Where does the Tanakh differ from the Christian Old Testament?

Question

Relating to this question: Is the Jewish Tanakh same as the 'Old Testament' which Christians use?

Do they contain the same books and is the textual content same? If not where do they differ?

Answer 1

There can be different answers to this question because some Christian denominations base their canon off of the Septuagint while several Asian (Middle East and India) Christian denominations base theirs off of the Aramaic Peshitta Tanakh (Aramaic Peshitta Old Testament) which was used from 1st century AD.

Like the Septuagint, the Peshitta Tanakh has books that are not part of the Hebrew Tanakh (also known as the Hebrew Masoretic Text). Since everyone is familiar with the Septuagint, I will primarily focus on the Peshitta Tanakh (used by Eastern Christians) and the differences between it and the Hebrew Tanakh.

The Peshitta Tanakh contains the following books of the Old Testament in the order given: Pentateuch, Job, Joshua, Judges, I Samuel, II Samuel, Psalms, I Kings, II Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Sirach, Isaiah, Jeremiah (with Lamentations, I Epistle of Baruch, II Epistle of Baruch, and Epistle of Jeremiah), Ezekiel, 12 minor prophets (Jonah, Nahum, etc.), Daniel (with Bel and Dragon), Ruth, Susanna, Esther, Judith, Ezra-Nehemiah, Wisdom (of Solomon), I Maccabees, II Maccabees, III Maccabees, IV Maccabees, Esdras, Tobit, and Josephus' Jewish Wars' Book Six.

The most famous Peshitta Tanakhs are the Codex Ambrosianus Peshitta Tanakh and the Buchanan Bible which was brought from Kerala, South India in the 19th century.

Josephus' Jewish Wars Book Six is listed as the last book of the Peshitta Tanakh because it mentions the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and the vision of chariots and soldiers in sky right before the destruction of Jerusalem.

Eastern Christians (including myself) use the Aramaic Peshitta Tanakh, because Aramaic is used in Eastern Christianity (Middle East and India). Aside from those mentioned above, the Peshitta Tanakh has other differences from the Hebrew Tanakh especially in verses. Here are some of the information.

Following are some of the issues found in the Hebrew Masoretic Text cleared by the Peshitta Tanakh.

Exodus 6:20

(KJV) And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.

(NIV) Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, who bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.

(1917 JPS Tanakh English translation of Hebrew Masoretic Text) And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years.

You can read this verse in the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Exodus 6:20 in the Hebrew Masoretic Text agrees with the KJV, NIV, and 1917 JPS Tanakh English translations. But is this the correct rendering? Well, let's look at the Peshitta Tanakh (Aramaic Old Testament) and compare it with the Septuagint.

(Samuel Bagster & Sons' Translation from the Septuagint) And Ambram took to wife Jochabed the daughter of his father's brother, and she bore to him both Aaron and Moses, and Mariam their sister; and the years of the life of Ambram were a hundred and thirty-two years.

Here is a link to check this information.

(George Lamsa’s translation of the Peshitta Tanakh) "And Amram took his uncle’s daughter Jokhaber, and she bore him Aaron, Moses, and Miriam; and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty-seven years."

Lamsa wrote "uncle's daughter" instead of writing the daughter of his father's brother. Let's also look at John Wycliffe’s translation:

(John Wycliffe’s translation) Forsothe Amram took a wijf, Jocabed, douytir of his fadris brother, and sche childide to hym Aaron, and Moises, and Marie; and the yeeris of lijf of Amram weren an hundred and seuene and thretti.

Compareing the Peshitta Tanakh and Wycliffe’s translation, the difference with the Septuagint are that it says the years of the life of Ambram were a hundred and thirty-two years. The Peshitta Tanakh and Wycliffe’s translation agree with the Hebrew Masoretic Text about Ambram's age.

Genesis 2:2

(1917 JPS Tanakh English translation of Hebrew Masoretic Text) And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.

Here is this verse in the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Genesis 2:2 in the Hebrew Masoretic Text agrees with the 1917 JPS Tanakh English Translation.

Let’s look at Septuagint:

(Translation from the Septuagint) And God finished on the sixth day his works which he made, and he ceased on the seventh day from all his works which he made.

Here is a site to check this verse.

(George Lamsa’s translation of the Peshitta Tanakh) And on the sixth day God, finished his works which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his works which he had made.

In the Hebrew Masoretic Text it says "seventh day" (in Genesis 2:2). This is in contradiction with Exodus 20:11 (in the Hebrew Masoretic Text) where it says "six days." But Peshitta Tanakh has no such contradiction.

Exodus 20:7

Observe the differences below:

(Peshitta Tanakh) You shall not swear falsely in the name of MarYah your Alaha, for MarYah will not consider him innocent who swears falsely in his Name... for MarYah made the heavens and the earth, the seas and all that is with them in six days, and rested on the seventh day; for that reason, Alaha blessed the seventh day and made it holy {or, sanctified it}.

(LXX) (Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord thy God will not acquit him that takes his name in vain... For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and all things in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it. - Brenton)

(Hebrew Masoretic) You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain; for Yahweh will not allow to go unpunished he who takes his name in vain... For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all which is in them. And he rested on the seventh day; thus, Yahweh blessed the seventh day and sanctified it.

(KJV) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain... For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

2 Kings 8:26 & 2 Chronicles 22:2

(2 Kings 8:26, Hebrew Masoretic Text) Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

(2 Chronicles 22:2, Hebrew Masoretic Text) Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

In 2 Kings 8:26 from the Hebrew Masoretic Text it says that Ahaziah was 22 years old. But in 2 Chronicles 22:2, it says Ahaziah was 42 years old. Does the Peshitta Tanakh have this contradiction?

