1 Samuel 3 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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 3
Speak, Lord: hearing the call toward Christ
Published selection L2 joins Samuel’s call to the first disciples’ encounter with Jesus in John 1:35–42. The complete calling narrative is retained.
3:1–10 | The night call and the listening servant
L2 selects 3:3b–10. Whole verses 1–10 appear here.
Verse MT 3:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:1
The boy Samuel ministered to YHWH before Eli. YHWH’s word was rare in those days; vision was not widespread.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:1
The child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest. The Lord’s word was precious in those days; there was no distinct vision.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew describes a rare word and vision not breaking forth widely. Greek calls the word precious and the vision diastellousa, here provisionally distinct. Greek also adds the priest. Precious can imply rarity, but the clauses are not made identical.
Verse MT 3:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:2
At that time Eli was lying in his place. His eyes had begun to grow dim, and he could not see.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:2
At that time Eli was sleeping in his place. His eyes had begun to grow heavy, and he could not see,
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both describe failing sight and Eli’s position. Hebrew has dimming eyes and lying down; Greek has heaviness and sleeping, continuing into verse 3.
Verse MT 3:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:3
God’s lamp had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying in YHWH’s sanctuary, where God’s ark was.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:3
and it was before God’s lamp was put in order. Samuel was sleeping in the sanctuary where God’s ark was,
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew places the scene before the lamp goes out; Greek uses episkeuazō, putting in order or attending to it. The Greek is not silently changed to extinguishing. Hebrew expressly names YHWH with the sanctuary.
Verse MT 3:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:4
YHWH called to Samuel, and he said, “Here I am.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:4
and the Lord called, “Samuel, Samuel!” He said, “Here I am.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek gives the repeated name as direct address; Hebrew simply narrates a call to Samuel here. Both retain his response.
Verse MT 3:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:5
He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He said, “I did not call. Go back and lie down.” He went and lay down.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:5
He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” He said, “I have not called you. Go back and sleep.” He went back and slept.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The mistaken response and instruction agree. Greek expressly says return in the final action and uses sleeping language.
Verse MT 3:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:6
YHWH called Samuel again. Samuel arose, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He said, “I did not call, my son. Go back and lie down.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:6
The Lord called again, “Samuel, Samuel!” He went to Eli a second time and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” He said, “I have not called you. Go back and sleep.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek repeats the called name and counts the second visit; Hebrew names Samuel as rising and includes my son. The call-and-response sequence is retained in each form.
Verse MT 3:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:7
Samuel did not yet know YHWH, and YHWH’s word had not yet been revealed to him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:7
This was before Samuel knew God and before the Lord’s word had been revealed to him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Both explain the incomplete recognition through a not-yet revelation. Hebrew names YHWH in both clauses; Greek has God in the first.
Verse MT 3:8 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:8
YHWH called Samuel a third time. He arose, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Eli understood that YHWH was calling the boy.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:8
The Lord called Samuel a third time. He arose, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you have called me.” Eli realized that the Lord had called the child,
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The third call, response, and Eli’s recognition agree. Greek continues into his instruction in verse 9.
Verse MT 3:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:9
Eli said to Samuel, “Go and lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, YHWH, for Your servant is listening.’” Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:9
He said, “Go back and sleep, child. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’” Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew names both speaker and addressee; Greek adds child and return. The instructed address and attentive response agree.
Verse MT 3:10 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:10
YHWH came and stood there. He called as at the other times, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:10
The Lord came and stood there. He called him as before, and Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Hebrew gives the repeated name here; Greek lacks the spoken name in this verse, having included it in verses 4 and 6. Both narrate the Lord’s coming and standing and Samuel’s response.
A hard word faithfully spoken
Editorial Christian continuation of the calling theme: hearing includes the difficult word of judgment. This material is outside L2 except for verse 19.
3:11–18 | Judgment announced and reported to Eli
Verse MT 3:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:11
YHWH said to Samuel, “Look, I am doing a thing in Israel that will make both ears of everyone who hears it tingle.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:11
The Lord said to Samuel, “Look, I am carrying out My words in Israel, so that both ears of everyone who hears them will resound.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has a thing or matter being done; Greek expressly names My words. The startling effect is pictured as tingling in Hebrew and resounding in Greek.
