Hebrews and the Old Testament Quotations

Hebrews and the Old Testament QuotationsAuthor(s): George HowardSource: Novum Testamentum, Vol. 10, Fasc. 2/3 (Apr. - Jul., 1968), pp. 208-216Published by: BRILLStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1560369 .

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HEBREWS AND THE OLD TESTAMENT

QUOTATIONS

BY

GEORGE HOWARD Nashville

The Epistle to the Hebrews presents a fascinating situation to the NT scholar because of its interpretation of the OT. In many places it converges with that type of exegesis known from the

Qumran and other Jewish literature called "pesher" 1). One

important aspect of this matter is the text used by the author of Hebrews. It has been popular in the past to begin a commentary or an introduction to the Epistle by stating that the writer always uses the Septuagint version of the OT (sometimes in the form of Codex Vaticanus, but more often in the form of Codex Alexan-

drinus) and never shows acquaintance with the Hebrew 2). Since the discovery of the Qumran Literature and the impetus given by it to the study of the pre-Masoretic text, it is now probable that the text used by the author of Hebrews is, on occasion, closer to a Hebrew recension more ancient than the Masoretic Text 3).

1) For a discussion of the word "pesher" and its use in Qumran, see F. F. BRUCE, Biblical Exegesis in the Qumran Texts, (London: Tyndale Press, I959), pp. 7-II. The Epistle to the Hebrews has other parallels to the Qumran Literature. See F. F. BRUCE, "'To the Hebrews' or 'To the Essenes' ?" NTS 9, pp. 217-232; YIGAEL YADIN, "The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Epistle to the Hebrews", Scripta Hierosolymitana, IV (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1958), pp. 36-45; C. SPICQ, "L'Epitre aux Hebreux: Apollos, Jean Baptiste, les Hell6nistes et Qumran", RQ, I (I958-9), pp. 365 ff.; H. KOSMALA, Hebrder-Essener-Christen, (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1959).

2) Cf. for example WESTCOTT'S section on the OT quotations in The Epistle to the Hebrews (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Reprint), pp. 469-495. On page 479 he states, "The writer regarded the Greek Version as authoritative; and, it may be added, he nowhere shews any immediate knowledge of the Hebrew text." A similar position is taken by C. SPICQ, L'Epitre aux Hebreux (Paris: J. Gabalda, 1952), I, 334 f.

3) Among the numerous articles that can be cited, see FRANK M. CROSS, Jr., "The Oldest Manuscripts from Qumran", JBL, 74 (I955), PP. 147-172; "The History of the Biblical Text in the Light of Discoveries in the Judaean Desert," HTR, 57 (1964), pp. 281-299; PATRICK W. SKEHAN, "Exodus in the Samaritan Recension from Qumran", JBL, 74 (I955), PP. I82-I87;



HEBREWS AND THE OLD TESTAMENT QUOTATIONS

A re-examination of the OT quotations in Hebrews is therefore not out of reason, first, because of the new pre-Masoretic Text studies, and second, because scholars do not always agree on statistics. This latter is partially due to the natural problems which arise in forming statistics. For example, it is not always easy to determine when a passage is a quote from the OT or just an allusion to it 1). Consequently, the more the results of individual studies are published the better opportunity we have for determining the truth. The following is the result of an examination of the quotations in Hebrews independently done of other similar investigations. The conclusions are divided into two categories: I. General statistics; and II. Quotations which show dependence on a Hebrew text 2).

I. GENERAL STATISTICS

Relation to Influence Hebrew and LXX

LAW Gen.-5 quotes Gen. ii 2-Heb. iv 4 Unlike Either Slight LXX

Influence Gen. v 24-Heb. xi 5 Unlike Either LXX Influence Gen. xxi 12-Heb. xi i8 All Texts Alike Gen. xxii 16-17-Heb. vi 13-16 Unlike Either

"The Qumran Manuscripts and Textual Criticism", VT, Supplement IV (I957); "Qumran and the Present State of the Old Testament Text Studies: The Masoretic Text", JBL, 78 (I959), pp. 21-25. See also especially D. BARTHELEMY, "Red6couverte d'un chainon manquant de l'histoire de la Septante", RB, 60 (I953), PP. 18-29; and Les devanciers d'Aquila: Premiere publication integrale du texte des fragments du Dodecapropheton (Leiden: E. J. Brill, I963).

