2 Kings 17 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 17:20, 17:34, 17:40
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 17
Samaria Falls; Exile and Resettlement
Verse 17:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king in Samaria over Israel, for nine years.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Ela became king in Samaria over Israel, for nine years.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both give the same accession and nine-year reign.
Verse 17:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:2 He did evil in YHWH's eyes, though not like the kings of Israel who were before him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:2 He did evil in the Lord's eyes, though not like the kings of Israel who were before him.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both qualify the adverse assessment by comparison with earlier kings.
Verse 17:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria went up against him. Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:3 Salamanasar king of the Assyrians went up against him. Hoshea became his slave and paid him manaa.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek transliterates manaa, corresponding here to Hebrew מִנְחָה, tribute; no particular coin denomination is implied.
Verse 17:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:4 The king of Assyria discovered a conspiracy in Hoshea: he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and had not brought tribute to the king of Assyria as year after year. The king of Assyria detained him and bound him in prison.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:4 The king of the Assyrians found wrongdoing in Hoshea, because he had sent messengers to Segor king of Egypt and had not brought manaa to the king of the Assyrians in that year. The king of the Assyrians besieged him and bound him in prison.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: So/Segor, habitual tribute/that year's payment, and detention/siege are distinct readings. Greek ἀδικία is wrongdoing rather than the Hebrew explicit conspiracy.
Verse 17:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:5 The king of Assyria went up through the whole land, went up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:5 The king of the Assyrians went up through the whole land, went up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both give a three-year siege.
Verse 17:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:6 In Hoshea's ninth year the king of Assyria captured Samaria and exiled Israel to Assyria. He settled them in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of Media.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:6 In Hoshea's ninth year the king of the Assyrians captured Samaria and deported Israel to the Assyrians. He settled them in Alae and Abor, rivers of Gozan, and Ore of the Medes.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has singular river and Media's cities; Greek has plural ‘rivers’ and Ορη, retained as Ore, a form also resembling ‘mountains.’ The Greek destination requires further lexical or apparatus review.
Verse 17:7 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:7 This happened because the Israelites sinned against YHWH their God, who brought them up from Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and they feared other gods.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:7 This happened because the Israelites sinned against the Lord their God, who brought them up from Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and they feared other gods.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both explain the exile through disloyalty to the God of the exodus.
Verse 17:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:8 They walked in the statutes of the nations whom YHWH dispossessed before the Israelites, and in those which Israel's kings had made.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:8 They walked in the ordinances of the nations whom the Lord removed before the Israelites; and Israel's kings, all who acted so,
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew's final clause is construed as royal statutes; Greek makes the kings a further nominative subject in an unfinished sequence continuing into the next verse. Its irregular syntax is retained provisionally.
Verse 17:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:9 The Israelites secretly did things that were not right against YHWH their God. They built themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:9 and all the Israelites who clothed themselves in words that were not so against the Lord their God, built themselves high places in all their cities, from watchtower to fortified city.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew וַיְחַפְּאוּ is provisionally secret action; Greek ἠμφιέσαντο depicts clothing themselves in false words. Both continue with extensive building of high places.
Verse 17:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:10 They set up pillars and Asherim for themselves on every high hill and under every luxuriant tree.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:10 They set up pillars and groves for themselves on every high hill and under every leafy tree.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The cultic pillars agree; Hebrew Asherim and Greek groves retain their respective images.
Verse 17:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:11 They burned offerings there at all the high places like the nations whom YHWH exiled before them. They did evil things to provoke YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:11 They burned incense there at all the high places like the nations whom the Lord deported before them. They made associates and engraved, to provoke the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has ‘evil things’; Greek has κοινωνούς, associates or partners, followed by ‘engraved’ without an expressed object. The obscure Greek actions are not replaced with the Hebrew generalization.
Verse 17:12 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:12 They served the idols, concerning which YHWH had said to them, ‘You shall not do this thing.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:12 They served the idols, concerning which the Lord had said to them, ‘You shall not do this thing to the Lord.’
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek adds ‘to the Lord’ at the end of the prohibition.
Verse 17:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:13 YHWH warned Israel and Judah through every prophet of His, every seer: ‘Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the instruction I commanded your fathers and sent to you through My servants the prophets.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:13 The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets, every seer: ‘Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My ordinances, and all the law I commanded your fathers, all that I sent to them through My servants the prophets.’
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The final recipients are ‘you’ in Hebrew and ‘them’ in Greek; Greek coordinates the law directly with commandments and ordinances.
Verse 17:14 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:14 But they did not listen. They stiffened their neck like the neck of their fathers, who did not trust YHWH their God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:14 But they did not listen. They hardened their back more than the back of their fathers.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek lacks the fathers' unbelief clause and intensifies the comparison with ‘more than’; its image is back rather than neck.
