Shlama,

There's an interesting conversation on the New Testament forum at Peshitta.org concerning the use of the word "shachar" and "shachad" in DSS Isaiah (Dead Sea Scrolls) and the Hebrew MT (Masoretic text), which I have here copied my post. I had never really paid much attention to in the past. I wasn't aware that DSS Isaiah used "shachad" which I find fascinating since it seems to agree with the Peshitta Tanakh as opposed to the much later MT.

The word dx$ has been translated as "bribe", "gift" and "reward" by different translators.

Isaiah 8:20 from Pshitta Tanakh uses the word "bribe" dx$ (sh'khad) while the Masoretic text uses: rx$ (shachar) which is often translated as "morning", "light" or "dawn".

Translation of Isaiah 8:20 from the Aramaic:
"To the testimony and the law! If you do not speak according to this word, because there is none who bribe them."

Jastrow's Dictionary of the Targumim says of the word "shachad": to win the favor of, bribe and quotes Sanhedrin 43b (see below).

Strong's Hebrew Bible Dictionary gives this information for the word "shachad": a primitive root; to donate, i.e. bribe:--hire, give a reward... from 'shachad' (7809); a donation (venal or redemptive):--bribe(-ry), gift, present, reward. (Number 7809).

There's an interesting comment by Adam Clarke where says of Isaiah 8:20, "If there be any sense in these words, it is not the sense of the original; which cannot justly be so translated...The reading of the Septuagint and Syriac dx$ shachad, gift, affords no assistance towards the clearing up of any thing in this difficult place."

Clarke adds: "Kimchi says this was the form of an oath: -'By the law and by the testimony such and such things are so.' Now if they had sworn this falsely, it is because there is no light, no illumination...no scruple of conscience in them." (Adam Clarke's "Holy Bible With a Commentary and Critical Notes", 1836; page 570 - Download from Google Books, 140 megs).

The use of the word "bribe" is also found in Peshitta Ezekiel 16:33 "All the prostitutes pay them, but you gave to pay all of your lovers and they gave bribes for your prostitution, to come to you from all of your surroundings."

As noted above by Rabbi Jastrow Babylonian Talmud has similiar uses of this word "He (Joshua) bribed him (Achan) with words"; from which we also find the phrase: "whom I can persuade with words and bribe with money."

Job 15:34 from various translations

We find a similar use of the word "shachad" in Job 15:34.

Peshitta: "For the company of the pagans/godless will be devastation and desolation, and the fire will consume the house of the wicked/bribery."

Bishops Bible (1568): For the congregation of hypocrites shalbe desolate, and the fire shall consume the houses of such as are greedie to receaue giftes.

Jewish Publication Society: For the company of the godless shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery.

New American Standard Bible: "For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of the corrupt.

New Jerusalem Bible: Yes, sterile is the spawn of the sinner, and fire consumes the tents of the venal.

Geneva Bible (1587): For the congregation of the hypocrite shalbe desolate, and fire shall deuoure the houses of bribes.

Amplified Bible: For the company of the godless shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery (wrong and injustice).

Complete Jewish Bible: For the community of the ungodly is sterile; fire consumes the tents of bribery.

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