1 Samuel 13 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: MT 13:3
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 Samuel 13
Royal failure and the search for a faithful king
Editorial Christian reading in the royal history that Acts 13:20–23 carries onward to Jesus [NT1]. The damaged-looking regnal formula is preserved, with no age supplied from another source.
13:1–7 | The regnal notice and the gathering crisis
Verse MT 13:1 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:1
Saul was one year old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for two years.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
No LXX counterpart
[No corresponding verse in the selected Greek text.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: The displayed Hebrew has this difficult regnal formula, including one year and two years. It cannot straightforwardly provide a plausible accession age; missing numbers or an alternative construction require textual investigation. No conjectural age or reign length is inserted. The Greek chapter begins at 13:2.
Verse MT 13:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:2
Saul chose three thousand from Israel for himself. Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in Bethel’s hill country, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Benjamin’s Gibeah. He sent the rest of the people away, each to his tents.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:2
Saul chose three thousand men from Israel’s men for himself. Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and on Bethel’s hill, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Benjamin’s Geba. He sent the rest of the people away, each to his tent.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The force totals agree. Hebrew names Gibeah and Greek Gabee, here represented as Geba; the latter also corresponds to Hebrew Geba in 13:16. Tent is plural in Hebrew and singular in Greek.
Verse MT 13:3 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:3
Jonathan struck the Philistine garrison at Geba, and the Philistines heard. Saul blew the shofar throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:3
Jonathan struck Nasib the foreigner on the hill, and the foreigners heard. Saul sounded a trumpet throughout the land, saying, “The slaves have rebelled!”
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew has a garrison and a call for the Hebrews to hear; Greek has Nasib the foreigner and an announcement of slaves’ rebellion. Nasib continues the untranslated name-like form in 10:5. Shofar and trumpet are kept as the respective instrument terms.
Verse MT 13:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:4
All Israel heard the report: “Saul has struck the Philistine garrison, and Israel has become a stench to the Philistines.” The people were summoned after Saul to Gilgal.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:4
All Israel heard people saying, “Saul has struck Nasib the foreigner, and Israel has been put to shame among the foreigners.” The people cried out after Saul at Gilgal.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Both reports credit Saul after Jonathan’s attack. Hebrew’s stench image and mobilization become Greek shame and a cry; the garrison/Nasib contrast continues.
Verse MT 13:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:5
The Philistines gathered to fight Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:5
The foreigners gathered for war against Israel. They went up against Israel with thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as numerous as the sand by the sea. They went up and camped at Michmash, opposite Baithon toward the south.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Both displayed texts retain thirty thousand chariots, without correction to a smaller figure. Hebrew’s east of Beth-aven differs from Greek’s opposite Baithon toward the south; the Greek repeats going up against Israel.
Verse MT 13:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:6
Israel’s men saw that they were in straits, for the people were hard pressed. The people hid in caves, thickets, rocks, strongholds, and pits.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:6
The men of Israel saw that they were in straits and could not advance. The people hid in caves, enclosures, rocks, trenches, and pits.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek’s singular-form Israelite designation is collective in this military context, rendered the men of Israel. The opening clause is difficult; “could not advance” provisionally renders its negative infinitive without assigning a named opponent. Hebrew describes pressure upon the people. Several hiding-place nouns differ, and the rare Hebrew stronghold term remains uncertain.
Verse MT 13:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:7
Hebrews crossed the Jordan into Gad’s land and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:7
Those crossing crossed the Jordan into Gad’s land and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people were terrified behind him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew names Hebrews; Greek has a participle, those crossing. Both retain the people’s fear in relation to Saul.
13:8–14 | Saul’s offering and Samuel’s verdict
Verse MT 13:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:8
He waited seven days for the appointed time Samuel had set, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people scattered away from him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:8
He waited seven days for the testimony, as Samuel had said, but Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, and his people scattered away from him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew’s compressed clause lacks an explicit verb after Samuel; “had set” is supplied. Greek explicitly refers to Samuel’s speech but uses testimony, martyrion, where Hebrew has appointed time; its force here remains provisional.
Verse MT 13:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:9
Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering and peace offerings to me.” He offered the burnt offering.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:9
Saul said, “Bring them forward so that I may make a whole burnt offering and peace offerings.” He offered the whole burnt offering.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek explicitly states Saul’s purpose in the command; Hebrew names the objects to be brought to him. Both report his offering.
Verse MT 13:10 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:10
Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him and bless him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:10
Just as he finished offering the whole burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him and bless him.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The immediate arrival and greeting agree; whole burnt offering is the normal Greek expression for this offering.
Verse MT 13:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:11
Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “I saw the people scattering away from me, you had not come at the appointed number of days, and the Philistines had gathered at Michmash.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:11
Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “I saw the people scattering away from me, you had not come as you had ordered at the testimony of the days, and the foreigners had gathered at Michmash.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek adds as you had ordered and again uses testimony in its difficult timing expression. Hebrew clearly refers to the appointed days.
