Numbers 16:5

The Lord Knoweth Them That Are His

Quoted by the apostles in 2 Timothy 2:19, in the older Greek wording

Side by Side

The Older Text

Septuagint, translated before Messiah

And he spoke to Core and all his assembly, saying, God has visited and known those that are his and who are holy, and has brought them to himself.

The Later Text

Masoretic, finished about 1,000 years after the cross

And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow Yahuah will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him.

Quoted in 2 Timothy 2:19

The apostle’s Old Testament

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Messiah depart from iniquity.

Your KJV reads: the Hebrew in Numbers (“Yahuah will shew who are his”), then the Greek wording in 2 Timothy (“The Lord knoweth them that are his”).

See what changed and why ↓

What Your Bible Says

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Messiah depart from iniquity.
2 Timothy 2:19 KJV

False teachers were overturning the belief of some. Paul answers that the foundation of Elohim still stands, and it bears a seal with two lines on it.

What the Jewish Bible Says

Even to morrow Yahuah will shew who are his, and who is holy.
Numbers 16:5 KJV

Korah and his men had risen against Moses and Aaron. Moses answers: tomorrow Yahuah will make it known who belongs to Him.

What Changed

The Hebrew says Yahuah “will shew,” will make known, who are His. The Greek says He “has known” them. Paul took the Greek form: “The Lord knoweth them that are his.” Both say the same thing from two sides. Yahuah knows His own, and in time He makes it plain to everyone.

In Numbers, the Lord who knows His own is Yahuah Himself. The seal Paul quotes keeps that order: Yahuah knows who are His, and those who name the name of Messiah show it by departing from iniquity.

Purpose of the Change

No motive evident: wording variation only. The pair still matters because Paul quoted the Greek wording and set it as the seal on the foundation of Elohim.

The Bottom Line

Paul quoted the Greek. Yahuah knows His own, and He separates them.

The same call to come apart sounds at the end of the Book: “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

Dig Deeper The evidence, for anyone who wants it

The Second Line of the Seal

Paul’s second line, “depart from iniquity,” seems to echo Korah’s night as well. Moses told the people, “Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs” (Numbers 16:26). Those who are His step away from the rebels. Knowing Yahuah and departing from iniquity belong together.

An Honest Note

The difference comes from how the Greek translators read the same Hebrew letters. The verb can be read “will make known” or “knew.” The Hebrew word for “morning” can also be read as a verb meaning to look over or visit, which seems to be where the Greek got “has visited.” These are translation choices, not changes to the Hebrew. Also, the Greek says “God” where Paul says “Lord.” The Hebrew has the Name, Yahuah, and Paul’s “Lord” stands in its place.