Psalm 8:5/Heb. 2:7, 9
“What is man, that you think of him? The son of man, that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honour.” (Psa. 8:4, 5) and “You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honour…But we see Him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Yahusha, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that by the grace of `Eloakh He should taste of death for everyone. (Heb. 2:7, 9).
The KJV and most of the popular modern translations, are derived from the Greek translation, the Septuagint or LXX,
In considering these verses, the following need to be addressed:
Re: Psa. 8:5
The word ‘angels’ in the Hebrew text is אֱלֹהִים `Elohiym. Strong records H430 `Elohiym translated as God approx. 2590 times, next being judges 5 times but angels only once, here in Psa. 8:5. If the Psalmist, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, meant angels, why did he not use the most frequently cited מַּלְאָכִים malakhim H4397 angels 111 times and messenger 98 times?
Why then did LXX translate `Elohiym as ἀγγέλους G32 angelous? Strong records G32 as angels 179 times and messenger 7 times. Nowhere does he use God as a translation of ἀγγέλους.
Why did LXX translate אֱלֹהִים `Elohiym when for over 2590 times with θεός G2316 Theos yet only in Psa. 8:5 ἀγγέλους angelous?
This may be a case of false humility, whereby the translators could not think of themselves of such a lofty inheritance. Yet Sha`ul warns us through his Letter to the Assembly at Colossae that, “Let no one rob you of your prize by delighting in humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,” (Col. 2:18).
Not only does this relegate Man, who was made in the image of `Elohiym (Gen. 1:26), to below the crated beings, known as angels but that the Master Yahusha made Himself less in dignity, authority and worse of all, popularity (ἐλαττόω #G1642 el-a-ta-oh to make less), than the angels (Heb. 2:9).
In the positioning of Man below angels, LXX also considers the Master Yahusha as having become below the angels. On the contrary! The Master Yahusha was (and is and always will be) `Elohiym. When `Elohiym made Man in His image, it was a little below Himself, and above the angels. When He humbled Himself, “Have this in your mind, which was also in the Messiah Yahusha, who, existing in the form of `Elohiym, did not consider it robbery to be equal with `Elohiym, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself, becoming
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obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2: 6, 7). Indeed, in humbling Himself to become as Man, He was still above angels, not below them. Could it be said, that by relegating both Man and the Master Yahusha, LXX are actually exalting angels above their status, and worshipping created beings?
Re: Heb. 2:7, 9
Why would a Hebrew scholar (probably Paul), writing to Hebrew Believers’ assemblies (Book of Hebrews) around Judea, write in Greek? Surely, he would have written in Hebrew, especially as this is probably the most technically Hebrew book in the Renewed Covenant?
Therefore, any manuscripts that we have are in Greek, are the result of Hellenistic Greek copyists/translators. If they were not native Hebrews conversant with the Tanakh, then is it possible that they would use the already accepted LXX translation of Psa. 8:5 and accepted this translation without question for Heb. 2:7 and 2:9? If the LXX is in error, they would have copied (accurately and sincerely) the error, directly from the LXX.
Why then did LXX only translate Psa. 8:5 with ἀγγέλους angelous? Was it a genuine mistake, or was it something more sinister?
יְהֹוָה YHWH H3068 Strong records this is translated with Lord 6510 times, the next being God 4 times. Why then does Strong use this when lord is usually translated אָדוֹן H113 Adoan (197 times) or אֲדֹנָי H136 Adonai (435 times)? It is because Strong uses the KJV (derived from LXX). LXX has removed all references to YHWH and substituted it with κύριος G2962 kurios, which all contemporaneous manuscripts, religious and secular used to designate Zeus and Ba`al.
The circumlocution Adon or Adonai replacing YHWH in speech was introduced around 250 B.C.E., approximately when LXX was started. Coincidence? HaShem was not introduced until the late 19th. Century.
There is no commandment in the Tanakh (Written Law) prohibiting the use of YHWH either in text or speech. This is typical of the Oral Law or Tradition of the Fathers, that all the NT writers and the Master Himself, condemned as it was superseding the Written Law. This hedge was erected around the commandment of Exod. 20:7, not to take the name of YHWH in vain (lightly, profanely). This commandment implies that the reverent use of the name YHWH is permitted and multiple times in the Tanakh, encouraged.
Even so, the circumlocution was never written down in Hebrew manuscripts, but Adonai etc. was only ever vocalised in place of speaking the name. That is, until LXX’s Hellenistic scribes removed YHWH altogether and substituted it by κύριος kurios. Again, coincidence?
Consider Jer. 8:8 (false scribes writing lies) and Jer. 23:25-27 (deceiving, false prophets). Note especially v27 where the accusation by YHWH through His prophet, that His name would be replaced by Ba`al.
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Yahuah bless you and keep you,
Yahuah make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you,
Yahuah lift up His face toward you and give you peace.
All glory be to Yahuah,
Ameyn.
References and Credits
In using these references, it is in no way agreeing to or condoning the theological viewpoint of the authors.
Metzger B.M. A Textual Commentary On
(1994) The Greek New Testament, Second Ed., Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
Strong J. (1994) Strong’s New Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, World Bible Publishers Inc., Madison.
Strong J. (1996) The New Strong’s Complete Dictionary of Bible Words, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.
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