Behold the various differences in meaning when comparing passages in the Masoretic Text to the Septuagint. (This page will be expanded continually over time.)
For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.
Isaiah 7:16 (ESV 2016)
Because before the child knows good or bad, he resists wickedness to choose good;
Isaiah 7:16 (Lexham English Septuagint, 2nd Edition)
and the land that you fear because of the face of the two kings will be forsaken.
Just a couple of verses after Isaiah 7:14, which many modern translations weaken to say “young woman” instead of “virgin” due to the vagueness of the Masoretic Text (whereas the Septuagint rendering unambiguously means “virgin”), there is another prophetic description of Christ which is weakened in the Masoretic Text. The Septuagint faithfully preserves the proclamation of Christ’s perfect innocence.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV 2016)
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us,
Isaiah 9:6-7 (Brenton’s Septuagint Translation)
whose government is upon his shoulder:
and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel:
for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him.
His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end:
it shall be upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom,
to establish it, and to support it with judgement and with righteousness,
from henceforth and forever.
The seal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.
Now this is an interesting case, because on first glance the Masoretic Text might appear favorable. Jerome thought so. However, doesn’t the Masoretic reading introduce some tension for Trinitarians (also known as the entirety of Christianity)?
But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter.
Jeremiah 11:19 (ESV 2016)
I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
let us cut him off from the land of the living,
that his name be remembered no more.”
But I, like an innocent lamb led to be slaughtered, did not know.
Jeremiah 11:19 (New English Translation of the Septuagint)
They devised an evil scheme against me, saying,
“Come, and let us throw wood into his bread,
and let us wipe him out from the land of the living,
and his name will no longer be remembered!”
This prophecy in the Septuagint was recognized by Cyprian of Carthage (“To Quirinus: Testimonies Against the Jews 2.20”), Lactantius (“Divine Institutes 4.14”), and Rufinus of Aquileia (“Commentary on the Apostles’ Creed 22”). Even Jerome accepted the wood-and-bread portion (“Six Books on Jeremiah 2.110.2–4”) and included it in the Vulgate, which may suggest that its removal from the Masoretic Text was especially late.
not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt,
Jeremiah 31:32 (NKJV 1982)
My covenant which they broke,
though I was a husband to them, says the LORD.
not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt;
Jeremiah 31:32 (LXX 38:32; Brenton’s Septuagint Translation)
for they abode not in my covenant,
and I disregarded them, saith the Lord.
not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt;
Hebrews 8:9 (NKJV 1982)
because they did not continue in My covenant,
and I disregarded them, says the LORD.
In the majority of cases where the New Testament quotes the Old, the meaning will agree with the Septuagint manuscripts against the Masoretic manuscripts.
They have dealt faithlessly with the LORD;
Hosea 5:7 (ESV 2016)
for they have borne alien children.
Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.
because they forsook the Lord,
Hosea 5:7 (Lexham English Septuagint, 2nd Edition)
because foreign children were fathered by them.
Now the mildew* will devour them and their inheritances.
*alternatively rust (New English Translation of the Septuagint) or cankerworm (Brenton’s Septuagint Translation)
Septuagint renderings tend to clarify passages that are confusing in the Masoretic.