Deuteronomy 2 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 8 Similar 5 Different 13 Divergent 4 Disparate 7
Disparate in this chapter: 2:4, 2:7, 2:9, 2:18, 2:22, 2:23, 2:25
Each verse is rendered independently from the Hebrew (Rabbinic reading tradition) and from the Greek (Saints reading tradition). The badge classifies the relationship between the two readings; the note beneath records the source document’s comparison and attributed interpretation. Each column retains its own verse references where numbering differs.
Journey Past Seir
2:1 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:1 We turned and set out into the wilderness by the road to the Sea of Reeds, as YHWH had told me, and circled Mount Seir for many days.
Greek · Saints priority
2:1 We turned and set out into the wilderness by the road to the Red Sea, as the Lord had told me, and circled Mount Seir for many days.
Sea of Reeds and Red Sea are the respective conventional designations; the journey agrees.
2:2 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:2 Then YHWH said to me:
Greek · Saints priority
2:2 Then the Lord said to me:
The divine speech introduction agrees.
2:3 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:3 You have circled this mountain long enough. Turn northward.
Greek · Saints priority
2:3 Let your circling of this mountain be sufficient. Therefore turn northward.
Greek recasts the statement as an imperative and supplies therefore.
2:4 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:4 Command the people: You are passing through the territory of your brothers, Esau's descendants, who live in Seir. They will fear you, so be very careful.
Greek · Saints priority
2:4 Command the people: You are passing through the territory of your brothers, Esau's descendants, who live in Seir. They will fear you and be exceedingly wary of you.
Hebrew commands Israel to exercise caution; Greek makes Esau's descendants the subject of both fear and wariness. The instruction to Israel becomes a prediction about its neighbors.
2:5 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:5 Do not provoke them, for I will give you none of their land, not even a footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.
Greek · Saints priority
2:5 Do not join battle with them, for I will give you none of their land, not even a footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau's descendants as an allotted possession.
Greek explicitly prohibits warfare and identifies Esau's descendants as the recipients where Hebrew names Esau.
2:6 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:6 Buy food from them with silver and eat; also buy water from them with silver and drink.
Greek · Saints priority
2:6 Buy food from them with silver and eat; take water from them by measure for silver and drink.
Greek specifies measured water; Hebrew simply directs its purchase. Silver is payment, without a stated coin or wage value.
2:7 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:7 For YHWH your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has known your journey through this great wilderness. These forty years YHWH your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.
Greek · Saints priority
2:7 For the Lord our God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. Consider how you crossed that great and fearsome wilderness. Look, for forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.
Hebrew affirms God's knowledge of Israel's journey; Greek commands Israel to consider its journey. Greek also adds fearsome and begins with our God rather than your God.
Journey Past Moab
2:8 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:8 We passed by our brothers, Esau's descendants who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road, from Elath and Ezion-geber. Then we turned and took the road through the wilderness of Moab.
Greek · Saints priority
2:8 We passed by our brothers, Esau's descendants who live in Seir, along the Arabah road, from Ailon and Ezion-geber. Then we turned and took the wilderness road of Moab.
Greek Ailon differs from Hebrew Elath; the route's relation to the Arabah road is also expressed differently.
2:9 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:9 YHWH said to me: Do not harass Moab or provoke them to war, for I will give you none of its land as a possession, because I have given Ar to Lot's descendants as a possession.
Greek · Saints priority
2:9 The Lord said to me: Do not act with hostility toward the Moabites or join battle with them, for I will give you none of their land as an allotted possession, because I have given Seir to Lot's descendants to inherit.
The selected Greek text names Seir, whereas Hebrew names Ar. This changes the land explicitly granted to Lot's descendants and creates tension with Seir's grant to Esau in verse 5; it must not be silently harmonized.
2:10 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:10 The Emim formerly lived there, a people great and numerous and as tall as the Anakim.
Greek · Saints priority
2:10 The Emim formerly lived there, a nation great and numerous and as strong as the Anakim.
Hebrew emphasizes height; Greek emphasizes strength.
2:11 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:11 They too were reckoned as Rephaim, like the Anakim, but the Moabites called them Emim.
Greek · Saints priority
2:11 They too are reckoned as Rephaim, like the Anakim, but the Moabites call them Emim.
The ethnic identifications agree; Rephaim is retained as a name in both columns.
2:12 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:12 The Horites formerly lived in Seir, but Esau's descendants dispossessed them, destroyed them, and settled in their place, as Israel did in the land of its possession, which YHWH gave them.
