Introduction
A noticeable difference emerges when comparing Paul’s quotation of Isaiah in Romans with the text of Isaiah 28 as found in the Masoretic Text. Paul writes in Romans 9:33:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”
However, Isaiah 28:16 in the King James Version, based on the Masoretic Text, reads:
“Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
The language clearly differs. Why?
Paul’s Source: Septuagint vs. Masoretic Text
Paul’s wording more closely aligns with the Septuagint rather than the Masoretic Text. The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures dating to a few centuries before Christ, renders Isaiah 28:16 in terms very similar to Paul’s phrasing in Romans:
“…whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”
This variation is supported by the Great Isaiah Scroll found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, which also follows the Septuagint phrasing rather than the Masoretic: “he who believes shall not be ashamed.” Over seventy ancient manuscripts support this version.
Blending Isaiah 8 and 28
Paul’s quote is not a direct lift from a single passage, but a thematic synthesis of multiple Isaianic texts. In Isaiah 8:14, it is written:
“He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”
Paul weaves together Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 28:16, and elements from Isaiah 29:22, where it says:
“Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.”
The Face of Jacob and the Promise of the Seed
The Hebrew word for “face” is Peni’el—the same word used in Genesis when Jacob names the place of his encounter with God. There is an ancient tradition that connects this idea of the face of Jacob with the male member, associating it symbolically with the seed—the divine promise carried in the lineage of Israel.
This seed was originally identified with the name of God: YHWH (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh), seen as the very body of the Messiah. This seed-stone, then, is viewed as a salvific sign for Israel.
Ritual Symbolism: The Water Gate and the Altar
In temple tradition, during Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles), the people would go to the Water Gate, a location associated symbolically with the emission of seed (or water, semen, urine). There they would draw water with a golden pitcher and pour it on the altar—symbolizing the offering of the seed.
This was understood to represent the Messiah, the Son of God, who would die as a sacrificial offering. Jesus fulfills this role as the rock from whom life-giving water flows.
The Rock That Followed Them
As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:4:
“And they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
This rock was not only literal, bringing forth water in the wilderness, but symbolic—the pillar, the waymark in the desert, from which salvation flowed. During Sukkot, the people cried out:
“Save us, O Rock!”
This was not merely poetic. It was an invocation of the ancient, foundational stone of promise—Christ Himself.
Conclusion
Paul’s reworking of Isaiah’s words in Romans is deliberate and theological. He draws from multiple Isaianic texts and the Septuagint to present Jesus as the stone laid in Zion—a stumbling stone for some, a rock of salvation for those who believe. The imagery connects deeply with Temple rituals, the geography of Jerusalem, and the ancient promises embedded in the Hebrew Scriptures.
This stone is not just a metaphor. It is the embodiment of the divine name, the source of life, and the cornerstone of faith for all who trust in Him.
