Numbers 16 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 9 Similar 14 Different 13 Divergent 4 Disparate 10
Disparate in this chapter: 16:5, 16:14, 16:15, 16:16, 16:18, 16:24, 16:27, 16:30, 16:37, 16:42
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 Rebellion of the Leaders
16:1 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:1 Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, took action, with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, descendants of Reuben.
Greek · Saints priority
16:1 Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, spoke, with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, son of Reuben.
Hebrew begins took without an expressed object; took action makes the incomplete construction readable without inventing an object. Greek has spoke and attaches singular son of Reuben to Peleth, whereas Hebrew has plural descendants of Reuben.
Apostolic reception: Jude invokes Korah’s rebellion as a warning in a Christian polemic. That later application is distinguished from the narrated participants in Numbers.
Source: Jude 11
16:2 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:2 They rose up before Moses, with two hundred fifty Israelite men, leaders of the congregation, summoned to the assembly, men of renown.
Greek · Saints priority
16:2 They rose up before Moses, with two hundred fifty men of the Israelites, leaders of the congregation, members summoned to the council, men of renown.
The number and public standing correspond. Greek council terminology is not itself a reference to a later Christian council.
16:3 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:3 They assembled against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole congregation, every one of them, is holy, and YHWH is among them. Why do you exalt yourselves above YHWH’s assembly?”
Greek · Saints priority
16:3 They banded together against Moses and Aaron and said, “Enough for you! The whole congregation, all of them, is holy, and the Lord is among them. Why do you rise up against the Lord’s congregation?”
Hebrew objects to self-exaltation over the assembly; Greek describes rising against it. Both make the congregation’s holiness central to the challenge.
16:4 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:4 When Moses heard, he fell on his face.
Greek · Saints priority
16:4 When Moses heard, he fell on his face.
Moses’ immediate response corresponds.
16:5 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:5 He said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning YHWH will make known who belongs to Him and who is holy, and will bring that one near to Him. Whoever He chooses, He will bring near to Him.
Greek · Saints priority
16:5 He said to Korah and all his congregation, “God has looked upon and known those who are His and those who are holy, and has brought them near to Himself. Those He chose for Himself He brought near to Himself.
Hebrew promises a determination in the morning; Greek declares divine recognition and selection already accomplished, with plural objects. The timing and form of the claim differ substantially.
Apostolic reception: Second Timothy reuses the declaration that the Lord knows His own. Its recognition language closely corresponds to the Greek wording here, while applying it to the stability of God’s foundation.
Source: 2 Timothy 2:19
16:6 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:6 Do this: take censers for yourselves, Korah and all his company.
Greek · Saints priority
16:6 Do this: take fire pans for yourselves, Korah and all his congregation.
The same incense-bearing implements and participants are designated.
16:7 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:7 Put fire in them and place incense on them before YHWH tomorrow. The man YHWH chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!”
Greek · Saints priority
16:7 Put fire on them and place incense on them before the Lord tomorrow. The man the Lord chooses shall be holy. Let that suffice for you, sons of Levi!”
The test agrees; the closing rebuke is rendered as an injunction to be satisfied rather than the Hebrew too-much-for-you idiom.
16:8 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:8 Moses said to Korah, “Please listen, sons of Levi.
Greek · Saints priority
16:8 Moses said to Korah, “Listen to me, sons of Levi.
Greek makes me explicit; the appeal corresponds.
16:9 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:9 Is it too little for you that the God of Israel has separated you from Israel’s congregation, bringing you near to Himself to perform the service of YHWH’s Dwelling and to stand before the congregation to serve them?
Greek · Saints priority
16:9 Is this too little for you, that the God of Israel distinguished you from Israel’s congregation and brought you near to Himself to perform the ministries of the Lord’s tent and stand before the congregation to serve them?
Dwelling is rendered tent; Greek uses service vocabulary appropriate to this sanctuary context. These words do not identify a later Christian rite.
16:10 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:10 He has brought you near, and all your brothers, the sons of Levi, with you. Do you seek the priesthood as well?
Greek · Saints priority
16:10 He brought you near, and all your brothers, the sons of Levi, with you. Do you seek to serve as priests?
Both distinguish the Levites’ existing service from the priesthood they seek.
16:11 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:11 Therefore you and all your company have gathered against YHWH. As for Aaron, what is he, that you grumble against him?”
Greek · Saints priority
16:11 Thus you and all your congregation have gathered against God. As for Aaron, who is he, that you grumble against him?”
Greek has God rather than the divine name’s usual Lord equivalent; the challenge’s ultimate target agrees.
Refusal to Appear
16:12 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:12 Moses sent to summon Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up.
