1 Samuel 7 — 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 7
Turning to God with an undivided heart
Editorial Christian reading: repentance and obedient service are read alongside Christ’s call to hear and act [NT5, Luke 6:46–49].
7:1–6 | The ark kept and Israel summoned to return
Verse MT 7:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:1
The men of Kiriath-jearim came and brought up the ark of YHWH. They brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:1
The men of Kiriath-jearim came and brought up the ark of the Lord’s covenant. They brought it into Aminadab’s house on the hill and consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the Lord’s covenant.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek twice specifies the covenant and has Aminadab, corresponding to Hebrew Abinadab. The consonantal difference in the personal name is retained.
Verse MT 7:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:2
From the day the ark settled in Kiriath-jearim, the days multiplied until twenty years had passed. All Israel’s house lamented after YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:2
From the day the ark was in Kiriath-jearim, the days multiplied until twenty years had passed. All Israel’s house looked after the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew’s rare verb is rendered as lamenting with longing; Greek uses a verb of looking. The twenty years agree.
Verse MT 7:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:3
Samuel said to all Israel’s house, “If you are returning to YHWH with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you. Direct your hearts toward YHWH and serve Him alone, and He will rescue you from the Philistines’ hand.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:3
Samuel said to all Israel’s house, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the groves from among you. Prepare your hearts toward the Lord and serve Him alone, and He will rescue you from the foreigners’ hand.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew names Ashtaroth; Greek names cultic groves, alsē. The two nouns are preserved rather than silently made identical.
Verse MT 7:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:4
The sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served YHWH alone.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:4
The sons of Israel removed the Baalim and the groves of Astaroth and served the Lord alone.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek retains Baalim and Astaroth as forms of the names and explicitly joins the latter to groves. Hebrew has the two divine-name plurals without “groves.”
Verse MT 7:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:5
Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to YHWH for you.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:5
Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The gathering and promise of intercession agree; the established divine-name correspondence remains visible.
Verse MT 7:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:6
They gathered at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before YHWH. They fasted that day and said there, “We have sinned against YHWH.” Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:6
They gathered at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it onto the ground before the Lord. They fasted that day and said, “We have sinned before the Lord.” Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek explicitly names the ground; Hebrew specifies that the confession was made “there.” The confession’s preposition is against/to in Hebrew and before in Greek.
7:7–12 | Prayer, deliverance, and the memorial stone
Verse MT 7:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:7
The Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, and the Philistine rulers went up against Israel. When the sons of Israel heard, they were afraid of the Philistines.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:7
The foreigners heard that all the sons of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, and the foreigners’ satraps went up against Israel. When the sons of Israel heard, they were afraid of the foreigners.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek explicitly includes “all”; the sequence otherwise agrees, with the established people-name and ruler-title differences.
Verse MT 7:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:8
The sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not be silent on our behalf: keep crying to YHWH our God, so that He may save us from the Philistines’ hand.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:8
The sons of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not be silent on our behalf: keep crying to the Lord your God, and He will save us from the foreigners’ hand.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew says “our God”; Greek says “your God,” addressing Samuel. Both ask for sustained intercession.
Verse MT 7:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:9
Samuel took one nursing lamb and offered it wholly as a burnt offering to YHWH. Samuel cried to YHWH for Israel, and YHWH answered him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:9
Samuel took one nursing lamb and, with all the people, offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. Samuel cried to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew’s “wholly” concerns the offering; Greek has “with all the people.” Hebrew answers; Greek hears favorably.
Verse MT 7:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:10
While Samuel was offering the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near for battle against Israel. YHWH thundered with a great voice against the Philistines that day and threw them into confusion. They were defeated before Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:10
While Samuel was offering the whole burnt offering, the foreigners drew near for battle against Israel. The Lord thundered with a great voice against the foreigners that day. They were thrown into confusion and fell before Israel.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew explicitly makes YHWH the agent of the confusion; Greek describes the resulting confusion after His thunder. Both retain the divine intervention.
Verse MT 7:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:11
Israel’s men went out from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and struck them as far as below Beth-car.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:11
Israel’s men went out from Mizpah, pursued the foreigners, and struck them as far as below Beth-chor.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The displayed endpoint is Hebrew Beth-car and Greek Baithchor, represented as Beth-chor. The difference is retained without claiming two independently identified sites.
Verse MT 7:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:12
Samuel took one stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer and said, “Thus far YHWH has helped us.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:12
Samuel took one stone and set it between Mizpah and the old city. He named it Ebenezer, Stone of the Helper, and said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew names Shen; Greek has “the old,” with “city” supplied. Greek explicitly translates the memorial name; Hebrew’s corresponding “stone of help” is conveyed by the name and following explanation.
Samuel’s faithful service in the history of salvation
Editorial Christian canonical frame: Hebrews 11:32 names Samuel among the faithful; Acts 13:20–23 places his ministry before Saul, David, and the promise fulfilled in Jesus [NT2; NT1].
7:13–17 | Restored territory and the judging circuit
Verse MT 7:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:13
The Philistines were subdued and did not enter Israel’s territory again. YHWH’s hand was against the Philistines throughout Samuel’s days.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:13
The Lord humbled the foreigners, and they did not enter Israel’s territory again. The Lord’s hand was against the foreigners throughout Samuel’s days.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek explicitly names the Lord as the one who subdued the enemy; Hebrew uses a passive verb before naming His hand.
Verse MT 7:14 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:14
The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel returned to Israel, from Ekron to Gath. Israel rescued their territory from the Philistines’ hand. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:14
The cities that the foreigners had taken from the sons of Israel were restored; they returned them to Israel, from Ashkelon to Azob. They recovered Israel’s territory from the foreigners’ hand. There was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: The territorial endpoints differ: Ekron–Gath in Hebrew, Ashkelon–Azob in Greek. Azob is retained without identification. Greek repeats the return and leaves the plural agents unstated; the recovery clause is not given an invented named agent.
Verse MT 7:15 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:15
Samuel judged Israel throughout his life.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:15
Samuel judged Israel throughout his life.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The lifelong summary agrees.
Verse MT 7:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:16
Year after year he traveled a circuit through Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, judging Israel in all these places.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:16
Year after year he traveled a circuit through Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, judging Israel in all these consecrated places.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek calls the places consecrated; Hebrew simply calls them places.
Verse MT 7:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 7:17
He would return to Ramah, for his house was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 7:17
He would return to Armathaim, for his house was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew Ramah and Greek Armathaim are retained as the displayed forms. No separate site identification is asserted.