1) WESTCOTT gives 29 as the total number of quotations, op. cit., pp. 477- 479; W. DITTMAR cites 34, Vetus Testamentum in Novo (Gottingen: Vanden- hoeck & Ruprecht, 1903); 0. MICHEL reports 32, Der Brief an die Hebrder

(G6ttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, I959), p. 8I; SPICQ gives the total as 36, op. cit., I, 33I.

2) For literature see the following: R. PENDALL, "The Method of the Writer to the Hebrews in Using OT Quotations", Ev. Q. 27 (I955), pp. 214-220; F. C. SYNGE, Hebrews and the Scriptures, (SPCK, I959); J. VAN DER PLOEG, "L'Ex6gese de L'Ancien Testament dans L'Ilpitre aux H6breux", RB, 54 (I947), PP. 187-228; P. PADUA, Les Citations de l'Ancient Testament dans l'Epitre aus Hebreux, (Paris: N. L. Danzig, I904); L. VENARD, "L'utili- sation des Psaumes dans l'Epitre aux H6breux", Melanges E. Podechard (Lyon: Facultes Catholiques, I945), PP. 253-264; G. HARDER, "Die Septua- gintazitate des Hebraerbriefs", Theologia Viatorum (Miinchen: Chr. Kaiser, I939), PP. 33-52; PETER KATZ, "The Quotations from Deuteronomy in Hebrews", ZNW, 49 (1958), pp. 213-223.

209

Novumrn Testamentum, X I4



GEORGE HOWARD

Gen. xlvii 3--Heb. xi 21 Unlike Either

Ex.-2 quotes Ex. xxiv 8-Heb. ix 20

Ex. xxv 40-Heb. viii 5b

Unlike Either

Unlike Either

Possible Heb. Influence

Possible LXX Influence

Num.-2 quotes Num. xii 7-Heb. iii 2, 5 Num. xiv 29-Heb. iii I7b

Deut.-2 (possibly 5) quotes Deut. xvii 6 Heb. x 20 Deut. xxxi 6-Heb. xiii 5

(Possibly Josh i 5) Deut. xxxii 35-Heb. x 3oa

Deut. xxxii 36-Heb. x 3ob (Possibly Ps. cxxxv 14)

Deut. xxxii 43-Heb. i 6 (Possibly Ps. xcvii 7)

Unlike Either Unlike Either


Unlike Either

All Texts Alike

Like Heb. (Qumran) Against LXX

One Possible LXX Influence

One Possible Heb. Influence

Hebrew Influence

PROPHETS

Josh.-possibly i quote Josh. i 5-Heb. xiii 5

(Possibly Deut. xxxi 6)

2 Sam.-possibly 2 quotes 2 Sam. vii I4-Heb. i 5b

(Possibly i Ch. xvii 13) 2 Sam. xxii 3-Heb. ii I3a

(Possibly Isa. viii 17, xii 2)

Like Heb. Against LXX Hebrew Influence

All Texts Alike

Like Heb. Against LXX Hebrew Influence

Isa.-2 (possibly 3) quotes Isa. viii 17, xii 2-Heb. ii I3a

(Possibly 2 Sam. xxii 3) Isa. viii I8-Heb. ii I3b Isa. xxxv 3-Heb. xii 12

Unlike Either LXX Influence

Like LXX Against Heb. LXX Influence Unlike Either Heb. (Ben Sira)

Influence

Jer.-i quote Jer. xxxi 31-34-Heb. viii 8-12 Unlike Either LXX Influence

Hab.-i quote Hab. ii 3-4-Heb. x 37-38 Unlike Either LXX Influence

Hag.-i quote Hag. ii 6-Heb. xii 26 LXX Influence

Slight LXX Influence

210

Unlike Either




WRITINGS I Ch.-possibly I quote

I Ch. xvii I3-Heb. i 5b (Possibly 2 Sam. vii 14)

