Texts in Conversation
In 1 Corinthians, Paul mentions a “destroying angel” who brought death to the Israelites, echoing the “destroyer” in Exodus and linking it to the plagues in Numbers. In Exodus, this figure brings judgment on Egypt, while in Numbers, death spreads among the Israelites until Aaron stops it.
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Numbers 16:47
Hebrew Bible
44 The Lord spoke to Moses: 45 “Get away from this community, so that I can consume them in an instant!” But they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. 46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take the censer, put burning coals from the altar in it, place incense on it, and go quickly into the assembly and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord—the plague has begun!” 47 So Aaron did as Moses commanded and ran into the middle of the assembly, where the plague was just beginning among the people. So he placed incense on the coals and made atonement for the people. 48 He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. 49 Now 14,700 people died in the plague, in addition to those who died in the event with Korah.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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1 Corinthians 10:10
New Testament
8 And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and 23,000 died in a single day. 9 And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. 10 And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
Date: 55-57 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Turning to the New Testament writings, it is found that, consistent with LXX usage, the verb γογγύζω is used in Matthew and Luke in reference to a specific statement of discontent expressed directly and clearly to the object of discontent. In Matthew the laborers who worked the whole day, bearing the burden and heat of the day, complain to the master of the house because he paid them the same amount as those workers who only labored for one hour (Matthew 20:11). In Luke the Pharisees and scribes grumble against Jesus’ disciples, asking them why they are eating with tax collectors and sinners (Luke 5:30). The verb γογγύζω is used twice in 1 Corinthians 10:10, where the Apostle Paul warns the Corinthians not to murmur (μηδὲ γογγύζετε) as the Israelites murmured (ἐγόγγυσαν) and were destroyed by the destroyer. In this verse Paul makes reference to some or all of the events that occurred in Numbers 16:1–50. Here the murmuring of the Israelites is against the leadership of Moses and Aaron, a fact that parallels the murmuring of the Corinthians against Paul’s leadership ..."
Hasselbrook, David S.
"Nuances of Meaning with Compound Words in the Septuagint: A Case Study of διαγογγύζω and εἰσακούω in Contexts of Grumbling" in Bons, Eberhard (ed.) The Vocabulary of the Septuagint and Its Hellenistic Background
(pp. 80-94) Mohr Siebeck, 2019
* 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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