1 Samuel 1 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: MT 1:5, MT 1:6, MT 1:11
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 1
Prayer and the child offered to God
Editorial Christian reading: Hannah’s grief and prayer prepare the chapter’s published Holy Family selection [L1]. The household’s experience is preserved in its own narrative setting.
1:1–8 | The household at Shiloh
Verse MT 1:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:1
There was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:1
There was a man from Armathaim Sipha in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, son of Jerahmeel, son of Elihu, son of Thoke, in Nasib Ephraim.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew ends the ancestry with Tohu, Zuph, and an Ephraimite designation; Greek has Thoke and the location in Nasib Ephraim. Jeroham / Jerahmeel and the town forms also differ. These details are not harmonized into a single genealogy.
Verse MT 1:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:2
He had two wives. One was named Hannah, and the second was named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:2
He had two wives. One was named Hannah, and the second was named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no child.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The wives and the contrast in childbearing agree. Familiar English names identify the secure corresponding Greek forms Anna and Phennana.
Verse MT 1:3 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:3
That man went up from his city year by year to bow down and sacrifice to YHWH of hosts at Shiloh. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there as priests of YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:3
The man went up year by year from his city, from Armathaim, to bow down and sacrifice to the Lord God Sabaoth at Shiloh. Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there as priests of the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek repeats the town’s name, includes God in the divine title, and expressly includes Eli among those there. Sabaoth transliterates the hosts title. Both describe the recurring visit and sacrifice.
Verse MT 1:4 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:4
When the day came and Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:4
When the day came and Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to her sons and daughters.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The distribution to Peninnah and her children agrees; Hebrew expressly says all. The recurring setting governs the Hebrew would give.
Verse MT 1:5 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:5
But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, though YHWH had closed her womb.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:5
To Hannah he gave one portion, because she had no child. Yet Elkanah loved Hannah more than this other woman, and the Lord had closed her womb.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew’s difficult one portion appayim is provisionally read as a double portion; a choice portion is another interpretation. Greek expressly gives one portion because she has no child and makes the comparative love explicit. The rationale and distribution remain distinct.
Verse MT 1:6 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:6
Her rival would provoke her bitterly, to make her fret, because YHWH had closed her womb.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:6
For the Lord had not given her a child, in her affliction and in the despondency of her affliction. She was despondent because of this: the Lord had shut her womb so as not to give her a child.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew names the rival as the agent of provocation. Greek describes Hannah’s distress and repeated divine withholding without narrating the rival’s action. That change in agency and explanation governs the comparison; the Greek expression of distress is repetitive and difficult.
Verse MT 1:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:7
He would do this year after year. Whenever she went up to YHWH’s house, her rival would provoke her in this way, and she would weep and not eat.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:7
He would do this year after year when she went up to the Lord’s house, and she would be despondent and weep and not eat.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The annual setting, weeping, and refusal of food agree. Hebrew again describes another woman provoking Hannah; Greek again describes her despondency. Hebrew’s initial verb is masculine; Greek leaves its agent unstated. The Greek he is provisional and does not identify its antecedent with certainty.
Verse MT 1:8 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:8
Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart troubled? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:8
Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah.” She said to him, “Here I am, sir.” He said to her, “What is the matter with you, that you weep? Why do you not eat? Why does your heart strike you? Am I not better to you than ten children?”
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek adds Hannah’s reply and a renewed introduction to his speech. Its heart-striking image and children differ from Hebrew’s troubled heart and sons. The comparison with ten remains in both.
1:9–18 | Hannah’s vow and Eli’s response
Verse MT 1:9 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:9
Hannah arose after eating at Shiloh and after drinking. Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of YHWH’s sanctuary.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:9
Hannah arose after they had eaten at Shiloh and stood before the Lord. Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorposts of the Lord’s sanctuary.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek explicitly makes the eaters plural, lacks the drinking clause here, and adds Hannah’s standing before the Lord. Hebrew has a singular doorpost; Greek has plural doorposts. Sanctuary renders the building term without importing a later Jerusalem setting.
