In the West, Christians have used the Masoretic Text (MT) since Jerome chose to use it as the basis for his Latin Vulgate Bible Old Testament. The Eastern Orthodox Church, to their credit, never deviated from the Septuagint (LXX). The LXX is a much older translation than the MT (285 BC compared to hundreds of years after Christ), was the predominant source used and quoted by the New Testament writers, and was translated from Hebrew before any animosity toward Christ could influence it. Notwithstanding, because of the power of tradition, it is quite difficult for many to think of it as a more trustworthy version. Sadly for us Christians and the world in general, the MT has obscured or omitted many texts that clearly refer to Christ.
Jesus taught us that all scripture points to him (John 5:39). Therefore, any translation that gets in the way of our seeing Christ is suspicious.
Doing a side by side comparison of the LXX and the MT makes this obfuscation obvious. I have observed that most of the significant changes that pertain to Christ take place in prophetic passages, rather than historical ones. Here is an example. The Septuagint version I am using is the Lexham English Septuagint 2nd Edition, which I prefer. It is available in print or digitally through Logos Bible Software.
| Masoretic Text | Septuagint | Significance |
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1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 So they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.) Numbers 12:1–3 (NKJV) |
1 And Miriam and Aaron complained against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom Moses had married, that he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord spoken to Moses alone? Has he not also spoken to us?” And the Lord heard. 3 Now the man, Moses, was exceedingly meek, more than any humans existing on the earth. Numbers 12:1–3 (LES2) |
Literally, the Greek in the LXX says “spoke against.” The LXX translators interpreted that to mean complained in English. Cush and Ethiopia are the same country. The MT asked if the Lord had only spoken “through” Moses, but the LXX asks if he has only spoken to Moses. The Hebrew in the MT could also be translated as “with.” The MT says Moses was more humble than anyone else on the “face of the ground.” The LXX says “on the earth.” Close enough? |
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4 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!” So the three came out. 5 Then the LORD came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. 6 Then He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. 7 Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?” Numbers 12:4–8 (NKJV) |
4 And the Lord said to Moses and Miriam and Aaron, “Go forth, you yourselves, the three of you, to the tent of testimony.” And so they went out, the three of them, to the tent of testimony. 5 And the Lord descended in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent of testimony, and Aaron and Miriam were called, and both of them went forth. 6 And he said to them, “Hear my words: If there may be a prophet from among you to the Lord, I will be made known to him in a vision, and while he is sleeping, I will speak to him. 7 Not so with my servant Moses; in my whole household he is trustworthy. 8 Mouth to mouth I will speak to him, in appearance and not through riddles. And he has beheld the glory of the Lord. And why are you not fearful of speaking against my servant, Moses?” Numbers 12:4–8 (LES2) |
The MT consistently calls the tent of testimony a tabernacle of meeting. In the passage following is where it gets interesting and demonstrates why I prefer the LXX. Once again we see the consistent use of up and down in the Bible. God dwells above the firmament in heaven. He comes down to the earth to meet with us. (Notwithstanding the few occasions he takes people up to meet with him in heaven!) The three-tiered heaven – earth – Hades / Sheol complex is mentioned from Genesis to Revelation, requiring us to adhere to biblical cosmology if we are to properly understand and believe the scriptures. Apparently the cloud reached from heaven to earth and provided a passage way for God, which is reminiscent of the ladder about which Jacob dreamed. (Genesis 28:12 and John 1:31) This must have been a pre-incarnate theophany of our Lord Jesus. I think it is also noteworthy that the MT says that Moses beheld the “form” of the Lord, but the LXX says he saw his “glory.” This reminds us of John 1:14, when John says that Jesus became flesh and the apostles beheld his glory. They beheld his glory on the Mount of Transfiguration and after the resurrection. Apparently Moses was given a sneak preview as well. |
Conclusion
If you want to know more about why Christians should prefer the Septuagint to the MT, click on this link.The Eastern Orthodox Church had the wisdom to retain the LXX for its Old Testament scriptures. As for me, I now rely on the LXX. It was Paul’s standard for Old Covenant truth and is quoted in the New Testament. That makes it good enough for me.
