Exodus 32 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 9 Similar 13 Different 11 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 Rebellion
32:1 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:1 When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Get up! Make us gods to go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up from Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:1 When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered against Aaron and said, “Get up! Make us gods to go before us. As for this Moses, the man who led us out of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.”
The plural “gods” is retained; how the calf was understood is not settled by substituting a singular in translation.
32:2 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:2 Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold earrings from the ears of your wives, sons, and daughters, and bring them to me.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:2 Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold earrings from the ears of your wives and daughters, and bring them to me.”
Greek does not include the sons.
32:3 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:3 All the people took off the gold earrings from their ears and brought them to Aaron.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:3 All the people took off the gold earrings from their ears and brought them to Aaron.
32:4 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:4 He received them from their hands, fashioned the gold with an engraving tool, and made a cast-metal calf. They said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from Egypt.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:4 He received them from their hands, fashioned them with an engraving tool, and made them into a cast-metal calf. He said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from Egypt.”
Hebrew says “they said”; Greek says “he said,” with Aaron as the preceding subject. [G32]
32:5 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:5 When Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it and proclaimed, “Tomorrow is a feast to YHWH.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:5 When Aaron saw it, he built an altar opposite it and proclaimed, “Tomorrow is a feast of the Lord.”
32:6 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:6 They rose early the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:6 He rose early the next day, offered whole burnt offerings, and brought a sacrifice of well-being. The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
Greek has a singular officiant for the offerings; Hebrew has plural verbs. [G32]
Saints reception: Paul explicitly quotes the eating, drinking, and rising to play in 1 Corinthians 10:7 as a warning against idolatry. [S-1Cor10]
The Divine Verdict
32:7 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:7 YHWH said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up from Egypt, have corrupted themselves.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:7 The Lord said to Moses, “Hurry away from here and go down, for your people, whom you led out of Egypt, have acted lawlessly.
Greek makes haste explicit.
32:8 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:8 They have quickly turned aside from the way I commanded them. They have made a cast-metal calf, bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from Egypt.’”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:8 They have quickly transgressed the way you commanded them. They have made a calf, bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from Egypt.’”
RH 32:8 says you commanded and does not describe the calf as cast metal here, but does include sacrificing to it. The selected source has no numbered 32:9.
Earlier navigation: 32:8–9 → RH 32:8.
32:9 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:9 YHWH said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people.
Greek · Saints priority
H 32:9 alignment — No corresponding stiff-necked declaration in this Greek passage. —
The consulted G32:9 continues the calf declaration; it does not contain the Hebrew sentence supplied to Greek in V1. [G32]
32:10 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:10 Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and I may consume them. I will make you into a great nation.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:10 Now leave Me alone, and in My anger I will destroy them. I will make you into a great nation.”
32:11 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:11 Moses entreated YHWH his God: “Why should Your anger burn against Your people, YHWH, whom You brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:11 Moses entreated the Lord God: “Why are You angry with Your people, Lord, whom You led out of Egypt with great strength and Your uplifted arm?
Hebrew names a mighty hand; Greek an uplifted arm.
32:12 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent concerning the calamity against Your people.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:12 Do not let the Egyptians say, ‘He led them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and consume them from the earth.’ Cease from Your fierce anger and be merciful concerning Your people’s wickedness,
Hebrew concerns the threatened calamity; Greek asks mercy regarding the people’s wickedness. [G32]
32:13 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Yourself: ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and give your descendants all this land I promised, and they shall inherit it forever.’”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:13 remembering Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Your servants, to whom You swore by Yourself: ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven in number, and all this land You said You would give their descendants, and they shall possess it forever.’”
Greek says Jacob and retains an abrupt shift to “You said” inside the reported promise. That wording is not silently regularized to Hebrew’s first person. [G32]
32:14 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:14 YHWH relented concerning the calamity He had said He would bring upon His people.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:14 The Lord was appeased concerning the calamity He had said He would bring upon His people.
RH speaks of the Lord being appeased concerning the calamity He had said He would bring upon His people; Hebrew speaks of relenting concerning it.
The Fall
32:15 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:15 Moses turned and came down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, written on both sides, on the one side and the other.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:15 Moses turned and came down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands, stone tablets written on both sides, on the one side and the other.
Greek explicitly names stone and uses plural hands.
