם; וַיִּמְכֹּר אֹתָם בְּיַד סִיסְרָא שַׂר-צְבָא חָצוֹר וּבְיַד-פְּלִשְׁתִּים, וּבְיַד מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב, וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ, בָּם.

10

καὶ ἐβόησαν πρὸς κύριον καὶ ἔλεγον ἡμάρτομεν ὅτι ἐγκατελίπομεν τὸν κύριον καὶ ἐδουλεύσαμεν τοῗς Βααλιμ καὶ τοῗς ἄλσεσιν καὶ νῦν ἐξελοῦ ἡμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν καὶ δουλεύσομέν σοι

And they cried to the Lord, and said, We have sinned, for we have forsaken the Lord, and have served X Baalim and the groves: and now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

But [afterwards] they cried to the Lord, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Astaroth: but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

And they cried unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served X Baalim and X Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

Then they cried out to Yahweh and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken Yahweh, and we have served the Baals and the Ashtorahs, and now, rescue us from the control of our enemies, and we will serve You.’

וַיִּזְעֲקוּ אֶל-יְהוָה, וַיֹּאמְר[וּ]AK חָטָאנוּ, כִּי עָזַבְנוּ אֶת-יְהוָה, וַנַּעֲבֹד אֶת-הַבְּעָלִים וְאֶת-הָעַשְׁתָּרוֹת;AL וְעַתָּה, הַצִּילֵנוּ מִיַּד אֹיְבֵינוּ--וְנַעַבְדֶךָּ.

11

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν κύ­ριος τὸν Ιεροβααλ καὶ τὸν Βαρακ καὶ τὸν Ιεφθαε καὶ τὸν Σαμουηλ καὶ ἐξείλατο ὑμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν ὑμῶν τῶν κυκλό­θεν καὶ κατῳκεῗτε πεποιθότες

And he sent Jerobaal, and Barac, and Jephthae, and Samuel, and rescued usAM out of the hand of Xour enemies round about, and ye dwelt in security.

And the Lord sent Jerobaal, and Badan, and Jephte, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt securely.

And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and BedanAN, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every sideAO, and ye dwelled safe.

So Yahweh sent Jerubbaal and Barak and Jepthah and Samuel, and He rescued y’all from the control your surrounding enemies, and they settled down confidently.

וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוָה אֶת- יְרֻבַּעַל וְאֶת-בְּדָןAP, וְאֶת-יִפְתָּח וְאֶת- שְׁמוּאֵל; וַיַּצֵּל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד אֹיְבֵיכֶם, מִסָּבִיב, וַתֵּשְׁבוּ, בֶּטַח.

12

καὶ εἴδετε ὅτι Ναας βασιλεὺς υἱῶν Αμμων ἦλθεν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς καὶ εἴπατε XX οὐχί ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ὅτι βασιλεὺς βασιλεύσει ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν καὶ κύριος ὁ θεὸς μῶν βασιλεὺς μῶν

And ye saw that Naas king of the children of Ammon came against you, and ye said XX, Nay, none but a king shall reign over us; whereas the Lord Xour God is Xour king.

But seeing that Naas king of the children of Ammon was come against you, you said to me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us: whereas the Lord your God was your king.

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king.

Then y’all saw that Nahash, King of the descendants of Ammon was coming against you, and y’all said to me, ‘None but a king shall reign over us,’ when Yahweh, your God was your king.

וַתִּרְאוּ, כִּי-נָחָשׁ מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי-עַמּוֹן בָּא עֲלֵיכֶם, וַתֹּאמְרוּ לִי, לֹא כִּי-מֶלֶךְ יִמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ: וַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, מַלְכְּכֶם.

13

καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς ὃν ἐξελέξασθε X X X καὶ ἰδοὺ δέδωκεν κύριος ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς βασιλέα

And now behold the king whom ye have chosen X X X; and behold, the Lord has set a king over you.

Now therefore [your] king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath given X you a king.

Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, [andAQ] whom ye have desiredAR! and, behold, the Lord hath setAS a king over you.

So now, see the king whom y’all have chosen – whom y’all requested, and see, Yahweh has granted a king over y’all.

וְעַתָּה, הִנֵּה הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר בְּחַרְתֶּם--אֲשֶׁר שְׁאֶלְתֶּם; וְהִנֵּה נָתַן יְהוָה עֲלֵיכֶם, מֶלֶךְ.



