Texts in Conversation
Hosea 8 says Israel set up rulers but God “did not know,” implying God lacked knowledge. The Greek Septuagint changes the language of divine ignorance to human secrecy, showing how the Greek tradition changes language that implies divine limitation.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Hosea 8:4
Hebrew Bible
3 But Israel has rejected what is morally good; so an enemy will pursue him. 4 They enthroned kings without my consent. They appointed princes but I did not know*. They made idols out of their silver and gold, but they will be destroyed! 5 O Samaria, he has rejected your calf idol. My anger burns against them! They will not survive much longer without being punished, even though they are Israelites!
Date: 600–501 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
LXX Hosea 8:4
Septuagint
3 For Israel has turned away from good things; they have pursued an enemy. 4 They have made kings for themselves, but not by me: they have ruled, but they did not make it known to me: of their silver and their gold they have made images to themselves, that they might be destroyed. 5 Cast off your calf, Samaria; my anger is kindled against them: how long will they be unable to purge themselves?
Date: 100–1 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The Masoretic text of Hosea 8:4 reads, “They made kings, but not through me; they set up princes, but without my knowledge” (NRSV). In the Septuagint, the rendering, “They made a king for themselves, and not through me; they ruled and did not inform me,” prevents the conclusion that God is not omniscient. Perhaps already the Hebrew Vorlage was altered ..."
Martin Meiser, The Septuagint and Its Reception: Collected Essays (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2022), 18.
* 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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