Verse MT 1:10 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:10
She was bitter in soul and prayed to YHWH, weeping bitterly.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:10
She was in anguish of soul and prayed to the Lord, weeping abundantly,
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both describe intense distress, prayer, and emphatic weeping. The Greek sentence continues into the vow in verse 11.
Verse MT 1:11 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:11
She vowed a vow and said, “YHWH of hosts, if You will indeed look upon Your maidservant’s affliction and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, and give Your maidservant male offspring, then I will give him to YHWH all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:11
She vowed a vow to the Lord, saying, “Adonai, Lord, Eloai Sabaoth, if You will indeed look upon Your maidservant’s humiliation and remember me, and give Your maidservant male offspring, then I will give him before You as a gift until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicating drink, and no iron shall come upon his head.”
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Greek adds a prohibition of wine and intoxicating drink and uses iron where Hebrew specifies a razor. It also expands the divine address and lacks the separate do-not-forget clause. The additional abstinence materially changes the stated vow. Adonai, Eloai, and Sabaoth are retained Semitic divine expressions in the selected Greek.
Rabbinic: Rashi interprets Hannah’s appeal to the Lord of hosts as asking the Creator of innumerable hosts for one child. His exposition of the vow remains distinct from the Greek’s additional abstinence clauses [R1, on 1:11].
Verse MT 1:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:12
As she continued praying before YHWH, Eli was watching her mouth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:12
As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli the priest watched her mouth.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: The prolonged prayer and observation agree. Greek explicitly calls Eli the priest.
Verse MT 1:13 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:13
Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:13
She was speaking in her heart, and her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Eli considered her drunk.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both distinguish silent inner prayer from visible lip movement and report Eli’s mistaken inference. Hebrew explicitly names Hannah.
Rabbinic: Rashi explains Eli’s suspicion by his unfamiliarity with silent prayer. This accounts for Eli’s response in the commentary; the verse itself describes Hannah’s lips and unheard voice [R1, on 1:13].
Verse MT 1:14 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:14
Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:14
Eli’s servant said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine and leave the Lord’s presence.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Hebrew has Eli speak; Greek names Eli’s servant and adds an order to leave the Lord’s presence. The Greek noun paidarion is not omitted to harmonize the speaker. NETS also reads the phrase as Eli’s servant [N, 1:14].
Verse MT 1:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:15
Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord. I am a woman with a troubled spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but I have poured out my soul before YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:15
Hannah answered and said, “No, sir. I am a woman whose day is hard. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, and I am pouring out my soul before the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew describes a hard or troubled spirit; Greek describes a hard day. Both deny drinking and preserve the pouring-out-of-soul image. The human form of address remains lowercase.
Verse MT 1:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:16
Do not regard your maidservant as a worthless daughter, for I have been speaking until now out of the abundance of my complaint and vexation.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:16
Do not regard your maidservant as a pestilent daughter, for I have continued until now out of the abundance of my murmuring.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew includes both complaint and vexation; Greek speaks of abundant adoleschia, rendered murmuring in this distressed prayer. Worthless / pestilent preserve the respective negative descriptions; neither is treated as a personal demonic name.
Verse MT 1:17 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:17
Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your request that you have asked of Him.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:17
Eli answered and said to her, “Go in peace. May the God of Israel grant your whole request that you have asked of Him.”
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The blessing and petition agree. Greek explicitly says whole and supplies to her.
Verse MT 1:18 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:18
She said, “May your maidservant find favor in your eyes.” The woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer as before.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:18
She said, “Your maidservant has found favor in your eyes.” The woman went her way, entered her lodging, ate with her husband, and drank. Her face no longer fell.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek changes the wish to a past assertion and adds lodging, her husband’s company, and drinking. Hebrew’s elliptical description of her face is rendered as a changed countenance; Greek expressly says it no longer fell.
The gift of a son and the Holy Family reading
Published selection L1 pairs Samuel’s birth and presentation with Jesus in the temple, Luke 2:41–52. The connection is liturgical; the two childhood narratives remain distinct.
1:19–23 | Samuel is born and weaned
L1 selects 1:20–22; the surrounding verses remain in the comparison.