1Tsumura was the only commentator I read who cast doubt on this, but he didn’t have strong reasons.

2Goldman, in the Soncino commentary, explained “walks” instead as “attends to your needs.” Tsumura, in the NICOT commentary defined it as “to perform a function on someone’s behalf” (quoting McCarter).

3For I know your manifold transgressions And your mighty sins: Afflicting the just and taking bribes; Diverting the poor from justice at the gate.” (NKJV)

4עָשָׂה

51 Chron. 7:17The son of Ulam was Bedan.) These were the descendants of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.” (NKJV)

6Of course, Bedan might be the name of a Judge who wasn’t mentioned in the book of Judges (Henry, Kirkpatrick), but it would seem unlikely to use such an unknown person in a speech. Rabbinic tradition assigns this name to Samson, whose name is listed separately in some old versions, and suggests that the -dn part of the name means the tribe of “Dan,” of which Samson was, but this does not adequately account for the first letter of the name (Goldman). Junius, Pool, and Willett thought that the order of names must equate Bedan with Jair the Menashite in Judg. 10.3, but I’m skeptical. (And, for what it’s worth, Delitzsch shared my skepticism on all three counts.)

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV (which is rare). NAW is my translation. When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so (such as by the use of italics or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scrolls containing First Samuel 12 are 4Q52 Samuelb, containing fragments of verses 3-6 and dated to 250BC, and 4Q51Samuela, which contains fragments of vs. 7-19, and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS confirms the MT text, I colored the letters of the MT purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX with omissions or insertions not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BNASB & NIV = “listened,” ESV = “obeyed”

CNASB = “appointed,” NIV = “set” Lit. “kinged”

DThe Syriac and some Hebrew manuscripts support the extra conjunction here “even to this day.”

EThe LXX translation is reasonable, based on the presupposition that the Hebrew root is שוב, and that it is speaking of Samuel’s “sitting down” in retirement, but contemporary Hebrew scholarship believes that the root is instead שיב, which also has a weak central letter that disappears, but which meansgrey.” If it is the latter, it is one of only two instances in the Hebrew Bible, the other being Job 15:10 (שָׂב).

Fהִנֵּה with the participle expresses what is happening, and will happen still. ~Delitzsch

Gcf. 2:18, 3:1

Hcf. S = fqegxasqe speak up”

IThe Hebrew words for “sandals, testify” would be spelled נעלות עֲנוּ (compare with the MT אַעְלִים עֵינַי). This seems to be a mistaken translation. Unfortunately there is no legible DSS manuscript to compare with. There are Greek manuscripts however, which follow the MT (kai apekruya/paroyomai touV ojqalmouV mou en autw ). ESV translates it both ways!

JNASB, NIV, ESV = “testify”

KNASB, NIV, ESV = “donkey”

LNASB = “exploited,” NIV = “cheated”

MNASB = “close,” NIV = “shut,” ESV = “blind,” Lit. “cause to conceal”

Ncf. Moses in Num. 16:15 “I have not taken (נסאתי) one donkey from them...”

OThis is what happened to Amimelek’s skull when a millstone was dropped from the top of a well onto his head in Jdg. 9:53; although it is used in a figurative sense, viz. Judges 10:8; Amos 4:1. Job 20:19 gives a specific example of this word as seizing a poor man’s house.

PThe only other places in the OT where laqach + copher occur are Numbers 35:31-32 and Amos 5:12.

QThere is not room in the obliterated part of this verse in the DSS for as many words as are found in the LXX, so it is assumed that the MT is authentic here and that perhaps the LXX translators mistook הם “them” for העם "the people” (or copied the phrase from v.6) but these variants only make explicit was was implied in the terse text, so it is of no concern.

RThe MT is singular (“he said”), but the LXX, Syriac, Vulgate, English versions, and some Targums read plural, which makes more sense. Unfortunately the DSS is obliterated at this part of the verse. But whether the people or Samuel affirmed it, the point is that this fact was formalized by God’s witness.

SWord spacing between legible sections of the DSS here does not support this extra word in the LXX, but the ESV decided in favor of it..

TThis part of the verse is obliterated in the DSS. There are a couple of other Hebrew manuscripts which also omit “land of,” so the original is not certain, but it makes no difference in meaning.

