Leviticus 11 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 11:18, 11:26, 11:30, 11:40
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.
Chapter 11
Clean and unclean creatures
Land animals · 11:1–8
Verse 11:1 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:1 YHWH spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
Classification & Notes
Similar. Greek lacks the final “to them.”
Verse 11:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:2 Speak to the sons of Israel, saying: These are the creatures you may eat among all the animals on the earth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:2 Speak to the sons of Israel, saying: These are the animals you may eat among all the animals on the earth.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Hebrew varies creature and animal; Greek repeats its animal term.
Verse 11:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:3 Among the animals, you may eat any that has a divided hoof, split into two, and brings up the cud.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:3 Among the animals, you may eat any animal that divides the hoof, has cleft claws forming two hoofs, and brings up the cud.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Both combine divided hoof and cud requirements; the hoof description differs in expression.
Verse 11:4 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:4 But these you shall not eat among those that bring up the cud or divide the hoof: the camel, because it brings up the cud but does not divide the hoof; it is unclean for you;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:4 But these you shall not eat among those that bring up the cud or divide the hoof and have cleft claws: the camel, because it brings up the cud but does not divide the hoof; it is unclean for you;
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek expands the introductory hoof description.
Verse 11:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:5 the rock hyrax, because it brings up the cud but does not divide the hoof; it is unclean for you;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:5 the hare, because it brings up the cud but does not divide the hoof; it is unclean for you;
Classification & Notes
Different. Hebrew shaphan and Greek dasypous differ at this aligned position; compare 11:6. Ancient observational categories are retained.
Verse 11:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:6 the hare, because it brings up the cud but does not divide the hoof; it is unclean for you;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:6 the choirogryllios, because it brings up the cud but does not divide the hoof; it is unclean for you;
Classification & Notes
Different. Greek choirogryllios is an uncertain animal name, often associated with the hyrax. The pair at 11:5–6 is commonly understood as reversed; precise zoological identification remains uncertain.
Verse 11:7 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:7 the pig, because it divides the hoof, split into two, but does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:7 the pig, because it divides the hoof and has cleft hoof-claws but does not bring up the cud; it is unclean for you.
Classification & Notes
Same. The pig prohibition and stated criteria correspond.
Verse 11:8 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:8 You shall not eat their flesh or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:8 You shall not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.
Classification & Notes
Same. The prohibitions correspond.
Water creatures · 11:9–12
Verse 11:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:9 These you may eat among all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas and streams, you may eat.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:9 These you may eat among all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas and streams, you may eat.
Classification & Notes
Same. The aquatic criteria correspond.
Verse 11:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:10 But whatever has no fins and scales in the seas and streams, among all the swarming creatures of the waters and all living creatures in the waters, is detestable for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:10 Whatever has neither fins nor scales in the water, in the seas and streams, among all that the waters bring forth and every living creature in the water, is an abomination.
Classification & Notes
Different. Greek describes what the waters bring forth, rather than the swarming category, and lacks “for you” in this verse.
Verse 11:11 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:11 They shall be detestable for you. You shall not eat their flesh, and you shall detest their carcasses.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:11 They shall be abominations for you. You shall not eat their meat, and you shall abhor their carcasses.
Classification & Notes
Same. The prohibition corresponds.
Verse 11:12 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:12 Whatever in the waters has no fins and scales is detestable for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:12 Whatever among the things in the water has no fins and scales is an abomination for you.
Classification & Notes
Same. The summary criterion corresponds.
Birds and winged creeping things · 11:13–23
Verse 11:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:13 These you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten, for they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, and the osprey;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:13 These you shall abhor among the birds; they shall not be eaten, for they are an abomination: the eagle, the gryps, and the sea-eagle;
Classification & Notes
Different. Ancient bird identifications are approximate. Greek gryps can denote a large raptor and also the mythical griffin in other contexts; this list alone does not establish a mythical creature.
Verse 11:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:14 the kite and the falcon according to its kind;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:14 the vulture, the kite, and those like it;
Classification & Notes
Different. The selected bird terms differ; Hebrew da’ah and ’ayyah have disputed modern identifications.
Verse 11:15 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:15 every raven according to its kind;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:15 the raven and those like it;
Classification & Notes
Similar. Kind / those like it recurs throughout the Greek lists.
Verse 11:16 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:16 the ostrich, the night bird, the gull, and the hawk according to its kind;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:16 the ostrich, the owl, the gull and those like it, and the hawk and those like it;
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek includes a likeness formula after the gull as well as the hawk; night bird / owl is also a lexical distinction.
Verse 11:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:17 the little owl, the cormorant, and the great owl;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:17 the night-raven, the diving bird, and the ibis;
Classification & Notes
Different. The last Greek bird is explicitly an ibis. The Hebrew and Greek names elsewhere in the row have uncertain species identifications; these are not treated as three proved biological contradictions.
