1 Kings 19 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: MT 19:12, MT 19:18
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
1 Kings 19
Bread for the journey and the presence of the Lord
Inherited Roman assignments requiring renewed source confirmation: 19:4–8 with John 6:41–51, Nineteenth Sunday, Year B [L2]; 19:9a, 11–13a with Matthew 14:22–33, Nineteenth Sunday, Year A [L3]. The Christ-centered titles are editorial reflections on those pairings.
19:1–8 | Elijah flees and receives food
Verse MT 19:1 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:1
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and the whole account of how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:1
Ahab reported to Jezebel his wife all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed the prophets with the sword.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek identifies Jezebel as his wife; Hebrew has repeated all language, including all the prophets. Both attribute the killing to Elijah. Baal is not inserted into the verse as though expressly named here.
Verse MT 19:2 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:2
Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods do thus and add more, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the life of one of them!”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:2
Jezebel sent to Elijah and said, “If you are Elijah, I am Jezebel! May the god do thus to me and add more, for at this time tomorrow I will make your life like the life of one of them!”
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek adds the contrasting self-identification and to me in the oath, but does not explicitly name a messenger. Hebrew has plural verbs with elohim, rendered gods; Greek has singular theos. The Hebrew threat is an elliptical oath, expressed with if not to preserve its force.
Verse MT 19:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:3
He saw, rose, and went for his life. He came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his young attendant there.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:3
Elijah was afraid, rose, and went for his life. He came to Beer-sheba in Judah and left his young attendant there.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The selected vocalized Hebrew reads he saw; Greek explicitly reads he was afraid and names Elijah. The Hebrew is not changed to feared without a textual note. For his life preserves the compact expression for the flight.
Verse MT 19:4 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:4
He himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, came, and sat under a broom bush. He asked that he might die and said, “Enough now, YHWH! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:4
He himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, came, and sat under a single broom bush. He asked that his life might end and said, “Let it be enough now! Please take my life from me, Lord, for I am no better than my fathers.”
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek names the plant with the loanword rathm, translated broom bush [D13]. Hebrew rothem independently names the same shrub. Both retain Elijah’s request for death and comparison with his fathers. This is a narrative of distress and divine care; it is not assigned a modern psychiatric diagnosis.
Verse MT 19:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:5
He lay down and slept under a broom bush. Look, an angel touched him and said to him, “Rise, eat.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:5
He lay down and slept there under a plant. Look, someone touched him and said to him, “Rise and eat.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew identifies an angel immediately; Greek says someone and uses a general plant term. The Greek identification as the Lord’s angel comes in verse 7 and is not moved into this verse.
Verse MT 19:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:6
He looked, and there at his head were a cake baked on hot stones and a flask of water. He ate and drank, then lay down again.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:6
Elijah looked, and there at his head were a hearth cake of spelt and a flask of water. He rose, ate, and drank, then lay down again.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew describes the baking surface; Greek names the grain, rendered spelt provisionally since ancient grain identification is not exact. Greek adds Elijah’s name and his rising. Both retain the food, water, and renewed rest.
Verse MT 19:7 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:7
YHWH’s angel returned a second time, touched him, and said, “Rise, eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:7
The Lord’s angel returned a second time, touched him, and said to him, “Rise, eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The second visit, touch, and reason for eating agree. The messenger is expressly identified in both at this point.
Verse MT 19:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:8
He rose, ate, and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:8
He rose, ate, and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew expressly calls Horeb God’s mountain; Greek lacks of God. The full forty-day and forty-night period agrees. No ordinary walking speed or direct-route distance is imposed on the account.
Saints: The inherited Roman Sunday assignment, not independently reverified in this review, places this journey food beside Jesus’ teaching about the bread of life in John 6:41–51 [L2]. The pairing supports the editorial heading; the food is not renamed in the ancient narrative.
19:9–14 | The cave, the passing presence, and Elijah’s repeated complaint
Verse MT 19:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:9
He came there to the cave and lodged there. Look, YHWH’s word came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:9
He entered the cave there and lodged there. Look, the Lord’s word came to him, and He said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The lodging, divine word, and question agree. The cave is not identified as a particular earlier biblical cave within the translation.
Verse MT 19:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:10
He said, “I have been most zealous for YHWH, the God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone remain, and they seek my life to take it.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:10
Elijah said, “I have been most zealous for the Lord Almighty, because the children of Israel have abandoned You. They have demolished Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. I remain utterly alone, and they seek my life to take it.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew names the covenant forsaken; Greek directly says abandoned You. God of hosts and Almighty preserve the distinct divine-title expressions. The claim to be alone remains Elijah’s speech, to be read alongside the hidden prophets and the coming remnant announcement.
Verse MT 19:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:11
He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before YHWH.” Look, YHWH was passing by. A great, strong wind was splitting mountains and breaking rocks before YHWH, but YHWH was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but YHWH was not in the earthquake.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:11
He said, “You shall go out tomorrow and stand before the Lord on the mountain. Look, the Lord will pass by.” A great, strong wind was breaking mountains apart and crushing rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek adds tomorrow and explicitly presents the passing as future. Hebrew has the passing participle in the narrative transition. Both preserve the two negatives, rather than identifying God with either force.
