Deuteronomy 10 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 10:18
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.
Deuteronomy 10
The Covenant Renewed
The Stone Tablets and the Ark
Verse 10:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:1 At that time YHWH said to me: Cut yourself two stone tablets like the first ones, come up to Me on the mountain, and make yourself a wooden ark.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:1 At that time the Lord said to me: Cut yourself two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to Me on the mountain; make yourself a wooden ark.
Classification & Notes
Same
Both command replacement tablets and a wooden ark.
Verse 10:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:2 I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets you shattered, and you shall put them in the ark.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:2 I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets you shattered, and you shall put them in the ark.
Classification & Notes
Same
Both preserve the same inscription and deposit command.
Verse 10:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:3 I made an ark of acacia wood, cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:3 I made an ark of decay-resistant wood, cut the two stone tablets like the first ones, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hands.
Classification & Notes
Different
Hebrew names acacia; Greek describes wood resistant to decay. Greek uses plural hands. Incorruptibility as a theological symbol belongs in reception, not the material specification itself.
Verse 10:4 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:4 He wrote on the tablets, as in the first inscription, the ten words YHWH spoke to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. YHWH gave them to me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:4 He wrote on the tablets, as in the first inscription, the ten words the Lord spoke to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire. The Lord gave them to me.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Greek omits on the day of the assembly. Both literally say ten words, the expression commonly rendered Ten Commandments.
Verse 10:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:5 I turned and came down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made. They were there, as YHWH commanded me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:5 I turned and came down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made. They were there, as the Lord commanded me.
Classification & Notes
Same
Both report the tablets' placement in the ark.
The Journey and the Levites
Verse 10:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:6 The Israelites journeyed from Beeroth-bene-jaakan to Moserah. Aaron died there and was buried there, and his son Eleazar served as priest in his place.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:6 The Israelites set out from Beeroth of the sons of Iakim to Misadai. Aaron died there and was buried there, and his son Eleazar served as priest in his place.
Classification & Notes
Different
The Greek itinerary has Iakim and Misadai rather than Jaakan and Moserah. The account of Aaron's death is preserved as written, without harmonizing it to Numbers 33.
Verse 10:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:7 From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of flowing streams.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:7 From there they set out to Gadgad, and from Gadgad to Jotbathah, a land of flowing torrents.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Greek has Γαδγαδ (Gadgad) and Ετεβαθα, the latter adapted to Jotbathah consistently with Numbers 33. These are ordinary forms of the itinerary names, unlike the substantive Iakim/Jaakan and Misadai/Moserah variants in verse 6. Both describe a well-watered destination.
Verse 10:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:8 At that time YHWH set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of YHWH's covenant, to stand before YHWH and minister to Him, and to bless in His name, as to this day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:8 At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord's covenant, to stand before the Lord and minister, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as to this day.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Greek uses cultic service and blessing vocabulary; both assign the same functions to Levi.
Verse 10:9 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:9 Therefore Levi has no share or inheritance with his brothers. YHWH is his inheritance, as YHWH your God told him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:9 Therefore the Levites have no share or allotment among their brothers. The Lord Himself is his allotment, as He told him.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Greek begins with plural Levites, then returns to singular his, and omits the repeated YHWH your God in the final clause.
Rabbinic: Rashi connects Levi's lack of territorial inheritance with service at the altar; divine inheritance is expressed through the gifts allotted for that service.
Source: Rashi on Deuteronomy 10:9
Verse 10:10 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:10 I stayed on the mountain as on the first occasion, forty days and forty nights. YHWH listened to me that time also; YHWH was unwilling to destroy you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:10 I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. The Lord listened to me at this time also; the Lord was unwilling to destroy you.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Greek omits as on the first occasion and says this time rather than that time. The fast's duration is not altered.
Verse 10:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:11 YHWH said to me: Rise; set out ahead of the people, so that they may enter and possess the land I swore to their fathers to give them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:11 The Lord said to me: Go; set out ahead of this people, and let them enter and inherit the land I swore to their fathers to give them.
Classification & Notes
Similar
The Greek expresses the people's entry as an explicit command and adds this.