Verse MT 3:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:12
On that day I will fulfill against Eli everything I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:12
On that day I will raise against Eli everything I have spoken concerning his house. I will begin and bring it to completion.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both promise complete execution of the household judgment. Greek expresses the beginning and completion as two personal verbs.
Verse MT 3:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:13
I told him that I am judging his house forever for the iniquity he knew: his sons were bringing a curse upon themselves, and he did not restrain them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:13
I have told him that I am taking vengeance on his house forever for his sons’ wrongdoings, because his sons were reviling God, and even so he did not admonish them.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew includes Eli’s knowledge and has the difficult to-themselves curse clause; Greek expressly makes God the object of reviling. The verbs of judgment and parental correction also differ. No alternate Hebrew wording is silently substituted.
Verse MT 3:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:14
Therefore I swore concerning Eli’s house: the iniquity of Eli’s house shall never be expiated by sacrifice or offering.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:14
I swore concerning Eli’s house: the wrongdoing of Eli’s house shall never be expiated by incense or sacrifices.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The oath’s exclusion of expiation of the wrongdoing agrees, but Hebrew specifies sacrifice and offering while Greek specifies incense and sacrifices. The conditional oath form is rendered by its emphatic negative force; no unstated curse is invented.
Verse MT 3:15 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:15
Samuel lay until morning, then opened the doors of YHWH’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:15
Samuel lay until morning, rose early in the morning, and opened the doors of the Lord’s house. Samuel was afraid to report the vision to Eli.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek adds an explicit early rising. The doors and fear of reporting agree.
Verse MT 3:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:16
Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:16
Eli said to Samuel, “Samuel, child.” He said, “Here I am.”
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew separately narrates calling and says my son; Greek gives the speech directly and uses child. The response corresponds.
Verse MT 3:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:17
He said, “What was the word He spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do this to you, and add more, if you hide from me a word of everything He spoke to you.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:17
He said, “What was the word spoken to you? Do not hide it from me. May God do these things to you, and add these things, if you hide from me a word of all the words spoken to you in your ears.”
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew has an active speaker understood as God; Greek uses passive speech clauses and adds in your ears. Both preserve the oath’s unspecified penalty and demand for a full report.
Verse MT 3:18 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:18
Samuel told him all the words and hid nothing from him. He said, “He is YHWH. Let Him do what is good in His eyes.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:18
Samuel reported all the words and hid nothing from him. Eli said, “He is the Lord. He will do what is good before Him.”
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek explicitly names Eli and presents the final act as future; Hebrew’s imperfect is taken here as acceptance, let Him do. The eyes / before Him idiom remains distinct.
3:19–21 | Samuel is established as prophet
L2 includes 3:19. Hebrews 11:32 later names Samuel among the faithful [NT2].
Verse MT 3:19 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:19
Samuel grew, and YHWH was with him, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:19
Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and none of his words fell to the ground.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew uses a causative verb, letting words fall; Greek has words falling. The pronoun his may be related to Samuel’s prophetic speech or the divine word; lowercase preserves that unresolved reference. Hebrew’s unexpressed causative agent is likewise not named anew.
Saints: Hebrews 11:32 names Samuel with David and other faithful figures. This is explicit apostolic remembrance, without a claim that the verse quotes the particular recognition formula here [NT2].
Verse MT 3:20 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:20
All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:20
All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was faithful as a prophet to the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: The recognition and geographical span agree. Hebrew ne’eman emphasizes established reliability; Greek pistos is rendered faithful.
Verse MT 3:21 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 3:21
YHWH continued to appear at Shiloh, for YHWH revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh through YHWH’s word.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 3:21
The Lord continued to make Himself known at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel. Samuel was recognized as a prophet of the Lord for all Israel, from the ends of the land to the ends. Eli was very old, and his sons continued on their way, and their way was evil before the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek lacks the repeated Shiloh and through-YHWH’s-word clause, but adds nationwide recognition and a renewed notice about Eli and his sons. All this material remains at Greek 3:21; the Hebrew column is not expanded to match it.