Verse 11:18 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:18 the white owl, the pelican, and the carrion vulture;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:18 the purple waterbird, the pelican, and the swan;
Classification & Notes
Disparate. On the conventional identifications adopted here, the Greek names a waterbird and a swan where Hebrew names an owl and a scavenging bird, materially changing the stated list. The Hebrew species identifications remain provisional.
Verse 11:19 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:19 the stork, the heron according to its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:19 the owl, the heron, the plover and those like it, the hoopoe, and the bat.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek has an additional named bird and a differently arranged list. The stork / owl identification also differs.
Verse 11:20 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:20 Every winged creeping thing that walks on four is detestable for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:20 Every winged creeping thing that walks on four is an abomination for you.
Classification & Notes
Same. The source’s bodily description is retained rather than rewritten into modern biological terminology.
Verse 11:21 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:21 But among all the winged creeping things that walk on four, you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet for leaping on the earth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:21 But among the winged creeping things that walk on four, you may eat those that have legs above their feet for leaping on the earth.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Hebrew follows the traditional reading lo, “has,” rather than the written lo’, “not”; this ketiv/qere issue must not be counted as an unqualified Hebrew–Greek contradiction. Hebrew written/read form
Verse 11:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:22 These among them you may eat: the arbeh according to its kind, the sol‘am according to its kind, the hargol according to its kind, and the hagab according to its kind.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:22 These among them you may eat: the brouchos and those like it, the attakes and those like it, the locust and those like it, and the snake-fighter and those like it.
Classification & Notes
Different. Four insect categories occur in each. Uncertain names are retained rather than assigned misleading modern species. Greek ophiomaches is literally “snake-fighter”; its precise referent requires further lexical review.
Verse 11:23 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:23 Every other winged creeping thing that has four feet is detestable for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:23 Every winged creeping thing that has four feet is an abomination for you.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Hebrew’s “other” is an English contextual clarification after the exception, not a separate Hebrew word; the legal sequence is shared.
Carcasses and contact · 11:24–28
Verse 11:24 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:24 By these you shall become unclean: whoever touches their carcasses shall be unclean until evening,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:24 By these you shall become defiled: everyone who touches their carcasses shall be unclean until evening,
Classification & Notes
Same. The contact consequence corresponds.
Verse 11:25 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:25 and whoever carries any of their carcasses shall wash his garments and be unclean until evening.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:25 and whoever carries any of their carcasses shall wash his garments and be unclean until evening.
Classification & Notes
Same. The carrying rule corresponds.
Verse 11:26 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:26 Every animal that has a hoof but does not split it completely and does not bring up the cud is unclean for you. Whoever touches them shall become unclean.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:26 Every animal that divides the hoof and has cleft claws but does not chew the cud shall be unclean for you. Whoever touches their carcasses shall be unclean until evening.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Hebrew says the hoof is not fully split; Greek describes a divided hoof. Greek also explicitly limits the contact clause to carcasses and supplies its evening endpoint.
Verse 11:27 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:27 Among all creatures that walk on four, whatever walks on its paws is unclean for you. Whoever touches their carcasses shall be unclean until evening.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:27 Among all wild animals that walk on four, whatever walks on its hands shall be unclean for you. Whoever touches their carcasses shall be unclean until evening.
Classification & Notes
Different. Paws / hands and creatures / wild animals retain the source descriptions.
Verse 11:28 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:28 Whoever carries their carcasses shall wash his garments and be unclean until evening. They are unclean for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:28 Whoever carries their carcasses shall wash his garments and be unclean until evening. They are unclean for you.
Classification & Notes
Same. The carrying rule corresponds.
Creeping things and contaminated objects · 11:29–38
Verse 11:29 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:29 These are unclean for you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the mouse, and the great lizard according to its kind;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:29 These are unclean for you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the mouse, and the land crocodile;
Classification & Notes
Different. Hebrew tsab is uncertain; Greek explicitly has land crocodile. It must not automatically be understood as the large aquatic species. Greek lacks the kind formula.
Verse 11:30 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:30 the gecko, the monitor lizard, the lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:30 the shrew, the chameleon, the spotted lizard, the lizard, and the mole.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. The selected conventional renderings produce a materially different list, including Greek shrew and mole. Several Hebrew names remain zoologically uncertain; the exact species contrast is provisional.
Verse 11:31 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:31 These are unclean for you among all the creeping things. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:31 These are unclean for you among all the creeping things on the earth. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek includes “on the earth.”
Verse 11:32 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:32 Anything on which one of them falls when dead shall become unclean: any wooden utensil, garment, skin, or sack, any article used for work. It shall be put in water and remain unclean until evening; then it shall be clean.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:32 Anything on which one of them falls when dead shall become unclean: any wooden utensil, garment, skin, or sack, any article used for work. It shall be dipped in water and remain unclean until evening; then it shall be clean.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The washing and evening boundary correspond; Greek specifies dipping.
