Job 32 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 32:1
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 32
Elihu breaks his silence
Source chapters: [BHS32] Hebrew; [LXX32] Greek.
Verse 32:1 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:1 These three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:1 His three friends also ceased contradicting Job any further, for Job was righteous before them.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew explicitly says in his own eyes; Greek says before them. The narrator’s source-specific wording is retained.
Verse 32:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:2 Then the anger of Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned. His anger burned against Job because he justified himself rather than God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:2 Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram in the land of Ausitis, became angry. He was very angry with Job because Job declared himself righteous before the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek adds the land of Ausitis; Hebrew’s comparison or preference over God is stronger than Greek before the Lord.
Verse 32:3 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:3 His anger also burned against his three friends, because they had found no answer, yet condemned Job.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:3 He was also very angry with the three friends, because they could not give Job a contrary answer and declared him ungodly.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both connect failed refutation with condemning Job.
Verse 32:4 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:4 Elihu had waited for Job in the matter of words, because they were older than he in days.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:4 Elihu waited to give Job an answer, because they were older than he in days.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek explicitly identifies giving an answer; Hebrew’s waiting phrase is compressed.
Verse 32:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, his anger burned.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:5 Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, and his anger blazed.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both repeat the failure of an answer and resulting anger.
Verse 32:6 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:6 Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:
“I am young in days, and you are aged;
therefore I shrank back and feared to declare my knowledge to you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:6 Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite replied:
“I am younger in time, and you are older;
therefore I kept quiet, afraid to announce my own knowledge to you.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both explain the younger speaker’s initial restraint.
Verse 32:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:7 I said, ‘Days should speak,
and many years should make wisdom known.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:7 I said, ‘Time is what speaks,
and in many years people know wisdom.’
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek knowing differs from Hebrew making known.
Verse 32:8 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:8 Yet it is a spirit in a mortal,
and Shaddai’s breath gives them understanding.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:8 But there is a spirit in mortals,
and the Almighty’s breath is what teaches.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both attribute understanding to divine breath rather than age alone.
Verse 32:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:9 It is not the great who are wise,
nor the old who understand justice.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:9 The long-lived are not wise,
nor do elders know judgment.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew rabbim can mean great or many in years; Greek explicitly says long-lived.
Verse 32:10 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:10 Therefore I said, ‘Listen to me;
I too will declare my knowledge.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:10 Therefore I said, ‘Listen to me,
and I will announce to you what I know.’
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both demand a hearing.
Verse 32:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:11 Look, I waited for your words;
I listened for your understandings
while you searched for words.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:11 Give ear to my words;
for I will speak while you listen,
until you examine words.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek demands that they listen to Elihu’s present speech; Hebrew recounts his earlier listening to theirs.
Verse 32:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:12 I paid close attention to you,
and look, none of you refuted Job
or answered his sayings.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:12 I will also direct my understanding toward you;
and look, there was no one among you refuting Job,
answering his words,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek begins prospectively rather than with past attention; the failed answer agrees.
Verse 32:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:13 Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;
God will drive him away, not a man.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:13 so that you may not say,
‘We found wisdom by attaching ourselves to the Lord.’
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek siding with the Lord replaces Hebrew God driving Job away.
Verse 32:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:14 He did not arrange his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your sayings.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:14 But you allowed a human to speak such words.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek accuses the friends of allowing speech; Hebrew distinguishes Elihu’s own response from theirs.
Verse 32:15 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:15 They are dismayed and answer no more;
words have departed from them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:15 They were terrified and answered no more;
they wore out their words.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek describes words being made old or worn out, rather than departing.
Verse 32:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:16 Shall I wait because they do not speak,
because they stand and answer no more?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:16 I waited, for they did not speak;
because they stood still, they did not answer.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew is provisionally a rhetorical question; Greek is a completed recollection and closes this speech section.
Verse 32:17 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:17 I too will answer my part;
I too will declare my knowledge.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:17 Then Elihu replied:
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek supplies a narrative introduction here rather than the Hebrew first-person declaration.
Verse 32:18 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:18 For I am full of words;
the spirit of my belly presses me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:18 “I will speak again, for I am full of words;
the spirit of my belly is destroying me.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek adds speaking again and strengthens pressure to destroying.
Verse 32:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:19 Look, my belly is like unopened wine;
like new wineskins it is about to burst.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:19 My belly is like a tied wineskin of fermenting new wine,
or like a smith’s bellows that has burst.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds the smith’s burst bellows and explicitly identifies fermentation and tying.
Verse 32:20 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:20 Let me speak, so that I may have relief;
let me open my lips and answer.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:20 I will speak so that I may rest,
opening my lips.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both seek relief through speech.
Verse 32:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:21 Let me not show partiality to a person,
and I will not flatter a human.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:21 For I will certainly not be ashamed before a human,
nor indeed will I be overawed by a mortal.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek refusal of intimidation differs from Hebrew refusal of partiality and flattering titles.
Verse 32:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
32:22 For I do not know how to flatter;
my Maker would soon carry me away.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
32:22 For I do not know how to show partiality;
otherwise moths will eat me too.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek moths consuming Elihu replace Hebrew the Maker carrying him away.