Genesis 50 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 5 Similar 5 Different 7 Divergent 7 Disparate 2
Disparate in this chapter: 50:16, 50:19
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 Passing of Israel
50:1 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:1 Then Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him.
Greek · Saints priority
50:1 Then Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
50:2 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:2 Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel.
Greek · Saints priority
50:2 Joseph commanded his servants the embalmers to prepare his father for burial, and the embalmers prepared Israel for burial.
Physicians/embalmers differs in occupational description. The Greek burial-preparation verb has broader scope than embalming alone [G50].
50:3 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:3 Forty days were completed for him, the prescribed time for embalming, and Egypt mourned him seventy days.
Greek · Saints priority
50:3 They completed forty days for him, for this is how the days of burial preparation are reckoned, and Egypt mourned him seventy days.
Rahlfs–Hanhart has they completed for him, correcting the earlier draft’s singular verb and plural pronoun. Both texts give forty days for preparation and seventy days of mourning. [G50]
50:4 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:4 When the days of mourning ended, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s household, “If I have found favor in your sight, please speak in Pharaoh’s ears, saying,”
Greek · Saints priority
50:4 When the days of mourning ended, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s officials, “If I have found favor before you, speak on my behalf in Pharaoh’s ears, saying,”
Household/officials differs in specificity; Greek explicitly adds on my behalf [G50].
50:5 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:5 “‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die. Bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in Canaan.” Please let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’”
Greek · Saints priority
50:5 “‘My father made me swear, saying, “Bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in Canaan.” Now I will go up and bury my father, and then return.’”
Greek lacks I am about to die and states the journey rather than phrasing it as a request. Rahlfs–Hanhart explicitly says return, correcting the earlier draft’s depart. [G50]
50:6 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”
Greek · Saints priority
50:6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
50:7 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt.
Greek · Saints priority
50:7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
50:8 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:8 Joseph’s whole household, his brothers, and his father’s household went too. Only their little ones, flocks, and herds remained in Goshen.
Greek · Saints priority
50:8 Joseph’s whole household, his brothers, and his whole paternal household went too. They left their kindred, sheep, and oxen in Gesem.
Greek kindred is the object of left behind, not another group joining the journey. It is broader than Hebrew little ones; the earlier draft’s mistaken attachment is corrected. [G50]
50:9 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:9 Chariots and horsemen went up with him, and the company was very great.
Greek · Saints priority
50:9 Chariots and horsemen went up with him, and the company was very great.
The camp expression is rendered company in the traveling procession.
50:10 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad beyond the Jordan and lamented there with great and grievous mourning. He mourned his father for seven days.
Greek · Saints priority
50:10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad beyond the Jordan and lamented him with great and grievous mourning. He mourned his father for seven days.
Rahlfs–Hanhart has the singular he made mourning for his father, agreeing with Hebrew. The earlier draft’s plural is corrected. [G50]
50:11 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:11 The Canaanite inhabitants saw the mourning at Atad’s threshing floor and said, “This is grievous mourning for the Egyptians.” So the place was named Abel-mizraim, beyond the Jordan.
Greek · Saints priority
50:11 The inhabitants of Canaan saw the mourning at Atad’s threshing floor and said, “This is great mourning for the Egyptians.” So the place was named Mourning of Egypt, beyond the Jordan.
Greek translates the place-name’s mourning wordplay [G50].
50:12 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:12 His sons did for him as he had commanded them.
Greek · Saints priority
50:12 His sons did this for him and buried him there.
The consulted Greek adds and buried him there, while verse 13 specifies Canaan and the cave. The sequence is preserved for review rather than rewritten [G50].
50:13 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:13 His sons carried him to Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, opposite Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial holding.
Greek · Saints priority
50:13 His sons carried him to Canaan and buried him in the double cave, opposite Mamre, which Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial holding.
The cave designation follows 49:30; Greek lacks the separate field-purchase phrase [G50].
50:14 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
Greek · Saints priority
50:14 Then Joseph returned to Egypt—he, his brothers, and all those who had gone up with him to bury his father.
