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Isaiah 8 describes an invasion like a flood reaching up to the neck and spreading wide, calling the land Immanuel’s. The Greek Septuagint seemed to be confused by what “Immanuel” referred to and translates it as a phrase instead of as a name.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Isaiah 8:8
Hebrew Bible
7 So look, the Lord is bringing up against them the turbulent and mighty waters of the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria and all his majestic power. It will reach flood stage and overflow its banks. 8 It will spill into Judah, flooding and engulfing, as it reaches to the necks of its victims. He will spread his wings out over your entire land, O Immanuel.” 9 You will be broken, O nations; you will be shattered! Pay attention, all you distant lands of the earth. Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered! Get ready for battle, and you will be shattered! 10 Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted. Issue your orders, but they will not be executed! For God is with us!
Date: 740–450 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
LXX Isaiah 8:8
Septuagint
7 therefore, look, the Lord brings up upon you the water of the river, strong and abundant, even the king of the Assyrians, and his glory: and he shall come up over every valley of yours, and shall walk over every wall of yours: 8 and he shall take away from Judah every man who shall be able to lift up his head, and every one able to accomplish anything; and his camp shall fill the breadth of your land, God with us. 9 Know, you Gentiles, and be conquered; listen, even to the extremity of the earth: be conquered, after you strengthened yourselves; for even if you should again strengthen yourselves, you shall again be conquered. 10 And whatever counsel you shall take, the Lord shall bring it to nothing; and whatever word you shall speak, it shall not stand among you: for the Lord God is with us.
Date: 100–1 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Some additional examples of a translation at phrase level are the following ... In some situations, it is hard to ascertain whether the translation is either at word or phrase level, which can also make it complicated to determine whether or not there is a plus or minus at stake ..."
Mirjam van der Vorm-Croughs, The Old Greek of Isaiah: An Analysis of Its Pluses and Minuses, SCS 61 (Atlanta: SBL, 2014), 19.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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