The Lord’s Way
Verse 10:12 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:12 Now, Israel, what does YHWH your God ask of you except to fear YHWH your God, walk in all His ways, love Him, and serve YHWH your God with all your heart and all your soul,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:12 Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, love Him, and serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul,
Classification & Notes
Same
Fear, conduct, love, and wholehearted service agree.
Verse 10:13 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:13 and keep YHWH's commandments and His statutes that I command you today for your good?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:13 and keep the commandments of the Lord your God and His ordinances, all that I command you today, so that it may go well with you?
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Greek adds your God; for your good becomes a purpose clause.
Verse 10:14 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:14 Look, to YHWH your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth and everything in it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:14 Look, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heaven, the earth and everything in it.
Classification & Notes
Similar
The upper-heaven expression differs in grammatical number without changing the comprehensive divine ownership.
Verse 10:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:15 Yet YHWH attached Himself to your fathers in love for them, and chose their offspring after them, you, from all the peoples, as today.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:15 Yet the Lord preferred your fathers, to love them, and chose their offspring after them, you, above all the nations, as today.
Classification & Notes
Different
Hebrew describes loving attachment; Greek describes prior preference. Both identify Israel as the chosen offspring.
Circumcision of the Heart
Verse 10:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:16 Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and no longer stiffen your neck.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:16 Circumcise your hardness of heart, and no longer stiffen your neck.
Classification & Notes
Different
Greek expresses the heart's foreskin as hardness of heart, making the moral sense explicit while retaining the circumcision image. The Hebrew's metaphor and the Greek's moral formulation both call for the removal of resistance to God; a different bodily operation or ethical obligation is not established.
Rabbinic: Rashi understands the heart's foreskin as the obstruction or covering that blocks it. This supports the moral force of the Hebrew image.
Source: Rashi on Deuteronomy 10:16
Saints: Justin cites the command to circumcise the heart in his argument for inward obedience. His Christian polemical application belongs to reception history, not to the wording of Deuteronomy.
Verse 10:17 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:17 For YHWH your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and fearsome God, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribe.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:17 For the Lord your God is God of the gods and Lord of the lords, the great, strong, and fearsome God, who shows no partiality and will never accept a bribe.
Classification & Notes
Same
Greek δῶρον, ordinarily a gift, denotes a bribe in this impartial-judgment setting, corresponding to Hebrew שחד. The Greek refusal is emphatic. Neither statement forbids every legitimate offering to God.
Verse 10:18 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:18 He secures justice for the orphan and widow, and loves the resident alien, giving him bread and clothing.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:18 He secures justice for the newcomer, orphan, and widow, and loves the newcomer, giving him bread and clothing.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Greek adds the newcomer to those explicitly receiving justice. Prosēlytos here denotes the resident newcomer corresponding to Hebrew ger; translating it exclusively as religious convert would narrow the social command without sufficient contextual basis.
Rabbinic: Rashi places God's care for orphans and widows beside the preceding declaration of divine greatness, joining power with humility.
Source: Rashi on Deuteronomy 10:18
Verse 10:19 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:19 Love the resident alien, for you were resident aliens in the land of Egypt.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:19 Love the newcomer, for you were newcomers in the land of Egypt.
Classification & Notes
Same
The terms describe the same vulnerable resident status in this context. Israel's Egyptian experience supports the command in both.
Rabbinic: Rashi grounds restraint toward an alien in Israel's own experience: one must not reproach another for a condition one has shared.
Source: Rashi on Deuteronomy 10:19
Verse 10:20 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:20 Fear YHWH your God, serve Him, cling to Him, and swear by His name.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:20 Fear the Lord your God, serve Him, cling to Him, and swear by His name.
Classification & Notes
Same
The four duties agree. Only is absent from this selected Greek verse and has been removed from the draft.
Verse 10:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:21 He is your praise and He is your God, who did for you these great and fearsome things that your eyes saw.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:21 He is your boast and He is your God, who did among you these great and glorious things that your eyes saw.
Classification & Notes
Different
Greek describes the deeds as glorious rather than fearsome, and as occurring among Israel rather than for Israel.
Verse 10:22 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
10:22 Your fathers went down to Egypt as seventy persons, and now YHWH your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
10:22 Your fathers went down to Egypt as seventy persons, but now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.
Classification & Notes
Same
Both selected texts have seventy here. The Greek seventy-five in other Pentateuch passages must not be imported into this verse.