2 Chronicles 3 — The house, the cherubim, and the pillars — 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.
Chapter 3 — The house, the cherubim, and the pillars
The site and the main house
Verse 3:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:1] Solomon began building YHWH's house in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, which was shown to David his father, at the place David had prepared, at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:1] Solomon began building the Lord's house in Jerusalem on Mount Amoria, where the Lord appeared to David his father, at the place David had prepared, at the threshing floor of Orna the Jebusite.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew's was-seen or appeared verb has no expressed divine subject; the chosen rendering relates it to the site shown to David. Greek explicitly names the Lord as appearing. The Hebrew can alternatively be read where He appeared, so no major theological contradiction is asserted.
Verse 3:2 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:2] He began building in the second month, on the second day, in the fourth year of his reign.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:2] He began building in the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek omits Hebrew's second occurrence of second, rendered as the second day though day is implicit. Both give the same month and regnal year.
Verse 3:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:3] These were Solomon's foundations for building God's house: the length in cubits by the former measure was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:3] These were what Solomon began for building God's house: the length in cubits, by the first measurement, was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew uses a foundation expression and Greek beginning. Both qualify the cubit measurement as former or first; no modern length is supplied.
Verse 3:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:4] The vestibule across the front extended twenty cubits along the width of the house, and its height was a hundred twenty. He overlaid it inside with pure gold.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:4] The ailam before the house extended twenty cubits across the house's width, and its height was a hundred twenty cubits. He gilded it inside with pure gold.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek retains ailam where Hebrew names the vestibule and explicitly supplies cubits with the height. Both have the striking height a hundred twenty; it is not silently changed to twenty.
Verse 3:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:5] He paneled the great house with cypress wood, overlaid it with fine gold, and put palm trees and chains upon it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:5] He paneled the great house with cedar wood, gilded it with pure gold, and carved palm trees and hanging ornaments upon it.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew cypress becomes Greek cedar. Hebrew putting up decorative palms and chains becomes explicit carving of palms and hanging ornaments in Greek.
Verse 3:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:6] He adorned the house with precious stone for splendor, and the gold was gold of Parvaim.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:6] He adorned the house with precious stones for glory, and with gold from Pharouaim,
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both identify precious stone decoration and the gold's origin. Greek continues the material description into the following gilding clause.
Verse 3:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:7] He overlaid the house, its beams, thresholds, walls, and doors with gold, and engraved cherubim upon the walls.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:7] and he gilded the house, the walls, gateways, ceilings, and doorways with gold, and carved cherubim upon the walls.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The architectural list differs in order and terms, especially beams/ceilings and thresholds/gateways. Both retain carved cherubim on the walls.
The Holy of Holies and the cherubim
Verse 3:8 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:8] He made the Most Holy House. Its length across the house's width was twenty cubits, and its width twenty cubits. He overlaid it with fine gold amounting to six hundred talents.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:8] He made the House of the Holy of Holies. Its length across the width was twenty cubits, and its width twenty cubits. He gilded it with pure gold for cherubim, amounting to six hundred talents.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek adds for cherubim to the gilding clause, with a compressed relation between the room, cherubim, and gold. Both give a twenty-cubit square and six hundred talents; the addition is retained without supplying an architectural reconstruction.
Verse 3:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:9] The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He overlaid the upper rooms with gold.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:9] The weight of the nails—the weight of one was fifty shekels of gold. He gilded the upper room with gold.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek explicitly makes fifty shekels the weight of one nail and has singular upper room. Hebrew leaves the collective or distributive nail-weight scope unqualified and has plural upper rooms.
Verse 3:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:10] He made two cherubim in the Most Holy House, sculptured work, and they overlaid them with gold.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:10] He made two cherubim in the House of the Holy of Holies, work made from wood, and he gilded them with gold.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The rare Hebrew workmanship term is provisionally rendered sculptured work; Greek explicitly specifies wood. Hebrew shifts to plural they overlaid, while Greek retains singular he.
Verse 3:11 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:11] The cherubim's wings extended twenty cubits in length. One wing, five cubits, touched the house's wall, and the other wing, five cubits, reached the other cherub's wing.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:11] The cherubim's wings extended twenty cubits in length. One wing, five cubits, touched the house's wall, and the other wing, five cubits, touched the other cherub's wing.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both give the same wing measurements and wall-to-cherub arrangement.
Verse 3:12 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:12] One wing of the other cherub, five cubits, reached the house's wall, and the other wing, five cubits, joined the wing of the other cherub.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:12] One wing of the other cherub, five cubits, touched the house's wall, and the other wing, five cubits, touched the wing of the other cherub.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both complete the paired wing arrangement. Other identifies the second cherub in the continuing description without adding a new figure.
Verse 3:13 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:13] The wings of these cherubim spread twenty cubits. They stood upon their feet, with their faces toward the house.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:13] The cherubim's wings were spread twenty cubits. They stood upon their feet, with their faces toward the house.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The total span, upright stance, and orientation agree.
Verse 3:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:14] He made the veil of blue, purple, crimson, and fine linen, and put cherubim upon it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:14] He made the curtain of hyacinth blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, and wove cherubim into it.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek explicitly says the figures were woven; Hebrew has the broader put upon. Both list the same general colored textile components.
The two pillars
Verse 3:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:15] He made two pillars before the house, thirty-five cubits in length, with the capital upon its top five cubits.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:15] He made two pillars before the house, thirty-five cubits in height, and their capitals five cubits.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew length corresponds to Greek height, and its capital phrase is singular where Greek has plural capitals. Both retain thirty-five and five without adjusting the figures from Kings.
Verse 3:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:16] He made chains in the inner sanctuary and placed them upon the pillars' tops. He made a hundred pomegranates and placed them on the chains.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:16] He made serseroth in the dabir and placed them upon the pillars' capitals. He made a hundred pomegranates and placed them upon the hanging ornaments.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek retains serseroth and dabir as borrowed forms where Hebrew has chains and the inner sanctuary. Its final hanging ornaments corresponds to Hebrew's repeated chains. The pomegranate total agrees.
Verse 3:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 3:17] He erected the pillars before the temple, one on the right and one on the left. He named the one on the right Jachin and the one on the left Boaz.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 3:17] He erected the pillars before the temple, one on the right and one on the left. He named the one on the right Establishment and the one on the left Strength.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek translates the pillar names into meaning-bearing words, while Hebrew retains Jachin and Boaz. The positional arrangement agrees.