03 From the Flood to Abraham

From the Flood to Abraham HEBREW SAMARITAN SEPTUAGENT

* The smaller figures are from the Alexandrian copy of the LXX. In this table also (from Genesis 11:1-32) it will be seen that there are several alterations of 100 years, evidently made purposely, and not by accident. For the reasons already given we feel bound to take the Hebrew. But besides these alterations, the LXX. has a Cainan, with 130 years, which is not in the Hebrew or the Samaritan. A very grave question arises, Ought this to be inserted? If there was no such person, how has it crept into the LXX.? If there was such a person, how is it that it is omitted from the Hebrew? Were this the whole question, we should feel bound at once to reject it, and keep to the Hebrew; but this very name is quoted in Luke 3:1-38, and it therefore cannot be so easily disposed of. The genealogical list of which this second Cainan (so called to distinguish him from Cainan the son of Enos) forms a part, occurs four times in the Old Testament: namely, Genesis 10:24; Genesis 11:12; 1 Chronicles 1:18; 1 Chronicles 1:24. This Cainan does not occur in the Hebrew in any of these places, so that if it had been left out in one place by mistake, it must have been purposely omitted in the other three places to make them all agree. But this is a very grave fault to suppose. And further, it is not in the Samaritan Pentateuch, or in any of the early translations. In the LXX. it is in only three of the places (being omitted from 1 Chronicles 1:24), which thus makes the LXX. inconsistent in itself.

It is said, too, that it was not in the copies of the Bible used by such early writers as Berosus, Eupolemus, Polyhister, Josephus, Philo, Theophilus of Antioch, Africanus, Origen, and Jerome.* (*See Smith’s "Dictionary of the Bible:" Cainan.)

How it came to be copied into Luke 3:36 is really the difficulty. We have seen that where the LXX. gave the same sense as the Hebrew it was often quoted; but this would not be the case if no such person as this Cainan had existed. But it must be observed that in Luke it does not say that it is a quotation from Scripture, so that the list may be some accredited genealogical list known in the apostles’ days (which was not inspired, and which was merely copied - though copied by inspiration - as it stood); and not be taken from the Old Testament at all. Or it may be an error of an early copyist. The word Cainan occurs in Luke 3:37, and his eye may have caught that word by mistake, and being copied he would not spoil his manuscript by an erasure. And it must be noticed that it is wanting in one of the earliest Greek manuscripts of Luke. In whatever way it got into Luke, it may from thence have been copied into the LXX. by those who were anxious for a longer chronology; and if they did not hesitate to alter the Scripture by adding the various hundred years, they would not be slow to add another name to which they could put a hundred and thirty additional years. Bearing in mind, too, that many held the inspiration of Scripture so loosely that it would not seem to them nearly so grave a fault as it surely was. On the whole, then, we feel bound to reject this Cainan, and to keep to the Hebrew just as it stands.

There is still one point in the table that demands a word: it is the age of Terah when Abraham was born. From Genesis 11:26, it would appear that Terah was seventy years old when Abraham was born (as is given in the table), but Abraham may not have been Terah’s first-born, but have been put first because he became God’s chosen man. And this would appear to be the case if we compare Genesis 11:32; Genesis 12:4, with Acts 7:4; because (1), Abraham left Haran after his father’s death; (2), his father died 205 years old; (3), Abraham was seventy-five years old at that time; and (4), therefore Terah must have been 130 years old when Abraham was born.

The moral links are ̶ Noah steps forth into the new earth; and God establishes His covenant with him and with every living creature, and sets His bow in the cloud. Noah’s descendants seek to become great in the earth and build cities; and, that they may get to themselves a name, they build the tower of Babel. God confounds their language, and scatters them - setting their bounds according to the number of the then future children of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:8-9). Idolatry now appears (see Joshua 24:2), and God calls out Abraham, and makes an unconditional covenant with him and his seed.