Numbers 12 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 1 Similar 7 Different 4 Divergent 1 Disparate 3
Disparate in this chapter: 12:8, 12:12, 12:15
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 Condemnation
12:1 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.
Greek · Saints priority
12:1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman Moses had married, for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
Greek uses its usual geographical counterpart for Cushite and repeats Moses’ name. The woman is not named here; an identification with Zipporah belongs in interpretation.
Rabbinic reception: Rashi identifies the woman with Zipporah and reads the dispute in connection with Moses’ separation from her. The source verse itself leaves her unnamed.
Source: Rashi, Numbers 12:1
12:2 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:2 They said, “Has YHWH spoken only through Moses? Has He not also spoken through us?” And YHWH heard.
Greek · Saints priority
12:2 They said, “Has the Lord spoken only to Moses? Has He not also spoken to us?” And the Lord heard.
Hebrew b- can mean through or with; Greek uses a dative, naturally to. The complaint concerns privileged divine speech in both texts, so the prepositions alone do not establish incompatible prophetic claims.
12:3 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:3 Now the man Moses was very humble, more than anyone else on the face of the earth.
Greek · Saints priority
12:3 Now the man Moses was very gentle, more than all the people on the earth.
Humble and gentle reflect overlapping senses of the respective words, not opposed descriptions of Moses.
The Vindication
12:4 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:4 Suddenly YHWH said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “Come out, all three of you, to the Tent of Meeting.” And the three of them came out.
Greek · Saints priority
12:4 Immediately the Lord said to Moses, Miriam, and Aaron, “Come out, all three of you, to the Tent of Testimony.” And the three came out to the Tent of Testimony.
Greek reverses Aaron and Miriam in the first list and repeats the destination at the end. The sanctuary titles differ as elsewhere.
12:5 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:5 YHWH came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent. He called Aaron and Miriam, and both came forward.
Greek · Saints priority
12:5 The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent of Testimony. Aaron and Miriam were called, and both came forward.
Greek gives the fuller sanctuary title and changes He called to they were called; the participants and action correspond.
12:6 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:6 He said, “Hear My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, YHWH, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.
Greek · Saints priority
12:6 He said to them, “Hear My words: If there is a prophet of yours for the Lord, I will make Myself known to him in a vision, and speak to him in sleep.
The compressed Hebrew places the divine name differently; Greek explicitly describes a prophet belonging to the Lord. The revelation through vision and dream corresponds.
12:7 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:7 Not so My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house.
Greek · Saints priority
12:7 Not so My attendant Moses; he is faithful in all My house.
The servant terms differ in nuance; the statement of Moses’ faithfulness agrees.
Apostolic reception: Hebrews takes up Moses’ faithfulness in God’s house and contrasts his service within the house with Christ’s status as Son over it. This is an explicit Christian reuse of the passage.
Source: Hebrews 3:2–6
12:8 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, plainly and not in riddles, and he beholds YHWH’s form. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?”
Greek · Saints priority
12:8 With him I will speak mouth to mouth, in visible appearance and not through riddles, and he saw the Lord’s glory. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My attendant Moses?”
Hebrew says he beholds YHWH’s form; Greek says he saw the Lord’s glory. This changes the object and temporal presentation of Moses’ privileged vision. It does not by itself settle a doctrine of the divine body.
The Judgment
12:9 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:9 YHWH’s anger flared against them, and He departed.
Greek · Saints priority
12:9 The Lord’s fierce anger was upon them, and He departed.
Both describe divine anger followed by departure.
12:10 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:10 The cloud withdrew from over the tent, and there was Miriam, afflicted with a skin disease, white as snow. Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, diseased.
Greek · Saints priority
12:10 The cloud withdrew from the tent, and there was Miriam, leprous as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam, and there she was, leprous.
Hebrew ṣaraʿat and Greek lepra refer here to the ancient skin-affliction category. Leprous must not be assumed to identify modern Hansen’s disease.
12:11 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:11 Aaron said to Moses, “Please, my lord, do not lay upon us the sin in which we have acted foolishly and sinned.
Greek · Saints priority
12:11 Aaron said to Moses, “I beg you, my lord, do not lay sin upon us, because we acted ignorantly in what we sinned.
Hebrew characterizes the conduct as foolish; Greek as ignorant. Neither removes the confession of sin.
12:12 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:12 Please do not let her be like a dead child whose flesh is half consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb.”
Greek · Saints priority
12:12 Do not let her become like one equal to death, like a miscarried child coming out of a mother’s womb, and it consumes half her flesh.”
Greek explicitly names a miscarriage and ends with an active verb and feminine her; Hebrew has his flesh half consumed, referring grammatically to the dead child. The Greek subject and referent are difficult; the translation leaves that difficulty visible rather than silently restoring the Hebrew syntax.
12:13 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:13 Moses cried out to YHWH, “O God, please heal her, please!”
Greek · Saints priority
12:13 Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “O God, I beg You, heal her!”
The urgent plea corresponds; Hebrew repeats its entreaty particle.
The Restoration
12:14 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:14 YHWH said to Moses, “If her father had spat in her face, would she not be disgraced for seven days? Let her be shut outside the camp for seven days; afterward she may be received back.”
Greek · Saints priority
12:14 The Lord said to Moses, “If her father had spat in her face, would she not be ashamed for seven days? Let her be set apart outside the camp for seven days; afterward she shall enter.”
The seven-day exclusion agrees. Hebrew emphasizes confinement and reception back; Greek separation and entry.
12:15 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:15 Miriam was shut outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not set out until Miriam was received back.
Greek · Saints priority
12:15 Miriam was set apart outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not set out until Miriam was cleansed.
Hebrew marks Miriam’s readmission; Greek marks her cleansing. These can accompany one another, but the stated condition for resuming the journey differs materially.
12:16 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
12:16 Afterward the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
Greek · Saints priority
12:16 Afterward the people set out from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
The route and destination correspond.
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Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.