Texts in Conversation
In Numbers 16, Moses defends his integrity by declaring he has not taken even a single donkey from the people. The Greek Septuagint translation says “an object of desire” instead of “donkey,” which may show either a change in what was seen as improper or a copying mistake caused by similar Hebrew letters.
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Numbers 16:15
Hebrew Bible
14 Moreover, you have not brought us into a land that flows with milk and honey, nor given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Do you think you can blind these men? We will not come up.” 15 Moses was very angry, and he said to the Lord, “Have no respect for their offering! I have not taken so much as one donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them!” 16 Then Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company present yourselves before the Lord—you and they, and Aaron—tomorrow.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
LXX Numbers 16:15
Septuagint
14 And if you had led us into a land flowing with milk and honey and had given us an inheritance of land and vineyards, should you put out the eyes of those people? We will not go up!” 15 And Moses was very weighted down and said to the Lord, “Do not give heed to their sacrifice; I have not taken an object of desire of any of them, nor have I mistreated any of them.” 16 And Moses said to Korah, “Sanctify your gathering and be ready in the presence of the Lord, they and you and Aaron, tomorrow.
Date: 3rd Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Daleth and resh interchange frequently in Hebrew manuscripts (see Genesis 49:14; Isaiah 27:2 for the interchange רמח/דמח), so that the translation may be based on such an interchange (in which case the reading of the Masoretic text is preferable [compare 1 Samuel 12:3]). On the other hand, it is not impossible that the translator considered the implication of the Masoretic text inappropriate and deliberately avoided it ..."
Tov, Emanuel
The Text-Critical use of the Septuagint in Biblical Research
(p. 113) Eisenbrauns, 2015
* 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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