# Hebrews 2:13 Quotation



## py3ak (Jun 20, 2010)

What OT text is the _first_ quotation ("I will put my trust in him") in Hebrews 2:13 drawn from?

I have seen 2 Samuel 22:3, Psalm 18:2, Isaiah 8:17 and Isaiah 12:2 listed as places that meet the demand as far as content and language.

Isaiah 8:17 has gotten the most votes in what I've read; but John Owen objects to it on the grounds that "trust" is not a good translation of the word there, and also raises the interesting objection that the formula introducing the next quotation from Isaiah 8:18 ("and again - _kai palin_") is not necessary if Hebrews is making one continuous quotation. He suggests Psalm 18:2, adding that the LXX translation of "hope" is incorrect 

No one seems to consider that 2 Samuel 22:3 or Isaiah 12:2 are strong contenders, though I'm not sure why: I suppose because there's nothing to recommend them over the other options.

There is an interesting argument mentioned by George Guthrie in favor of Isaiah 8:17. In Hebrews 2:12 there is a quotation from Psalm 22:22; a little later (v.24) mention is made of God not hiding His face; in Isaiah 8:17 just before the phrase that's quoted in Hebrews it talks about God hiding His face from the house of Israel.

So what do you think? And whichever view you take, how do you answer the objections to it?


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## py3ak (Jun 22, 2010)

No votes? You could always vote "Other" for "This is an indisoluble dilemma" or "Why are you wasting our time asking such trifling questions".


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## MLCOPE2 (Jun 22, 2010)

I voted other. I would go with Isaiah 8:18.


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## py3ak (Jun 22, 2010)

Michael, Isaiah 8:18 is the undisputed source for the _second_ quotation in Hebrews 2:13. I am interested in the _first_ quotation.


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## Steve Curtis (Jun 22, 2010)

I voted "other" because the option that I would have chosen - Psalm 18:_2_ - isn't listed!

I agree that the _kai palin_ unnecessarily interupts the quote if both are from Isaiah.

Also of interest, Gill suggests that he doesn't like the Isaiah option because the author of Hebrews is quoting the Messiah, and the words in Isaiah are not Messianic, whereas he takes the Psalm to be so. In fact, Gill even seems to suggest that both quotes are from Psalms, though I don't see that.


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## py3ak (Jun 22, 2010)

Steve, I corrected the poll option and moved your vote: I meant to put 18:2 as you can see from the text of my original post.

Thanks for pointing that out from Gill: it shows that there is some relevance to the question. I would probably disagree with him on this: how can Isaiah 8 _not_ be messianic? The thought of Immanuel is pervasive from 7:14; 8:8; 8:10, and then, as the supreme prophet, who better to speak about "My disciples" in v.16? 

Does a comparison of Hebrews 10:30 with Deuteronomy 32:35,36 impact your view of the import of _kai palin_ at all? I realize that in that text the quotation is not continuous as it would be if Hebrews 2:13 is drawing from Isaiah 8 in both parts; but if you take it that the different parts of the quotation are supporting a different part of the preceding statement he is proving with his quotations, that might suggest an alternative reason for the _kai palin_.


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## Steve Curtis (Jun 22, 2010)

Ruben,
I agree with you that Isaiah 8 can surely be seen as messianic (perhaps "ought" is better even than "can").

Interesting about Hebrews 10:30. I suppose I can see the insertion of _kai palin_ (in both passages) as a literary device to emphasize the common train of thought. For his part, Gill, while arguing _against_ consecutive quotes from Isaiah in 2:13 because of the _kai palin_ (and because of the messianic consideration), explains the _kai palin_ in 10:30 as a connective between the consecutive verses in Deut. 32. So he seems a bit inconsistent here, though, as you suggest, it may be that, because of the intervening text between the two verses being quoted in 10:30, there is greater justification for the _kai palin_.

Now I am not sure which I find more compelling! Perhaps I should consider your two alternate suggestions more closely...


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