Leviticus 16 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 16:20, 16:24
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 16
The Day of Atonement
Entry before the mercy seat · 16:1–5
Verse 16:1 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:1 YHWH spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons, when they drew near before YHWH and died.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:1 The Lord spoke to Moses after Aaron’s two sons died when they presented foreign fire before the Lord and died.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek explicitly names the foreign fire here; Hebrew refers to their drawing near.
Verse 16:2 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:2 YHWH said to Moses: Speak to your brother Aaron, so that he does not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the atonement cover upon the ark, lest he die, for I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:2 The Lord said to Moses: Speak to your brother Aaron, and let him not enter at any time into the holy place within the veil, before the propitiatory cover upon the ark of testimony, so that he does not die, for I will appear in a cloud over the propitiatory cover.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek includes “of testimony.” Hebrew kapporet and Greek hilasterion denote the ark’s sacred cover here; the different English terms do not imply two objects.
Verse 16:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:3 With this Aaron shall enter the holy place: a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:3 In this way Aaron shall enter the holy place: with a calf from the cattle for sin and a ram for a whole burnt offering.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The entrance offerings correspond.
Verse 16:4 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:4 He shall put on a holy linen tunic, with linen undergarments over his body, gird himself with a linen sash, and wrap on a linen turban. These are holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and put them on.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:4 He shall put on a consecrated linen tunic, with linen undergarments against his skin, gird himself with a linen belt, and put on a linen turban. These are holy garments. He shall bathe his whole body in water and put them on.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek explicitly includes whole in the bathing instruction.
Verse 16:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:5 From the congregation of the sons of Israel he shall take two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:5 From the congregation of the sons of Israel he shall take two male kids from the goats for sin and one ram for a whole burnt offering.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The animal provision corresponds.
The bull and the two goats · 16:6–10
Verse 16:6 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:6 Aaron shall present the bull of the sin offering that is for himself and make atonement for himself and his household.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:6 Aaron shall present the calf for his sin offering and make propitiation for himself and his household.
Classification & Notes
Same. The beneficiaries correspond here; compare the difference at 9:7.
Verse 16:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:7 He shall take the two goats and present them before YHWH at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:7 He shall take the two male kids and present them before the Lord beside the door of the Tent of Testimony.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The presentation corresponds.
Verse 16:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:8 Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for YHWH and one lot for Azazel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:8 Aaron shall place upon the two male kids one lot for the Lord and one lot for the one sent away.
Classification & Notes
Different. Hebrew retains Azazel; Greek apopompaios expresses sending away or averting. The Greek designation is interpreted here through the following dismissal rite. Neither the Hebrew term’s referent nor every possible Greek nuance is settled by this rendering.
Rabbinic reception. Rashi explains Azazel as a rugged mountain or high cliff. This is one identifiable Jewish interpretation; the name’s historical referent remains disputed. Rashi, Leviticus 16:8
Saints reception — typology. Justin interprets the two goats in relation to Christ’s two advents. His Christian typology does not establish the lexical meaning of Azazel or the Greek designation. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 40
Verse 16:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:9 Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot for YHWH fell and prepare it as a sin offering.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:9 Aaron shall present the male kid on which the lot for the Lord fell and offer it for sin.
Classification & Notes
Same. The sacrificial goat’s role corresponds.
Verse 16:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:10 The goat on which the lot for Azazel fell shall be presented alive before YHWH, to make atonement over it, to send it away to Azazel into the wilderness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:10 He shall present alive before the Lord the male kid on which the lot of the one sent away fell, to make propitiation over it, so as to send it away for removal. He shall release it into the wilderness.
Classification & Notes
Different. Greek unfolds the dismissal into a separate release clause and uses removal language instead of Azazel; see 16:8.
Incense, blood, and sanctuary cleansing · 16:11–19
Verse 16:11 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:11 Aaron shall present the bull of the sin offering that is for himself and make atonement for himself and his household, and slaughter the bull of the sin offering that is for himself.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:11 Aaron shall present the calf for the sin offering of himself and his household alone, make propitiation for himself and his household, and slaughter the calf for his own sin offering.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek adds his household alone to the description of the offering. Both texts already include his household in the following beneficiary clause; the addition makes the restriction explicit without establishing a major change in this rite’s beneficiaries.
