Genesis 17 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 8 Similar 8 Different 4 Divergent 1 Disparate 6
Disparate in this chapter: 17:1, 17:14, 17:16, 17:20, 17:24, 17:27
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 Covenant of Abraham
17:1 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, YHWH appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Walk before Me and be blameless.
Greek · Saints priority
17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am your God. Be pleasing before Me and become blameless.
H gives the title El Shaddai, traditionally God Almighty; G says your God. Walk before me becomes be pleasing before me, changing the devotional expression while retaining blamelessness.
17:2 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:2 I will set My covenant between Me and you and multiply you very, very greatly.”
Greek · Saints priority
17:2 I will set My covenant between Me and you and multiply you greatly.”
H repeats the intensive; RH uses it once here. Both promise multiplication.
17:3 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:3 Abram fell on his face, and God spoke with him, saying,
Greek · Saints priority
17:3 Abram fell on his face, and God spoke to him, saying,
The prostration and divine speech correspond.
17:4 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be father of a multitude of nations.
Greek · Saints priority
17:4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be father of a multitude of nations.
The covenant and promised fatherhood agree.
17:5 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:5 Your name shall no longer be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you father of a multitude of nations.
Greek · Saints priority
17:5 Your name shall no longer be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I have appointed you father of many nations.
The renaming and fatherhood agree. Appointed renders G's setting verb without importing a separate ordination rite.
17:6 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:6 I will make you very, very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
Greek · Saints priority
17:6 I will increase you very, very greatly; I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
H uses fruitfulness; G increase. RH repeats the intensive here, unlike its wording in verse 2 and the draft's shortened verse 6.
17:7 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:7 I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
Greek · Saints priority
17:7 I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
The covenant partners, generations, and enduring relationship correspond.
17:8 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:8 I will give you and your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”
Greek · Saints priority
17:8 I will give you and your offspring after you the land where you sojourn, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”
The land and possession agree; the sojourning phrase differs grammatically.
The Keeping of the Circumcision
17:9 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
Greek · Saints priority
17:9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
The obligation applies to Abraham and his descendants in both.
17:10 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:10 This is My covenant that you shall keep between Me and you and your offspring after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.
Greek · Saints priority
17:10 This is the covenant that you shall keep between Me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations: every male among you shall be circumcised.
G adds throughout their generations and lacks my before covenant. H's first keep verb addresses a plural you; G's addresses Abraham in the singular.
17:11 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
Greek · Saints priority
17:11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
The physical sign and covenant relationship agree.
17:12 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:12 At eight days old every male among you shall be circumcised throughout your generations, whether born in the household or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.
Greek · Saints priority
17:12 At eight days old every male child among you shall be circumcised throughout your generations, whether born in your household or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.
Both specify the eighth day and include household-born and purchased persons. G expressly calls the eight-day-old a child.
17:13 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:13 Both the one born in your household and the one bought with your money must surely be circumcised. My covenant shall be in your flesh as an everlasting covenant.
Greek · Saints priority
17:13 Both the one born in your household and the one bought with money must surely be circumcised. My covenant shall be upon your flesh as an everlasting covenant.
The emphatic obligation agrees; G lacks your before money and has upon where H has in.
17:14 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:14 An uncircumcised male whose foreskin flesh is not circumcised—that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
Greek · Saints priority
17:14 An uncircumcised male whose foreskin flesh is not circumcised on the eighth day—that person shall be destroyed from his kin; he has scattered My covenant.”
G expressly ties the sanction to the eighth day and uses destroyed and scattered. H does not repeat the deadline in this sanction, though verse 12 already specifies it. The difference affects the legal formulation without establishing an unrestricted Hebrew exemption.
Rabbinic — Rashi on Genesis 17:14: He assigns the excision penalty to the uncircumcised male upon reaching personal responsibility; the father’s failure violates a positive command without that same penalty.
