Chronological timeline of texts tagged with Masoretic Additions
About This Tag
The Masoretic Text, the standard Hebrew Bible, sometimes contains material that is absent from older Hebrew copies, including the source behind the Greek Septuagint translation, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Samaritan Pentateuch. These pluses can come from later scribes harmonizing with other passages, conflating parallel traditions, or filling perceived gaps in the narrative. In such cases the Septuagint is not missing material, but preserving an older Hebrew reading before the standard Hebrew text was expanded.
Note: Dates shown in this timeline are approximate and based on scholarly estimates.
Back to TagNumbers 16:24 / LXX Numbers 16:24
5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Numbers 16:24
Hebrew Bible
23 So the Lord spoke to Moses: 24 “Tell the community: ‘Get away from around the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’” 25 Then Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel went after him.
3rd Century B.C.E.
LXX Numbers 16:24
Septuagint
23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Instruct the congregation, saying, ‘Withdraw from around the gathering of Korah.’ ” 25 And Moses arose and proceeded to Dathan and Abiram, and all the elders of Israel came along with him.
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Joshua 2:15
Hebrew Bible
14 The men said to her, “If you die, may we die too! If you do not report what we’ve been up to, then we will show unswerving allegiance to you when the Lord hands the land over to us.” 15 Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window. (Her house was built as part of the city wall; she lived in the wall.) 16 She told them, “Head to the hill country, so the ones chasing you don’t find you. Hide from them there for three days, long enough for those chasing you to return. Then you can be on your way.”
2nd Century B.C.E.
LXX Joshua 2:15
Septuagint
13 and spare my father’s house, my mother, my siblings, and all my house and everything that is with them, and rescue my soul from death. 14 And the men said to her, “Our life in return for yours, unto death.” And she said, “As the Lord should give the city over to you, show me compassion and truth.” 15 And she let them down through the window. 16 And she said to them, “Go to the mountains, so that those who pursue you might not meet you. And you must hide there for three days until those pursuing you return home. And after this, go on your way.”
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Joshua 4:10
Hebrew Bible
9 Joshua also set up 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day. 10 Now the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people went across quickly, 11 and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed as the people looked on.
2nd Century B.C.E.
LXX Joshua 4:10
Septuagint
9 Joshua also set another twelve stones among them by the Jordan in the place by the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the stones are there until today. 10 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood in the Jordan until Joshua finished everything that the Lord had commanded him to announce to the people. And the people hurried and crossed over. 11 And it happened that as all the people finished crossing over, the ark of the covenant of the Lord crossed over and the stones were in front of them.
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Joshua 5:11
Hebrew Bible
9 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have taken away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” So that place is called Gilgal even to this day. 10 So the Israelites camped in Gilgal and celebrated the Passover in the evening of the fourteenth day of the month in the rift valley plains of Jericho. 11 They ate some of the produce of the land the day after the Passover, including unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped appearing the day they ate some of the produce of the land; the Israelites never ate manna again. They ate from the produce of the land of Canaan that year.
2nd Century B.C.E.
LXX Joshua 5:11
Septuagint
9 And the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, “On this day I have removed the insult of Egypt from you.” And Joshua called the name of that place Gilgal. 10 And the sons of Israel performed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month from evening, from the sunset at Jericho in the area beyond the Jordan on the plain. 11 And they ate from the grain of the land, unleavened and fresh. 12 On this day the manna came to an end after they ate from the grain of the land, and manna was available no longer to the sons of Israel. They enjoyed the produce of the fleece of the Phoenicians in that year.
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
Joshua 8:12
Hebrew Bible
10 Bright and early the next morning Joshua gathered the army, and he and the leaders of Israel marched at the head of it to Ai. 11 All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley. 12 He took 5,000 men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel and Ai. 13 The army was in position—the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into the middle of the valley. 14 When the king of Ai and all his people saw Israel, they rushed to get up early. Then the king and the men of the city went out to meet Israel in battle, at the meeting place near the rift valley. But he did not realize an ambush was waiting for him behind the city.
2nd Century B.C.E.
LXX Joshua 8:12
Septuagint
10 And rising early in the morning, Joshua inspected the people, and they and the elders went up before the face of the people at Ai. 11 And all the military people with him went up, and as they went, they came from opposite of the city from the east. 12 And the ambush of the city was from the sea. 14 And it happened when the king of Ai saw this, he hurried and came out to meet them straight on into battle, he and all the people with him. And he did not know that there was an ambush for him behind the city. 15 And Joshua and Israel saw and retreated from their presence.
6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition)
1 Samuel 17:41
Hebrew Bible
40 He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine. 41 The Philistine, with his shield bearer walking in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy.
1st Century B.C.E.
LXX 1 Samuel 17:41
Septuagint
40 And he took his staff in hand and chose five perfect stones for himself from the wadi and put them in the shepherd bag that was with him for storage. And with his sling in his hand, he approached the foreign man. 42 And Goliath saw David and had dishonored him because he was a boy and he was ruddy, with attractive eyes. 43 So the foreigner said to David, “Am I like a dog that you would come against me with a rod and stones?” But David answered, “No, rather, you are worse than a dog!” And the foreigner swore at David by his gods.