Verse MT 19:12 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:12
After the earthquake came fire, but YHWH was not in the fire. After the fire came a sound of thin silence.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:12
After the earthquake came fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire came the sound of a gentle breeze, and there was the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew’s compact sound of fine or thin stillness is deliberately retained as a difficult image. Greek gives a fine breeze and expressly adds that the Lord was there. Neither wording is replaced by the other’s familiar English rendering.
Saints: The inherited Year A assignment, not independently reverified in this review, pairs the Horeb encounter with Matthew 14:22–33 [L3]. This reception setting does not resolve Hebrew’s thin silence or remove Greek’s explicit location of the Lord in the gentle breeze.
Reception — Christological typology: Irenaeus reads the gentle voice as anticipating Christ's peaceful advent and kingdom. St. Irenaeus of Lyons · Against Heresies IV.20.10.
Verse MT 19:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:13
When Elijah heard, he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out, and stood at the cave entrance. Look, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:13
When Elijah heard, he covered his face with his sheepskin cloak, went out, and stood beneath the cave. Look, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek specifies a sheepskin cloak and has beneath the cave, an unusual location phrase retained provisionally. Hebrew names the entrance. Both repeat the question after Elijah covers his face.
Verse MT 19:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:14
He said, “I have been most zealous for YHWH, the God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone remain, and they seek my life to take it.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:14
Elijah said, “I have been most zealous for the Lord Almighty, because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant. They have pulled down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. I remain utterly alone, and they seek my life to take it.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Unlike Greek verse 10, this Greek repetition expressly includes Your covenant, agreeing with Hebrew here. The distinct divine titles remain. The repeated speech is retained rather than abbreviated to a cross-reference.
A remnant kept and a disciple called
Apostolic reception: Romans 11:2–5 reads the seven thousand in relation to a remnant chosen by grace [C1]. The call of Elisha may be read editorially beside Jesus’ call to undivided discipleship in Luke 9:57–62 [C7].
19:15–18 | The commission and the seven thousand
Verse MT 19:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:15
YHWH said to him, “Go, return on your way toward the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:15
The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way, and you will come to the wilderness road of Damascus. Anoint Hazael as king of Syria.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek gives an additional road expression in the arrival clause. Aram and Syria preserve the customary Hebrew and Greek designations. The instruction is not rewritten as an account of an anointing already performed.
Verse MT 19:16 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:16
Anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, from Abel-meholah, as prophet in your place.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:16
Anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, from Abel-meholah, as prophet in your place.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The three personal identifications, two offices, and prophetic succession agree. Familiar corresponding Greek names are normalized. Nimshi is not replaced with a longer genealogy from another passage.
Verse MT 19:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:17
Whoever escapes Hazael’s sword, Jehu will put to death; whoever escapes Jehu’s sword, Elisha will put to death.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:17
Whoever is spared from Hazael’s sword, Jehu will put to death; whoever is spared from Jehu’s sword, Elisha will put to death.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both retain the sequence and the violent agency attributed to the three figures. No unrecorded campaign by Elisha or explanation of prophetic execution is supplied to resolve the difficulty.
Verse MT 19:18 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:18
I will leave seven thousand in Israel: every knee that has not bent to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:18
You will leave seven thousand men in Israel: every knee that has not bent the knee to Baal, and every mouth that has not bowed down to him.”
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew has I will leave, with God as subject; Greek has you will leave, addressing Elijah, and adds men. Hebrew kissing contrasts with Greek bowing down, even though the latter remains attached to mouth. Both preserve the seven thousand without making the agency identical.
Saints: Paul invokes Elijah’s complaint and God’s answer about seven thousand in Romans 11:2–5, relating the remnant to grace [C1]. His first-person divine answer does not harmonize Greek’s second-person verb here.
19:19–21 | Elisha leaves the plow to serve
Verse MT 19:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:19
He went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. Twelve yoke of oxen were before him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:19
He went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing with oxen. Twelve pairs of oxen were before him, and he was among the twelve. He came upon him and threw his sheepskin cloak over him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has the twelfth, Greek among the twelve, and Greek explicitly names oxen in the opening clause. The mantle/sheepskin distinction continues. Hebrew names Elijah as the approaching figure; Greek leaves the subject implicit.
Verse MT 19:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:20
He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and I will follow you.” He said to him, “Go back, for what have I done to you?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:20
Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “I will kiss my father and follow you.” Elijah said, “Return, for I have acted for you.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek lacks the mother and the request particle. Hebrew ends with a question, what have I done to you; Greek lacks what and gives an elliptical statement, rendered provisionally without inserting a question. No prohibition of a farewell is invented in either column.
Verse MT 19:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 19:21
He turned back from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s equipment he cooked their meat, gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he rose, followed Elijah, and ministered to him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 19:21
He turned back from following him, took the pairs of oxen, and sacrificed them. With the oxen’s equipment he boiled them, gave them to the people, and they ate. Then he rose, followed Elijah, and ministered to him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has a singular yoke or pair, Greek plural pairs, and Greek uses a sacrificial verb. Both mention the oxen’s equipment in cooking; its use as fuel is contextual but an explicit burning verb is not inserted. Elisha’s ensuing service agrees.
Saints: Editorial canonical comparison: Luke 9:57–62 places family obligations and the plow within Jesus’ call to discipleship [C7]. This does not make Elijah’s reply and Jesus’ sayings identical.