Judges 12 — 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.
Judges 12
Brothers at the crossing: seeking Christ’s peace
Editorial Christian reading: the lethal boundary between Gilead and Ephraim is considered with Christ’s blessing of peacemakers in Matthew 5:9. The pronunciation test and death toll remain in both source readings.
12:1–7 | Ephraim, the fords, and Jephthah’s death
Verse MT 12:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:1
The men of Ephraim were summoned and crossed northward. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight the sons of Ammon without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:1
The sons of Ephraim gathered and came to Sephina. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go to fight the sons of Ammon without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house with fire.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek gives Sephina where Hebrew says northward, possibly toward Zaphon, and lacks over you in the threat.
Verse MT 12:2 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:2
Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were in a great dispute with the sons of Ammon. I summoned you, but you did not save me from their hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:2
Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were engaged in a dispute, and the sons of Ammon greatly humbled me. I cried out to you, but you did not save me from their hand.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek adds an explicit statement of the Ammonites’ humbling him; the unsuccessful appeal to Ephraim agrees.
Verse MT 12:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:3
When I saw that you would not save me, I put my life in my palm and crossed toward the sons of Ammon, and YHWH gave them into my hand. Why have you come up to me today to fight me?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:3
When I saw that there was no savior, I put my life in my hand and crossed toward the sons of Ammon, and the Lord handed them into my hand. Why have you come up to me today to fight me?”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew directly accuses you of withholding help; Greek more generally says no savior was present.
Verse MT 12:4 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:4
Jephthah gathered all Gilead’s men and fought Ephraim. Gilead’s men struck Ephraim because they had said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasseh.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:4
Jephthah assembled all Gilead’s men and fought Ephraim. Gilead’s men struck Ephraim because they had said, “You are the escaped ones of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasseh.”
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The battle and the difficult tribal taunt correspond. The note does not supply a precise social history absent from the words.
Verse MT 12:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:5
Gilead seized the Jordan’s crossings against Ephraim. When an Ephraimite fugitive said, “Let me cross,” Gilead’s men asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:5
Gilead’s men seized Ephraim’s Jordan crossings beforehand. When Ephraim’s escaped ones said, “Let us cross,” Gilead’s men asked them, “Are you from Ephraim?” If they said, “We are not,”
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew narrates an individual test; Greek consistently gives a plural exchange.
Verse MT 12:6 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:6
they said to him, “Please say ‘Shibboleth.’” He said “Sibboleth,” for he could not manage to say it correctly. They seized him and slaughtered him at the Jordan’s crossings. Forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell at that time.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:6
they said to them, “Please say ‘Password.’” They could not manage to speak in that way. They seized them and slaughtered them at the Jordan’s crossings. Forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell at that time.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Text: Greek has synthēma, password, and omits the failed pronunciation Sibboleth. Hebrew explicitly demonstrates the sound distinction; Greek leaves the failed test undescribed. The death toll agrees.
Verse MT 12:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:7
Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried among Gilead’s cities.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:7
Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in his city, Gilead.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew gives plural cities of Gilead; Greek gives his city, Gilead. No single Hebrew burial city has been invented.
12:8–15 | Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
Verse MT 12:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:8
After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:8
After him Esebon of Bethlehem judged Israel.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The personal name appears as Ibzan in Hebrew and Esebon in Greek.
Verse MT 12:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:9
He had thirty sons. He sent thirty daughters outside and brought thirty daughters from outside for his sons. He judged Israel for seven years.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:9
He had thirty sons and thirty daughters sent outside, and he brought thirty wives from outside for his sons. He judged Israel for seven years.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek explicitly says wives where Hebrew says daughters in the marriage arrangement. The numbers and term agree.
Verse MT 12:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:10
Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:10
Esebon died and was buried in Bethlehem.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The personal-name distinction continues; the burial place agrees.
Verse MT 12:11 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:11
After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel for ten years.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:11
After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel for ten years.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The judge, tribe, and period agree.
Verse MT 12:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:12
Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:12
Elon the Zebulunite died in Ailim, and they buried him in the land of Zebulun.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew locates the burial in Aijalon; Greek locates the death in Ailim and the burial more generally in Zebulun.
Verse MT 12:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:13
After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:13
After him Labdon son of Sellem the Pirathonite judged Israel.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek has Labdon and Sellem where Hebrew has Abdon and Hillel.
Verse MT 12:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:14
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons riding seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:14
He had forty sons and thirty sons of his sons riding seventy young donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: The family totals, mounts, and eight-year term agree.
Verse MT 12:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
MT 12:15
Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
LXX 12:15
Labdon son of Sellem the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, on Mount Lanak.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Along with the personal names, Greek Mount Lanak differs from Hebrew’s Amalekite hill country.