Numbers 15 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 11 Similar 7 Different 12 Divergent 6 Disparate 5
Disparate in this chapter: 15:14, 15:24, 15:28, 15:30, 15:31
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.
Laws Regarding Accompanying Offerings
15:1 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,
Greek · Saints priority
15:1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
The speech introduction corresponds.
15:2 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of your dwellings, which I am giving you,
Greek · Saints priority
15:2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of your dwellings, which I am giving you,
Both locate the following offering instructions in the land being given to Israel.
15:3 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:3 and make an offering by fire to YHWH, a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a special vow, or as a freewill offering, or at your appointed festivals, to make a pleasing aroma for YHWH from the herd or the flock,
Greek · Saints priority
15:3 and you make burnt offerings to the Lord, a whole offering or a sacrifice, to honor a vow, or voluntarily, or at your festivals, to make a fragrant aroma for the Lord, whether from cattle or sheep,
Hebrew’s general offering-by-fire term is rendered burnt offerings in Greek, followed by a distinct whole-offering term. The vow and festival occasions correspond.
15:4 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:4 the one presenting an offering to YHWH shall present a grain offering of one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one quarter of a hin of oil.
Greek · Saints priority
15:4 the one presenting a gift to the Lord shall bring a sacrifice of one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one quarter of a hin of oil.
Grain offering is designated sacrifice in Greek. Greek explicitly names the ephah; the amounts correspond.
15:5 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:5 Prepare one quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering with the burnt offering or sacrifice for each lamb.
Greek · Saints priority
15:5 Prepare one quarter of a hin of wine as a libation with the burnt offering or sacrifice. For each lamb you shall prepare this amount, an offering of fragrant aroma to the Lord.
Greek adds the final offering-and-aroma formula and spells out for each lamb more fully. The wine amount is unchanged.
15:6 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:6 For a ram, prepare a grain offering of two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one third of a hin of oil.
Greek · Saints priority
15:6 For a ram, when you prepare it as a burnt offering or a sacrifice, prepare a sacrifice of two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one third of a hin of oil.
Greek adds the explicit burnt-offering-or-sacrifice condition. Both prescribe the same flour and oil quantities.
15:7 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:7 Present one third of a hin of wine as a drink offering, a pleasing aroma to YHWH.
Greek · Saints priority
15:7 Present one third of a hin of wine as a libation, for a fragrant aroma to the Lord.
The measure and ritual function correspond.
15:8 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:8 When you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice to fulfill a special vow, or as a well-being offering to YHWH,
Greek · Saints priority
15:8 If you prepare an animal from the cattle as a burnt offering or sacrifice to honor a vow, or as a deliverance offering to the Lord,
Greek begins with cattle generally, while 15:9 specifies the calf. Well-being is rendered deliverance. These labels alone do not prove mutually exclusive theologies of sacrifice.
15:9 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:9 present with the young bull a grain offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil.
Greek · Saints priority
15:9 present with the calf a sacrifice of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil,
The offering designation differs; the flour and oil measures agree.
15:10 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:10 Present half a hin of wine as a drink offering, an offering by fire of pleasing aroma to YHWH.
Greek · Saints priority
15:10 and half a hin of wine as a libation, an offering of fragrant aroma to the Lord.
Greek does not express fire in its general offering noun. This lexical difference does not establish that no fire was used.
15:11 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:11 So it shall be done for each bull, each ram, or each animal from the sheep or goats.
Greek · Saints priority
15:11 So you shall do for each calf, each ram, or each lamb from the sheep or goats.
Greek uses calf and lamb where Hebrew has bull and the generic small-stock animal. Both include sheep and goats, so Greek lamb should not erase the stated goat option.
15:12 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:12 According to the number you prepare, so you shall do for each one, according to their number.
Greek · Saints priority
15:12 According to the number you prepare, so you shall do for each one, according to their number.
Both scale the accompanying provisions to each animal offered.
15:13 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:13 Every native-born person shall do these things in this way when presenting an offering by fire of pleasing aroma to YHWH.
Greek · Saints priority
15:13 Every native-born person shall do such things in this way when presenting offerings of fragrant aroma to the Lord.
The native-born requirement corresponds; Greek’s offering term does not explicitly name fire.
15:14 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:14 If a resident alien lives with you, or someone is among you throughout your generations, and makes an offering by fire of pleasing aroma to YHWH, that person shall do as you do.
Greek · Saints priority
15:14 If a resident alien joins you in your land, or whoever comes to be among you throughout your generations, and makes an offering of fragrant aroma to the Lord, as you do, so the congregation shall do for the Lord.
Hebrew’s final subject is the resident alien; Greek’s is the congregation. Greek also adds in your land and for the Lord. Its congregation belongs here, whereas Hebrew places that word at the opening of 15:15.
