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Ancient Torah scrolls

I am in discussion with one Christian man regarding Psalms 96:10

10Say among the nations, “The Lord has reigned.” Also the inhabited world will be established so that it will not falter; He will judge peoples with equity. יאִמְר֚וּ בַגּוֹיִ֨ם | יְה֘וָ֚ה מָלָ֗ךְ אַף־תִּכּ֣וֹן תֵּבֵ֣ל בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט יָדִ֥ין עַ֜מִּ֗ים בְּמֵֽישָׁרִֽים:
Christians claim that Jews removed the word “the lord has reigned in the wood” which refers to the cross from their point of view.

To prove that the text was never exist, I am looking for any manuscript or learning or even tradition quoting this verse, and show that there was no “wood” earlier than Alleppo manuscript which was in the 10th century; however, the Coptic codex that added the word was from the 4th century.

Unfortunately, Qumran scrolls didn’t include this verse.

I know it has been taken from the old Septuagint (even the new version has not the word “wood”) which Jews refused it in the Council of Jamnia but I want to show him an older manuscript show the text as we read it today.

Can you help me?

Thanks


Shalom and thank you for your question! I don’t have information about any Torah scroll older than the 12th century, what I can tell you though, is that the sentence from the Torah that you quote has no connection with wood, and this can be verified by any linguist. The concept of wood would have been totally incongruous with this sentence.

Also, it is not necessary to try to refute the arguments of those who are looking to negate our belief.

The Torah was handed down through the generations since Moses,  and we  believe in the Torah as such.

Wishing you all the best!



Postscript to ‘Ancient Torah scrolls’

The sentence in question is from Psalms and would not appear at all in a Torah scroll, which contains the Five books of Moses.

Sources