Rom 11:1–4: Ps 94:14 and Elijah in 1 Kgs 19 (MT and LXX)
Says Paul's question μὴ ἀπώσατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ uses the verb of Ps 94:14 (Swete 93:14) and 1 Sam 12:22, οὐκ ἀπώσεται Κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, where the MT has יִטֹּשׁ (yittosh, "abandon," BDB p. 643). Rom 11:2 answers with the promise and adds ὃν προέγνω.
Says Rom 11:3 shortens 1 Kgs 19:10 (MT = 19:14). The MT has אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתֶיךָ הָרָסוּ וְאֶת־נְבִיאֶיךָ הָרְגוּ (et-mizbekhotekha harasu ve'et-nevi'ekha hargu, "torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets," BSB); Swete has τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου κατέσκαψαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν. Paul adds Κύριε, puts the prophets first (τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν, τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου κατέσκαψαν), and leaves out the forsaken covenant and "with the sword."
Says For וָאִוָּתֵר אֲנִי לְבַדִּי (va'ivvater ani levaddi, "I am the only one left," BSB) Swete has ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος; Paul has κἀγὼ ὑπελείφθην μόνος.
Says In 1 Kgs 19:18 the MT וְהִשְׁאַרְתִּי (vehish'arti, Hiphil, first person; "I have reserved," BSB) has God speak, while Swete's καὶ καταλείψεις ἐν Ἰσραὴλ ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν is second person ("you will leave"). Paul's first-person Κατέλιπον ἐμαυτῷ agrees with the Hebrew, adding "for myself," and keeps the LXX "men."
Says The MT לַבַּעַל (labba'al) and Swete's πάντα γόνατα ἃ οὐκ ὤκλασαν γόνυ τῷ Βάαλ have the masculine; Paul has the feminine τῇ Βάαλ.
Uncertain The feminine article may reflect a Greek-speaking Jewish custom of reading αἰσχύνη ("shame") for the name, as Hebrew readers used boshet; this is unproven.
The remnant of 11:5 is treated in note.language.Rom.9.27-Rom.9.29.isa-10-22-23-1-9 and xref.Rom.9.27-Rom.9.28.Isa.10.22-Isa.10.23.heb.
Claims
- SaysRom 11:1 μὴ ἀπώσατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ uses the LXX verb of Ps 93:14 / 1 Kgdms 12:22 (οὐκ ἀπώσεται Κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ) for MT יִטֹּשׁ; 11:2 adds ὃν προέγνω.
- SaysRom 11:3 shortens 1 Kgs 19:10/14 (MT אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתֶיךָ הָרָסוּ וְאֶת־נְבִיאֶיךָ הָרְגוּ; Swete 19:10 τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου κατέσκαψαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν): Paul adds Κύριε, puts the prophets first and omits the covenant and the sword.
- SaysMT וָאִוָּתֵר אֲנִי לְבַדִּי; Swete ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος; Paul κἀγὼ ὑπελείφθην μόνος.
- SaysMT 1 Kgs 19:18 וְהִשְׁאַרְתִּי is first person (Hiphil); Swete καὶ καταλείψεις ἐν Ἰσραὴλ ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν is second person; Paul's Κατέλιπον ἐμαυτῷ agrees with the Hebrew and keeps the LXX "men."
- SaysMT לַבַּעַל and Swete πάντα γόνατα ἃ οὐκ ὤκλασαν γόνυ τῷ Βάαλ are masculine; Paul has the feminine τῇ Βάαλ.
- UncertainThe feminine article may reflect reading αἰσχύνη ("shame") for the name; this is unproven.
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Ps 94:14; 1 Sam 12:22; 1 Kgs 19:10, 14, 18 (וְהִשְׁאַרְתִּי morph HC/Vhp1cs; לַבַּעַל morph HRd/Np; masculine לוֹ morph HR/Sp3ms)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 נָטַשׁ (H5203), p. 643, entry n.de.aa
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Ps 93:14 (vol. 2 p. 340; apparatus: nothing at απωσεται). LXX read on the Swete page image, vol. 2 (1896), p. 340.
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 1 Kgdms 12:22 (vol. 1 p. 568); 3 Kgdms 19:10, 14 (p. 728; apparatus: "10 ζητουσιν A | την ψυχην μου A … 14 om την διαθηκην σου και A"); 19:18 (p. 729; apparatus: "om γονυ A"). LXX read on the Swete page image, vol. 1 (1909), pp. 568, 728, 729.
- SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 11:1–4
- BSB public domain 1 Kgs 19:10, 18
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-11-04
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