Deut 32:8–9 in the LXX: κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων θεοῦ
Says Swete prints ὅτε διεμέριζεν ὁ ὕψιστος ἔθνη … ἔστησεν ὅρια ἐθνῶν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων θεοῦ (kata arithmon angelōn theou, "according to the number of the angels of God"; vol. 1, pp. 410–411). The Hebrew has לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (lemispar bene yisra'el, "according to the number of the sons of Israel"). ὁ ὕψιστος (ho hypsistos, "the Most High") renders עֶלְיוֹן ('elyon).
Says 32:9 continues καὶ ἐγενήθη μερὶς Κυρίου λαὸς αὐτοῦ Ἰακώβ, σχοίνισμα κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ Ἰσραήλ (p. 411). "The Lord's portion is his people, Jacob" is as in the Hebrew, but the Greek opens with καὶ ἐγενήθη ("and … became") where the Hebrew has "for," and adds Ἰσραήλ at the end.
Implies "Angels of God" is not a rendering of "sons of Israel," so the Greek does not support the MT wording here. Whether the translator read a different Hebrew text (such as the "sons of God" reading the BSB prints) or interpreted the MT, and which reading is printed, are for var.Deut.32.8.sons-of-israel.
Says Swete prints ἀγγέλων θεοῦ, and his apparatus, as logged, records no υἱῶν θεοῦ ("sons of God") reading. In Brooke–McLean (p. 661) no Greek manuscript reads υἱῶν θεοῦ, and only the Armenian version has "sons of God"; pᵇ (uncertain) and some Origen citations read υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ (huiōn Israēl), and x and g add it; hexaplaric Aquila: υἱῶν θεοῦ (z), υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ (M, v).
Uncertain Who the angels or sons of God are, and how the Most High relates to the Lord in 32:8–9; no team lean. See note.language.Deut.32.7-Deut.32.9.elyon-portion.
Claims
- SaysSwete's LXX of 32:8 ends κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων θεοῦ, where the Hebrew has לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; ὁ ὕψιστος renders עֶלְיוֹן.
- SaysLXX 32:9 μερὶς Κυρίου λαὸς αὐτοῦ Ἰακώβ agrees with the Hebrew; the Greek opens with καὶ ἐγενήθη for 'for' and adds Ἰσραήλ.
- ImpliesThe LXX does not support the MT 'sons of Israel' here; whether it reflects a different Hebrew text or interpretation, and which reading is printed, are left to var.Deut.32.8.sons-of-israel.
- SaysSwete prints ἀγγέλων θεοῦ; his apparatus, as logged, records no υἱῶν θεοῦ reading.
- SaysBrooke–McLean (p. 661): no Greek manuscript reads υἱῶν θεοῦ; the Armenian is the only 'sons of God' version; υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ is read by pᵇ (uncertain) and some Origen citations, and x and g add it; hexaplaric: z gives Aquila as υἱῶν θεοῦ, M and v as υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ.
- UncertainWho the angels or sons of God are, and how the Most High relates to the Lord; no team lean.
Citations
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Deut 32:8 (vol. 1 pp. 410–411, leaf n441–n442), text and apparatus as logged in inputs/excerpts/LOCATORS.md; Deut 32:9 (p. 411, leaf n442); read on the page image (frozen input inputs/lxx/Deut.32.lxx-swete.overlay.jsonl, page_checked)
- Brooke–McLean public domain p. 661, main and hexaplaric apparatus at Deut 32:8 (scan p3oldtestamentin01broouoft n266; frozen input inputs/excerpts, Brooke–McLean p. 661 Deut 32:8 transcription)
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Deut 32:8–9 (frozen input inputs/wlc/Deut.32.wlc.jsonl)
- BSB public domain Deut 32:8 (frozen input inputs/bsb/Deut.32.bsb.jsonl)
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-11-04
Open in Reader All notes on this passage