The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

110 more critical is how James' quotation differs from the Septuagintal version of Amos 9:11-12 . James' words "after these things I will return" (µna Ta0Ta dvaaTptljJw , cf. Jer 12: 15) replace "in that day" (lv Tij ~µtpc;x £KELYTJ); "who makes these things known from of old " (notwv Ta0Ta yvwanx an ' atwvoc;, cf. Isa 45:21) replaces "who does all these things ," ( 6 notwv navTa Ta0Ta ), while the phrase "as in the ancient days" (Ka8wc; al ~µtpm ToO atwvoc;) is omitted. It is unlikely that James would simply alter the text to suit his own needs but rather that he has conflated several scriptures. His use of the plural "with this the words of the prophets (Twv npo<J>riTwv ) agree," indicates that he is likely drawing upon several sources. The passages from which James most likely draws are Jeremiah 12: 15 and Isaiah 45 :21. Both passages deal specifically with the nations coming to the God of Israel. In the context of Jeremiah Yahweh speaks of the destruction which Israel's enemies have executed on her an9 of his vengeance upon them. Yet in the end the offer and prophecy is made that ., they will return to God and to Israel. In the Jeremiah passage 153 the prophet envisions the necessary. . .. In the history of the transmission of the OT there was a time when d and y were virtually indistinguishable," Michael Braun, "James' Use of Amos at the Jerusalem Council: Steps Toward a Possible Solution of the Textual and Theological Problems ," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 20 (June 1977) : 117. Of course the second discrepancy regarding "Edom" and "mankind ," would only involve a vowel change which means there would have been no difference at all in the non-vocalized texts from which the LXX wa translated. Braun concludes , "we have ample warrant to emend the MT-and uch an emendation need not be too severe," Ibid . Toussaint notes that, "The text Jame u ed ma well repre ent the original," Acts, 394. Interestingly, Kai er take the MT a original and understands Israel' "possession" of the remnant of Edom not a a retaliatory move but a ble sing. "' dom ' along with the other nation would be brought under that reign of th Davidic King who i to come-the Mes iah. Thi ' remnant ' mu t al o hare in the o nant promi e to David," Walter . Kai er, "The Davidic Promi e and the Inclu ion of th G ntil (Amo 9:9-15 and Act 15 :13-18) : A Te t Pa age for heologi al tern ," 0 (Jul 1 77) : 101 2. Thi under tanding flow well in the conte t in whi h th n t phr e i " nd all th nations h ar c lied by my name," (Amo :12b) hi h ur 1 d not indi t puni h- m nt for dly r mn nt f m m g n n- d mit ntil . m1 h 12 : 15-16 And it hall m top , afte that I h ·n .....,.ti,·•-· nd h omp ion n hem, and ill bring th m h r it , and r man t hi I nd . 1 nd it h 11 om t p plu k d th m ut I r m n t hi ill dili ntl l rn