Wisdom of Sirach 15.14 and the intent of humankind.

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Ben C. Smith
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Wisdom of Sirach 15.14 and the intent of humankind.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

Interesting apparent interpolation into this verse:

Wisdom of Sirach 15.14: 14 In the beginning He created man [Hebrew + “and He placed him into the hand of his abductor”], and He gave him into the hand of his own intent. / {Greek:] 14 αὐτὸς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐποίησεν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν ἐν χειρὶ διαβουλίου αὐτου. / [Cairo Genizah:] 14 אֱלהִֹים מִבְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרֲ אָדָם֭ וַיְשִׁיתֵהוּ בְיַד חוֹתְפוֹ וַיִּתְּנֵהוּ בְּיַד יִצְרוֹ׃

The Greek lacks that line, "and placed him into the hand of his abductor," which also happens (A) to ruin the Hebraic parallelism and (B) to seemingly contradict the second half of the original verse, "and gave him into the hand of his own intent."

Somebody must not have been very keen on Sirach suggesting that God gave humans their own intent or imagination or inclination.

Ben.
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