Texts in Conversation
The Greek Septuagint translation of 1 Samuel 3 preserves an older reading where Eli’s sons cursed God. The Masoretic tradition uses ambiguous language, based on a practice known as “tiqqun soferim,” where texts were changed to avoid disrespecting God.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
1 Samuel 3:13
Hebrew Bible
12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything that I spoke about his house—from start to finish! 13 You should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because of the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing themselves, and he did not rebuke them. 14 Therefore I swore an oath to the house of Eli, ‘The sin of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.’”
Date: 600–501 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
LXX 1 Samuel 3:13
Septuagint
12 In that day I will raise up against Eli all things that I have said against his house; I will begin, and I will make an end. 13 And I have told him that I will be avenged on his house perpetually for the iniquities of his sons, because his sons spoke evil against God, and he did not admonish them, not even so. 14 I have sworn to the house of Eli, the iniquity of the house of Eli shall not be atoned for with incense or sacrifices for ever.
Date: 100–1 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... In several lists of the tiqqune sopherim, the Hebrew לה (“to her/to him”) in 1 Samuel 3:13 is regarded as a euphemistic reading of the original אלהים (Elohim, “God”). The latter reading is attested in the Septuagint. Scribes of the Hebrew text emended the word according to the teaching of Rabbi Johanan, transmitted by Rabbi Hiyya b. Abba, “It is better that one letter be uprooted from the Torah than that the Name of names be publicly profaned.” Targum Jonathan adheres to the transmitted Hebrew text and rendered יי (“the LORD”). Only in later lists Hebrew פני (“my face”) or פני (“my face”) in 2 Samuel 16:12 are considered emendations of the anthropomorphic עיני (“my eyes”) or עיני (“my eyes”), referring to the Lord. Most ancient versions attest a reading which is related to the Ketib, but Targum Jonathan rendered the Qere, adding the word “tear”: “Would that the Lord would look upon the tear of my eye” ..."
Eveline van Staalduine-Sulman, The Targum of Samuel, SAIS 1 (Leiden: Brill, 2002), 131.
* 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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