. . . changes in the text of Deuteronomy become part of the transmission process, and their resolution becomes part of the text critical process. The Song of YHWH in chapter 32 provides several illustrations of the issues represented here. Some English translations of verse 8 follow the Masoretic text in rendering the last phrase as “according to the number of the sons of Israel,” which reflects Hebrew לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (NIV, cf. CSB, NKJV). However, most render the phrase, “according to the number of the sons of God, which reflects the Greek LXX, κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων θεοῦ, and two fragmentary readings from the Qumran scrolls, בני אלים, “sons of God.” The last verse of the Song (v. 43) provides an even more interesting study, since the ancient manuscripts reflect three different textual traditions (Table 3.2). While the message is not affected fundamentally by the variations in readings, many scholars have wrestled with the significance of these differences, and whether we are able to establish which of them is original.
Table 3.2
A Synopsis of the
Textual Variations of Deuteronomy 32:43
|
Masoretic Text |
Qumran Fragment |
Septuagint |
|
|
Celebrate, O
heavens with him |
Celebrate, O
heavens with him |
|
|
and bow down to him
all gods. |
and bow down to
him, all sons of God. |
|
Celebrate, O
nations, with his people. |
|
Celebrate, O
nations, with his people. |
|
|
|
And let all the
angels of God strengthen themselves. |
|
See, the blood of
his servants he will avenge; |
See, the blood of
his sons he will avenge; |
See, the blood of
his sons he will avenge; |
|
and take vengeance
on his enemies. |
and take vengeance
on his enemies |
and avenge and take
vengeenoe on his enemies. |
|
|
He will pay back
those who hate Him; |
He will pay back
those who hate Him, |
|
He will atone for
his land and people. |
and atone for the
land of his people. |
and atone for the
land of his people. |
Source: Daniel I. Block, The Triumph of Grace: Literary and
Theological Studies in Deuteronomy and Deuteronomic Themes [Eugene, Oreg.:
Cascade Books, 2017], 43-44)