(2 Kings 8:26, Lamsa Translation of Peshitta Tanakh)Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

(2 Chronicles 22:2, Lamsa Translation of Peshitta Tanakh) Twenty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.

The Peshitta Tanakh clears the contradiction found in the Hebrew Masoretic Text.

Did Joram marry the daughter of Ahab or the sister of Ahab?

(2 Kings 8:16-18, Hebrew Masoretic Text) And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being the king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

(2 Kings 8:24, Hebrew Masoretic Text) And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

Through this we know that Athaliah was the wife of Joram and their son was Ahaziah. But in 2 Kings 8:26 & 2 Chronicles 22:2, it says Athaliah was the daughter of Omri and Athaliah was the mother of Ahaziah. But in 2 Kings 8:16-18, we read Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab. In 1 Kings 16:29-30, we know that Ahab was the son of Omri.

What does Peshitta Tanakh say about this contradiction?

(2 Kings 8:16-18, Lamsa Translation of Peshitta Tanakh) And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel. Joram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began to reign. He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for the sister of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Unlike 2 Kings 8:16-18 from the Hebrew Masoretic Text, the Peshitta Tanakh points out that Joram married a sister of Ahab. Through this, the contradictions in the Hebrew Masoretic Text are cleared by the Peshitta Tanakh. Ahab was the son of Omri and Athaliah was the daughter of Omri.

Was Jehoiachin 8 years old (2 Chronicles 36:9) or 18 years old (2Kings 24:8) when he began to reign?

2 Kings 24:8 (Hebrew Masoretic Text) Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned in Jerusalem three months; and his mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

(2 Chronicles 36:9, Hebrew Masoretic Text) Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem; and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

It says that Jehoiachin was eighteen years old in 2 Kings 24:8 and that he was eight years old in 2 Chronicles 36:9. What does the Peshitta Tanakh say about this contradiction?

(2 Chronicles 36:9, Lamsa translation of Peshitta Tanakh) Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem; and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

(2 Kings 24:8, Lamsa Translation of Peshitta Tanakh) Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Eliathan of Jerusalem.

Both 2 Chronicles 36:9 and 2 Kings 24:8 say that Jehoiachin was eighteen years old. This contradiction in the Hebrew Masoretic Text is cleared by the Peshitta Tanakh.

1 Samuel 13:5

(Hebrew Masoretic Text) And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude; and they came up, and pitched in Michmas, eastward of Beth-aven.

There are 30,000 chariots, but there are only 6000 horsemen? There is something strange here. Let's look at the Peshitta Tanakh.

(Lamsa Translation of Peshitta Tanakh) And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, three thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude; and they came up and encamped in Michmash, east of Beth-el.

In the Peshitta Tanakh, it says there were 3000 chariots instead of 30,000 chariots as in the Hebrew Masoretic Text. This makes much more sense.

In the Peshitta Tanakh, it says Beth-el. But the Hebrew Masoretic Text has Beth-aven.

There are several other differences between the Aramaic Peshitta Tanakh and the Hebrew Tanakh.

In Eastern Tradition, it is believed that books like Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Zachariah, Haggai, Malachi, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees are originally written in Aramaic since they were written after the Babylonian exile and the Peshitta Tanakh preserves the original of these books. But it must be noted that this is not confirmed.

The Lamsa translation of the Peshitta Tanakh is the only current available English Translation of the Peshitta Tanakh. His translation is alright. It’s not great.

Answer 2

Here is a chart which gives a comparison of the books and order:

(source website)

The other important thing to remember is that the Jewish Tanach exists primarily in Hebrew and is augmented by commentary from within the Jewish tradition. Any translation, especially one whose translation was influenced by other theologies will deviate in terms of content.

Answer 3

In general the Tanakh is the same as the Christian Old Testament. The differences are:

1. Some Christians use a few extra books, which are called deuterocanonical (or apocrypha, by those who reject them). These books are found in the earliest Greek translation of the Tanakh, but were later rejected by the rabbis.

2. The books of the Tanakh are usually printed in a different order than you will find in Christian editions. Also, some books (Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, and the twelve minor prophets) are split in the Old Testament. Wikipedia has a wonderful table showing these differences.

3. Jewish publishers use a different versification scheme than Christian publishers. This is perhaps the biggest practical difference and can be a real hassle on this site. Thankfully, the chapter and verse divisions are not original and can be ignored in interpretation. This difference just makes citing verses tricky.

4. The Jewish Tanakh follows the Masoretic textual tradition, while some Christian groups follow ancient translations based on other textual traditions (Septuagint, Peshitta, Vulgate, etc.) or combine readings from different textual traditions. The Jewish Publishing Society's 1917 English translation is subtitled, "According to the Masoretic Text". Eastern Orthodox translators follow the Septuagint reading. Syriac Orthodox translators use an ancient translation called Peshitta. Catholic translators regularly consult the Vulgate, an ancient Latin translation. Protestant and interdenominational translation are influenced by these sources and (since 1946) the Dead Sea Scrolls. Generally, the differences are minor to nonexistent, but occasionally a word or phrase will differ. Usually the translator will note such variations in footnotes.

5. Jewish and Christian translators sometimes pick a primary reading of a Hebrew text because of doctrinal considerations. The good news is that we have access to the same original text and can reason together about their meaning in the original language.

Summary

Jews and Christians use essentially the same set of Hebrew Scriptures. Like any text from before the invention of the printing press, there are variations between copies. But as a practical matter, the variations are minor and rarely impact interpretation.