Job 13 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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 13
Job rejects partial pleading and asks to present his case
Source chapters: [BHS13] Hebrew; [LXX13] Greek.
Verse 13:1 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:1 “Look, my eye has seen all this;
my ear has heard and understood it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:1 “Look, my eye has seen these things,
and my ear has heard them.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks the final understanding clause.
Verse 13:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:2 What you know, I too know;
I am not inferior to you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:2 I know as much as you know,
and I am not less intelligent than you.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both assert intellectual equality with the friends.
Verse 13:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:3 But I would speak to Shaddai;
I desire to argue my case with God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:3 But indeed, I will speak to the Lord;
I will argue before Him, if He is willing.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek conditions the argument on His willingness, where Hebrew expresses Job’s desire.
Verse 13:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:4 But you are plasterers of falsehood,
worthless physicians, all of you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:4 But you are unjust physicians
and healers of evils, all of you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew falsehood-plastering and worthless physicians differ from Greek unjust physicians and healers of evils, an ironic description in context.
Verse 13:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:5 If only you would keep completely silent!
That would count as wisdom for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:5 May you be silent;
it will turn out to be wisdom for you.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both commend silence as the friends’ wiser course.
Verse 13:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:6 Hear now my argument,
and attend to the contentions of my lips.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:6 Hear the reproof of my mouth;
attend to the judgment of my lips.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The request to hear a reasoned response agrees, with distinct legal terms.
Verse 13:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:7 Will you speak injustice for God,
and speak deceit on His behalf?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:7 Are you not speaking before the Lord,
and uttering deceit before Him?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew on God’s behalf differs from Greek before or against the Lord; the first Greek clause does not explicitly say injustice.
Verse 13:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:8 Will you show Him partiality?
Will you contend for God?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:8 Will you shrink back?
Become judges yourselves.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek asks about withdrawal and commands self-judgment, rather than asking whether they favor God as litigants.
Verse 13:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:9 Will it be good when He examines you?
Can you deceive Him as one deceives a mortal?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:9 Fine indeed, if He examines you!
For if, doing everything, you attach yourselves to Him,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek moves into a conditional continued at 13:10, rather than the Hebrew analogy of deceiving a human. The exact force of doing everything and attaching oneself remains provisional.
Verse 13:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:10 He will surely reprove you
if you secretly show partiality.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:10 He will reprove you nonetheless.
Even if you secretly admire persons,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek completes 13:9 and then begins another condition continued in 13:11. Admiring persons is the favoritism idiom.
Verse 13:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:11 Will not His majesty terrify you,
and His dread fall upon you?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:11 will not His terrors whirl you about,
and fear from Him fall upon you?
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek terrors and whirling differ from Hebrew majesty terrifying; the warning agrees.
Verse 13:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:12 Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:12 Your boasting will turn out like ashes,
and your body will be clay.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek boasting and body differ from Hebrew remembered sayings and defenses. Hebrew gab is provisionally a raised defense or bulwark.
Verse 13:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:13 Be silent before me, and let me speak;
let whatever may come pass over me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:13 Be silent, so that I may speak
and rest from anger,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek seeks respite from anger; Hebrew accepts whatever may happen.
Verse 13:14 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:14 Why should I carry my flesh in my teeth
and put my life in my hand?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:14 taking my flesh up in my teeth,
while I will put my life in my hand.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek links the bodily idiom to 13:13 with a participle; Hebrew gives it a question form. The risky-life image is not explained inside the translation.
Verse 13:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:15 Look, He may kill me; I have no hope.
Yet I will argue my ways before Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:15 If the Mighty One subdues me, as He has already begun,
I will surely speak and argue before Him.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew follows the displayed written lo, not: I have no hope or I will not wait. The familiar in Him I will hope depends on a different read form and is not silently substituted. Greek lacks that hope clause and speaks of subduing already begun. Rabbinic: Rashi, Job 13:15 [RJ13], reads continuing hope in God even under death and treats Job’s argument as a request to learn his alleged fault. Chabad displays the read form lo, for Him, alongside written lo, not; this draft retains the publisher’s written negative.
Verse 13:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:16 This too will be my deliverance,
for a godless person will not come before Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:16 This will turn out to be deliverance for me,
for deceit will not enter before Him.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek has deceit as the subject; Hebrew a godless person. This or He remains possible for the initial Hebrew pronoun; this is selected.
Verse 13:17 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:17 Listen carefully to my word,
and let my declaration be in your ears.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:17 Listen, listen to my words,
for I will declare while you hear.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The emphatic appeal to listen agrees.
Verse 13:18 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:18 Look now, I have arranged my case;
I know that I will be vindicated.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:18 Look, I am near my judgment;
I know that I will be shown righteous.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek proximity to judgment differs from Hebrew preparation of a case.
Verse 13:19 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:19 Who is there to contend with me?
For then I would be silent and expire.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:19 For who is there to enter judgment with me?
For now I will be silent and fail.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The challenge agrees, with different temporal and dying language. Greek’s marked concluding clause is retained.
Verse 13:20 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:20 Only do not do two things to me;
then I will not hide from Your presence:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:20 But grant me two things;
then I will not hide from Your face:
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew asks to withhold two actions; Greek positively requests two concessions, specified in 13:21.
Verse 13:21 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:21 remove Your hand far from me,
and do not let Your terror frighten me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:21 Keep Your hand away from me,
and let Your terror not overwhelm me.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The two requested restraints agree.
Verse 13:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:22 Then call, and I will answer;
or let me speak, and answer me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:22 Then You will call, and I will answer You;
or You will speak, and I will give You a reply.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew offers alternating initiators; Greek makes God initiate both possibilities.
Verse 13:23 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:23 How many are my wrongdoings and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:23 How many are my sins and lawless deeds?
Teach me what they are.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek asks collectively for identification; Hebrew repeats two singular offense terms.
Verse 13:24 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:24 Why do You hide Your face
and consider me Your enemy?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:24 Why do You hide from me
and regard me as opposed to You?
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The complaint about concealment and hostility agrees.
Verse 13:25 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:25 Will You terrify a windblown leaf
and pursue dry stubble?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:25 Will You be wary of a leaf moved by wind,
or oppose me as grass carried by a breeze?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek eulabetheSe is provisionally being wary, rather than Hebrew frightening; its comparison and implied object are syntactically uncertain. Greek explicitly says oppose me in the second clause.
Verse 13:26 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:26 For You write bitter things against me
and make me inherit the wrongdoings of my youth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:26 For You recorded evils against me
and put the sins of youth around me.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek surrounding with sins differs from the Hebrew inheritance image.
Verse 13:27 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:27 You put my feet in the stocks
and watch all my paths;
You mark out the soles of my feet.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:27 You put my foot in a restraint
and watched all my works;
You reached to the roots of my feet.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek works and reaching roots differ from Hebrew paths and marking soles. Both retain the confinement image.
Verse 13:28 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
13:28 And he wears away like something rotten,
like a garment eaten by moths.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
13:28 It grows old like a wineskin,
or like a moth-eaten garment.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew third-person he likely refers to the wasting mortal, while Greek’s neuter relative has an uncertain antecedent and is rendered it. Greek wineskin differs from Hebrew rot; the referents remain open.