2 Chronicles 21 — Jehoram’s violence, rebellion, and death — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 21:17
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 21 — Jehoram’s violence, rebellion, and death
Jehoram’s accession and violence
Verse 21:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:1] Jehoshaphat lay down with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in David's city. His son Jehoram reigned in his place.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:1] Jehoshaphat fell asleep with his fathers and was buried beside his fathers in David's city. His son Joram reigned in his place.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both give Jehoshaphat's death, ancestral burial, and his son's succession.
Verse 21:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:2] He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:2] He had six brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azarias, Iiel, Zacharias, Azarias, Michael, and Saphatias. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew calls Jehoshaphat king of Israel; Greek says Judah and explicitly counts six brothers. Hebrew distinguishes Azariah and Azariahu in spelling; Greek repeats Azarias.
Verse 21:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:3] Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and precious things, along with fortified cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:3] Their father gave them many gifts: silver, gold, and weapons, along with walled cities in Judah. But he gave the kingdom to Joram, because he was the firstborn.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew's precious gifts become weapons in Greek; both explain the eldest son's accession.
Verse 21:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:4] Jehoram rose over his father's kingdom and strengthened himself. He killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of Israel's princes.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:4] Joram rose over his kingdom and grew strong. He killed all his brothers with the sword, and some of Israel's rulers.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew explicitly calls the kingdom his father's; Greek calls it his kingdom. Both retain the killings.
Verse 21:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:5] Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:5] When Joram was thirty-two years old, he was established over his kingdom, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The accession age and reign length agree.
Verse 21:6 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:6] He walked in the way of Israel's kings, as Ahab's house had done, because Ahab's daughter was his wife. He did what was evil in YHWH's eyes.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:6] He walked in the way of Israel's kings, as Ahab's house had done, because Ahab's daughter was his wife. He did what was evil before the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both connect his conduct with his marriage into Ahab's house.
Verse 21:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:7] Yet YHWH was unwilling to destroy David's house, because of the covenant He had made with David, and because He had promised to give him and his sons a lamp always.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:7] Yet the Lord was unwilling to destroy David's house because of the covenant He had made with David, and as He had told him, to give him and his sons a lamp always.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both retain the covenant and lamp promise; Greek explicitly includes told him.
Rebellions and corrupt worship
Verse 21:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:8] In his days Edom rebelled from under Judah's hand and set a king over themselves.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:8] In those days Edom broke away from Judah, and they set a king over themselves.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew dates the rebellion to his days and describes release from Judah's hand; Greek says those days.
Verse 21:9 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:9] Jehoram crossed over with his commanders, with all the chariots accompanying him. He rose by night and struck the Edomites surrounding him and the chariot commanders.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:9] Joram went out with the rulers, with all the cavalry accompanying him. He rose by night and struck Edom, which was surrounding him, and the chariot commanders. The people fled to their tents.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek has cavalry for the initial chariot force and adds the people's flight to their tents, absent from the Hebrew unit.
Verse 21:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:10] Edom has remained in rebellion from under Judah's hand to this day. At that same time Libnah also rebelled from under his hand, because he had abandoned YHWH, the God of his fathers.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:10] Edom has remained apart from Judah to this day. At that same time Lomna rebelled from his hand, because he had abandoned the Lord, the God of his fathers.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both link the additional rebellion to the king's abandonment of his ancestral God; Libnah appears as Lomna.
Verse 21:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:11] He also made high places in Judah's mountains, caused Jerusalem's inhabitants to prostitute themselves, and led Judah astray.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:11] He also made high places in Judah's cities, caused Jerusalem's inhabitants to prostitute themselves, and led Judah astray.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The high places are in mountains in Hebrew and cities in Greek; both retain the prostitution metaphor for religious infidelity.
Elijah’s letter and the invasion
Verse 21:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:12] A writing came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus says YHWH, the God of David your father: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father or in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:12] A written message came to him from Elias the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: Because you have not walked in the way of Jehoshaphat your father or in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both attribute the writing to Elijah; Greek uses singular way for Jehoshaphat. No delivery chronology beyond the text is supplied.
Verse 21:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:13] but have walked in the way of Israel's kings and caused Judah and Jerusalem's inhabitants to prostitute themselves as Ahab's house caused prostitution, and because you have killed your brothers, members of your father's house, who were better than you,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:13] but have walked in the ways of Israel's kings and caused Judah and Jerusalem's inhabitants to prostitute themselves as Ahab's house caused prostitution, and because you have killed your brothers, your father's sons, who were better than you,
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both enumerate religious infidelity and fratricide; Greek explicitly calls the brothers the father's sons.
Verse 21:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:14] look: YHWH will strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a great blow.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:14] look: the Lord will strike you with a great blow in your people, your sons, your wives, and all your belongings.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek explicitly makes you the object struck through the listed dependents and possessions; Hebrew directly locates the blow among them.
Verse 21:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:15] You yourself will suffer many illnesses, with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease, day after day.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:15] You yourself will be in a grievous sickness, a disease of the belly, until your belly comes out with the sickness, from day to day.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has many illnesses and plural bowels; Greek has grievous sickness and singular belly. The bodily description is preserved without retrospective diagnosis.
Verse 21:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:16] YHWH stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs who lived beside the Cushites.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:16] The Lord stirred up against Joram the foreigners, the Arabs, and the neighbors of the Ethiopians.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek lacks spirit and coordinates the Ethiopians' neighbors as another group; Hebrew identifies the Arabs as those neighbors. Foreigners is the Greek designation corresponding to Philistines here.
Verse 21:17 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:17] They came up into Judah and broke into it. They carried away all the possessions found in the king's house, along with his sons and wives. No son remained to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:17] They came up against Judah and overpowered it. They carried away all the belongings they found in the king's house, his sons, and his daughters. No son remained to him except Ahaziah, the youngest of his sons.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew includes wives among the captives; Greek has daughters. The remaining son's names, Jehoahaz and Ahaziah, are retained rather than harmonized. Greek Ochozias is rendered by its recognizable form Ahaziah; the Hebrew Jehoahaz remains distinct.
Illness and death
Verse 21:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:18] After all this, YHWH struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:18] After all this, the Lord struck him in his belly with a sickness for which there was no cure.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both describe the subsequent incurable abdominal illness.
Verse 21:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:19] As time passed, at the end of two years, his bowels came out with his disease, and he died in terrible illnesses. His people made no burning for him like the burning for his fathers.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:19] As day followed day, when the time of the days came, two days, his belly came out with the disease, and he died in grievous sickness. His people made no funeral procession like the procession for his fathers.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew's compressed days expression is understood idiomatically as two years; Greek explicitly says two days in an awkward time formula. Hebrew withholds a ceremonial burning, Greek a funeral procession; cremation is not inferred.
Verse 21:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 21:20] He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He departed without being desired. They buried him in David's city, but not in the tombs of the kings.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 21:20] He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He departed without praise and was buried in David's city, but not in the tombs of the kings.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew describes his departure as undesired; Greek says without praise. The repeated dates and exclusion from royal tombs agree.