15:15 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:15 For the assembly there shall be one statute for you and for the resident alien who lives with you, an enduring statute throughout your generations. You and the resident alien shall be alike before YHWH.
Greek · Saints priority
15:15 There shall be one law for you and for the resident aliens attached to you, an enduring law throughout your generations. As you are, so shall the resident alien be before the Lord.
Greek uses law for Hebrew statute and moves the congregation reference into 15:14. The stated equal standing before the Lord corresponds; prosēlytos is not automatically expanded into later conversion requirements.
15:16 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:16 One instruction and one ruling shall apply to you and the resident alien who lives with you.”
Greek · Saints priority
15:16 One law and one ordinance shall apply to you and the resident alien attached to you.”
Both prescribe one governing standard for native and resident alien.
The First-Fruits Bread Offering
15:17 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:17 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,
Greek · Saints priority
15:17 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
The speech introduction corresponds.
15:18 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:18 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land to which I am bringing you,
Greek · Saints priority
15:18 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land to which I am bringing you,
Both introduce an obligation upon entry into the land.
15:19 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:19 when you eat the bread of the land, lift up a contribution to YHWH.
Greek · Saints priority
15:19 when you eat the loaves of the land, remove a contribution, a portion set apart for the Lord.
Hebrew uses lifting terminology for the contribution; Greek emphasizes removing and setting apart a portion.
15:20 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:20 From the first of your dough, lift up a cake as a contribution. As with the contribution of the threshing floor, so you shall lift it up.
Greek · Saints priority
15:20 As the first portion of your dough, set apart a loaf as a contribution. As a contribution from the threshing floor, so you shall remove it,
The same first-dough offering is described with cake/loaf and lifting/removing terminology. No percentage is stated in either verse.
Apostolic reception: Paul uses the consecrated first portion and the whole batch of dough as an image in his argument about Israel and the Gentiles. This reuses first-dough holiness without altering the offering law.
Source: Romans 11:16–18
15:21 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:21 From the first of your dough, give YHWH a contribution throughout your generations.
Greek · Saints priority
15:21 the first portion of your dough; and give the Lord a contribution throughout your generations.
Greek’s phrase continues the preceding sentence; the enduring first-dough obligation corresponds.
Unintentional Sins
15:22 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:22 If you err and fail to do all these commandments that YHWH spoke to Moses,
Greek · Saints priority
15:22 If you err and fail to do all these commandments that the Lord spoke to Moses,
Both introduce failure to perform the commandments. A specific identification of this failure as idolatry belongs in attributed interpretation.
15:23 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:23 all that YHWH commanded you through Moses, from the day YHWH gave command and onward throughout your generations,
Greek · Saints priority
15:23 as the Lord commanded you through Moses, from the day the Lord gave command to you and onward throughout your generations,
Greek explicitly repeats to you and introduces the clause with as; the temporal scope corresponds.
15:24 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:24 if it was done unintentionally, escaping the congregation’s notice, the whole congregation shall prepare one young bull as a burnt offering of pleasing aroma to YHWH, with its grain offering and drink offering according to the rule, and one male goat as a sin offering.
Greek · Saints priority
15:24 if it happened unintentionally, out of the congregation’s sight, the whole congregation shall prepare one unblemished calf from the cattle as a burnt offering of fragrant aroma to the Lord, with its sacrifice and libation according to the ordinance, and one male goat for sin.
Greek explicitly requires the calf to be unblemished; Hebrew does not repeat that condition in this verse. This is a material ritual specification here, not proof that Hebrew sacrificial law elsewhere permits defective animals.
15:25 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:25 The priest shall make atonement for the whole Israelite congregation, and they shall be forgiven, because it was unintentional. They have brought their offering, an offering by fire to YHWH, and their sin offering before YHWH for their error.
Greek · Saints priority
15:25 The priest shall make propitiation for the whole congregation of Israelites, and they shall be forgiven, because it was unintentional. They have brought their gift, an offering to the Lord for their sin, before the Lord for their unintentional acts.
Hebrew lists their sin offering as an additional object; Greek has for their sin. Both still prescribe the goat in 15:24 and promise forgiveness here. Atonement/propitiation are differentiated glosses, not evidence of opposite doctrines.
15:26 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:26 The whole Israelite congregation and the resident alien living among them shall be forgiven, because the whole people acted unintentionally.
Greek · Saints priority
15:26 Forgiveness shall extend throughout the whole congregation of Israelites and to the resident alien attached to you, because it was unintentional for the whole people.
The scope of communal forgiveness corresponds; Greek shifts the final alien reference to you.
15:27 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:27 If one person sins unintentionally, that person shall present a year-old female goat as a sin offering.
Greek · Saints priority
15:27 If one person sins unintentionally, that person shall present one year-old female goat for sin.