Rabbinic reception. In expounding the second confession, Rashi includes Aaron’s fellow priests within his household. This interpretation must be distinguished from places where Greek expressly adds priests to the wording. Rashi, Leviticus 16:11
Verse 16:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:12 He shall take a firepan full of burning coals from the altar before YHWH and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and bring them inside the veil.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:12 He shall take the firepan full of burning coals from the altar opposite the Lord, fill his hands with finely compounded incense, and bring them within the veil,
Classification & Notes
Similar. The coals and finely prepared incense correspond.
Verse 16:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:13 He shall put the incense on the fire before YHWH, so that the cloud of incense covers the atonement cover above the testimony, and he does not die.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:13 and put the incense on the fire before the Lord. The vapor of incense shall cover the propitiatory cover above the testimonies, and he shall not die.
Classification & Notes
Different. Cloud / vapor and singular testimony / plural testimonies.
Verse 16:14 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:14 He shall take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the atonement cover toward the east; before the atonement cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:14 He shall take some of the calf’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the propitiatory cover toward the east; before the propitiatory cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The sevenfold blood rite corresponds; Hebrew specifies its front in the first clause.
Verse 16:15 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:15 He shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering for the people and bring its blood inside the veil. He shall do with its blood as he did with the bull’s blood, sprinkling it on the atonement cover and before the atonement cover.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:15 He shall slaughter the male kid for the people’s sin offering before the Lord and bring some of its blood within the veil. He shall do with its blood as he did with the calf’s blood, sprinkling its blood on the propitiatory cover, before the propitiatory cover,
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek includes “before the Lord” with slaughtering and lacks a conjunction between the last two spatial phrases.
Saints reception — typology. Hebrews contrasts the high priest’s recurring entry with Christ’s entry through His own blood, applying sanctuary and cleansing language to the conscience. Hebrews 9:6–14
Verse 16:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:16 He shall make atonement for the holy place because of the sons of Israel’s uncleannesses and their transgressions, all their sins. He shall do the same for the Tent of Meeting that dwells with them amid their uncleannesses.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:16 and make expiation for the holy place from the sons of Israel’s uncleannesses and their wrongdoings, concerning all their sins. He shall do the same for the Tent of Testimony established among them amid their uncleanness.
Classification & Notes
Different. The tent dwells with them / is established among them; the ritual concerns purifying the sanctuary from impurity and wrongdoing. Make expiation renders ἐξιλάσκομαι for these sacred objects, also in 16:20 and 16:33; propitiation is retained for the personal beneficiaries.
Verse 16:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:17 No one shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the holy place until he comes out. He shall make atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:17 No one shall be in the Tent of Testimony when he enters to make propitiation in the holy place until he comes out. He shall make propitiation for himself, his household, and the whole congregation of the sons of Israel.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The exclusion and beneficiary groups correspond.
Verse 16:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:18 He shall go out to the altar before YHWH and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it all around on the altar’s horns.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:18 He shall go out to the altar opposite the Lord and make propitiation upon it. He shall take some of the calf’s blood and some of the male kid’s blood and put it all around on the altar’s horns,
Classification & Notes
Same. The altar rite corresponds.
Verse 16:19 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it from the sons of Israel’s uncleannesses.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it from the sons of Israel’s uncleannesses.
Classification & Notes
Same. Both expressly connect blood, cleansing, and consecration.
The living goat and removal of offenses · 16:20–22
Verse 16:20 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:20 When he has finished making atonement for the holy place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the living goat.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:20 He shall finish making expiation for the holy place, the Tent of Testimony, and the altar, and perform cleansing for the priests. He shall present the living male kid.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Greek adds an explicit cleansing action for the priests before presenting the living goat, materially expanding the stated ritual sequence.
Verse 16:21 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:21 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the living goat’s head and confess over it all the sons of Israel’s iniquities and all their transgressions, all their sins. He shall put them on the goat’s head and send it into the wilderness by the hand of a man appointed for the task.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:21 Aaron shall lay his hands on the living male kid’s head and confess over it all the sons of Israel’s lawless deeds, all their injustices, and all their sins. He shall put them on the living male kid’s head and send it into the wilderness by the hand of a prepared man.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The confession and transfer correspond. Hebrew explicitly says both hands; Greek repeats living in the second head reference.
Verse 16:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:22 The goat shall bear upon itself all their iniquities to a remote land, and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:22 The male kid shall take upon itself their injustices to an inaccessible land, and he shall release the male kid into the wilderness.
Classification & Notes
Different. Remote or cut-off land / inaccessible land; Greek lacks all here.