UNASB, NIV, ESV = “appointed” Lit. “made/did”

VThe fact that the LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac all make this 1st plural instead of 2nd plural gives pause for consideration. It would only be the difference of one letter in Hebrew. Unfortunately this part of the verse is obliterated in the DSS.

Wcf. Symmachus ( diakriqw) and Theodotian (diakriqhsomai) = “I take issue with”

X“Kindnesses” (elehmosunwn) was, however, the choice of Symmachus to translate the Hebrew tsadiq when he made his Greek version around the third century AD, but usually the Hebrew word chesed would be used for that meaning.

Ycf. NASB = “enter into judgment,” NIV = “confront with evidence,” ESV = “plead”

ZNIV, ESV = “performed”

AAcf. 10:19

ABcf. Judges 5:11

ACThe concurrence of the MT and the DSS on the 2nd person plural pronoun here weighs against the authenticity of this pronoun being 1st person as it is in the LXX. Both make for true statements; it is merely a stylistic difference in rhetoric. It shows up in vs. 11 & 12 as well.

ADThe Syriac and Vulgate support the singular subject in the majority of Greek versions.

AEBrenton followed the Vaticanus, which reads plural exagagon.

AFNASB, NIV = “settled”

AGAlthough this part of the DSS manuscript is obliterated, there is too much space in the DSS for the terse reading of the MT, so the extra phrase “and his sons” in the LXX (the Hebrew for that would be ובניו) may be original.

AHThere is too much space in this obliterated section of the DSS manuscript for the few words in the MT. This supports the additional phrase in the LXX, “and Egypt humbled them,” or, as the ESV rendered it, “and the Egyptians oppressed them.” The authenticity of this phrase seems all the more likely due to the phenomenon of haplographic errors that stem from a repeated word in the text in close proximity (in this case “Egypt,” as in מצרים ויענם מצרים). It is easier to explain it that way than to explain the addition of an entirely new phrase. It adds no new information not already in Exodus, however.

AISeveral Hebrew manuscripts read with a singular subject: “He made them dwell.” The DSS is obliterated at this point.

AJThe singular “he fought” in Brenton’s version follows the Vaticanus [ἐπολέμησεν]; the majority of Septuagint manuscripts apparently spell it plural instead, matching the Hebrew. Either spelling states a correct fact, however.

AKAlthough the MT spells this verb singular (“he said”), the Masorite scribes suggested in the Qere that a sureq be added at the end of this word to make it plural (“they said”), and most other Hebrew texts carry this added letter. Furthermore, all the versions I’ve consulted also gave this verb the plural subject, including versions like the Vulgate and Septuagint which pre-date any known MT manuscript, so perhaps it was there originally. It doesn’t make much difference in terms of the story, however, because the corporate prayer was probably made by a single spokesman, making both spellings true of the situation.

ALTheir departure into the worship of these foreign gods is mentioned in Judges 2:13. Judges 10:6 may connote that Baal was originally the pagan god of Syria. 1 Ki. 11:5 & 33; 2 Ki. 23:13 make it clear that Ashtorah was the goddess of Sidon in modern-day Lebanon. Both words are plural, perhaps denoting other similar pagan gods of multiple surrounding countries, which is also suggested by Judges 10:6.

AMBrenton followed the Vaticanus which reads 1st person plural here and in the following pronoun, whereas the MT, the majority text of the Septuagint, and the Vulgate all read 2nd person plural. As in the previous instance of this variant in this chapter, the choice of whether or not to include the speaker in pronouns is only a difference of rhetorical style, not a difference in fact.

ANNIV & ESV follow the LXX and Syriac with “Barak”

AONASB, NIV = “all around”

APVisually, Barak is not so different from Bedan in Hebrew as an English speaker might think; besides the obvious commonality of the first letter, the difference between the other two Hebrew letters is a matter of rounding one angle (ד to ר) and lengthening one stroke (ן to ך). Tsumura made a case for bedan being a phonetic variant of Barak, but I think it’s a stretch. The Masoretic scribes weren’t that careless, so I suspect there must be some other reason, such as Bedan being a nickname for Barak. The only other mention of “Bedan” is 1 Chron. 7:17.

AQThere are some manuscripts which insert “and” here, according to Kittel, including Syriac, Vulgate, and some Targums and Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, but it’s not in the MT or the Vaticanus or Rahlfs Greek editions.

ARNASB, NIV, and ESV = “asked”

ASNASB = “put,” Lit. “given”