Greek · Saints priority
2:12 The Horites formerly lived in Seir, but Esau's descendants destroyed them, wiped them out, and settled in their place, as Israel did in the land of its inheritance, which the Lord gave them.
Hebrew first describes dispossession; Greek uses two destruction verbs. Both compare the settlement with Israel's.
2:13 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:13 Now arise and cross the Wadi Zered. So we crossed the Wadi Zered.
Greek · Saints priority
2:13 Now therefore arise, set out, and pass through the Ravine Zered. So we passed through the Ravine Zered.
Greek adds set out; Hebrew's wadi is represented as a ravine.
2:14 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:14 The time from our journey out of Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as YHWH had sworn to them.
Greek · Saints priority
2:14 The time from our journey out of Kadesh-barnea until we passed through the Ravine Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation of fighting men had fallen, dying out from the camp, as God had sworn to them.
The chronology agrees. Greek has God rather than Lord for Hebrew YHWH and explicitly describes the men dying.
2:15 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:15 Indeed, YHWH's hand was against them, to sweep them away from the camp until they were gone.
Greek · Saints priority
2:15 God's hand was upon them, to consume them from the camp until they had fallen.
Greek again uses God for YHWH and describes consuming where Hebrew depicts sweeping away or throwing into confusion.
Journey Past Ammon
2:16 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:16 When all the fighting men had died out from among the people,
Greek · Saints priority
2:16 When all the fighting men had fallen, dying out from among the people,
Both mark the death of the fighting generation.
2:17 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:17 YHWH spoke to me:
Greek · Saints priority
2:17 The Lord spoke to me:
The divine speech introduction agrees.
2:18 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:18 Today you are passing through Moab's territory, Ar.
Greek · Saints priority
2:18 Today you will pass through Moab's territory, Seir.
As in verse 9, Greek Seir differs from Hebrew Ar and changes the geographical identification within Moab's boundary notice.
2:19 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:19 When you approach the Ammonites, do not harass or provoke them, for I will give you none of the Ammonites' land as a possession, because I have given it to Lot's descendants as a possession.
Greek · Saints priority
2:19 You will approach the Ammonites. Do not act with hostility toward them or join battle with them, for I will give you none of the Ammonites' land as an allotted possession, because I have given it to Lot's descendants as an allotted possession.
Greek makes warfare explicit; both protect the land granted to Lot's descendants.
2:20 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:20 It too was reckoned a land of Rephaim. Rephaim formerly lived there, and the Ammonites called them Zamzummim,
Greek · Saints priority
2:20 It is reckoned a land of Rephaim, for Rephaim formerly lived there, and the Ammonites call them Zamzummim,
The earlier population and Ammonite designation agree.
2:21 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:21 a people great and numerous and as tall as the Anakim. YHWH destroyed them before the Ammonites, who dispossessed them and settled in their place,
Greek · Saints priority
2:21 a nation great and numerous and stronger than you, like the Anakim. The Lord destroyed them before the Ammonites, who inherited the land and settled in their place to this day,
Greek replaces height with strength relative to Israel and adds to this day. The displacement and divine destruction remain in both.
2:22 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:22 as He did for Esau's descendants living in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites before them. They dispossessed them and settled in their place to this day.
Greek · Saints priority
2:22 just as they did for Esau's descendants living in Seir, when they wiped out the Horites before them, inherited the land, and settled in their place to this day.
Hebrew makes God the singular agent of doing and destroying; the printed Greek has plural verbs, they did and they wiped out. The plural agents are not identified clearly, and the translation preserves that difficulty.
2:23 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:23 As for the Avvim living in settlements as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim who came from Caphtor destroyed them and settled in their place.
Greek · Saints priority
2:23 As for the Hivites living in settlements as far as Gaza, the Cappadocians who came from Cappadocia wiped them out and settled in their place.
Greek identifies Hivites rather than Avvim and Cappadocians from Cappadocia rather than Caphtorim from Caphtor. These are substantive ethnic and geographical differences.
Defeat of Sihon the Amorite
2:24 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:24 Arise, set out, and cross the Wadi Arnon. See, I have handed Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land over to you. Begin taking possession; engage him in battle.
Greek · Saints priority
2:24 Now therefore arise, set out, and pass through the Ravine Arnon. See, I have handed Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land over to you. Begin inheriting it; join battle with him.