The individual case and the animal’s sex and age agree.
15:28 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:28 The priest shall make atonement before YHWH for the person who erred by sinning unintentionally, making atonement for that person, and that person shall be forgiven.
Greek · Saints priority
15:28 The priest shall make propitiation before the Lord for the person who acted unintentionally and sinned unintentionally, making propitiation for that person.
Greek omits the closing promise of forgiveness found in Hebrew. This materially changes what this verse explicitly assures; it does not negate the forgiveness promised elsewhere in the chapter.
15:29 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:29 For the native-born among the Israelites and the resident alien living among them, you shall have one instruction for anyone who acts unintentionally.
Greek · Saints priority
15:29 For the native among the Israelites and the resident alien attached to them, there shall be one law for whoever acts unintentionally.
Both extend the same rule to native and resident alien.
Defiant Sin
15:30 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:30 But the person who acts with a raised hand, whether native-born or resident alien, reviles YHWH. That person shall be cut off from among their people.
Greek · Saints priority
15:30 But the person who acts with a hand of arrogance, whether native-born or resident alien, provokes God. That person shall be destroyed from among their people,
Greek interprets the raised hand as arrogance, renders reviling as provoking, and explicitly uses destruction for Hebrew being cut off. The Hebrew penalty must not be reduced without argument to mere social exclusion.
15:31 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:31 Because that person despised YHWH’s word and broke His commandment, that person shall certainly be cut off; their iniquity remains in them.”
Greek · Saints priority
15:31 because that person treated the Lord’s word as worthless and scattered His commandments. That person shall certainly be wiped out; their sin remains in them.”
Greek uses the plural commandments and an emphatic wiping-out expression; Hebrew repeats the cutting-off penalty. Both leave the offender bearing guilt.
The Sabbath Breaker Executed
15:32 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:32 While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.
Greek · Saints priority
15:32 While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.
The setting and act correspond.
15:33 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation.
Greek · Saints priority
15:33 Those who found him gathering wood on the Sabbath day brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israelites.
Greek repeats on the Sabbath day and adds of Israelites.
15:34 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:34 They placed him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him.
Greek · Saints priority
15:34 They placed him in custody, because they had not determined what they should do to him.
Hebrew uses a passive lack of clarification; Greek makes the decision-makers active. Neither verse names a previously specified execution method.
15:35 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:35 YHWH said to Moses, “The man must certainly be put to death. The whole congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.”
Greek · Saints priority
15:35 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “The man must certainly be put to death. Stone him with stones, all the congregation.”
Greek omits outside the camp from the command; both locate the execution outside the camp in the next verse.
15:36 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:36 The whole congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died, as YHWH had commanded Moses.
Greek · Saints priority
15:36 The whole congregation brought him outside the camp, and the whole congregation stoned him with stones outside the camp, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Greek repeats the congregation and outside the camp but omits the explicit and he died. It still narrates the commanded stoning; the omission does not state survival.
The Law of Tassels on Garments
15:37 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:37 YHWH said to Moses, saying,
Greek · Saints priority
15:37 The Lord said to Moses, saying,
The speech introduction corresponds.
15:38 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:38 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue cord on the tassel of each corner.
Greek · Saints priority
15:38 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them to make fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and you shall put a blue thread on the fringes of the corners.
The garment reminder and blue thread correspond; Greek changes to direct second-person address in the last clause.
Apostolic comparison: Matthew uses the same Greek garment-fringe word, kraspedon, when the woman touches Jesus’ garment. The shared vocabulary connects the passages’ material setting; it does not turn this command into an explicit prediction of the healing.
Source: Matthew 9:20–22
15:39 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:39 It shall be a tassel for you: you shall see it and remember all YHWH’s commandments and do them. You shall not wander after your hearts and your eyes, after which you prostitute yourselves,
Greek · Saints priority
15:39 It shall be among your fringes: you shall see them and remember all the Lord’s commandments and do them. You shall not turn aside after your thoughts and your eyes, after which you prostitute yourselves,
Greek uses plural them for the visual reminder and thoughts for hearts. Hebrew’s exploring/wandering verb echoes the scouting vocabulary; Greek uses turning aside.
Rabbinic reception: Rashi links the wandering verb to the scouts and describes heart and eyes as the body’s scouts in the progress toward sin.
Source: Rashi, Numbers 15:39
15:40 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:40 so that you remember and do all My commandments and be holy to your God.
Greek · Saints priority
15:40 so that you remember and do all My commandments and be holy to your God.
The purpose of remembrance, obedience, and holiness corresponds.
15:41 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
15:41 I am YHWH your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am YHWH your God.”
Greek · Saints priority
15:41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.”
Both ground the command in the exodus and repeat the divine self-identification.
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Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.