AI tools and Jeremiah 33:25 in Complutension Polyglot
I primarily use Logos Mobile, but I was using Logos Desktop today for a project. I thought I'd show how the AI tools in Logos helped me understand a conundrum I ran into.
I collect historic Bible leaves (pages), and some months ago I purchased one from the Complutension Polyglot, which has Greek, Latin and Hebrew. It is believed the complete Bible printed in 1517, but not released until 1522. The leaf I have has Jeremiah 33:25-34:8 on the recto (front) and Jeremiah 34:9-35:18 on the verso (back). I bought the book The Great Polyglot Bibles, published by The Book Club of California in 1966, but it didn't come with any documentation describing the included leaf, so today I decided I'd try to identify the passage in the leaf.
I don't know Hebrew, Greek or Latin, but I recognized the names Jacob, David, Abraham and Isaac in the Latin portion, so a search in Logos showed me the names all occur at the end of Jeremiah 33. I compared the Latin part using Lexham Latin-English Interlinear Vulgate, and I double-checked the Hebrew using Lexham Hebrew-English Interlinear Vulgate. I was surprised the Greek in The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear Septuagint: H.B. Swete Edition text didn't match Jeremiah 33 or 34. I put the books in a Link Set, and for some reason the Septuagint was going to the end of chapter 40. I fought with it for awhile, but eventually realized chapter 41 in the Septuigent was the same as chapter 34 in the Latin and Hebrew (and English). I did a couple of Smart Searches in Logos and got useful synopsises.
Why do English bibles have Jeremiah 33:14-25 while the Septuagint doesn't have it?
The absence of Jeremiah 33:14-25 in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) has led to scholarly debate about its authenticity in the Hebrew Bible. Some scholars argue that this passage is a later addition, possibly dating to 450-400 BCE[1]. However, this assumption is challenged by others who suggest that multiple versions of Jeremiah may have existed during the exilic period, and the Septuagint's source text might have been just one of these versions[2]. The passage in question focuses on the restoration of the Davidic dynasty and the Levitical priesthood, promising their continuity[2][3]. Some scholars find it difficult to reconcile this emphasis on the priesthood with Jeremiah's earlier criticisms of the sacrificial system[2]. Despite these debates, the presence of this passage in the Masoretic Text (Hebrew Bible) indicates how later interpretive communities may have used and added to the textual tradition to address their own concerns and needs[4]. The passage also relates to broader themes in Jeremiah, including the new covenant and God's enduring commitment to Israel[5].
[1] Coogan, Michael D., ed., The New Oxford Annotated Bible(Oxford University Press, 2007), p. Je 33:14–26
[2] Unterman, Jeremiah, From Repentance to Redemption: Jeremiah’s Thought in Transition, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1987), liv, 142
[3] Lint, Gregory A., ed., Jeremiah–Lamentations, The Complete Biblical Library: Study Bible (World Library Press, 2000), p. Je 33:14–18
[4] Dempsey, Carol J., Marvin A. Sweeney, Chris A. Franke, Kelly J. Murphy, Wilma Ann Bailey, Corrine L. Carvalho, and others, “Themes and Perspectives in the Prophets: Truth, Tragedy, Trauma,” in The Old Testament and Apocrypha, ed. by Gale A. Yee, Hugh R. Page Jr., and Matthew J. M. Coomber, Fortress Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2014), p. 752
[5] Mckinion, Randall L., “Jeremiah 33:14–26: The Branch and the Abrahamic Promises,” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy: Studies and Expositions of the Messiah in the Old Testament, ed. by Michael Rydelnik and Edwin Blum (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2019), p. 1060
Why are the chapters in Jeremiah numbered differently in English, Latin and Hebrew compared to the Greek text?
The book of Jeremiah exists in two distinct versions: the Hebrew (Masoretic) text and the Greek (Septuagint) text, which differ in length and chapter arrangement[1][2]. The Greek version is about one-eighth shorter and has a different chapter order, particularly regarding the "Oracles against the Nations"[1][2]. In the Hebrew text, these oracles appear as chapters 46-51, while in the Greek text, they follow 25:13 and are numbered as chapters 26-31[2][3]. The Greek version also has a different sequence within these oracles[2]. These differences are not merely due to translation but represent two distinct editions of the book, as evidenced by Hebrew fragments found among the Dead Sea Scrolls that support the Greek version[1][2]. Some scholars view the Greek text as representing an earlier edition, with the Hebrew text being an expanded second edition[2][3]. The reasons for these differences are debated, with some attributing them to different Hebrew source texts and others to redactional work[4]. These textual variations are considered crucial for understanding the formation and interpretation of the book of Jeremiah[2][3].
[1] Hall, Gary, “Isaiah,” in Old Testament Introduction, ed. by Mark Mangano, Terry Briley, and Paul Kissling, The College Press NIV Commentary (Joplin, MO: College Press Pub., 2005), p. 467
[2] Petersen, David L., The Prophetic Literature: An Introduction, First edition (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002), p. 100
[3] Carroll, R. P., Jeremiah(London; New York: T&T Clark, 1997), p. 21
[4] Cook, Johann, “A Comparison of Proverbs and Jeremiah in the Septuagint,” Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages, 20.1 (1994), 50
I am disappointed that copying the synopsises didn't include the caveat "This synopsis is generated by AI from the results below. Check it for accuracy."