Verse MT 13:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:12
I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought YHWH’s face.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:12
I said, ‘Now the foreigners will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the Lord’s face.’ So I mastered myself and offered the whole burnt offering.”
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both retain the face image and a verb of controlling oneself. Saul’s explanation is reported as his explanation; the translation does not endorse it as sufficient justification.
Verse MT 13:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:13
Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of YHWH your God that He commanded you. For then YHWH would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:13
Samuel said to Saul, “It has come to nothing for you, because you have not kept my commandment that the Lord commanded you. For now the Lord had prepared your kingdom over Israel forever.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew names YHWH your God’s commandment; Greek has my commandment given by the Lord. Hebrew’s establishment clause is construed counterfactually from the rebuke; Greek’s past preparation is retained without silently adding a counterfactual marker. The relation of that clause to 13:14 remains a review question.
Verse MT 13:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:14
But now your kingdom will not stand. YHWH has sought for Himself a man according to His heart, and YHWH has appointed him as leader over His people, because you have not kept what YHWH commanded you.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:14
But now your kingdom will not stand. The Lord will seek for Himself a man according to His heart, and the Lord will appoint him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept everything the Lord commanded you.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew presents seeking and appointing as completed; Greek presents them as future. Both retain the unnamed successor and the divine-heart expression without inserting David’s name here.
Weakness in the land before the next deliverance
Editorial Christian reading: military vulnerability continues the narrative of Saul’s failure. It is not recast as a prediction of a particular event in Christ’s life.
13:15–18 | Movements and raiding parties
Verse MT 13:15 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:15
Samuel rose and went up from Gilgal to Benjamin’s Gibeah. Saul mustered the people who were with him, about six hundred men.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:15
Samuel rose and went away from Gilgal on his way. The rest of the people went up after Saul to meet, following the fighting people. When they came from Gilgal to Benjamin’s Gibeah, Saul mustered the people who were with him, about six hundred men.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek distinguishes Samuel’s departure from the people’s movement and includes a difficult meeting clause. Its repeated following language is retained provisionally rather than silently reconstructed. Both muster about six hundred.
Verse MT 13:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:16
Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were with them stayed in Benjamin’s Geba, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:16
Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were with them stayed in Benjamin’s Geba and wept, while the foreigners had camped at Michmash.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek adds weeping. Geba represents the corresponding Gabee here; Gibeah in 13:15 represents Gabaa.
Verse MT 13:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:17
Raiders went out from the Philistine camp in three companies. One company turned toward the road to Ophrah, toward the land of Shual;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:17
A destroying force went out from the foreigners’ country in three companies. One company faced the road to Gophera, toward the land of Sogal;
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has camp; Greek has country or field. The first company’s place-name forms differ and are retained without speculative geographical equivalence.
Verse MT 13:18 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:18
one company turned toward the road to Beth-horon; and one company turned toward the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim, toward the wilderness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:18
one company faced the road to Beth-horon; and one company faced the road to Geba overlooking Gai, the Sabin.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The third route differs substantially. Hebrew gives a border, valley, and wilderness; Greek gives Gabee, Gai, and Sabin. Their compressed relationship remains provisional, and Gai is not silently translated as a Hebrew valley.
13:19–23 | Weapons, sharpening, and the pass
Verse MT 13:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:19
No smith could be found throughout Israel’s land, for the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not make sword or spear.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:19
No ironworker could be found throughout Israel’s land, for the foreigners had said, “The Hebrews must not make sword and spear.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek explicitly specifies ironworking. Both describe the restriction on weapon production and here both use the name Hebrews.
Verse MT 13:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:20
All Israel went down to the Philistines to sharpen, each man, his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his plowing tool.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:20
All Israel went down into the foreigners’ land to have worked at the forge, each man, his reaping tool, his implement, his axe, and his sickle.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The tool lists differ. Hebrew’s two related plowing-tool nouns and the other implement names have uncertain exact identifications; the Greek list is not harmonized to them.
Verse MT 13:21 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:21
The sharpening charge was a pim for the plowing tools, the mattocks, the three-pronged fork, and the axes, and for setting the goad.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:21
The vintage was ready for reaping. The implements were three shekels per tooth, and for the axe and the sickle the rate was the same.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Both passages are difficult. Hebrew is construed as a fee statement using the named weight pim; the fork clause and extent of the fee remain uncertain. Greek adds a harvest statement and gives three shekels per tooth, with hypostasis provisionally rendered rate. No reconstructed modern price or improved tool list is inserted.
Verse MT 13:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:22
On the day of battle, neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan; they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:22
In the days of the war at Michmash, neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan; they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek specifies Michmash and plural days; Hebrew has the day of battle. Both preserve the exceptional availability of weapons to Saul and Jonathan.
Verse MT 13:23 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 13:23
A Philistine outpost went out to the Michmash pass.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 13:23
He went out from the foreigners’ station, the one beyond Michmash.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew names the outpost as the moving subject and gives the pass as destination. Greek has an unnamed singular subject and departure from a station; the unusual closing syntax remains provisional rather than supplied from Hebrew.