LXX Exodus 15:3

Septuagint

1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song to God, and spoke, saying, Let us sing to the Lord, for he is very greatly glorified: horse and rider he has thrown into the sea. 2 He was to me a helper and protector for salvation: this is my God, and I will glorify him; my father's God, and I will exalt him. 3 The Lord, when he shatters wars, the Lord is his name. 4 He has cast the chariots of Pharao and his host into the sea, the chosen mounted captains: they were swallowed up in the Red Sea. 5 He covered them with the sea: they sank to the depth like a stone.

Judith 9:7

Deuterocanon

7 "Here now are the Assyrians, a greatly increased force, priding themselves in their horses and riders, boasting in the strength of their foot soldiers, and trusting in shield and spear, in bow and sling. They do not know that you are the Lord who shatters wars; the Lord is your name. 8 Break their strength by your might, and bring down their power in your anger; for they intend to defile your sanctuary, and to pollute the tabernacle where your glorious name resides, and to break off the horns of your altar with the sword. 9 Look at their pride, and send your wrath upon their heads. Give to me, a widow, the strong hand to do what I plan.

 Notes and References

"... In 2010, Johann Maier examined the problem by focusing on the verb employed in the phrase, which he understood as “to rub together” (i.e. to light a fire)”, “to shatter”, and, thus, having the figurative meaning of “waging war”. Hence, according to the LXX version of Exodus 15:3, God is by no means a pacifist and does not make an end to war. In her 2012 article, Judith Lang raised this issue again, contesting the traditional exegesis (comparing Judith 9:7, Judith 16:2, and Exodus 15:3). Like Larry Perkins, she focus ses on the context and concludes “The Greek text perpetuates the idea of God’s powerful and destructive capability”. Concretely, the LXX does not say that God refrains from fighting but underlines exactly the contrary:Excluding Israel from fighting, God “fights (for the benefit of Israel) in the warfare.” ..."

Bons, Eberhard "The Lord is the One Who Crushes Wars – A Fresh Look at the Septuagint Translation of Exod 15:3" in Meiser, M. et al (eds.), Die Septuaginta – Geschichte, Wirkung, Relevanz (pp. 158-167) Mohr Siebeck, 2018

 User Comments

Do you have questions or comments about these texts? Please submit them here.