Job 23 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 23:8
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 23
Job longs to present his case before God
Source chapters: [BHS23] Hebrew; [LXX23] Greek.
The Greek publisher displays no 23:14 and adds a separate 23:15a. Seventeen Hebrew verses and seventeen displayed Greek units occupy eighteen comparison rows.
Verse 23:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:1 Job answered and said:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:1 Then Job replied:
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both introduce Job’s answer.
Verse 23:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:2 “Even today my complaint is rebellious;
my hand is heavy over my groaning.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:2 “Indeed, I know that the reproof is from my own hand,
and His hand has become heavy upon my groaning.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew displayed my hand is retained, rather than changed to His. Greek explicitly distinguishes my hand from His hand and lacks the rebellious complaint.
Verse 23:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:3 If only I knew where to find Him!
I would come even to His established place.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:3 Who, then, might know that I could find Him
and come to an end?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek coming to an end differs from Hebrew reaching God’s established place or seat. The Greek wish is syntactically unusual and provisional.
Verse 23:4 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:4 I would arrange my case before Him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:4 I would state my own case
and fill my mouth with arguments.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both describe presenting a legal case.
Verse 23:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:5 I would know the words He would answer me
and understand what He would say to me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:5 I would know the words He will say to me
and perceive what things He will report to me.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both anticipate understanding the divine answer.
Verse 23:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:6 Would He contend with me in the greatness of His strength?
No; He would only pay attention to me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:6 Even if He comes against me with great strength,
He will not then deal with me by threat.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek concedes powerful approach but denies threatening; Hebrew denies a powerful legal contest and supplies pay attention for the compressed set upon me.
Verse 23:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:7 There an upright person could argue with Him,
and I would escape forever from my Judge.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:7 For truth and reproof come from Him;
may He bring my case to its conclusion.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek God’s truth and completed case replace Hebrew the upright litigant’s permanent escape from the Judge.
Verse 23:8 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:8 Look, I go forward, but He is not there;
backward, but I do not perceive Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:8 For I will go toward the first things, and I am no more;
what do I know about the things at the end?
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek explicitly says I am no more, not He is absent, and asks about final things rather than backward spatial perception.
Verse 23:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:9 To the left, where He works, I do not behold Him;
He wraps Himself on the right, and I do not see.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:9 When He acted on the left, I did not grasp it;
He will wrap around the right, and I will not see.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both retain difficult left-and-right imagery and unexpressed objects. Greek’s final subject and what is wrapped are not explicit; wording is provisional.
Verse 23:10 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:10 For He knows the way that is with me;
when He has tested me, I will come out like gold.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:10 For He already knows my way,
and He tested me like gold.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks the explicit Hebrew emergence like gold and presents testing as completed.
Verse 23:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:11 My foot has held to His step;
I have kept His way and have not turned aside.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:11 I will go out in His commands;
for I guarded His ways and will certainly not turn aside
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek going out in commands differs from Hebrew a foot holding the divine step.
Verse 23:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:12 I have not departed from the command of His lips;
more than my allotted portion I have treasured the sayings of His mouth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:12 from His commands; I will certainly not transgress,
and in my breast I hid His words.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek breast differs from Hebrew my allotted portion. Greek from His commands also completes the turn aside clause of 23:11.
Verse 23:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:13 But He is one, and who can turn Him back?
Whatever His soul desires, He does.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:13 But if He Himself judged in this way,
who is there who contradicted Him?
For whatever He Himself wished, He also did.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek conditional judgment differs from Hebrew He is one; both assert the execution of divine desire.
Verse 23:14 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:14 For He will complete what is appointed for me,
and many such things are with Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
— [No separately displayed Greek source unit at 23:14.]
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: The accessed Greek publisher main text proceeds from 23:13 to 23:15. No claim is made that all Greek witnesses omit this verse.
Verse 23:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:15 Therefore I am terrified before Him;
I consider, and I am afraid of Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:15 Therefore I am agitated about Him;
being admonished, I was concerned about Him.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek admonition and concern differ from Hebrew terror and reflection; compare the additional Greek 23:15a.
Verse 23:15a Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
— [No additional Hebrew source unit.]
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:15a For this reason, may I be deeply troubled before His face;
I will consider and be terrified by Him.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek displays this additional 15a unit, closely overlapping the Hebrew 23:15 already translated once. It is not assigned an invented Hebrew verse.
Verse 23:16 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:16 God has made my heart faint,
and Shaddai has terrified me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:16 The Lord softened my heart,
and the Almighty agitated me.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both attribute inward weakness and alarm to God.
Verse 23:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
23:17 For I was not cut off before darkness,
and He concealed gloom from my face.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
23:17 For I did not know that darkness would come upon me,
and gloom covered what lay before my face.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew’s darkness clause is exceptionally difficult: the scope of not, before or because of, and the subject of concealed are disputed. This close rendering is provisional; alternatives express not being silenced by darkness or not dying before calamity. Greek instead explicitly denies prior knowledge of darkness.