I realize you stick with the MT, but thought it was still worth noting that Joshua 18:10 in the LXX does not include the "Joshua divided" reference. On the other hand, for interpretive purposes, Deut. 32:8 is certainly relevant. That verse credits "the Most-High" for dividing the nations. The LXX famously says this was done according to the number of God's angels.
"When the Most High divided the nations, when He scattered the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the nations by the number of God’s angels."
Two accounts say the portions were assigned by drawing lots. Casting lots was viewed as late as the apostles as a method of turning the decision over to God. One would think there were more than 70 angels. Perhaps the 70 are a special office of angel that overwatch the Earth.
They are type of angel called principalities, they are meant to be like guardian angels of nations, but they fell and led the nations astray into idol worship etc. so you see St. Michael fighting the prince of Persia angel in Daniel and Daniel also mentions a prince of Greece. Then psalm 82 talks about God judging them. Also they get replaced by human saints later on, so nations and cities can have patron saints etc and in Revelation there are 24 elders who replace the third (coz it's about 1/3 of 70) of angels who fell.
The Greek text, the Septuagint, was written under the common second temple assumption that the “sons of God” were angelic beings. The Masoretic was written later, and assumed the same, but, as I understand it, had to back-pedal because these traditions had inadvertently caused the domain of angels to expand more than the rabbis were comfortable with. The most likely true reading is the one that can best explain the others as corruptions, so it seems one text changed sons to angels, while the other changed God to Israel (which really makes no sense in context). The older reading is almost certainly “sons of God.” I’m not pushing any particular view of what “sons of God” means, just trying to find the accurate text for now.
I realize you stick with the MT, but thought it was still worth noting that Joshua 18:10 in the LXX does not include the "Joshua divided" reference. On the other hand, for interpretive purposes, Deut. 32:8 is certainly relevant. That verse credits "the Most-High" for dividing the nations. The LXX famously says this was done according to the number of God's angels.
"When the Most High divided the nations, when He scattered the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the nations by the number of God’s angels."
Two accounts say the portions were assigned by drawing lots. Casting lots was viewed as late as the apostles as a method of turning the decision over to God. One would think there were more than 70 angels. Perhaps the 70 are a special office of angel that overwatch the Earth.
They are type of angel called principalities, they are meant to be like guardian angels of nations, but they fell and led the nations astray into idol worship etc. so you see St. Michael fighting the prince of Persia angel in Daniel and Daniel also mentions a prince of Greece. Then psalm 82 talks about God judging them. Also they get replaced by human saints later on, so nations and cities can have patron saints etc and in Revelation there are 24 elders who replace the third (coz it's about 1/3 of 70) of angels who fell.
Seraphim Hamilton and Fr. Stephen de Young??
Compare these three:
Dead Sea Scrolls: “sons of God.”
Septuagint: “angels of God.”
Masoretic: “sons of Israel.”
The Greek text, the Septuagint, was written under the common second temple assumption that the “sons of God” were angelic beings. The Masoretic was written later, and assumed the same, but, as I understand it, had to back-pedal because these traditions had inadvertently caused the domain of angels to expand more than the rabbis were comfortable with. The most likely true reading is the one that can best explain the others as corruptions, so it seems one text changed sons to angels, while the other changed God to Israel (which really makes no sense in context). The older reading is almost certainly “sons of God.” I’m not pushing any particular view of what “sons of God” means, just trying to find the accurate text for now.