All Texts Alike

Psalms-I2 (possibly I4) quotes Ps. ii 7-Heb. i 5a Ps. viii 5-7-Heb. ii 6-8 Ps. xxii 22-Heb. ii 12 Ps. xl 6-8-Heb. x 5b-7

Ps. xlv 7-8-Heb. i 8-Io Ps. xcv 7-II-Heb. iii 7b-II Ps. xcvii 7-Heb. i 6

(Possibly Deut. xxxii 43) Ps. cii 26-28-Heb. i Io-12 Ps. civ 4-Heb. i 7

Ps. cx i-Heb. i 13 Ps. cx 4a (and b)-Heb. vii 21 Ps. cx 4b-Heb. v 6 Ps. cxviii 6 Heb. xiii 6

Ps. cxxxv I4-Heb. x 3ob (Possibly Deut. xxxii 36)

Proverbs-2 quotes Pv. iii 11-I2-Heb. xii 5-6

Pv. iv 26-Heb. xii 13

All Texts Alike Like LXX Against Heb. Like Heb. Against LXX Unlike Either

Unlike Either Unlike Either Like Heb. Against LXX


All Texts Alike All Texts Alike Like Heb. Against LXX Unlike Either

All Texts Alike

Unlike Either

Unlike Either

LXX Influence Heb. Influence Slight LXX

Influence

LXX Influence Heb. Influence

LXX Influence Slight LXX

Influence

Heb. Influence Possible LXX

Influence

Slight Heb. Influence

Elsewhere LXX Influence

LXX Influence

Summarization

A. There are 35 different quotes in Hebrews. ii (possibly 14) quotes from the Law 6 (possibly 8) quotes from the Prophets out of Io possible

sources

14 (possibly 17) quotes from the Writings B. There are 41 possible sources for the 35 quotes.

Out of the 4I possible sources:

24 are unlike either Hebrew or LXX 8 are identical to both Hebrew and LXX 6 are identical to Hebrew against LXX 2 are identical to LXX against Hebrew

I8 possible LXX influences Io possible Hebrew influences

211



GEORGE HOWARD

I. Out of the 14 possible quotes from the Law, II are unlike both Hebrew and LXX; 2 are identical to both.

Out of the Io possible sources in the Prophets, 5 are unlike both Hebrew and LXX; I is identical to both.

Out of the 17 possible quotes from Writings, 8 are unlike both Hebrew and LXX; 5 are like both.

Percentage-wise the Greek and Hebrew converge more in the

Writings than the Law and the Prophets. 2. Out of 14 possible quotes from the Law-

LXX influence is possible in 5 places Hebrew influence is possible in 3 places

Out of the Io possible sources for the Prophets- LXX influence is possible in 5 places Hebrew influence is possible in 3 places

Out of 17 possible quotes from Writings- LXX influence is possible in 8 places Hebrew influence is possible in 4 places

Percentage-wise LXX influence is less in the Law than the

Prophets and the Writings.

3. There are 8 different word allusions 1) (as against concept allusions)

5 (possibly 6) from the Law 2 (possibly 3) from Isaiah

This means there are 20 possible references to the Law; 17 unlike any text.

13 possible sources in Prophets; 8 unlike any text

17 possible references to Writings; 8 unlike any text

Conclusions

The references to the Law are the most frequent and the most inaccurate according to the standard of MT or LXX.

The references to the Writings are second in frequency and most accurate of all according to the standard of MT or LXX.

The references to Prophets stand in between.

1) Gen. iii 17-18 (Heb. vi 8); Gen. xiv I7-20 (Heb. vii 1-2); Gen. xv 5-6, xxii 17, etc. (Heb. xi I2); Ex. xix 12-13 (Heb. xii 20); Dt. iv 24, ix 3, etc. (Heb. xii 29) possibly from Isa. xxxiii 14; Dt. ix I9 (Heb. xii 21); Is. xxvi 20 (Heb. xix 37a); Is. xli 8-9 (Heb. ii I6).

