Here is a direct side-by-side comparison of the Masoretic Text with the LXX. I have concluded that the LXX is much to be preferred over the Masoretic Text, a position from which the Eastern Orthodox Church never deviated. Perhaps, if you take the time to read my comparisons and other articles, you will arrive at the same conclusion.
The Septuagint version I am using is the Lexham English Septuagint 2nd Edition, which is available in print or as part of Logos Bible Software. Occasionally I also use the Brenton translation of the LXX for insight into difficult passages.
If you want to know more, click on the following links.
- Why Christians Should Prefer the Septuagint over the Masoretic Text.
- Some Insights Gained through Comparing the Masoretic Text to the Septuagint
- More side by side comparisons of the Masoretic Text (MT) to the Septuagint (LXX).
| Masoretic Text | Septuagint | Significance |
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1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; 4 To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:1–7 (NASB95) |
1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, who ruled in Israel: 2 to know wisdom and discipline, and to understand words of insight, 3 and to receive subtlety of words, and to understand true righteousness, and to direct a judgment, 4 so that it may give cunning to the naive and both experience and insight to a young child. 5 For when the wise hears these things, he will become wiser, and the thoughtful will gain skill in navigation, 6 and will understand a proverb and an obscure word and the sayings and riddles of the wise. 7 The beginning of wisdom is fear of God, and good insight belongs to all those who practice it, and piety toward God is the beginning of insight; but the ungodly despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:1–7 (LES2) |
There are numerous subtle differences in the wording which are worth noting, but I will focus on the obvious: the MT omits part of verse 7. |
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8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching; 9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck. Proverbs 1:8–9 (NASB95) |
8 Listen, son, to your father’s instruction, and do not drive away your mother’s ordinance. 9 For you would receive a crown of grace for your brow and a golden collar around your neck. Proverbs 1:8–9 (LES2) |
A “crown of grace” is promised to those who obey God the Father, but Jesus, who always did the Father’s will (John 8:29), received a crown of thorns. Let us keep in mind that all scripture points to Christ (John 5:39), as will become apparent in the next passage. |
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10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. 11 If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause; 12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; 13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil; 14 Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse,” Proverbs 1:10–14 (NASB95) |
10 Son, may ungodly men not lead you astray, nor should you be willing 11 if they summon you, saying, “Come with us, become a partner of blood, and let us hide a righteous man in the earth unjustly, 12 and let us swallow him alive just as Hades and remove his memory from the earth; 13 let us seize his costly property, and we would fill our houses with booty; 14 throw in your lot also with us, and we may all gain a shared purse— and let there be one small sack for us.” Proverbs 1:10–14 (LES2) |
Here is where things get interesting! God gave the Jews a warning here against conspiring to murder his righteous Son. (Matthew 26:4) Ungodly men try to lead the naive astray, just as has been done to Christians in the West by the introduction of a corrupted Old Testament called the Masoretic Text. (Note that the Greek word for “to lead astray” is planao, the word from which the English word “planet” is derived. But that is another topic.) The wording of the LXX in this passage makes its meaning “pop” and points us directly to Christ. The Jewish leaders, despite Solomon’s warning, partnered to murder Jesus (Acts 2:23) in an attempt to erase his memory and steal his inheritance (Matthew 21:38). In both endeavors they failed completely. |
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15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path, |
15 Do not proceed along the way with them, but turn away your foot from their path, 17 for one does not spread a net for birds without reason. 18 For those who participate in slaughter store up bad things for themselves, and the destruction of lawless men is bad. 19 These are the ways of all those who carry out lawless deeds, for by ungodliness they take away their own soul. Proverbs 1:15–19 (LES2) |
The MT adds what is contained in verse 16. Otherwise, except for some relatively minor discrepancies, the passage agrees. Lawlessness carries a harsh penalty. |
Summary: Even in the first chapter of Proverbs we see how the MT differs from the LXX in minor and more egregious ways. After studying Proverbs for over fifty years in the MT, I saw something new by reading the LXX. Chapter One clearly warns against what the Jews did to Christ and predicted the terrible judgment that came upon them in 70 AD and 135 AD. As Solomon wrote: “The destruction of lawless men is evil.” The Jews did not heed, nor have they repented of this great evil to this day, except for that remnant which has been saved by grace. We are saved by grace, not by race.
