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2 Chronicles 11 — Rehoboam’s Fortifications and Household — Hebrew and Greek compared

Saints Translation: 2 Chronicles 1–36 [V1]

Same 7 Similar 2 Different 11 Divergent 1 Disparate 2

Disparate in this chapter: 11:16, 11:23

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.

Chapter 11 — Rehoboam’s Fortifications and Household

The command against fraternal war

Verse 11:1 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:1] Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen fighting men, to fight Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:1] Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and assembled Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand young warriors, and was waging war against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: Hebrew presents fighting as the purpose of the muster; Greek uses an ongoing finite war verb. The following prohibition is retained without rewriting this difference. The force’s size agrees.

Verse 11:2 Same

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:2] YHWH’s word came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying,

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:2] The Lord’s word came to Samaia, the man of God, saying,

Classification & Notes

Same

Text: Both introduce the prophetic intervention through a man of God.

Verse 11:3 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:3] “Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon, Judah’s king, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:3] “Speak to Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, and to all Judah and Benjamin, saying,

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: Greek lacks Judah’s king and describes all Judah and Benjamin rather than all Israel in those territories.

Verse 11:4 Same

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:4] ‘Thus says YHWH: Do not go up or fight your brothers. Return, each to his house, for this thing has come from Me.’” They listened to YHWH’s words and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:4] ‘Thus says the Lord: You shall not go up or fight your brothers. Return, each to his house, for this matter has come from Me.’” They obeyed the Lord’s word and turned back, so as not to go against Jeroboam.

Classification & Notes

Same

Text: Both prohibit fraternal war, attribute the event to God, and report obedience. Rabbinic: The commentary presented as Rashi stresses the common ancestry of those called brothers [R2].

Fortified cities

Verse 11:5 Similar

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:5] Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:5] Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built walled cities in Judea.

Classification & Notes

Similar

Text: Hebrew emphasizes defense; Greek explicitly identifies walled cities.

Verse 11:6 Same

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:6] He built Bethlehem, Etam, and Tekoa,

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:6] He built Baithleem, Aitam, and Thekoe,

Classification & Notes

Same

Text: The three settlements correspond in their Hebrew and Greek forms.

Verse 11:7 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:7] Beth-zur, Soco, and Adullam,

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:7] Baithsoura, Sokchoth, and Odollam,

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: The middle place appears as Soco in Hebrew and Sokchoth in Greek; it is not silently equated by changing the Greek spelling.

Verse 11:8 Same

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:8] Gath, Mareshah, and Ziph,

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:8] Geth, Marisa, and Ziph,

Classification & Notes

Same

Text: The three settlements correspond in their language forms.

Verse 11:9 Same

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:9] Adoraim, Lachish, and Azekah,

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:9] Adoraim, Lachis, and Azeka,

Classification & Notes

Same

Text: The three settlements correspond in their language forms.

Verse 11:10 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:10] Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which were in Judah and Benjamin—fortified cities.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:10] Saraa, Aialon, and Chebron, which belongs to Judah and Benjamin—walled cities.

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: Hebrew’s relative clause concerns the listed places generally; Greek uses a singular relative following Chebron. The awkward singular is not rewritten as a plural.

Verse 11:11 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:11] He strengthened the fortifications and placed commanders in them, with stores of food, oil, and wine.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:11] He fortified them with walls and placed leaders in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: Greek explicitly specifies walls; Hebrew refers to strengthening the fortifications. The provisioning agrees.

Verse 11:12 Same

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:12] In every city there were large shields and spears, and he made the cities exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:12] In every city there were large shields and spears, and he strengthened them exceedingly. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

Classification & Notes

Same

Text: The equipment, reinforcement, and extent of the king’s allegiance agree.

Priests and worshipers come to Jerusalem

Verse 11:13 Similar

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:13] The priests and Levites throughout Israel took their stand with him from all their territories.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:13] The priests and Levites throughout Israel gathered to him from all the territories.

Classification & Notes

Similar

Text: Hebrew emphasizes taking a stand with Rehoboam; Greek describes gathering to him.