Greek · Saints priority
16:12 Moses sent to summon Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up.
The summons and refusal correspond.
16:13 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:13 Is it too little that you brought us up from a land flowing with milk and honey to put us to death in the wilderness, that you must also lord it over us?
Greek · Saints priority
16:13 Is it too little that you brought us up from a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness, that you rule over us as a ruler?
Both place the milk-and-honey description of Egypt in the rebels’ accusation, not in an editorial endorsement.
16:14 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:14 Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out these men’s eyes? We will not come up!”
Greek · Saints priority
16:14 Even if you had brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey and given us an allotment of land and vineyards, you would have gouged out those men’s eyes. We will not come up!”
Hebrew denies that Moses has provided the land and asks about gouging out eyes. Greek presents a hypothetical grant of the land and a corresponding accusation. The logical structure of the rebels’ argument changes.
16:15 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:15 Moses became very angry and said to YHWH, “Do not regard their offering. I have not taken a single donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them.”
Greek · Saints priority
16:15 Moses was deeply distressed and said to the Lord, “Do not attend to their sacrifice. I have taken no desirable possession from any of them, nor have I harmed any of them.”
Hebrew specifically denies taking a donkey; Greek denies taking any coveted possession. The scope of Moses’ defense changes, along with anger/distress and offering/sacrifice terminology.
The Contention at the Tabernacle
16:16 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:16 Moses said to Korah, “You and all your company shall be before YHWH tomorrow—you, they, and Aaron.
Greek · Saints priority
16:16 Moses said to Korah, “Consecrate your congregation, and be ready before the Lord tomorrow—you, they, and Aaron.
Greek adds a command to consecrate the congregation and explicitly requires readiness. This materially expands the preparation for the test.
16:17 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:17 Each of you shall take his censer and place incense on it; each shall present his censer before YHWH, two hundred fifty censers. You and Aaron shall each bring his censer.”
Greek · Saints priority
16:17 Each of you shall take his fire pan and place incense on it; each shall present his fire pan before the Lord, two hundred fifty fire pans. You and Aaron shall each bring his fire pan.”
The instructions and stated number correspond.
16:18 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:18 Each took his censer, put fire on it, and placed incense on it. They stood at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, with Moses and Aaron.
Greek · Saints priority
16:18 Each took his fire pan, put fire on it, and placed incense on it. Moses and Aaron stood beside the entrances of the Tent of Testimony.
Hebrew includes the incense bearers among those standing at the entrance, with Moses and Aaron; Greek explicitly makes Moses and Aaron the subjects of that final clause. The staging differs.
16:19 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:19 Korah assembled the whole congregation against them at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and YHWH’s glory appeared to the whole congregation.
Greek · Saints priority
16:19 Korah gathered all his congregation against them beside the entrance of the Tent of Testimony, and the Lord’s glory appeared to the whole congregation.
Greek specifies his congregation, identifying the group with Korah; Hebrew says the whole congregation without that possessive.
16:20 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:20 YHWH spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
Greek · Saints priority
16:20 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
The speech introduction and addressees correspond.
16:21 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:21 “Separate yourselves from this congregation, and I will consume them in a moment.”
Greek · Saints priority
16:21 “Separate yourselves from the midst of this congregation, and I will consume them all at once.”
Both order separation before the threatened destruction.
16:22 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:22 They fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the whole congregation?”
Greek · Saints priority
16:22 They fell on their faces and said, “O God, God of the spirits and of all flesh, if one man sinned, will the Lord’s anger be against the whole congregation?”
Hebrew links spirits to all flesh; Greek coordinates spirits and all flesh. Greek also refers to the Lord’s anger in the third person within the direct appeal.
Execution of Divine Judgment
16:23 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:23 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,
Greek · Saints priority
16:23 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
The speech introduction corresponds.
16:24 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Withdraw from around the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’”
Greek · Saints priority
16:24 “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Withdraw all around from Korah’s congregation.’”
Greek replaces the dwelling with a congregation and omits Dathan and Abiram from the order. The named group or place from which Israel must withdraw changes.
16:25 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:25 Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.
Greek · Saints priority
16:25 Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and all the elders of Israel went with him.
Greek adds all and says the elders accompanied Moses; Hebrew describes them following him.
16:26 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:26 He said to the congregation, “Please turn away from the tents of these wicked men. Touch nothing that belongs to them, lest you be swept away in all their sins.”
Greek · Saints priority
16:26 He said to the congregation, “Separate yourselves from the tents of these stubborn men. Touch none of their possessions, lest you perish with them in all their sin.”
Hebrew calls the men wicked; Greek calls them hard or stubborn. Both prohibit contact with their possessions and warn of shared destruction.
