The
Lucianic text of 3 and 4 Kingdoms (1 and 2 Kings) in the LXX differs from the
Hebrew in many small points, though these seldom affect the overall sense. We
also find a different order of material at various points. For example, the
story of Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kgs 21:3; 3 Kgdms 20) occur before the siege of
Samaria by Ben-Hadad (1 Kgs 20; 3 Kgdms 21). Here are some other passages in
which there are major differences between the Lucianic text and the MT:
3
Kingdoms 2.35a-o: this is a long addition (often
called a ‘plus’) at this point in the Lucianic text (which would be 1 Kgs 2.35
in the MT) about the beginning of Solomon’s reign: his wisdom, marriage to
Pharaoh’s daughter, and building activities. (All the details here are in fact
also to be found in MT but in other passages).
3
Kingdoms 2.46a-l: this is a textual plus with
information on Solomon’s household, table provisions, officials, and chariotry.
Again, although the MT lacks this specific section at 1 Kgs 2.46, all the
information is found elsewhere in the text of the MT.
3
Kingdoms 5.1-4: this corresponds to 1 Kgs
4.20-5.8, but several of the verses in the MT are lacking in the LXX and there
is a slightly different order of material.
3
Kingdoms 12.24a-z: this textual plus in the
Lucianic text of the LXX gives an alternative version of Jeroboam’s rise to
power, the death of his son, and the splitting the kingdom. Yet all the
material found here is also found elsewhere in the MT (such as at 1 Kgs
14.1-18). This passage was investigated by Zipora Talshir ([The Alternative
Story of the Division of the Kingdom: 3 Kingdoms 12.24a-z. Jerusalem
Biblical Studies 6; Jerusalem: Simor] 1993). She concludes that the creator of
the story had before him a version of 1 Kings similar to our present Hebrew
text and that the alternative story if the writer’s own creation made by rewriting
and rearranging material from MT 1 Kings. Therefore, in her opinion, it does
not represent an independent tradition. This is a moot point. It could also be
argued that this represents an independent tradition about Jeroboam’s rise and
was available in a Hebrew version to the translator of 3 Kgdms 12.24.
Unfortunately, no such Hebrew version is currently extant, though Talshir makes
a good case for reconstructing a Hebrew text as the Vorlage of the Greek
text (i.e. the Hebrew original text from which the Greek text was translated).
If independent, as already noted, the material it contains still does not
differ in essentials from the story of the MT.
4
Kingdoms 10.37-43: this is a textual plus in the
Lucainic text, absent from 2 Kgs 10.37. It is similar to MT 2 Kgs 8.25-29 and
9.27-28, though even here there are some greater or lesser differences. (Lester
L. Grabbe, 1 & 2 Kings An Introduction and Study Guide: History and
Story in Ancient Israel [London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2017], 4-5)
The following table comes from
ibid., 3:
|
α |
1 Kingdoms (Antiochian) |
(= 1 Samuel) |
|
ββ |
2 Kgdms 1-9 (Antiochian) |
(= 2 Sam. 1-9) |
|
βγ |
2 Kgdms 10 to 3 Kgdms 2.11 (kaige) |
(= 2 Sam. 10 to 1 Kgs 2.11) |
|
γγ |
3 Kgdms 2.12-21.43 (Antiochian) |
(= 1 Kgs 2.12-21.29) |
|
γδ |
3 Kgdms 22.1 to 4 Kgdms 25.30 (kaige) |
(= 1 Kgs 22.1 to 2 Kgs 25.30) |