Greek supplies now therefore and frames possession as inheritance; the battle command agrees.
2:25 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:25 This day I will begin to put dread and fear of you upon the peoples under all heaven. They will hear reports of you, tremble, and writhe because of you.
Greek · Saints priority
2:25 This day begin to put dread and fear of you upon all the nations under heaven. When they hear your name, they will be troubled and suffer pangs because of you.
Hebrew promises I will begin, with God as agent; Greek commands begin, addressing Israel. Greek also substitutes hearing your name for hearing reports of you.
2:26 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:26 I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace:
Greek · Saints priority
2:26 I sent envoys from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with peaceful words:
The diplomatic approach agrees.
2:27 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:27 Let me pass through your land. I will keep strictly to the road and turn neither right nor left.
Greek · Saints priority
2:27 I will pass through your land. I will keep to the road and turn neither right nor left.
Hebrew presents a request; Greek uses a future statement within the peaceful proposal.
2:28 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:28 Sell me food for silver so I may eat, and give me water for silver so I may drink. Only let me pass through on foot,
Greek · Saints priority
2:28 Sell me food for silver so I may eat, and sell me water for silver so I may drink. I will only pass through on foot,
Both offer payment for provisions and request passage on foot.
2:29 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:29 as Esau's descendants living in Seir and the Moabites living in Ar did for me, until I cross the Jordan into the land YHWH our God is giving us.
Greek · Saints priority
2:29 as Esau's descendants living in Seir and the Moabites living in Aroer did for me, until I cross the Jordan into the land the Lord our God is giving us.
Hebrew names Ar; Greek names Aroer. The preceding offer concerns provisions and passage; the note does not erase the wider narrative's complexities.
2:30 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through, for YHWH your God had hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, to hand him over to you, as is the case today.
Greek · Saints priority
2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through, for the Lord our God had hardened his spirit and strengthened his heart, so that he would be handed over to you, as is the case today.
Greek has our God rather than your God and casts the handover in the passive. Both attribute the hardening to God.
2:31 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:31 YHWH said to me: See, I have begun to hand Sihon and his land over to you. Begin taking possession, so that you may possess his land.
Greek · Saints priority
2:31 The Lord said to me: See, I have begun to hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land over to you. Begin inheriting his land.
Greek expands Sihon's identification and compresses the repeated Hebrew possession clause.
2:32 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:32 Sihon and all his people came out against us for battle at Jahaz.
Greek · Saints priority
2:32 Sihon king of Heshbon and all his people came out to meet us for battle at Jahaz.
Greek supplies king of Heshbon.
2:33 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:33 YHWH our God handed him over to us, and we struck him down, his sons, and all his people.
Greek · Saints priority
2:33 The Lord our God handed him over to us, and we struck him down, his sons, and all his people.
The battle's agents and victims agree.
2:34 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:34 At that time we captured all his cities and devoted every city to destruction—men, women, and little children. We left no survivor.
Greek · Saints priority
2:34 At that time we captured all his cities and destroyed every city in succession, with their women and children. We left no one alive as a captive.
Hebrew explicitly lists men and uses devotion-to-destruction language; Greek has in succession where Hebrew names men and says no living captives were left. Both describe comprehensive destruction, including women and children. The Greek wording does not assert that the men or other survivors were spared; compare 3:6.
2:35 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:35 We took only the livestock as plunder for ourselves, along with the spoil of the cities we captured.
Greek · Saints priority
2:35 We plundered only the livestock and took the spoil of the cities.
Greek lacks for ourselves and the clause specifying the cities we captured.
2:36 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:36 From Aroer on the edge of the Wadi Arnon, including the city in the wadi, as far as Gilead, no city was too high for us. YHWH our God handed them all over to us.
Greek · Saints priority
2:36 From Aroer on the edge of the Arnon torrent, including the city in the ravine, as far as the hill country of Gilead, no city escaped us. The Lord our God handed them all over to us.
Hebrew describes inaccessible height; Greek describes failure to escape and explicitly calls Gilead hill country.
2:37 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
2:37 But you did not approach the Ammonites' land: the entire side of the Wadi Jabbok, the hill-country cities, and everything YHWH our God had forbidden.
Greek · Saints priority
2:37 But we did not approach the Ammonites' land, everything adjoining the Jabbok torrent and the hill-country cities, just as the Lord our God commanded us.
Hebrew says you and includes all that God had forbidden; Greek says we and concludes with compliance with God's command.
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Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.