Greek lacks the separate after-burying clause [G50].
The Brothers’ Forgiveness
50:15 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:15 Now when Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and fully repays us for all the evils we committed against him?”
Greek · Saints priority
50:15 Now when Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and fully repays us for all the evils we committed against him?”
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
50:16 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:16 They sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died,”
Greek · Saints priority
50:16 They came to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave an oath-bound charge before he died,”
The means of communication and command/oath expression differ. The brothers’ report is not independently certified by the narrator [G50]. Rabbinic reception: Rashi says the brothers altered the report for peace and that Jacob had not given this command. This is an attributed interpretation of their claim [R50]. An oath-bound charge gives the brothers’ reported instruction a different stated authority.
50:17 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:17 “‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and sin, for they did evil to you.”’ Now please forgive the transgression of the servants of your father’s God.” Joseph wept as they spoke to him.
Greek · Saints priority
50:17 “‘Say to Joseph, “Forgive their injustice and sin, for they did evil to you.”’ Now pardon the injustice of the servants of your father’s God.” Joseph wept as they spoke to him.
The offense and forgiveness terms correspond in the plea [G50].
50:18 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:18 His brothers also came and fell before him, saying, “We are your slaves.”
Greek · Saints priority
50:18 They came to him and said, “Here we are, your household slaves.”
Greek lacks the bowing clause, but Rahlfs–Hanhart includes to you, rendered your household slaves. The earlier claim that the possessive relation is absent is corrected. [G50]
50:19 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:19 Joseph said to them, “Do not fear. Am I in the place of God?”
Greek · Saints priority
50:19 Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for I belong to God.”
Hebrew asks whether Joseph occupies God’s place; Greek states that he belongs to God. These substantially different theological reasons for reassurance need not contradict each other. [G50]
50:20 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:20 “You intended evil against me, but God intended it for good, to bring about what is happening today: keeping many people alive.”
Greek · Saints priority
50:20 “You planned evil against me, but God planned good concerning me, to bring about what is happening today: feeding many people.”
Keeping alive/feeding differs in the result described. The two intentions remain distinct; the text does not call the brothers’ evil good [G50].
50:21 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:21 “Do not fear. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them and spoke to their hearts.
Greek · Saints priority
50:21 He said to them, “Do not fear. I will provide for you and your households.” He comforted them and spoke to their hearts.
Little ones/households differs in scope. Speaking to their hearts is the idiom of reassurance [G50].
The Exodus Promise
50:22 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:22 Joseph lived in Egypt with his father’s household. Joseph lived one hundred ten years.
Greek · Saints priority
50:22 Joseph lived in Egypt with his brothers and his father’s whole household. Joseph lived one hundred ten years.
Greek expressly includes the brothers and the whole household [G50].
50:23 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:23 Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. Machir’s sons, the sons of Manasseh’s son, were also born upon Joseph’s knees.
Greek · Saints priority
50:23 Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. Machir’s sons, the sons of Manasseh’s son, were also born upon Joseph’s thighs.
Knees/thighs preserves the bodily image. Household reception or recognition may be implied, but a formal adoption ritual is not inserted [G50].
50:24 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Greek · Saints priority
50:24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land God swore to our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Greek explicitly repeats God and adds our fathers [G50].
50:25 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:25 Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.”
Greek · Saints priority
50:25 Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “When God visits you, you shall carry my bones up from here with you.”
Greek frames the visitation temporally and adds with you [G50]. Saints reception: Hebrews 11:22 treats Joseph’s words about the exodus and his instructions concerning his bones as an act of faith [S50].
50:26 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
50:26 Joseph died at one hundred ten years of age. They embalmed him, and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Greek · Saints priority
50:26 Joseph died at one hundred ten years of age. They performed his burial rites and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.
Hebrew explicitly says embalmed. Greek uses buried, rendered performed his burial rites in the coffin context; it does not require an immediate burial in the ground [G50].
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Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.