212




II. QUOTATIONS WHICH SHOW DEPENDENCE ON A HEBREW TEXT

I. Deut. xxxii 35-Heb. x 3oa The quotation does not correspond exactly to the Greek or the

Hebrew of Deut. xxxii 35. However, it partially corresponds to both, to the Hebrew in the first half, and to the LXX in the second. The quote as a whole is very close to the Targum of Onkelos and the Peshitta. A break down of the two clauses shows the following types of readings: a. Two types of readings-first clause

I) "Vengeance is mine"-Heb. x 30, MT, Targ, Syr, Rom. xii 19 "In a day of vengeance"-LXX, Philo, Sam Pent

b. Two types of readings-second clause

I) "I will recompense"-Heb. x 30, LXX, Rom. xii 19, Targ, Syr 1)

2) "and recompense"-MT, Sam Pent There is a definite Hebrew (or Semitic) influence in the first

clause, and, although there is a correspondence with the LXX, there is likely a Semitic influence in the second clause.

The difference between the MT and the Sam Pent probably occurred by the dropping of the last two letters of t3' 2).

2. Isa. xxxv 3-Heb. xii 12

The quote is neither exact to the LXX or the Hebrew. The LXX and the Hebrew, in the main, represent the same text-type with the possible exception of the final verb. The NT is closer to the Hebrew since it translates it (rather freely) with words not exact to the LXX and especially because it reserves the verb until the last 3).

The most obvious difference between the NT and the OT text and versions is the word order. The NT has the adjectival participles before the nouns "hands" and "knees". The Hebrew, LXX, Syriac, Targum, Latin, DSIS, and Greek Sirach (xxv 23) all place the

1) With the exception of Waw at the beginning of the first clause, the Targum and the NT represent the same text even to the insertion of 'ey?. Likewise, the difference in the NT and the Peshitta Syriac is a Dalath at the beginning of the second clause.

2) SIMON KISTEMAKER, The Psalm Citations in the Epistle to the Hebrews, (Amsterdam: Wed. G. Van Soest, I961), p. 45. Cf. also PETER KATZ, "The Quotations from Deuteronomy in Hebrews", ZNW, 49 (I958), p. 220.

3) See WILLIAM LEONARD, Authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Critical Problems and Use of the Old Testament, (Vatican Polyglot Press, 1939), 316.

213



GEORGE HOWARD

adjectives following the nouns. Support for the NT word order is found only in the Hebrew text of Sirach found in the Genizah of the Ezra Synagogue in Cairo 1). It reads in the following way:

WIT 118D:

a *r p^(i)

The quote, therefore, as a whole is non-septuagintal and represents a Hebrew text-type somewhere between the MT and the Hebrew of Sirach.

3. Isa. viii I7, xii 2; 2 Sam. xxii 3-Heb. ii I3a

The NT differs from both the LXX and the Hebrew in the Isa. passages. However, the quote is an exact rendition of the Hebrew text of 2 Sam. xxii 3. If the passage comes from 2 Sam., we have a possible Hebrew influence. This possibility is not ruled out by the fact that the second half of the verse is a quote from Isa. viii I8, for xoal xacXv breaks the continuity of the passage and may serve to designate a different source 2). Since the words involved are so few, the similarity between the LXX and NT may be due to coincidence.

4. Prov. iii II-12-Heb. xii 5-6 The NT differs from the Hebrew and slightly from the LXX. The

reading of "My son", however, corresponds with the Hebrew (supported by the Targum, Syriac, and Latin) against the LXX.

5. Josh. i 5; Deut. xxxi 6-Heb. xiii 5 The text is exact to the Hebrew of Josh. i 5. Otherwise, it varies

from the Hebrew in Deut. xxxi 6 and to the LXX in both the Deut. and Josh. passages. Philo has the exact words in De Confusione Linguarum I66. The similarity between Philo and Hebrews may be explained as I) interdependence; or 2) both draw from a common source. If 2) is adopted, we have a possible Hebrew influence on the present passage.

1) See the edition of ISRAEL LEVI, The Hebrew Text of the Book of Eccle- siasticus, (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 195I). Unfortunately, our passage is not among the scroll fragments found at Masada. Cf. YIGAEL YADIN, The Ben Sira Scroll from Masada, (Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 1965).