Sarah Renamed and Isaac Promised
17:15 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:15 God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her name Sarai, for Sarah is her name.
Greek · Saints priority
17:15 God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, her name shall not be called Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.
H directly commands Abraham; G states the renaming passively. G marks Sara/Sarra by consonant doubling; conventional Sarai/Sarah is used to keep the change visible in English.
17:16 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:16 I will bless her and also give you a son from her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
Greek · Saints priority
17:16 I will bless her and give you a child from her. I will bless him, and he shall become nations; kings of nations shall come from him.”
After the first blessing, H keeps Sarah as the female referent; G shifts to the male child. The recipient of the ensuing blessing and source of nations differ. G first says child, not son.
17:17 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:17 Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He said in his heart, “Can a child be born to a man one hundred years old? Can Sarah, ninety years old, bear a child?”
Greek · Saints priority
17:17 Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He said in his mind, “Can a child be born to a man one hundred years old? Can Sarah, being ninety years old, bear a child?”
Heart and mind locate the inward speech, not the laughter. Both state the same ages and questions.
Rabbinic — Rashi on Genesis 17:17: Following Onkelos, he distinguishes Abraham’s believing joy from Sarah’s doubtful laughter. Both Hebrew clauses use the same root; the distinction belongs to interpretation.
17:18 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:18 Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live before You!”
Greek · Saints priority
17:18 Abraham said to God, “Let this Ishmael live before You!”
H expresses an earnest wish; G uses an imperative appeal and adds this.
17:19 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:19 God said, “Indeed, your wife Sarah will bear you a son. You shall name him Isaac, and I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.
Greek · Saints priority
17:19 God said to Abraham, “Yes, behold, your wife Sarah will bear you a son. You shall name him Isaac, and I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant and with his offspring after him.
The promised son, name, and covenant agree; G explicitly addresses Abraham and coordinates the descendants.
17:20 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him very, very greatly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
Greek · Saints priority
17:20 As for Ishmael, behold, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him; I will increase him and multiply him greatly. He shall beget twelve nations, and I will make him a great nation.
H promises twelve princes; RH promises twelve nations. H fruitfulness and doubled intensity also differ from G increase and single intensity. The draft's combined princes concealed this distinction.
17:21 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:21 But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear you at this appointed time next year.”
Greek · Saints priority
17:21 But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear you at this appointed time next year.”
The child, mother, and appointed time correspond. G's other year means the following year here.
17:22 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:22 He finished speaking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
Greek · Saints priority
17:22 He finished speaking to him, and God went up from Abraham.
The conclusion of speech and departure agree.
The Obedience of the Covenant
17:23 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael, all those born in his household, and all those bought with his money—every male among the men of Abraham's household—and circumcised their foreskin flesh on that very day, as God had spoken with him.
Greek · Saints priority
17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael, all his household-born men, all those bought with money, and every male among the men in Abraham's house, and circumcised their foreskins at the time of that day, as God had spoken to him.
H stresses that very day and specifies flesh; G says at the time of that day and uses foreskins. No separate appointed hour is inferred from G kairos.
17:24 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in his foreskin flesh.
Greek · Saints priority
17:24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he circumcised his foreskin flesh.
H uses a passive/reflexive circumcision form; RH uses an active verb, depicting Abraham performing the action. The age agrees.
17:25 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:25 His son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in his foreskin flesh.
Greek · Saints priority
17:25 His son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in his foreskin flesh.
The age and passive circumcision statement agree.
17:26 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:26 On that very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised.
Greek · Saints priority
17:26 At the time of that day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised.
H emphasizes the same day; G uses its time-of-day expression without naming an hour.
17:27 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
17:27 All the men of his household, those born in the household and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
Greek · Saints priority
17:27 All the men of his household, the household-born men and those bought with money from foreign nations—he circumcised them.
H says they were circumcised with him; RH explicitly makes him the circumcising agent and names foreign nations. The draft's Greek passive obscured this difference.
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Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.