Verse 11:33 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:33 If one of them falls inside any earthenware vessel, everything in it shall become unclean, and you shall break the vessel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:33 If one of them falls inside any earthenware vessel, everything in it shall become unclean, and the vessel shall be shattered.
Classification & Notes
Same. The vessel and contents rule corresponds.
Verse 11:34 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:34 Any food that may be eaten, on which water comes, shall become unclean, and any drink that may be drunk in any vessel shall become unclean.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:34 Any food that may be eaten, on which water comes, shall become unclean, and any drink that may be drunk in any vessel shall become unclean.
Classification & Notes
Same. The food and drink rule corresponds in the contamination context.
Verse 11:35 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:35 Anything on which any of their carcasses falls shall become unclean. An oven or stove shall be demolished; they are unclean and shall be unclean for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:35 Anything on which any of their carcasses falls shall become unclean. Ovens and pot-stands shall be demolished; these are unclean and shall be unclean for you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Hebrew kirayim / Greek chytropodes describes the cooking apparatus differently.
Verse 11:36 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:36 But a spring or cistern collecting water shall remain clean; whoever touches their carcasses shall become unclean.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:36 But springs of water, a cistern, and a gathering of water shall remain clean; whoever touches their carcasses shall be unclean.
Classification & Notes
Different. Greek lists a gathering of water alongside spring and cistern; Hebrew can take it as a description of the water installation.
Verse 11:37 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:37 If any of their carcasses falls on seed intended for sowing, it remains clean.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:37 If any of their carcasses falls on seed intended for sowing, it remains clean.
Classification & Notes
Same. Dry sowing seed remains clean in both.
Verse 11:38 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:38 But if water is put on the seed and any of their carcasses falls on it, it is unclean for you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:38 But if water is poured on any seed and any of their carcasses falls on it, it is unclean for you.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The wet-seed rule corresponds.
Carcasses, holiness, and the governing distinction · 11:39–47
Verse 11:39 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:39 If an animal that you may eat dies, whoever touches its carcass shall be unclean until evening.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:39 If an animal that you may eat dies, whoever touches its carcass shall be unclean until evening.
Classification & Notes
Same. The death of an otherwise edible animal creates the stated impurity.
Verse 11:40 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:40 Whoever eats from its carcass shall wash his garments and be unclean until evening. Whoever carries its carcass shall wash his garments and be unclean until evening.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:40 Whoever eats from these carcasses shall wash his garments and be unclean until evening. Whoever carries any of their carcasses shall wash his garments, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Greek adds bodily bathing to the carrier’s required washing. This changes the expressly prescribed purification procedure.
Verse 11:41 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:41 Every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth is detestable; it shall not be eaten.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:41 Every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth shall be an abomination for you; it shall not be eaten.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek includes “for you.”
Verse 11:42 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:42 Whatever moves on its belly, whatever walks on four, or whatever has many feet, among all the creeping things that creep upon the earth, you shall not eat, for they are detestable.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:42 Whatever moves on its belly, whatever walks on four continually, whatever has many feet among all the creeping things that creep upon the earth, you shall not eat, for it is an abomination for you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Greek renders the transition to many-footed creatures with “continually”; the prohibition remains comprehensive.
Verse 11:43 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:43 Do not make yourselves detestable through any creeping thing that creeps. Do not make yourselves unclean through them and so become defiled by them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:43 Do not make yourselves abominable through any creeping things that creep upon the earth. You shall not be defiled through them, and you shall not be unclean through them.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek includes “upon the earth” and expressly negates the final clause.
Verse 11:44 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:44 For I am YHWH your God. Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy. Do not defile yourselves through any creeping thing that moves upon the earth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:44 For I am the Lord your God. You shall be sanctified and be holy, for I am holy, the Lord your God. Do not defile yourselves through any creeping thing that moves upon the earth.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek repeats “the Lord your God” after holy; reflexive consecration / passive sanctification differs in form.
Saints reception — quotation. First Peter quotes the recurring Levitical holiness formula and applies it to the conduct of believers. Several Levitical passages share this wording; a uniquely identifiable source verse is not asserted. 1 Peter 1:15–16
Verse 11:45 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:45 For I am YHWH who brings you up from the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall be holy, for I am holy.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:45 For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall be holy, for I am holy, the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek includes the final Lord and describes the exodus with a past participle.
Verse 11:46 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:46 This is the law of animals, birds, every living creature that moves in the waters, and every creature that creeps upon the earth,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:46 This is the law concerning animals, birds, every creature that moves in the water, and every creature that creeps upon the earth,
Classification & Notes
Similar. The summary classes correspond; Greek lacks a separate living adjective.
Verse 11:47 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
11:47 to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the creature that may be eaten and the creature that may not be eaten.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
11:47 to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the living creatures that are eaten and the living creatures that are not eaten.
Classification & Notes
Different. Greek uses zogonounta, a life-producing or living-creature expression. Its precise force here should not be made into a categorical restriction to mammals; the preceding list includes birds and aquatic life.