Verse 17:15 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:15 They rejected His statutes, His covenant which He made with their fathers, and His warnings by which He warned them. They followed emptiness and became empty, and followed the nations around them, whom YHWH had commanded them not to imitate.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:15 They did not keep His testimonies by which He warned them. They followed worthless things and became worthless, and followed the nations around them, concerning whom He had commanded them not to do such things.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek lacks the opening rejection of statutes and ancestral covenant; both retain the warning, vanity wordplay, and prohibited imitation.
Verse 17:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:16 They abandoned all the commandments of YHWH their God. They made a cast image for themselves, two calves, made an Asherah, bowed down to all heaven's host, and served Baal.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:16 They abandoned the commandments of the Lord their God. They made a casting for themselves, two heifers, made groves, bowed down to all heaven's host, and served Baal.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has male calves and one Asherah; Greek has female heifers and plural groves. Both retain astral worship and Baal service.
Verse 17:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:17 They made their sons and daughters pass through fire, practiced divination, read omens, and sold themselves to do evil in YHWH's eyes, provoking Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:17 They led their sons and daughters through fire, practiced divinations, read omens, and were sold to do evil in the Lord's eyes, provoking Him.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew is reflexive ‘sold themselves’; Greek is passive ‘were sold.’ The listed offenses correspond.
Verse 17:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:18 YHWH was very angry with Israel and removed them from His presence. None remained except the tribe of Judah alone.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:18 The Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His presence. None remained except the tribe of Judah alone.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both give the same removal and Judah's remaining position.
Verse 17:19 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:19 Judah also did not keep the commandments of YHWH their God; they walked in the statutes Israel had made.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:19 Judah also did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God; they walked in the ordinances Israel had made.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both extend the accusation to Judah.
Verse 17:20 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:20 YHWH rejected all Israel's seed, afflicted them, and gave them into plunderers' hands, until He cast them from His presence.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:20 They rejected the Lord throughout all Israel's seed; He shook them and gave them into the hands of those plundering them, until He cast them from His presence.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew makes YHWH the agent rejecting Israel; Greek makes Israel the agent rejecting the Lord before His response. The explicit object τὸν κύριον prevents harmonizing the reversed agency.
Verse 17:21 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:21 For He tore Israel away from David's house, and they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam drove Israel away from following YHWH and caused them to commit a great sin.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:21 For Israel was apart from David's house, and they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam thrust Israel away from following the Lord and caused them to commit a great sin.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek's difficult opening ὅτι πλὴν Ισραηλ ἐπάνωθεν οἴκου Δαυιδ lacks the Hebrew verb ‘tore.’ ‘Was apart’ supplies the minimal elliptical relation provisionally; it does not supply divine tearing.
Verse 17:22 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:22 The Israelites walked in all the sins Jeroboam committed; they did not turn away from it,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:22 The Israelites walked in every sin Jeroboam committed; they did not turn away from it,
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both describe persistent adherence, continuing into the exile notice.
Verse 17:23 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:23 until YHWH removed Israel from His presence, as He had spoken through all His servants the prophets. Israel was exiled from its land to Assyria, to this day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:23 until the Lord removed Israel from His presence, as the Lord had spoken through all His servants the prophets. Israel was deported from its land to the Assyrians, to this day.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both explicitly connect exile with the prophetic word and retain ‘to this day.’
Verse 17:24 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in Samaria's towns in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:24 The king of the Assyrians brought from Babylon the one from Chountha, and from Aia, Aimath, and Seppharouain. They were settled in Samaria's cities in place of the Israelites, took possession of Samaria, and lived in its cities.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek has the awkward singular τὸν ἐκ Χουνθα after Babylon and passive settlement; Hebrew straightforwardly lists origins and the king's settlement. The singular wording is retained provisionally.
Verse 17:25 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:25 At the beginning of their residence there, they did not fear YHWH. YHWH sent lions among them, and they killed some of them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:25 At the beginning of their residence, they did not fear the Lord. The Lord sent lions among them, and they killed some of them.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both attribute the lethal lions to failure to fear the Lord.
Verse 17:26 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:26 They told the king of Assyria, ‘The nations you exiled and settled in Samaria's towns do not know the requirement of the God of the land. He has sent lions among them, and look, they are killing them, because they do not know the requirement of the God of the land.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:26 They told the king of the Assyrians, ‘The nations you deported and resettled in Samaria's cities do not know the judgment of the God of the land. He has sent lions among them, and look, they are killing them, because they do not know the judgment of the God of the land.’
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew מִשְׁפָּט and Greek κρίμα describe the local deity's governing requirement; the report and repeated explanation agree.
Verse 17:27 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:27 The king of Assyria commanded, ‘Take one of the priests whom you exiled from there back there. Let them go and live there, and let him teach them the requirement of the God of the land.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:27 The king of the Assyrians commanded, ‘Take away from there; let them go and live there, and they shall enlighten them about the judgment of the God of the land.’
