31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. Jeremiah 31:31–32 (NKJV) 

31 “Look! The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “and I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not according to the covenant that I established with their fathers on the day I seized their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not remain in my covenant, and I neglected them,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 38:31–32 (LES2)

Immediately we see the evidence that the MT rearranged the LXX chapter order. Chapter 31 in the MT is chapter 38 in the LXX.

Basically, the two agree until the last part of verse 32. The MT says that Israel “broke” the covenant, but the LXX says that they did not “remain in” it. The MT says, “though I was a husband to them,” but the LXX says, “and I neglected them.” This wording agrees with the New Testament quote in Hebrews.

8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. Hebrews 8:8–9 (NKJV)

The wording of the LXX agrees with the Hebrews quote. This is not the case with some of the words and phrases in the MT.

33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:33–34 (NKJV) 

33 “For this is my covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord. “In giving, I will give my laws into their mind, and I will write them upon their hearts. And I will become a God for them, and they will become a people for me. 34 And each one will not teach his fellow citizen, or each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord!’ because everyone will know me, from the smallest of them to the greatest of them, because I will be gracious to their injustices. And I shall not remember their sins any longer. Jeremiah 38:33–34 (LES2)

Except for minor variations in wording, this passage is in agreement.

The letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament quotes this passage.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Hebrews 8:10–12 (NKJV)

This passage basically agrees with the LXX and the MT.

35 Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): 36 “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the LORD, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.” 37 Thus says the LORD: “If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the LORD. Jeremiah 31:35–37 (NKJV) 

35 Even if the heavens were raised up to the heights,” declares the Lord, “and the ground of the earth lowered downward, even then I would not reject the race of Israel,” declares the Lord, “concerning all the things they have done.” 36 This is what the Lord said, he who gives the sun as light for the day, the moon and stars as light for the night, and the shout in the sea and its waves roared; the Lord Almighty is his name. 37 “If these laws cease from before my face,” declares the Lord, “then the race of Israel will cease to be a people before my face all the days. Jeremiah 38:35–37 (LES2) 

Here the order of the wording has been changed. Assuming, as I do, that the LXX is the more ancient and correct version of the Hebrew scriptures, I allege that the MT has made some changes to suit the purposes of the Jewish rabbis who have always opposed Christ and his disciples. Therefore, I will comment in the order of the LXX.

Verse 35 states an impossibility that, were it to become true, even then God’s faithfulness to the “genos” or race of Israel not cease. In the New Covenant, this is the race of people who are born again by the Holy Spirit, whom Peter describes as a holy nation, God’s own special people. (1 Peter 2:9) The MT changes the wording to something its authors thought was better, referring to measuring the heavens and searching out the foundations of the earth. What a pity this is not what Jeremiah said, because it sounds so nice. Verse 36 and 37 in the LXX lists the sun, moon, stars, and ocean as obeying fixed laws, but even if these laws be abrogated, God will maintain the ethnos, which means people or nation of Israel. Once again, we are speaking of the New Covenant, which has no regard for the natural nation of Israel, but only for the supernatural “Israel of God,” the bride of Christ, the one new man in Christ, the church. Flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 15:50)

1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), 2 which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: 3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the LORD has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened. 4 And the LORD has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. 5 They said, ‘Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. 6 Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.’ 7 Yet you have not listened to Me,” says the LORD, “that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt. Jeremiah 25:1–7 (NKJV) 

1 The word that came to Jeremiah against all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, 2 which he spoke to all the people of Judah and to those who dwell in Jerusalem, saying, 3 “In the thirteenth year of Josiah, the son of Amos, king of Judah, and until this day for twenty-three years, I spoke to you, rising early and speaking. 4 And I sent you my servants, the prophets, sending them at dawn, and you did not listen or pay attention with your ears, 5 saying, ‘Turn back, each of you, from his evil way and from your evil pursuits, and you will dwell upon the land that I gave you and your fathers from eternity to eternity. 6 Don’t go after foreign gods to serve them and worship them, so that you do not provoke me by the works of your hands so as to mistreat you.’ 7 And you did not hear me.” Jeremiah 25:1–7 (LES2) 

The tampering of the LXX text by the Masoretes is quite apparent in this chapter of Jeremiah. Editorial insertions are made, and, starting here, the arrangement of the rest of Jeremiah’s prophecies has been severely altered by the MT. I struck through the text that the MT inserts to make it readily apparent. 

Regarding the rest of this passage, although there are some minor variations of words and meanings, it is very close.

