Ezra 9 — Ezra hears the report and confesses the people's guilt — Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 9:11, 9:14
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.
Ezra 9 — Ezra hears the report and confesses the people's guilt
9:1–5 — The report of intermarriage and Ezra's grief
Verse 9:1 Similar
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:1 When these things were completed, the officials approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands and their abominations: the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:1 When these things were completed, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands in their repulsive practices: the Chanani, Ethi, Pherezi, Iebousi, Ammoni, Moabi, Moseri and Amori,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both report failure of separation in relation to the listed peoples' practices. G makrymmata denotes things put away as abominable, not merely geographical distance [LSJ-MAK]. The Greek people-names are retained as transmitted forms; Moseri corresponds to Egyptians.
Verse 9:2 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:2 For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and the holy seed has mingled with the peoples of the lands. The officials and deputies have taken the lead in this faithlessness.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:2 because they have taken some of their daughters for themselves and their sons, and the holy seed has been led astray among the peoples of the lands. The leaders' hand has been foremost in this covenant-breaking.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: H describes mingling of the holy seed and names officials and deputies; G describes the seed being led astray and names leaders only. Both present a communal and covenantal accusation; no modern racial theory is inserted.
Verse 9:3 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:3 When I heard this word, I tore my garment and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat appalled.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:3 When I heard this word, I tore my garments, shook with agitation, plucked hair from my head and beard, and sat quietly.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: H names two garments and Ezra's appalled state. G adds epallomen, bodily shaking or agitation, where H names the cloak, and describes sitting quietly with eremazon. The emotional contrast is not removed by substituting H's wording.
Verse 9:4 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:4 Everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered to me because of the exiles' faithlessness, while I sat appalled until the evening offering.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:4 Everyone who pursued the word of the God of Israel gathered to me because of the deported community's covenant-breaking, while I sat quietly until the evening sacrifice.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: H describes trembling hearers; G describes pursuers of the word. The appalled/quiet distinction continues, while the gathering and timing agree.
Verse 9:5 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:5 At the evening offering I rose from my self-humiliation, with my garment and cloak torn, knelt upon my knees and spread out my palms toward YHWH my God,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:5 At the evening sacrifice I rose from my humiliation. As I tore my garments, I shook with agitation; I bend upon my knees and stretch out my hands toward the Lord God,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: G again has agitation where H names the cloak, then shifts into present-tense kneeling and outstretched hands. H names YHWH my God; G the Lord God. Both preserve the bodily posture of prayer.
9:6–9 — Guilt and the mercy shown to the remnant
Verse 9:6 Similar
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:6 and said, “My God, I am ashamed and humiliated to lift my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have multiplied above our heads and our guilt has grown to the heavens.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:6 and said, “Lord, I am ashamed and abashed to lift my face toward You, for our lawless deeds have multiplied above our heads and our offenses have grown to heaven.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: H twice addresses my God; G addresses Lord once. Both retain the imagery of overwhelming guilt rising above the head to heaven.
Verse 9:7 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:7 From the days of our fathers until this day we have been in great guilt. Because of our iniquities, we, our kings and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands—to the sword, captivity, plunder and shame of face—as on this day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:7 From the days of our fathers until this day we have been in great offense. In our lawless deeds, we, our kings and our sons have been handed over into the hand of the kings of the nations—to the sword, captivity, plunder and shame of our face—as on this day.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: H includes priests among those delivered over; G includes sons. The four forms of suffering agree.
Verse 9:8 Similar
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:8 Now for a brief moment favor has come from YHWH our God, leaving us a remnant and giving us a peg in His holy place, so that our God may brighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our slavery.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:8 Now the Lord our God has shown us leniency, leaving some of us for deliverance and giving us a support in the place of His sanctuary, to enlighten our eyes and give us a little revival in our slavery.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: H names a brief moment of favor and uses the concrete peg image; G describes leniency and support. G's leaving phrase has an unexpressed object, supplied minimally as some of us. Both retain only a little revival within continuing slavery.
Verse 9:9 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:9 For we are slaves, yet in our slavery our God has not forsaken us. He has extended steadfast love to us before the kings of Persia, to give us reviving, to raise up the house of our God and restore its ruins, and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:9 For we are slaves, and in our slavery the Lord our God has not abandoned us. He has inclined mercy toward us before the kings of the Persians, to give us revival, for them to raise up the house of our God and restore its desolate places, and to give us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: G explicitly has for them to raise up, with the Persian kings as a possible antecedent; H's infinitives naturally continue the restored community's task without that pronoun. The Greek antecedent remains open. Both use enclosure imagery for the granted protection.
9:10–15 — Confession before the righteous God
Verse 9:10 Same
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:10 Now what can we say, our God, after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:10 What can we say, our God, after this? For we have abandoned Your commandments,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both introduce renewed confession of abandoning the commandments.
Verse 9:11 Disparate
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:11 which You commanded through Your servants the prophets: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land of impurity through the impurity of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, with which they have filled it from end to end in their uncleanness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:11 which You gave us through Your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land you are entering to inherit is a land being moved amid the movement of the peoples of the nations, in their repulsive practices, with which they have filled it from mouth to mouth in their uncleanness.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: H's opening image is a land polluted by impurity; G uses metakinoumene and metakinesis, being moved and movement, before retaining uncleanness in the closing clause. This changes the dominant land image. Both mouth-to-mouth expressions describe thorough filling; G's more concrete phrasing is retained.
Verse 9:12 Same
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:12 Now do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take their daughters for your sons. Never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong, eat the good of the land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:12 Now do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take some of their daughters for your sons. You shall never seek their peace or good, so that you may become strong, eat the good things of the land and bequeath it to your sons forever.’
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both retain the marriage prohibition, refusal to seek the other groups' welfare, and the promised strength and inheritance. These are the words of Ezra's cited instruction in this setting; no unstated modern application is inserted.
Verse 9:13 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:13 After all that has come upon us because of our evil deeds and our great guilt—for You, our God, have held back below what our iniquities deserved and given us such a remnant—
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:13 After everything that has come upon us through our evil deeds and our great offense—for there is none like our God, because You have lightened our lawless deeds and given us deliverance—
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: H says God withheld punishment below the measure of guilt and preserved a remnant. G adds divine incomparability and speaks of lightening lawless deeds and giving deliverance; the implied burden or penalty is not made explicit in G.
Verse 9:14 Disparate
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:14 shall we return to breaking Your commandments and intermarrying with the peoples who practice these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until we were consumed, without remnant or survivor?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:14 for we have returned to scattering Your commandments and intermarrying with the peoples of the lands. Do not be provoked against us to the point of destruction, so that no remnant or survivor remains.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: H asks whether renewed disobedience would provoke complete destruction. G states the return to disobedience and directly begs God not to be provoked to that end. G also has peoples of the lands where H characterizes their abominations.
Verse 9:15 Same
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
9:15 YHWH, God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left as a surviving remnant, as on this day. Here we are before You in our guilt, for because of this no one can stand before You.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 9:15 Lord, God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left as survivors, as on this day. Here we are before You in our offenses, for because of this there is no standing before You.”
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both conclude with God's righteousness, the remnant's survival and its inability to stand in guilt before Him.