1. Introduction
The phrase “face of the Lord” is common throughout the Old Testament. The LXX typically keeps the phrase “face of the Lord,” as does the Greek New Testament. However, A multitude of Aramaic Targums drop the phrase in favor of a different phrase, the “presence of the Lord.” While this is not a change of meaning exactly, it does show a moving away from the anthropomorphism of God from the Old Testament into the Aramaic Targums.
2. Lexical and Linguistic Background
The word Hb “peni” means face. According to the Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, Hb “peni” can mean face, presence, before, or the front of something. This is clear throughout the Bible in the phrase, “before the face of the Lord.” This is an action done in front of God, speaking idiomatically. This term is used 2127 times in the WLC Hebrew text.
The word Gr “prosopon” likewise means face. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon presents this word as being the face of someone, especially used in Hebraized expressions, such as “before the face of.” This term is used 78 times in the NT in the TR Greek text. This term is chosen for translation 1,062 times in the LXX Greek.
The word Ar “qadam” means presence. The accompanying Hb “qadam,” according to Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, means to “go before,” and gives the idea of the presence before someone or something. This term is only used 26 times through the Hb OT.
3. The word in the Bible (2 paragraphs)
This section will look at a handful of examples of how “before the face of” is used in Hebrew and translated into the LXX. Then, the term will also be looked at in the Gr NT.
Genesis 4:16: Hb “from before the face of the Lord.” LXX “from the face of God.”
Jonah 1:3: Hb “from before the face of the Lord.” LXX “from the face of the Lord.”
Psalm 34:16: Hb “face of the Lord.” LXX “face of the Lord.”
Exodus 33:14: Hb “my face.” LXX “my face.”
Numbers 6:25: Hb “your face.” LXX: “your face.”
2 Thessalonians 1:9: Gr “from before the face of the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 4:6: “in the face of Christ.”
Revelation 22:4: “his face.”
4. Transitional Developments in Later Literature
The language of the Hb OT is neatly translated into the Gr LXX, from “face” to “face.” In the Gr NT, this term is likewise used. This section will examine the translation of these key passages into the Ar Targums Onkelos, Neofiti, Pseudo-Jonathan, Jonathan, Psalms, and Chronicles. These Targums present a uniform moving away from the anthropomorphic description of God as having a face.
Exodus 33:14: “my face [panay] will go.”
Targum Onkelos: “my glory will go.”
Targum Neofiti: “my glory will go.”
Targum Pseudo-Jonathan: “my word will go.”
Isaiah 63:9: “the angel from His face.”
Targum Jonathan: “the angel from before Him.”
Psalm 16:11: “Your face.”
Targum Psalms: “Presence of your glory.”
2 Chronicles 7:14: “Seek my face.”
Targum Chronicles: “Seek from before me.”
These verses clearly show there is a uniform avoidance of the “face” of God, though different Targums use different words to replace “face,” including “glory,” “word,” and “presence.”
5. Synthesis And Conclusion
As you can see, the Targums are united in moving away from the phrase, “face of the Lord,” in favor of the phrase, “presence of the Lord.” This reflects a preference to move away from anthropomorphism of God. The meaning largely stays the same, but the strategic unified shift is apparent.