8 “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, 9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the LORD, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. 10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Jeremiah 25:8–11 (NKJV) 

8 Therefore, thus says the Lord: “Since you have not trusted my words, 9 look, I am sending and will take a family from the north, and I will bring them against this land and against those who dwell in it and against all the nations surrounding it. And I will desolate them and give them up to destruction and hissing and an eternal reproach. 10 And I will destroy the sound of joy and the sound of merriment from them, the sound of the bridegroom and the sound of the bride, the scent of perfume and the light of the lamp. 11 And all the land will be a ruin, and they will be slaves among the nations for seventy years. Jeremiah 25:8–11 (LES2)

12 ‘Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,’ says the LORD; ‘and I will make it a perpetual desolation. 13 So I will bring on that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied concerning all the nations. Jeremiah 25:12–13 (NKJV) 

12 And when seventy years have been completed, I will avenge that nation, and I will make them an eternal destruction. 13 And I will bring against that land all my words that I have spoken against it, all that is written in this document.” Jeremiah 25:12–13 (LES2) 

34 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, 35 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, The foremost of their might. 36 Against Elam I will bring the four winds From the four quarters of heaven, And scatter them toward all those winds; There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go. 37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies And before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, My fierce anger,’ says the LORD; ‘And I will send the sword after them Until I have consumed them. 38 I will set My throne in Elam, And will destroy from there the king and the princes,’ says the LORD. 39 ‘But it shall come to pass in the latter days: I will bring back the captives of Elam,’ says the LORD.” Jeremiah 49:34–39 (NKJV)

14 What Jeremiah prophesied against the nations of Elam. 15 Thus says the Lord: “Let the bow of Elam be broken, the power of their sovereignty. 16 And I will bring the four winds from the four edges of the sky against Elam, and I will scatter them among all these winds, and there will be no nation to which those who were thrust out of Elam will not come. 17 And I will terrify them before their enemies who seek their life. And I will bring bad things upon them, according to the wrath of my anger, and I will send my sword after them until they are consumed. 18 And I will set my throne in Elam, and from there I will send a king and nobles. 19 And this will happen in the end of days: I will also return the captivity of Elam,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 25:14–19 (LES2) 

Here is where the great reorganization of the Jeremiah’s prophecies begins. Notice that the rest of chapter 25 in the LXX is found in chapter 49 of the MT. Verse 15 of chapter 25 in the MT is found in chapter 32 of the LXX.

Elam corresponds to modern SW Iran today. Notice that the MT says, “against Elam,” but the LXX says, “against the nations of Elam.” The MT says God will break “the foremost of their might,” but the LXX literally says, “Let…the rule of their dynasty” be broken.

In verse 18 there is a big difference. The MT says, “I will destroy there the king and the princes,” which no doubt the current war with Iran is attempting to do. The LXX, however, says, “from there I will send a king and nobles.” I am not sure what that means, but it contrasts with the MT significantly. 

Since this will happen in the “end of days,” the eschaton in Greek, perhaps it is not the return from the Babylonian captivity during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS Jeremiah 23:5–6 (NKJV) 

5 “Look, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “and I will raise up a righteous rising [Greek – anatole] for David, and a king will reign and understand and perform justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days both Judah will be delivered, and Israel will encamp confidently, and this is his name, which the Lord will call him: “Jozadak.” Jeremiah 23:5–6 (LES2) 

Here is a perfect example of why I have an issue with the Masoretic Text. The passage in this instance is a much beloved Scripture, but it is not the true word of God. The Masoretes, in their effort to remove a passage that clearly refers to Jesus have given us something that sounds good and is often quoted by Christians as referring to Jesus, but is not what was written in the ancient Septuagint that the early church used to prove Christ is the Messiah.

In verse 5, the MT says, “I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness.” Who could have a problem with that, except it is not what God said. The LXX records Jeremiah saying, “I will raise up a righteous rising [Greek – anatole] for David.” This Greek word for rising is used to describe the sun rising in the east, and we shall see that it is is a clear foreshadowing of Christ’s resurrection. (John 5:39, Luke 24:25-27) Jesus is the the king who fulfilled the rest of the prophecy in verse 5.

The next huge difference is the name by which Jeremiah says this coming king will be called. The MT says, “The Lord our righteousness.” This agrees with Paul’s words about Jesus.

30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:30–31 (NKJV)

So my issue with the MT is not that it contradicts the New Testament, but that it is not what God spoke through Jeremiah. The LXX calls his name, “Jozadak,” a name is not nearly as inspiring until we discover its significance. 

Jeremiah prophesied about a future high priest named Jozadak, who would have a son named Joshua (Jesus in Greek). Here is what Zechariah prophesied about him.

11 And you will take silver and gold, and you will make crowns and place them upon the head of the great priest Joshua, the son of Jehozadak. 12 And you will say to him, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Behold, a man; Anatole is his name, and from beneath him he will rise up and build the house of the Lord. 13 And he will receive virtue, and he will sit and rule upon his throne... ” Zechariah 6:11–13a (LES2)

Notice that Jozadak (Jehozadak) will have a son named Jesus who will be crowned and rule upon his throne. Also, notice in verse 12 the mention of the word “Anatole” as another name for him, which cross references to Jeremiah 23:5, where he said that God would raise up a righteous Anatole for David! I do not think it would be going too far to translate “Anatole” as Risen One. This one rises from “beneath,” which we know is a reference to the lower parts of the earth. (Ephesians 4:9)

If we compare the MT version of Zechariah 6:11-13, we will see that the Masoretes were careful to change Zechariah to match Jeremiah.

11 Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; 13 Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” ’ Zechariah 6:11–13 (NKJV)

Instead of calling him the Risen One, Anatole, who rises up, he is called the branch who branches out.

Can you understand why I have very little love for the MT, which took an amazing prophecy about Christ and converted it into something that sounds good, but is not accurate? Very clever, like a snake.