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`angels'; in Deut. 32: 8 where the original reads `according to the number of the
sons of Israel', the LXX reads `according to the number of the angels of God'.
Speaking of Leviathan, the Lord says to Job, according to the LXX:
"This is the chief of the creation of the Lord; made to be played with by His angels"
(Job 40: 14).
Again it is beyond our present knowledge to explain the great divergence manifested
here between the Hebrew original and the 70: In Job 40: 6 where the A.V. reads (in
verse 11, the enumeration is not similar throughout) "Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath',
the LXX reads `Sent forth angels with wrath'. Lastly, so far as Job 36: 14 is
concerned, it reads in the LXX:
"Therefore let their soul die in youth, and their life be wounded by angels (of death)."
The underlying link between these various and strange renderings is the substitution of
the "angel" as the instrument or agent for the personal activity of God Himself. Where
the modern man speaks of `forces of nature', the Hebrew speaks of `angels'. In both
cases instruments or agents are intended.
In II Sam. 15: 13 the word nagad is translated `angel' in the LXX, which word in
slightly different forms appear in this same chapter as `certify', `told' and `tell'
(verses 28, 31 and 35). This rendering bears out the ordinary meaning that attaches to
both the Hebrew and the Greek words which are generally translated `angel', namely `a
messenger'.
There remains just the translation by the word `angel' of the word `servant'
(Isa. 37: 24); of the word for `ambassador' (Jer. 29: 14); and `by the hand'
(Prov. 26: 6).
These somewhat curious examples of translation may not, it is true, contribute much
to our understanding, but the very fact that in them is exhibited every existing reference
in the LXX to the word angelos (except of course those which now await our
examination), means that no light or truth that might have been revealed has been
neglected. We can now turn our attention to the most important words that are translated
`angel' namely malak in the Hebrew and angelos in the Greek. Malak occurs 213 times,
of which 111 occurrences are translated `angel'; 98 `messenger', and 4 `ambassador'.
Angelos occurs 188 times, of which 181 occurrences are translated `angel' and
`messenger' 7 times.
The first fact to be recorded and to remember throughout this study is that angels
belong to the spiritual world. "He maketh His angels spirits" (Psa. 104: 4) and are
numbered among `things in heaven' as contrasted with `things on earth' (Matt. 18: 10;
24: 36; 28: 2). Those that attain to the resurrection are said to be `as the angels
which are in heaven' so far as the matter of marriage is concerned (Mark 12: 25).
Scripture moreover insists upon the vastness of the number of these `holy myriads',
speaking of `the heavenly host' (Luke 2: 13); and as the Saviour Himself said that he