Genesis 6 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 3 Similar 4 Different 6 Divergent 2 Disparate 7
Disparate in this chapter: 6:3, 6:4, 6:6, 6:7, 6:9, 6:13, 6:16
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.
Mankind’s Corruption
6:1 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:1 When humankind began to multiply upon the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them,
Greek · Saints priority
6:1 When human beings began to become numerous upon the earth, and daughters were born to them,
H uses a collective humanity expression; G uses a plural. The growth of the population agrees.
6:2 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful, and took wives for themselves from all whom they chose.
Greek · Saints priority
6:2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of human beings were beautiful, and took wives for themselves from all whom they chose.
Both selected editions have sons of God. RH directly confirms sons of God; the earlier draft’s angels is not the declared Greek reading. The previously reported NETS agreement could not be reopened in this review. The identity of the sons belongs to interpretation and textual-witness discussion.
Rabbinic — Rashi on Genesis 6:2: He offers sons of rulers or judges, and an alternative involving heavenly messengers. These interpretive identities do not justify changing the selected Greek reading “sons of God” into “angels.”
6:3 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:3 YHWH said, “My spirit shall not contend with humankind forever, because he too is flesh; his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
Greek · Saints priority
6:3 The Lord God said, “My Spirit shall certainly not remain in these human beings forever, because they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
H’s rare yadon is disputed: contend, judge, or remain are proposed. G explicitly says remain in these humans. Scope and wording differ, but the Hebrew uncertainty prevents an unqualified opposition. Both give 120 years.
6:4 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:4 The Nephilim were upon the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humankind and they bore children to them. They were the mighty men of old, men of renown.
Greek · Saints priority
6:4 The giants were upon the earth in those days, and afterward, whenever the sons of God went in to the daughters of human beings and begat children for themselves. They were the giants of old, the renowned men.
G uses giants for both H’s Nephilim and mighty men, and phrases the begetting reflexively. The Hebrew terms remain distinct. This does not establish a complete account of these beings’ nature or ancestry.
God’s Anger
6:5 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:5 YHWH saw that humankind’s wickedness was great upon the earth, and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
Greek · Saints priority
6:5 When the Lord God saw that human wickedness had multiplied upon the earth, and everyone intently considered evil things in his heart all the days,
H describes every inclination as only evil; G describes each person’s intent consideration of evil. G’s opening participle continues into 6:6.
6:6 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:6 YHWH regretted that He had made humankind upon the earth, and He was grieved to His heart.
Greek · Saints priority
6:6 God considered that He had made humankind upon the earth, and reflected upon it.
H explicitly gives regret and heartfelt grief; G gives consideration and reflection. This major portrayal difference should be preserved without making either verse settle later doctrines of divine change or immutability.
6:7 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:7 YHWH said, “I will wipe away humankind whom I created from the face of the ground, from human beings to livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky, for I regret that I made them.”
Greek · Saints priority
6:7 God said, “I will wipe away humankind whom I made from the face of the earth, from human beings to livestock, and from creeping things to birds of the sky, for I have become angry that I made them.”
H gives regret; G gives anger. G also uses made for created and God for YHWH. Both continue with favor toward Noah, so the contrast does not imply that either account excludes mercy.
Noah’s Grace
6:8 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of YHWH.
Greek · Saints priority
6:8 But Noah found favor before the Lord God.
The eye idiom becomes before; both express divine favor. Grace is a possible English rendering of the same Greek word, not proof of a separate theology here.
6:9 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generations; Noah walked with God.
Greek · Saints priority
6:9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, complete in his generation; Noah pleased God.
Both affirm righteousness and integrity. Walking with God becomes pleasing God, as with Enoch; the image changes without reversing the positive evaluation. H has generations in the plural.
Rabbinic — Rashi on Genesis 6:9: He records two assessments: Noah’s righteousness is especially praiseworthy in his generation, or only relative to it. The difference is among interpreters.
6:10 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:10 Noah begat three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Greek · Saints priority
6:10 Noah begat three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Both name the same three sons.