Verse 11:14 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:14] For the Levites left their pasturelands and possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to YHWH.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:14] For the Levites abandoned the dwellings of their possession and went to Judah, to Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had expelled them so that they could not minister to the Lord,

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: Hebrew distinguishes pasturelands and possessions; Greek has dwellings of their possession. Hebrew specifies priestly service, Greek ministry more generally, and explicitly speaks of expulsion.

Verse 11:15 Divergent

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:15] and he appointed priests for himself for the high places, the goat-demons, and the calves he had made.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:15] and he appointed priests for himself for the high places, the idols, the vain things, and the calves Jeroboam had made,

Classification & Notes

Divergent

Text: Greek has two categories, idols and vain things, corresponding to Hebrew’s goat-demons, and explicitly repeats Jeroboam’s name. The cultic list is not compressed into identical wording.

Verse 11:16 Disparate

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:16] After them, those from all Israel’s tribes who set their hearts to seek YHWH, Israel’s God, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to YHWH, their fathers’ God.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:16] and he expelled them from Israel’s tribes, those who gave their heart to seek the Lord, Israel’s God; and they came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, their fathers’ God.

Classification & Notes

Disparate

Text: Hebrew describes people following the Levites in seeking God; Greek explicitly introduces expulsion from the tribes. This changes the stated agency and cause of the movement, even though both groups reach Jerusalem to sacrifice.

Verse 11:17 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:17] They strengthened Judah’s kingdom and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:17] They strengthened Judah’s kingdom and strengthened Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, for three years, for he walked in the ways of David and Solomon for three years.

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: Hebrew has they walked and singular way; Greek has he walked and plural ways, focusing the final assessment on an individual. Both repeat three years.

Rehoboam’s household

Verse 11:18 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:18] Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath, daughter of Jerimoth son of David, and Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:18] Rehoboam took as wife Mollath, daughter of Jerimouth son of David, and Abaia daughter of Eliab, Jesse’s son.

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: Hebrew daughter follows the expressly displayed reading correction, bat, in R2; the selected BHS running text displays the written ban, son. Greek already has daughter. Both introduce the second woman without an explicit conjunction; and follows the coordination interpretation, also stated in the commentary presented as Rashi [R2]. The second name differs, Abihail and Abaia.

Verse 11:19 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:19] She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:19] She bore him sons: Jaous, Samaria, and Roollam.

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: The final son is Zaham in Hebrew and Roollam in Greek. Both leave the mother as she after the preceding difficult marriage list.

Verse 11:20 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:20] After her he took Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:20] After these things he took Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Jetthi, Ziza, and Emmoth.

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: Hebrew says after her; Greek says after these things. The names Attai/Jetthi and especially Shelomith/Emmoth differ and are retained.

Verse 11:21 Different

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:21] Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines, for he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines. He fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:21] Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines, for he had eighteen wives and thirty concubines. He fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

Classification & Notes

Different

Text: The number of concubines is sixty in Hebrew and thirty in Greek. Both give eighteen wives, twenty-eight sons, and sixty daughters.

Verse 11:22 Same

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:22] Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief, a leader among his brothers, intending to make him king.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:22] Rehoboam appointed Abijah, Maacah’s son, as ruler, a leader among his brothers, because he intended to make him king.

Classification & Notes

Same

Text: Both explicitly connect Abijah’s preeminence with the plan for his accession.

Verse 11:23 Disparate

Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)

[BHS 11:23] He acted with understanding and dispersed some of all his sons throughout Judah’s and Benjamin’s lands, to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives.

Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)

[LXX 11:23] He grew greater than all his sons throughout Judah’s and Benjamin’s territories and in the fortified cities. He gave those cities very abundant provisions and requested many wives.

Classification & Notes

Disparate

Text: Hebrew describes prudent dispersal of royal sons and provisions given to them; Greek describes someone increasing above the sons and uses a feminine object for provisions, referring to the cities. The opening Greek subject is not named afresh; its relation to Rehoboam and Abijah needs review. Neither column adds for them to the request for wives. Rabbinic: The commentary presented as Rashi understands the Hebrew dispersal as scattering the sons across Judah [R2].