Washing, offerings, and disposal · 16:23–28
Verse 16:23 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:23 Aaron shall enter the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen garments he wore when entering the holy place, and leave them there.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:23 Aaron shall enter the Tent of Testimony, take off the linen robe he wore when entering the holy place, and lay it aside there.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Plural garments / singular robe; the change corresponds.
Verse 16:24 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:24 He shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his garments. He shall go out, prepare his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering, and make atonement for himself and the people.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:24 He shall bathe his body in water in a holy place and put on his robe. He shall go out, prepare his whole offering and the people’s whole offering, and make propitiation for himself, his household, and the people, as for the priests.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Greek expressly adds his household and the comparison with the priests to this statement of beneficiaries.
Verse 16:25 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:25 He shall burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:25 He shall offer up the fat of the offerings for sins on the altar.
Classification & Notes
Different. Burn / offer up; singular offering / plural sins.
Verse 16:26 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:26 The one who sends the goat away to Azazel shall wash his garments and bathe his body in water. Afterward he may enter the camp.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:26 The one who sends away the male kid designated for release shall wash his garments and bathe his body in water. Afterward he shall enter the camp.
Classification & Notes
Different. Greek describes designation for release rather than naming Azazel; the washing rule agrees.
Verse 16:27 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:27 He shall carry outside the camp the bull and goat of the sin offering whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place. They shall burn their hides, flesh, and dung with fire.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:27 They shall carry outside the camp the calf and male kid for the sin offering whose blood was brought in to make propitiation in the holy place. They shall burn them up with fire, their hides, meat, and dung.
Classification & Notes
Different. Singular / plural carrying agent; the disposal corresponds.
Verse 16:28 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:28 The one who burns them shall wash his garments and bathe his body in water. Afterward he may enter the camp.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:28 The one who burns them shall wash his garments and bathe his body in water. Afterward he may enter the camp.
Classification & Notes
Same. The burner’s cleansing corresponds.
The annual statute · 16:29–34
Verse 16:29 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:29 This shall be a perpetual statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, afflict yourselves and do no work, neither the native nor the resident foreigner living among you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:29 This shall be a perpetual ordinance for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, humble yourselves and do no work, neither the native nor the newcomer attached to you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Afflict / humble and resident foreigner / attached newcomer preserve the source expressions. Greek proselytos is not automatically restricted to a later formal conversion category.
Rabbinic reception. Mishnah Yoma includes fasting and other abstentions in the observance of the Day of Atonement. These practices interpret the command to humble oneself. Mishnah Yoma 8:1
Verse 16:30 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:30 For on this day he shall make atonement for you to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:30 For on this day he shall make propitiation for you, to cleanse you from all your sins before the Lord, and you shall be cleansed.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The scope of cleansing agrees; Greek’s clause grouping differs. The Hebrew agent is unstated.
Rabbinic reception. Mishnah Yoma distinguishes offenses against God from wrongs against another person: the latter require reconciliation with the person wronged. This is an interpretive account of atonement’s scope. Mishnah Yoma 8:9
Verse 16:31 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:31 It is a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a perpetual statute.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:31 It shall be a Sabbath of Sabbaths, a rest for you, and you shall humble yourselves; it is a perpetual ordinance.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The intensified Sabbath expression and self-humbling correspond.
Verse 16:32 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:32 The priest whom one anoints and whose hand one fills to serve as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement. He shall put on the linen garments, the holy garments,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:32 The priest whom they anoint and whose hands they consecrate to serve as priest after his father shall make propitiation. He shall put on the linen robe, a holy robe,
Classification & Notes
Different. Hebrew’s hand-filling installation idiom / Greek’s hand-consecration; Greek uses plural installers.
Verse 16:33 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:33 and make atonement for the holy sanctuary, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar; he shall make atonement for the priests and all the people of the assembly.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:33 and make expiation for the holy place of the holy place, the Tent of Testimony, and the altar; he shall make propitiation for the priests and the whole congregation.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The sanctuary and community scope corresponds; the sacred-space expression differs.
Verse 16:34 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
16:34 This shall be a perpetual statute for you, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as YHWH commanded Moses.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
16:34 This shall be a perpetual ordinance for you, to make propitiation for the sons of Israel for all their sins. It shall be done once a year, as the Lord directed Moses.
Classification & Notes
Different. Hebrew ends with completed obedience; Greek with an ongoing passive requirement. Both specify yearly observance.
Saints reception — liturgical interpretation. Commenting on Hebrews, Chrysostom explains Christian offering as remembrance of the one sacrifice of the same Christ. His liturgical exposition differs from the annual ritual prescribed here. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Hebrews 17.6