6:11 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:11 The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
Greek · Saints priority
6:11 The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with injustice.
H emphasizes violence or wrongful harm; G uses the broader injustice. Both identify moral corruption.
6:12 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:12 God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.
Greek · Saints priority
6:12 The Lord God saw the earth, and it was ruined, for all flesh had ruined its way upon the earth.
G adds Lord to God and uses an intensified ruin verb. Both describe all flesh’s corrupted conduct.
6:13 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:13 God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Behold, I am destroying them with the earth.
Greek · Saints priority
6:13 God said to Noah, “The time of every human has come before Me, for the earth is filled with injustice because of them. Behold, I am destroying them and the earth.
H’s end of all flesh becomes G’s time of every human; violence becomes injustice. G explicitly coordinates them and the earth, while H’s compact construction permits with the earth.
Noah’s Ark
6:14 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make compartments in the ark, and coat it inside and outside with pitch.
Greek · Saints priority
6:14 Therefore make yourself an ark of squared timber; make nests in the ark, and coat it inside and outside with pitch.
H names gopher wood, of uncertain identification; G specifies worked, squared timber. H’s compartments and G’s nests preserve related partition imagery. The two wood descriptions are not combined.
6:15 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:15 This is how you shall make it: the ark shall be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
Greek · Saints priority
6:15 This is how you shall make the ark: the ark shall be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
Both give 300 × 50 × 30 cubits; G repeats ark explicitly. No exact modern cubit length is assumed.
6:16 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:16 Make an opening for the ark, and finish it to a cubit at the top. Set the ark’s door in its side; make it with lower, second, and third levels.
Greek · Saints priority
6:16 Make the ark by bringing it together, and finish it to a cubit at the top. Make the ark’s door in its side; make it with lower, second, and third levels.
H’s rare tsohar is rendered opening, with window or roof also debated. G gives a construction action, often understood as narrowing upward. The text does not warrant a certain modern roof plan; both share the door and three levels.
Rabbinic — Rashi on Genesis 6:16: He reports a window and a luminous precious stone as alternative explanations of tsōhar. The Hebrew architectural term remains uncertain.
God's Covenant with Noah
6:17 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:17 As for Me, behold, I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is a spirit of life from under the heavens; everything upon the earth shall perish.
Greek · Saints priority
6:17 As for Me, behold, I am bringing the flood, water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is a spirit of life under heaven; everything upon the earth shall die.
The flood’s destructive scope agrees. Different constructions for water and dying do not change its stated extent.
6:18 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:18 I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
Greek · Saints priority
6:18 I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
Both promise a covenant and name the same household entering with Noah.
6:19 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:19 From every living thing, from all flesh, bring two of each into the ark to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.
Greek · Saints priority
6:19 From all the livestock, all the creeping things, all the wild animals, and all flesh, bring two by two from each into the ark, so that you may nourish them alongside you; they shall be male and female.
G expands the creature inventory and expresses survival through nourishment. Both preserve male and female pairs.
6:20 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:20 From the birds according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of each shall come to you to be kept alive.
Greek · Saints priority
6:20 From all the winged birds according to kind, all the livestock according to kind, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth according to its kind, two by two from each shall come to you to be nourished with you, male and female.
G adds with you and repeats male and female. The coming creatures remain the grammatical subject in both.
6:21 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:21 Take for yourself some of every food that is eaten, and gather it to yourself; it shall be food for you and for them.”
Greek · Saints priority
6:21 Take for yourself some of all the foods that you eat, and gather them to yourself; they shall be for you and for them to eat.”
H has an impersonal passive, food that is eaten; G addresses plural you in the food clause, within otherwise singular instructions to Noah.
6:22 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
6:22 Noah did according to all that God commanded him; so he did.
Greek · Saints priority
6:22 Noah did all that the Lord God commanded him; so he did.
The obedience formula agrees; G has Lord God where H has God.
Saints — Hebrews 11:7: Noah’s building of the ark is presented as an act of faith and reverence that preserves his household.
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Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.