Verse MT 1:19 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:19
They rose early in the morning and bowed down before YHWH. They returned and came to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and YHWH remembered her.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:19
They rose early in the morning, bowed down to the Lord, and went on their way. Elkanah entered his house at Armathaim and knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her,
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: The worship, return, marital knowing, and divine remembrance agree. Hebrew narrates their return to Ramah; Greek names Elkanah as entering Armathaim. The Greek sentence continues with conception in verse 20.
Verse MT 1:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:20
In the course of time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She called his name Samuel, for, “I asked him of YHWH.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:20
and she conceived. When the time had come, she bore a son. She called his name Samuel and said, “For I asked him of the Lord God Sabaoth.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek places conception before the time formula, expressly introduces her explanation as speech, and expands the divine title. Both connect Samuel’s naming with asking; no replacement etymology is inserted.
Verse MT 1:21 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:21
The man Elkanah went up with all his household to sacrifice to YHWH the yearly sacrifice and his vow offering.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:21
The man Elkanah went up with all his household to sacrifice at Shiloh the yearly sacrifice, his vow offerings, and all the tithes of his land.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek names Shiloh, makes the vows plural, and adds all the land’s tithes. Hebrew expressly names YHWH as recipient here. The offerings are not reduced to a shared minimum.
Verse MT 1:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:22
But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the boy is weaned. Then I will bring him, and he will appear before YHWH and remain there forever.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:22
Hannah did not go up with him, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child goes up, when I have weaned him. He will appear before the Lord and remain there forever.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew makes weaning the initial condition and expressly says I will bring him. Greek’s elliptical wording puts the child’s ascent first, followed by a weaning condition. Not is supplied from the introductory refusal in both English speeches; the Greek syntax remains provisional.
Verse MT 1:23 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:23
Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what is good in your eyes. Stay until you have weaned him. Only may YHWH establish His word.” The woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:23
Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what is good in your eyes. Stay until you have weaned him. But may the Lord establish what has come from your mouth.” The woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew asks for the establishment of His word; Greek names the utterance from Hannah’s mouth. The source of the word is kept distinct. The nursing and weaning agree.
1:24–28 | Hannah presents Samuel
L1 includes this complete unit.
Verse MT 1:24 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:24
When she had weaned him, she brought him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to YHWH’s house at Shiloh, and the boy was still a boy.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:24
She went up with him to Shiloh, with a three-year-old calf, loaves, an oiphi of fine flour, and a nebel of wine. She entered the Lord’s house at Shiloh, and the child was with them.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has three bulls; Greek has one three-year-old calf and adds loaves. Hebrew repeats the boy’s youth; Greek places him with them. Ephah / oiphi and the Greek borrowed vessel term nebel are retained; no modern capacity is imposed.
Verse MT 1:25 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:25
They slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:25
They brought him before the Lord, and his father slaughtered the sacrifice that he made year by year to the Lord. He brought the child forward and slaughtered the calf. Hannah, the child’s mother, brought him to Eli
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek expands the presentation and sacrifice, identifies the father and then Hannah as agents, and continues into her speech in verse 26. Its sequence and repeated sacrificial actions remain visible. Hebrew has two brief plural actions.
Verse MT 1:26 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:26
She said, “Please, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you to pray to YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:26
and said, “Please, sir! As your soul lives, I am the woman who stood before you when praying to the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew repeats my lord and says here beside you; Greek has a single human address and before you. The life-oath and identification agree.
Verse MT 1:27 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:27
For this boy I prayed, and YHWH gave me my request that I asked of Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:27
For this child I prayed, and the Lord gave me my request that I asked of Him.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The answered petition and its object correspond.
Verse MT 1:28 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 1:28
I too have lent him to YHWH. All the days that he lives, he is lent to YHWH.” He bowed down there to YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 1:28
I too lend him to the Lord for all the days that he lives, as a loan to the Lord.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Both preserve lending language for lifelong dedication. Hebrew ends with a masculine singular act of worship, without naming its subject; Greek has no corresponding closing action here. The dedication is not shortened into a temporary loan.