Differences in Deuteronomy - several examples

brandplucked · October 25, 2004

Differences in Deuteronomy

Not all bible versions teach the same things, even when they translate the same Hebrew texts. The NKJV, along with several other modern versions, are often quite different from the King James Bible. They sometimes differ radically even among themselves. This results in the present day Bible Babel of confusion and apathy towards any authoritative word of God.

Most professing Christians today are abysmally ignorant of their bibles and what they teach. They don't spend much time reading any version and are unaware or don't even care about the multitude of conflicting versions.

The following examples are just a few of the conflicting and confused meanings found in the book of Deuteronomy. Do we have a true, inerrant, authoritative Book that is the inspired words of God, or are we left with a smorgasbord of Do It Yourself, Probably Close Enuf, Who Knows or Cares multiple-choice "Bible of the Month Club" versions?

Deuteronomy 28:56-57 "her eye shall be evil...toward her young one"

King James Bible - Deuteronomy 28:56,57 "The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, HER EYE SHALL BE EVIL toward the husband OF HER BOSOM, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, AND TOWARD HER YOUNG ONE that cometh out from between HER FEET, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates."

The Revised Version 1881, the American Standard Version 1901, the Spanish Reina Valera, Webster's 1833 translation, the 1936 Jewish translation by the Hebrew Publishing Company, the Third Millenium Bible, Green's Modern KJV, the World English Bible, and the Hebrew Names Version agree with the King James reading.

The Hebrew Names Version reads: "her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, and toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she shall bear;"

Young

brandplucked · October 28, 2004

Deuteronomy 29:19

brandplucked · October 28, 2004

Deuteronomy 32:5

Tremendous error and contradiction have been introduced into this section of Scripture by the NKJV, NIV, RSV, Holman, ESV and NAS

brandplucked · October 31, 2004

Deuteronomy 32:8 "according to the number of the children of Israel"

In the King James Bible we read: "When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL."

"the number of the children of Israel" is the Hebrew Masoretic text reading and that found in the Jewish translations, the RV, ASV, NIV, NASB, NKJV, and the Holman Standard.

However the RSV 1952 and the 2001 ESV (English Standard Version" read: "he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of THE SONS OF GOD." The Holman Standard footnotes tells us that the reading of "the sons of GOD" comes from ONE Dead Sea Scroll manuscript, but that the Hebrew Masoretic text reads "children of Israel". The Greek Septuagint reads: "according to the number of the ANGELS OF GOD."

It is interesting to look at the NRSV of 1989. It reads: "he fixed the boundaries of the people according to the NUMBER OF THE GODS."

So, which is it? "the children of Israel", "the gods", "the angels of God", or "the sons of God"? The scholars can't make up their minds, and you too will only be confused if you follow them.

Deuteronomy 32:42 "from the beginning of revenges"

In the King James Bible we read God saying: "I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, FROM THE BEGINNING OF REVENGES upon the enemy."

In other words God's revenge upon His enemies will be quick and decisive. It will not be a long, drawn out process.

"from the beginning of revenges" is the reading found in the Bishops' Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1599, Webster's 1833 translation, the KJV 21 and the Third Millenium Bible.

However the NKJV, NIV, RSV, and Holman Standard read: "with the blood of the slain and the captives, from THE HEADS OF THE LEADERS OF the enemy", while the NASB, RSV and ESV say: "with the blood of the slain and the captives, from THE LONG-HAIRED leaders of the enemy."

I think you will agree that "from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy" is not the same thing as "from the long-haired leaders of the enemy".

Will Kinney

brandplucked · November 2, 2004

Deuteronomy 32:43 "Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people"

In the King James Bible we read: "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."

This is the reading of the Hebrew Masoretic texts, the Jewish translations of 1936, the RV, ASV, NKJV, NASB, NIV and many others. The Holman Standard changes the meaning a bit with: "Rejoice, you nations, OVER His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants."

However when we get to the RSV, NRSV, and ESV things change a great deal.

The Revised Standard Version (RSV) of 1958 says: "PRAISE HIS PEOPLE, O YOU NATIONS; for he avenges the blood of his servants, and takes vengeance on his adversaries, and makes expiation for the land of his people."

The New RSV of 1989 says: "PRAISE, O HEAVENS, HIS PEOPLE, WORSHIP HIM, ALL YOU GODS For he will avenge the blood of his children, and take vengeance on his adversaries; HE WILL REPAY THOSE WHO HATE HIM, and cleanse the land for his people."

Notice the NRSV changed the RSV's "O ye nations" to "O heavens", and it added the phrase "He will repay those who hate him".

Then the next revision of the revision of the revision, called the English Standard Version (ESV)of 2001 has: "REJOICE WITH HIM, O HEAVENS, BOW DOWN TO HIM, ALL GODS, for he avenges the blood of his CHILDREN (not servants) and takes vengeance on his adversaries. HE REPAYS THOSE WHO HATE HIM and cleanses his people's land."

The ESV footnote tells us that changing the word "servants" to "children" comes from one Dead Sea Scroll and the Greek Septuagint, but the Hebrew Masoretic text says "servants" and so do the RSV, NRSV, NASB, NIV, NKJV, etc.

The ESV also changes "Rejoice...with HIS PEOPLE" to "rejoice WITH HIM", even though the previous RSV and NRSV had "his people".

And the ESV again changes "O ye nations" to "O Heavens", and adds "bow down to him, all gods" and "he repays those who hate him".

Where do all these extra words and changes found in the NRSV, ESV and also the New English bible of 1970 come from? The added portions are: "Bow down to him, all gods" and "he repays those who hate him". Some of them change "O ye nations" to "O heavens", and the ESV changes "servants" to "children", and "his people" to "him".

The Holman Standard generally reads in this verse (though not in hundreds of others) as does the King James Bible. It tells us in a footnote that the Hebrew text reads as does the King James Bible, but that the Greek LXX has a whole bunch of words not found in the Hebrew Masoretic texts saying: "Rejoice, you heavens, along with Him, and let all the sons of God worship Him; rejoice, you nations, with His people, and let all the angels of God strengthen themselves in Him." (Actually, the Holman footnote is a bit mixed up. The LXX copy I have reverses "sons of God" and "angels of God", but, then again, not all LXX copies are the same.)

It also tells us that a Dead Sea Scroll reads: "Rejoice, you heavens, along with Him, and let all the angels worship Him."

So where did the three different readings of the RSV, NRSV and ESV come from? Well, it looks like they just made them up, doesn't it? None of the three followed the Hebrew Masoretic texts and each one took different parts from some Greek Septuagint readings and parts of one Dead Sea Scroll manuscript which differs in scores of places from the traditional Hebrew texts. And none of the three Revisions agrees with the others! Isn't modern scholarship a kick in the head?

Will Kinney

Timotheus · November 3, 2004

excellent posts, Will!

Thank God for the KJV!

His by Grace · December 30, 2009

brandplucked, This was such a eye-opening Bible study this morning!! I just wanted to thank you for all the time and hard-work you put into it!! I was really, really blessed! What a eye-opener!! in Christ, His by Grace