( PART 1 ) JEROMES DELIBERATE OMISSION OF THE “...ANGEL...” IN THE BUSH, IN HIS VULGATE VERSION AT EXODUS 3:2


Because of Jerome's Latin Vulgate, written (circa. 382-405 C.E.), many Catholics etc, believe the one that appeared within the bush in Exodus Chapter 3, Verse 2, was: “...the Lord...” or God himself.

This is how the Jerome's Latin version of the text reads, accompanied by my own translation and a Catholic translation:

LATIN TEXT: “...Apparuitque ei – ( Dominus ) – in flamma ignis de medio rubi : & videbat quod rubus arderet, & non combureretur...” - (Page 140, Caput III. Liber Exodi. VULGATA NOVA. BIBLIORUM SACRORUM LATINAE VERSIONES ANTIGUAE, By Apud Reginaldum Florentain in Remis, Written in Latin. Published 1743.)

JEROME'S LATIN VULGATE: “...And – ( THE LORD ) – appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. And he saw that the bush was burning and was not burnt...” - (Exodus 3:2 “THE SACRED BIBLE – Catholic Public Domain Version, Original Version,” Ronald L. Conte Jr., translator and editor, 2009.)

JEROME'S LATIN VULGATE: “...There appeared to him – ( THE LORD ), – within a blazing fire, out of the middle of a bush{*}. And he was looking discerningly [at this], because the bush{*} itself continued burning, and it was by no means being burnt up...” - (Exodus 3:2 “VULGATA NOVA,” or “[Jerome's] New Common [Version],” Translated by Matt13weedhacker 08/06/12.)
[FOOTNOTE *]: Or, “...bramble bush...”

NOTE: Emphasis added.

But what many sincere Christian's do not know is that the Old Latin Version, otherwise known as “Vetus Latina,” or “Old Itala,” or Pre-Jerome Christian Version, actually read this way:

LATIN TEXT: “...Et apparuit ei – ( Angelus ) – Domini in flamma ignis de rubo : & vidit quoniam rubus arderet igni, rubus autem non cremabatur...” - (Page 140, Caput III. Liber Exodi. Versio Antiqua. BIBLIORUM SACRORUM LATINAE VERSIONES ANTIGUAE, By Apud Reginaldum Florentain in Remis, Written in Latin. Published 1743.)

PRE-JEROME LATIN VERSION: “...And there appeared to him within a flame of fire, from out of a bramble bush, – ( AN ANGEL ) – of the Lord : and he looked discerningly at the bush, because the bush itself was continung to burn with fire, but not at all being consumed{*}...” - (Exodus 3:2 “Vetus Latina,” or “Old Itala,” Translated by Matt13weedhacker 07/06/12.)
[FOOTNOTE *]: Or “...cremated...”

It clearly states that it was not “...the Lord...” himself that appeared in the bush, but:

Ltn., ( Angelus ) “...AN ANGEL...”

Or:

Ltn., ( Angelus Domini ) “...AN ANGEL OF THE LORD...”

The Clementine Recension of the middle ages followed Jeromes text exactly:

LATIN TEXT: “...Apparuitque ei – ( Dominus ) – in flamma ignis de medio rubi : et videbat quod rubus arderet, et non combureretur...” - (Caput III. Liber Exodi. “Biblia Sacra juxta Vulgatam Clementinam,” at “The Clementine text of the Latin Vulgate Bible,” Published with approbation. CBCEW, 9th January 2006.)

CLEMENTINE RECENSION LATIN:...There appeared to him – ( THE LORD ), – within a blazing fire, out of the middle of a bush{*}. And he was looking discerningly [at this], because the bush{*} itself continued burning, and it was by no means being burnt up...” - (Exodus 3:2 “Biblia Sacra juxta Vulgatam Clementinam,” or “The Sacred Bible According to the Clementine Vulgate,” Translated by Matt13weedhacker 08/06/12.)
[FOOTNOTE *]: Or, “...bramble bush...”

Thus continuing the deception.

But it is interesting that the modern Revision of the Vulgate by the Vatican, changes Jeromes text, and restores:

Ltn., ( Angelus ) “...AN ANGEL...”

To it's rightful place in the original text.

LATIN TEXT: “...Apparuitque ei ( Angelus ) Domini in flamma ignis de medio rubi; et videbat quod rubus arderet et non combureretur...” - (Caput III. Liber Exodi. NOVA VULGATA – BIBLIORUM SACORUM EDITIO. [Revised Vulgate], Published by the Roman See : Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2nd Edition 1986.)

NEW LATIN VULGATE:...There appeared to him – ( AN ANGEL ) – of the Lord, within a blazing fire, out of the middle of a bush{*}. And he was looking discerningly [at this], because the bush{*} itself continued burning, and it was by no means being burnt up...” - (Exodus 3:2 “NOVA VULGATA – BIBLIORUM SACORUM EDITIO,” or “The New Common [Version] – Bible, Sacred Edition,” Translated by Matt13weedhacker 08/06/12.)
[FOOTNOTE *]: Or, “...bramble bush...”

For in truth it is in the Hebrew original, and the Greek LXX, or Septuagint, Old Syriac, Aramaic Targums, and Theodotion's, Symmachus', and Aquila's revisions of the LXX as well.

All contain the mention of:

...AN ( ANGEL ) OF THE LORD...”