2 Kings 16 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 16:15, 16:18
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 16
Ahaz and the Altar from Damascus
Verse 16:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham, king of Judah, became king.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:1 In the seventeenth year of Phakee son of Romelias, Ahaz son of Jotham, king of Judah, became king.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both give the same accession synchronism.
Verse 16:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of YHWH his God, as his father David had done.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not faithfully do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God, as his father David had done.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek adds πιστῶς, ‘faithfully’; age and reign agree.
Verse 16:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:3 He walked in the way of Israel's kings. He even made his son pass through fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom YHWH dispossessed before the Israelites.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:3 He walked in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, king of Israel. He even led his son through fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord removed before the Israelites.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew refers broadly to Israel's kings; Greek names Jeroboam son of Nebat. Both expressly report the son's passage through fire.
Verse 16:4 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:4 He sacrificed and burned offerings at the high places, on the hills, and under every luxuriant tree.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:4 He sacrificed and burned incense at the high places, on the hills, and under every leafy tree.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both list the same three types of cultic location.
Verse 16:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:5 Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem for war. They besieged Ahaz but could not prevail in battle.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:5 Then Raasson king of Syria and Phakee son of Romelias, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem for war. They besieged Ahaz but could not wage the battle successfully.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both report the coalition's siege and inability to overcome Ahaz; the final verb is literally ‘fight.’
Verse 16:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:6 At that time Rezin king of Aram restored Elath to Aram and drove the Judeans out of Eloth. Arameans came to Elath and lived there to this day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:6 At that time Raasson king of Syria restored Ailath to Syria and expelled the Judeans from Ailath. Idumeans came to Ailath and lived there to this day.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The displayed Hebrew written form identifies Arameans; Greek identifies Idumeans, that is Edomites. The Greek population is not substituted into the Hebrew column.
Verse 16:7 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:7 Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, ‘I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Aram and the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising against me.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:7 Ahaz sent messengers to Thaglathphellasar king of the Assyrians, saying, ‘I am your slave and your son. Come up and save me from the hand of the king of Syria and the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising against me.’
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both express Ahaz's submission and request for rescue from the same two enemies.
Verse 16:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:8 Ahaz took the silver and gold found in YHWH's house and in the treasuries of the king's house, and sent a bribe to the king of Assyria.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:8 Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the treasuries of the Lord's house and the king's house, and sent gifts to the king.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew calls the payment שֹׁחַד, a bribe; Greek calls it gifts and leaves the recipient's Assyrian title implicit here.
Verse 16:9 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:9 The king of Assyria listened to him. The king of Assyria went up against Damascus, captured it, exiled it to Kir, and put Rezin to death.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:9 The king of the Assyrians listened to him. The king of the Assyrians went up against Damascus, captured it, deported it, and put Raasson to death.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek omits Kir, the destination of deportation.
Verse 16:10 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:10 King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria. He saw the altar in Damascus, and King Ahaz sent Uriah the priest a likeness of the altar and its plan, with all its workmanship.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:10 King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Thaglathphellasar king of the Assyrians. He saw the altar in Damascus, and King Ahaz sent Uriah the priest the altar's likeness and design for all its construction.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both describe the royal meeting and a detailed altar design sent to the priest.
Verse 16:11 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:11 Uriah the priest built the altar. In accordance with everything King Ahaz sent from Damascus, Uriah the priest completed it before King Ahaz came from Damascus.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:11 Uriah the priest built the altar in accordance with everything King Ahaz sent from Damascus.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek lacks the repeated compliance and completion-before-return clauses.
Verse 16:12 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:12 The king came from Damascus, and the king saw the altar. The king approached the altar and went up onto it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:12 The king saw the altar and went up onto it.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek lacks the return from Damascus and separate approach to the altar.
Verse 16:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:13 He burned his burnt offering and grain offering, poured his drink offering, and dashed the blood of his well-being offerings against the altar.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:13 He burned his whole burnt offering, his sacrifice, and his drink offering, and poured the blood of his peace offerings against the altar.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew distinguishes burning from pouring the drink offering; Greek places the drink offering among the objects of ‘burned.’ Greek θυσία is sacrifice without the Hebrew grain specificity.
Verse 16:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:14 He moved the bronze altar that stood before YHWH from the front of the house, from between the altar and YHWH's house, and placed it at the north side of the altar.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:14 He moved the bronze altar that stood before the Lord from the front of the Lord's house, from between the altar and the Lord's house, and placed it at the altar's north side.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both move the former bronze altar to the north of the new altar.
Verse 16:15 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:15 King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest: ‘On the great altar burn the morning burnt offering and evening grain offering, the king's burnt offering and grain offering, and the burnt offering of all the people of the land, their grain offering, and their drink offerings. Dash all blood of burnt offering and all blood of sacrifice against it. The bronze altar shall be for me to inquire by.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:15 King Ahaz commanded Uriah the priest: ‘On the great altar offer the morning whole burnt offering and evening sacrifice, the king's whole burnt offering and sacrifice, and the whole burnt offering of all the people, their sacrifice, and their drink offering. Pour all blood of whole burnt offering and all blood of sacrifice against it. The bronze altar shall be for me for the morning.’
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew לְבַקֵּר provisionally concerns inquiry or examination; Greek εἰς τὸ πρωί expressly assigns the bronze altar to the morning. This changes its stated ritual role. The Hebrew purpose remains lexically uncertain and requires review.
Verse 16:16 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:16 Uriah the priest did in accordance with everything King Ahaz commanded.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:16 Uriah the priest did in accordance with everything King Ahaz commanded him.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both report the priest's compliance.
Verse 16:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:17 King Ahaz cut off the panels of the stands and removed the basin from them. He took the Sea down from the bronze cattle beneath it and placed it on a pavement of stones.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:17 King Ahaz cut apart the enclosures of the mechonoth and removed the basin from them. He took the Sea down from the bronze oxen beneath it and placed it on a stone base.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek retains mechonoth as a transliteration and has a stone base where Hebrew has stone pavement. Both dismantle the stands and remove the Sea's cattle support.
Verse 16:18 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:18 The Sabbath canopy which they had built in the house, and the king's outer entrance—he altered them at YHWH's house because of the king of Assyria.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:18 He built the foundation of the seat in the Lord's house, and he turned the king's outer entrance into the Lord's house because of the king of the Assyrians.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew includes a Sabbath canopy among structures altered; Greek asserts construction of a seat's foundation and does not mention Sabbath. Both architectural descriptions remain difficult; the distinct objects and actions are preserved provisionally.
Verse 16:19 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:19 The rest of Ahaz's deeds, what he did—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:19 The rest of Ahaz's deeds, what he did—are these not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both refer the remaining deeds to Judah's chronicles.
Verse 16:20 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:20 Ahaz lay down with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in David's city. His son Hezekiah became king in his place.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:20 Ahaz lay down with his fathers and was buried in David's city. His son Hezekiah became king in his place.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek omits ‘with his fathers’ from the burial clause.