Deuteronomy 34 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 1 Similar 3 Different 6 Divergent 2 Disparate 0
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.
The Vision of the Promised Land
34:1 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:1 Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the summit of Pisgah opposite Jericho. YHWH showed him all the land: Gilead as far as Dan,
Greek · Saints priority
34:1 Moses went up from Araboth of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the summit of Pisgah opposite Jericho. The Lord showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan,
Text: G transliterates Araboth, H’s “plains,” as a place name. H’s “all the land” introduces the panorama; G directly joins “land” to Gilead. The ascent and extent to Dan agree.
34:2 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea,
Greek · Saints priority
34:2 all the land of Naphtali, all the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the farthest sea,
Text: G explicitly repeats “all the land” for Naphtali and Ephraim/Manasseh. It does not read “all the sons of Naphtali.” H’s western or rear sea and G’s farthest sea identify the same western limit in this panorama.
34:3 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:3 the Negeb, and the plain—the valley of Jericho, the city of palms—as far as Zoar.
Greek · Saints priority
34:3 the wilderness and the surrounding region of Jericho, the city of palms, as far as Zoar.
Text: H names the Negeb and specifies plain and valley. G has wilderness and the surrounding region. The city of palms and endpoint agree.
34:4 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:4 YHWH said to him, “This is the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.”
Greek · Saints priority
34:4 The Lord said to Moses, “This is the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have shown it to your eyes, but you shall not enter there.”
Text: G names Moses and addresses the patriarchs collectively with plural “your”; H’s “your” is singular. Crossing over and entering express the same restriction on Moses.
The Death and Burial of Moses
34:5 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:5 Moses, the servant of YHWH, died there in the land of Moab, by the mouth of YHWH.
Greek · Saints priority
34:5 Moses, the household servant of the Lord, died in the land of Moab through the Lord’s word.
Text: Hebrew’s by the mouth is an idiom for divine command; Greek expresses it as through a word and lacks there. Greek οἰκέτης retains the household relationship in household servant of the Lord, a title of Moses’ devoted service; it does not identify a literal domestic occupation or establish saleable legal status in this context.
Rabbinic: Rashi interprets death “by the mouth” as a divine kiss. The source idiom remains visible in H. Rashi, Deut. 34:5
34:6 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:6 He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; no one knows his burial place to this day.
Greek · Saints priority
34:6 They buried him in Gai in the land of Moab, near the house of Peor; no one knows his burial place to this day.
Text: H has a singular burial agent, commonly understood as God; G expressly has plural they. Neither names the burier in this clause, and Rashi records more than one identification of H’s subject. G retains Gai as a place name and renders Beth-peor partly as house of Peor. The narrative preserves a real difference in agent number and location wording, but the unnamed subjects do not prove that one version denies divine involvement. Both say no one knows the burial place.
Rabbinic: Rashi identifies God as the burier, but also reports Rabbi Ishmael’s interpretation that Moses buried himself. The singular subject has a reception history, not unanimous identification. Rashi, Deut. 34:6
34:7 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye had not grown dim, and his vigor had not departed.
Greek · Saints priority
34:7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes had not grown dim, and his cheeks had not deteriorated.
Text: Hebrew describes Moses’ retained vitality; Greek specifically names the condition of his cheeks. Both retain his eyesight and age. The different bodily descriptions do not establish that one text depicts failing general health, and the Greek statement concerns death rather than expressly asserting later bodily incorruption.
34:8 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:8 The children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping in mourning for Moses ended.
Greek · Saints priority
34:8 The children of Israel wept for Moses in Araboth of Moab, at the Jordan opposite Jericho, thirty days. Then the days of mourning and weeping for Moses ended.
Text: G adds “at the Jordan opposite Jericho.” That location was previously imported into the H column and is now removed. Both give thirty days of mourning.
Leadership Succession and Moses' Legacy
34:9 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:9 Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands upon him. The children of Israel listened to him and did as YHWH had commanded Moses.
Greek · Saints priority
34:9 Joshua son of Nun was filled with a spirit of understanding, for Moses had laid his hands upon him. The children of Israel listened to him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Text: Wisdom becomes understanding, and being full becomes being filled. The laying on of hands and Israel’s response agree.
G’s Iēsous is rendered Joshua here; shared Greek spelling with Jesus does not change the person in this narrative.
34:10 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:10 No prophet has since arisen in Israel like Moses, whom YHWH knew face to face,
Greek · Saints priority
34:10 No prophet has since arisen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,
Text: Both affirm Moses’ distinctive face-to-face relationship with God.
34:11 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:11 in all the signs and wonders that YHWH sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, all his servants and all his land,
Greek · Saints priority
34:11 in all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, his attendants and all his land—
Text: Both recall Moses’ commission and the Egyptian signs. H explicitly says “all” before Pharaoh’s servants; G does not.
34:12 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
34:12 and in all the mighty hand and all the great terror that Moses displayed before the eyes of all Israel.
Greek · Saints priority
34:12 the great wonders and the mighty hand that Moses displayed before all Israel.
Text: Greek places great wonders before the mighty hand; Hebrew has mighty hand followed by great terror. The wording and order differ in the closing emphasis, while both celebrate Moses’ extraordinary acts before all Israel and recall the same Egyptian signs. The Greek does not exclude judgment or fear from the Exodus events.
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Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.