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Exodus 14 describes Pharaoh's chariots with a Hebrew word that could refer to military officers or a "third man" on the chariot. The Greek Septuagint uses a word meaning "triple commanders," interpreting the Hebrew as a literal reference to three.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Exodus 14:7
Hebrew Bible
5 When it was reported to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and the king and his servants said, “What in the world have we done? For we have released the people of Israel from serving us!” 6 Then he prepared his chariots and took his army with him. 7 He took 600 select chariots, and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, and officers on all of them. 8 But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he chased after the Israelites. Now the Israelites were going out defiantly.
Date: 750–400 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
LXX Exodus 14:7
Septuagint
5 And it was reported to the king of the Egyptians that the people had fled: and the heart of Pharaoh was turned, and that of his servants against the people; and they said, What is this that we have done, to let the children of Israel go, so that they should not serve us? 6 So Pharaoh yoked his chariots, and led off all his people with himself: 7 having also taken six hundred chosen chariots, and all the cavalry of the Egyptians, and captains of the third rank over all. 8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and of his servants, and he pursued after the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went forth with a high hand.
Date: 300–201 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... שָׁלִשׁ is comparable to חֲמֻשִׁים, in that both invite an etymology based on a numeral. In this case this is the route taken by all the recorded Greek versions, as well as three of the interpretations in the Mekilta, one manuscript of the Fragment Targum, and Pseudo-Jonathan. ..."
Alison Salvesen, “Midrash in Greek?” in On Stone and Scroll: Essays in Honour of Graham Ivor Davies (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, 2011), 529–530.
* 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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