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"He teareth me in His wrath" (Job 16: 9).
"He breaketh me with breach upon breach" (Job 16: 14).
"To cast down the poor and needy" (Psa. 37: 14; LXX 36:).
"Thou casteth them down into destruction" (Psa. 73: 18; LXX 72:).
"To overthrow them in the wilderness" (Psa. 106: 26, 27; LXX 105:).
"She hath cast down many wounded" (Prov. 7: 26).
"The words of a talebearer are as wounds" (Prov. 18: 8).
"Like a city that is broken down, and without walls" (Prov. 25: 28).
"Esebon and Eleale have cast down thy trees" (LXX translation, Isa. 16: 9).
"The lofty city He layeth it low" (Isa. 26: 5).
"I will cause them to fall before their enemies" (Jer. 19: 7).
"I will cast down your slain men before your idols" (Ezek. 6: 4).
"Thy remnant shall fall by the sword" (Ezek. 23: 25).
"They shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers" (Ezek. 26: 4).
"He shall cast down with his swords" (LXX translation, Ezek. 26: 9).
"He shall cast down thy walls" (LXX translation, Ezek. 26: 12).
"I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness" (Ezek. 29: 5).
"I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand" (Ezek. 30: 22).
"Have him cast down upon the mountains" (LXX translation, Ezek. 31: 12).
"Will I cause thy multitude to fall" (Ezek. 32: 12).
"Thou shalt fall upon the mountain of Israel" (Ezek. 39: 4).
"He shall cast down many ten thousands" (Dan. 11: 12).
This is rather a formidable list, and the verification of each reference is no light task,
as in one or two passages there is no obvious Hebrew equivalent, yet we believe it is
impossible for any reader not to be impressed with the solidarity of its witness. Every
single reference is for the translation "overthrow", not one is for the translation found in
the A.V. of Eph. 1: 4.
This however is not all. If each reference be read in its context, the references will be
found to be those of battle, of siege, of destruction, of judgment, which tilt the beam of
the balances still further. If in addition we discover what Hebrew words have been
translated by kataballo in the LXX our evidence will be complete. These we will supply,
for the benefit of any who may not have the facilities to discover them.
Naphal.
"To cast down, to fall" (LXX, II Sam. 20: 15 and sixteen other references).
Charas.
"To crush" (LXX Job 12: 14; Ezek. 26: 4, 12).
Shachath.
"To mar, corrupt or destroy" (LXX Ezek. 26: 5).
Natash.
"To leave, spread out" (LXX Ezek. 29: 5; 31: 12).
Nathats.
"To break down" (LXX Ezek. 26: 9).
Parats.
"To break forth" (LXX Job 16: 14; Psa. 25: 29).
Taraph.
"To tear" (LXX Job 16: 9).
Satam.
"To hate" (LXX Job 16: 9).
Not a solitary Hebrew word that means to build, to lay a foundation, to erect, is here
but a variety of words everyone meaning destruction, is spoiling, or causing to fall. This
is "proof positive", no reasoning is necessary except the most elementary recognition of
fact when it is presented. From every point of view, the word katabole in Eph. 1: 4
should be translated "overthrow".