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LXX Psa 24:6  (23:6) αὕτη ἡ γενεὰ ζητούντων αὐτόν, ζητούντων τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ θεοῦ Ιακωβ. διάψαλμα. 

Hebrew Text Psa 24:6  זה דור דרשׁו מבקשׁי פניך יעקב סלה׃ 

This in some ways, while it in reconcilable, puzzling why the word for 'God' אלהים is lacking in the Hebrew, and how it would have been translated thus into Greek? Is this translational difference in connection to

Gen 32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved

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  • The Hebrew is awkward to translate. Here is how a Jewish translation translates it: "Such is the circle of those who turn to Him, Jacob, who seek Your presence." Jewish Publication Society. (1985). Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures (Ps 24:6). Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.
    – Perry Webb
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 0:50

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The difference between the Greek text of the Septuagint and the Hebrew text is likely due to variants between the Hebrew source texts used by the seventy Hebrew scholars and the Hebrew source texts used by the Masoretes for their recensions.

Unfortunately, the Dead Sea Scrolls are unable to help us because only a fragment of Psalm 24 (verse 1 and part of verse 2) survives. However, the Syriac Peshitta also uses "God of Jacob" in verse 6. Bible Gateway asserts that two other Hebrew texts (which were not referenced) use "God of Jacob." Several popular English translations also vary between including or not including the reference to God.

From its context, it makes more sense that the generation specified is seeking the face of the God of Jacob rather than the face of Jacob.

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  • Thanks, I had checked a few variations of the Hebrew I have available (alepo codex) and all match the common Masoretic text as well.
    – Lowther
    Commented Jan 9, 2019 at 23:35
  • Any thoughts on the Gen 33:10 connection?
    – Lowther
    Commented Jan 9, 2019 at 23:35
  • It seems to me that Genesis 33:11 puts verse 10 into context. However, you have an interesting observation regarding the possibility of an Hebraicism regarding seeing someone's face. Thanks for mentioning it.
    – Dieter
    Commented Jan 10, 2019 at 0:22
  • A Hebraism is a likely candidate for the reason, those who seek God's face as Jacob? Or in a poetic inference, it is YHWH that is seeking Jacob's face in a relationship such as found in Gen 32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Which , sadly, is the text I had meant to reference!
    – Lowther
    Commented Jan 12, 2019 at 19:18
  • Perhaps this expression is similar to when people say something like, "We could see the hand of God in all these events." They don't mean to imply they saw God's hand, but rather his control.
    – Dieter
    Commented Jan 12, 2019 at 22:11

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