32:16 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:16 The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing, engraved on the tablets.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:16 The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing, engraved on the tablets.
32:17 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:17 When Joshua heard the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp!”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:17 When Joshua heard the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp!”
32:18 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:18 He said, “It is not the sound of victory or the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:18 He said, “It is not the sound of those leading a song of victory or of defeat; it is the sound of those leading a wine-song that I hear.”
Greek explicitly includes wine in the singing description. [G32]
32:19 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:19 As he approached the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and broke them at the mountain’s foot.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:19 As he approached the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. In his anger Moses threw the two tablets from his hands and shattered them at the mountain’s foot.
32:20 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:20 He took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the sons of Israel drink it.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:20 He took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it fine, scattered it on the water, and made the sons of Israel drink it.
RH scatters the ground calf on the water, corresponding to Hebrew. The provisional beneath reading is superseded.
32:21 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:21 Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you brought such a great sin upon them?”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:21 Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you brought such a great sin upon them?”
32:22 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:22 Aaron said, “Do not let my lord’s anger burn. You know this people, how prone they are to evil.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:22 Aaron said to Moses, “Do not be angry, my lord. You know this people’s impulse.
Greek describes their impulse without explicitly adding evil here.
32:23 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods to go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up from Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods to go before us. As for this Moses, the man who led us out of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’
32:24 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off.’ They gave it to me, I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold ornaments, take them off.’ They gave them to me, I threw them into the fire, and this calf came out.”
The consulted Greek says “I threw,” not “they threw” as V1 did. [G32]
The Purge
32:25 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:25 Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them loose, to the derision of their enemies.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:25 Moses saw that the people were scattered, for Aaron had scattered them, to the delight of their enemies.
The restraint/dispersal and mockery/delight wording differ.
32:26 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:26 Moses stood at the camp’s gate and said, “Whoever is for YHWH, come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered to him.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:26 Moses stood at the camp’s gate and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered to him.
32:27 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:27 He said to them, “Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel: ‘Each of you put his sword at his side. Go back and forth through the camp from gate to gate, and each kill his brother, his companion, and his relative.’”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:27 He said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Each of you put his sword at his thigh. Go back and forth through the camp from gate to gate, and kill, each his brother, each his neighbor, and each the one nearest to him.’”
RH gives three relationship terms: brother, neighbor, and the one nearest. Hebrew likewise lists three relationships, expressed as brother, companion, and relative.
32:28 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:28 The sons of Levi did as Moses said. About three thousand men of the people fell that day.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:28 The sons of Levi did as Moses told them. As many as three thousand men of the people fell that day.
Both give an approximate number.
32:29 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:29 Moses said, “Fill your hands today to YHWH, each at the cost of his son and brother, so that He may bestow a blessing on you today.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:29 Moses said to them, “You have filled your hands today to the Lord, each at the cost of his son or brother, so that a blessing may be given to you.”
Hebrew commands hand-filling; Greek states it as accomplished. Greek lacks the final “today.”
The Consequence
32:30 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to YHWH; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:30 After the next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to God to make propitiation for your sin.”
Greek has “after the next day,” God, and a purpose clause without Hebrew’s “perhaps.” [G32]
32:31 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:31 Moses returned to YHWH and said, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin and made themselves gods of gold.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:31 Moses returned to the Lord and said, “I beg You, Lord: this people has committed a great sin and made themselves gods of gold.
32:32 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:32 Now, if You will forgive their sin—! But if not, please blot me out of the book You have written.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:32 Now, if You will forgive their sin, forgive it; but if not, blot me out of the book You have written.”
Greek completes the appeal that Hebrew leaves suspended.
32:33 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:33 YHWH said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:33 The Lord said to Moses, “If anyone has sinned before Me, I will blot him out of My book.
RH says sinned before Me and retains a singular object for blotting out; Hebrew says sinned against Me.
32:34 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:34 Now go, lead the people to the place I told you. My angel will go before you. But on the day I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:34 Now go down and lead this people to the place I told you. My angel goes before you. On the day I visit, I will bring their sin upon them.”
Greek explicitly includes descending.
32:35 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
32:35 YHWH struck the people because they had made the calf Aaron made.
Greek · Saints priority
G 32:35 The Lord struck the people because of the making of the calf Aaron made.
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Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.