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I was comparing various passages in the KJV (translated from the Masoretic Text) with the Septuagint (LXX) to see what the differences would be. One of the passages that I used was from Ezekiel 37, the well-known prophecy about the valley of dry bones. I knew that the Masoretic Text often omitted things that were found in the Septuagint, but one thing that really struck out to me is that the LXX seemed to omit a part of verses 25 and 26 that were found in the MT.
And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my
servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell
therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s
children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for
ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be
an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and
multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for
evermore. Ez 37:25, 26 MTAnd they shall dwell in their land, which I have given to my servant
Jacob, where their fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell upon it: and
David my servant shall be their prince forever. And I will make with
them a covenant of peace; it shall be an everlasting covenant with
them; and I will establish my sanctuary in the midst of them for ever.
Ez 37:25, 26 LXX
As you can see, in both verses 25 and 26, the LXX completely omitted the parts about multiplying and living with the children and the children’s children, as if it was never there. This omission is kind of strange to me since I expected that the Septuagint would include something the MT wouldn’t, not the other way around. I also checked the Peshitta and it includes the multiplying, unlike the Septuagint.
So which is it? Were those parts about living with children and their children’s children and God multiplying them included in the original Hebrew text or not? And if they were, why aren’t they in the Septuagint?