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek omits the identification of one exiled priest, has ‘from there,’ and makes the instructors plural. The missing object is not supplied as if present in Greek; verse twenty-eight introduces a priest explicitly.
Verse 17:28 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:28 One of the priests whom they had exiled from Samaria came and lived in Bethel. He taught them how to fear YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:28 They brought one of the priests whom they had deported from Samaria, and he lived in Bethel. He enlightened them about how to fear the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew says the priest came; Greek says they brought him. His residence and teaching agree.
Verse 17:29 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:29 But each nation made its own gods and placed them in the house of the high places which the Samarians had made, each nation in its towns where they lived.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:29 But each nation made its own gods and placed them in the house of the high places which the Samaritans had made, the nations in their cities where they lived.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both describe the resettled nations maintaining their own gods in existing local shrines.
Verse 17:30 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:30 The people of Babylon made Succoth-benoth; the people of Cuth made Nergal; the people of Hamath made Ashima.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:30 The men of Babylon made Sokchothbainith; the men of Chouth made Nerigel; the men of Aimath made Asimath.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The three peoples and corresponding deity-name forms agree; no animal or cultic identification is supplied from later interpretation.
Verse 17:31 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:31 The Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their sons in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:31 The Evites made Eblazer and Tharthak, and the Seppharouain burned their sons in fire to Adramelech and Anemelech, gods of Seppharouain.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Nibhaz differs from Greek Eblazer; the other names have corresponding forms. Both expressly report burning sons for the two Sepharvaim deities.
Verse 17:32 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:32 They feared YHWH, and they made priests of the high places for themselves from among their own people; these officiated for them in the house of the high places.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:32 They feared the Lord and installed their abominations in the houses of the high places they had made in Samaria, each nation in the city where it lived. They feared the Lord and made priests of the high places for themselves, and performed rites for themselves in the house of the high places.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek adds installation of abominations and a repeated fear-of-the-Lord clause, but lacks Hebrew's explicit selection of priests from their own number.
Verse 17:33 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:33 They feared YHWH while serving their own gods, according to the practice of the nations from which they had been exiled.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:33 They feared the Lord while serving their own gods, according to the judgment of the nations from which he had deported them.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew leaves the deporting agent implicit in a plural construction; Greek makes it singular. Both describe concurrent service of other gods.
Verse 17:34 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:34 To this day they act according to the former practices. They do not fear YHWH and do not act according to their statutes and ordinances, or the instruction and commandment YHWH commanded Jacob's sons, whom He named Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:34 To this day they acted according to their judgment. They fear, and they act according to their ordinances, their judgment, the law, and the commandment which the Lord commanded Jacob's sons, whom He named Israel.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew explicitly denies fear of YHWH and obedience; Greek lacks both negatives and positively states fear and action according to the law. Greek does not express an object after ‘fear.’ This changes the stated assessment, despite the mixed worship in surrounding verses.
Verse 17:35 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:35 YHWH made a covenant with them and commanded them, ‘You shall not fear other gods, bow down to them, serve them, or sacrifice to them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:35 The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, ‘You shall not fear other gods, bow down to them, serve them, or sacrifice to them,
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both introduce the same exclusive covenant obligations.
Verse 17:36 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:36 But YHWH, who brought you up from Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm—Him you shall fear, to Him you shall bow down, and to Him you shall sacrifice.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:36 but only the Lord, who brought you up from Egypt with great strength and a raised arm—Him you shall fear, to Him you shall bow down, and to Him you shall sacrifice.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew's arm is outstretched; Greek's is raised. The exclusive object of worship agrees.
Verse 17:37 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:37 The statutes, ordinances, instruction, and commandment He wrote for you, you shall take care to perform all the days; you shall not fear other gods.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:37 The ordinances, judgments, law, and commandments He wrote for you, you shall take care to perform all the days; you shall not fear other gods.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both bind written instruction to continuing observance and rejection of other gods.
Verse 17:38 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:38 You shall not forget the covenant I made with you, and you shall not fear other gods.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:38 You shall not forget the covenant He made with you, and you shall not fear other gods.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew changes to divine first person, ‘I made’; Greek continues third person, ‘He made.’
Verse 17:39 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:39 But you shall fear YHWH your God, and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:39 But you shall fear the Lord your God, and He will rescue you from all your enemies.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The command and promised rescue agree; the Greek instruction continues into the next verse.
Verse 17:40 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:40 But they did not listen; instead, they continued acting according to their former practice.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:40 You shall not listen to their judgment, which they themselves practice.’
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew reports the people's past disobedience and continued old practice; Greek gives a second-person future prohibition concerning ‘their judgment.’ The grammatical person and narrative function change substantially.
Verse 17:41 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
17:41 These nations feared YHWH while serving their carved images. Their sons and their sons' sons also do as their fathers did, to this day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
17:41 These nations feared the Lord while serving their carved images. Their sons and their sons' sons also do as their fathers did, to this day.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both close with mixed worship continuing across generations.