2) In Heb. i 5 xal 7raX[v does just this. So also does xot v To06Tc 'tXivl in iv 4-5 and xao in i 9-IO.

214




6. Deut. xxxii 43; Ps. xcvii 7-Heb. i 6

The NT reading is similar, though not exact, to the LXX of Deut. xxxii 43 and Ps. xcvii 7. It has no relationship to the MT of Deut. xxxii 43 but is an accurate rendition of MT in Ps. xcvii 7, if X`YYXot 0Eoui be allowed as a legitimate translation of nrlXK 1). The exact words, with the exception of an additional ox, appear in the Hymn of Moses included in the Odes which follow the LXX book of Psalms 2). We now have a Hebrew text from Qumran (4QDt xxxii 43) which presents the relevant line of Deut. xxxii 43 in the exact form of MT of Ps. xcvii 7 3). If the Hymn of Moses in the Odes is not the source, it is probable that a Hebrew text similar to 4QDt xxxii 43 is the Vorlage.

7. Ex. xxiv 8-Heb. ix 20

There is a possible Hebrew influence here since the NT quotes Ex. xxiv 8 fairly accurately but in words different from the LXX.

8. Ps. xxii 23-Heb. ii 12

Likewise, Hebrew influence is possible here, since the NT accu-

rately quotes Ps. xxii 23 according to the Hebrew but not according to the LXX.

9. Ps. cx 4b (LXX cix 4b)-Heb. v 6

The NT faithfully reproduces the MT of Ps. cx 4b and corresponds to the LXX everywhere except for the Septuagintal addition of the verb sL. Since there is no present tense of the being verb in Hebrew, the NT may show Hebrew influence in this one place.

CONCLUSION

It appears from the preceding statistics that it is incorrect to characterize the quotations in Hebrews as always Septuagintal. A great many of them do not correspond exactly to any Septuagint, and some agree with a known Hebrew text, either whole or in part, against the Septuagint.

1) Normally cyyXotL Oe0o would suggest as Vorlage :';1KR 313. Cf. J. DE WAARD, A Comparative Study of the Old Testament Text in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the New Testament, (Leiden: E. J. Brill, I965), pp. I5 f.

2) For a discussion of this see KISTEMAKER, op. cit., pp. 2If. 3) See P. W. SKEHAN, "A Fragment of the 'Song of Moses' from Qumran",

BASOR, 136 (I954), PP. 12-I5.

215



216 HOWARD, HEBREWS AND THE OLD TESTAMENT QUOTATIONS

The implications which this situation has for the various theories as to the origin of the Septuagint are not clear. The quotations may be explained according to the theory of LAGARDE that the Septua- gint was undergoing extensive revision in the early Christian centuries and the NT quotations represent the Septuagint text current in its time 1). However, this is not necessarily the case. One may also explain the quotations in terms of KAHLE'S theory that there were numerous Greek translations in process of being standardized in the first century and that the NT quotations are not always from the Greek translation which eventually formed a part of the official text 2).

It might also be legitimate to ask whether the NT might have influenced the Septuagint. During the process of revision, or of

standardization, whichever the case might be, it is possible that the NT influenced the scribes as to what reading should be accepted when a passage coincided with a NT quote. If this is the case, the NT quotations have less value for determining the origin of the

Septuagint than for illuminating the type of Hebrew text which was in circulation at the time.

1) Cf. PAUL DE LAGARDE, Septuaginta Studien (G6ttingen: Dieterichische Verlags-Buchhandlung, 1891). See also HARRY M. ORLINSKY, "On the Present State of Proto-Septuagint Studies", JAOS, 6I (I94I), "Studies in the Septuagint of the Book of Job; Chapter IV and the Present State of the Greek Text of Job", HUCA, 33 (I962), pp. 119-120; PETER KATZ, "The Recovery of the Original Septuagint. A Study in the History of the Transmission and Textual Criticism", Actes du premier Congres de la fede'- ration Internationale des Associations d'Ettudes Classiques (Paris: Library C. Dlincksieck, I950).

2) PAUL E. KAHLE, The Cairo Geniza (Second Edition; Oxford; Basil Blackwell, 1959), pp. 209-264.



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Hebrews and the Old Testament Quotations