16:27 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:27 They withdrew from around the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little ones.
Greek · Saints priority
16:27 They withdrew from around Korah’s tent. Dathan and Abiram came out and stood beside the entrances of their tents, with their wives, their children, and their baggage.
Greek omits Dathan and Abiram from the first location and has baggage where Hebrew separately lists little ones after sons. Greek aposkeuē can encompass a traveling household, but this column retains its ordinary baggage sense and flags the possible broader reference.
16:28 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:28 Moses said, “By this you shall know that YHWH sent me to do all these deeds, and that they did not come from my own heart.
Greek · Saints priority
16:28 Moses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord sent me to do all these deeds, and that they did not come from myself.
Both deny that Moses acted on his own initiative; Greek expresses the heart idiom directly.
16:29 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:29 If these men die as all people die, and the common fate of all people comes upon them, then YHWH has not sent me.
Greek · Saints priority
16:29 If these men die the death of all people, and a visitation comes upon them according to the visitation of all people, then the Lord has not sent me.
Both make an ordinary death the negative test of Moses’ commission. Greek visitation vocabulary does not introduce episcopal authority.
16:30 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:30 But if YHWH creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all that belongs to them, and they go down alive to Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised YHWH.”
Greek · Saints priority
16:30 But if the Lord displays a portent, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, their households, their tents, and everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive to Hades, then you shall know that these men have provoked the Lord.”
Hebrew emphasizes a new act of creation; Greek a portent and explicitly adds households and tents. Sheol/Hades are the respective underworld terms, not an automatic identification with later depictions of final punishment.
16:31 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split apart.
Greek · Saints priority
16:31 As he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split apart.
The timing and splitting ground correspond.
16:32 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, all the people who belonged to Korah, and all their possessions.
Greek · Saints priority
16:32 The earth opened and swallowed them, their households, all the people who were with Korah, and their livestock.
Greek omits the mouth image here, says with rather than belonging to Korah, and specifies livestock where Hebrew says all possessions.
16:33 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:33 They and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol. The earth covered them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.
Greek · Saints priority
16:33 They and all that belonged to them went down alive to Hades; the earth covered them, and they perished from the midst of the congregation.
Both depict living descent and disappearance from the assembly. Greek’s living phrase attaches grammatically to what belongs to them; 16:30 already speaks of the people descending alive.
16:34 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:34 All Israel around them fled at their cry, saying, “Lest the earth swallow us!”
Greek · Saints priority
16:34 All Israel around them fled at their cry, saying, “Lest the earth swallow us!”
The surrounding Israelites’ flight and fear correspond.
16:35 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:35 Fire went out from YHWH and consumed the two hundred fifty men presenting the incense.
Greek · Saints priority
16:35 Fire went out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred fifty men presenting the incense.
Both name the same number of incense bearers and the same destruction by divine fire.
The Bronze Altar Memorial
16:36 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:36 (MT 17:1) YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,
Greek · Saints priority
16:36 (LXX 17:1) The Lord said to Moses
The Greek sentence continues by adding Eleazar as a direct addressee in the following verse. Hebrew and Greek 17:1 correspond to familiar English 16:36.
16:37 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:37 (MT 17:2) “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to lift the censers from amid the burning, and scatter the fire far away, for the censers have become holy—
Greek · Saints priority
16:37 (LXX 17:2) and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, “Take up the bronze fire pans from among those burned up, and scatter this strange fire there, for they have consecrated
Hebrew instructs Moses to tell Eleazar; Greek directly addresses both. Greek adds bronze and calls the fire strange; far away becomes there. Its final active verb continues into 17:3, whereas Hebrew says the censers became holy.
16:38 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:38 (MT 17:3) the censers of these men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Let them be made into hammered sheets as a covering for the altar. Because they presented them before YHWH, they became holy; they shall be a sign to the Israelites.”
Greek · Saints priority
16:38 (LXX 17:3) the fire pans of these sinners at the cost of their lives. Make them into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, because they were presented before the Lord and were made holy, and became a sign to the Israelites.”
Greek continues the active consecration clause from 17:2 without naming its subject afresh. It ends with became a sign where Hebrew has shall be a sign. Both require reuse as the altar’s covering.
16:39 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:39 (MT 17:4) Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers presented by those who had been burned, and they hammered them into a covering for the altar,
Greek · Saints priority
16:39 (LXX 17:4) Eleazar son of Aaron the priest took the bronze fire pans presented by those who had been burned, and they applied them as a covering for the altar,
Greek adds Eleazar’s parentage but does not repeat the hammering operation in the execution report; it already commands hammered plates in 17:3.
16:40 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:40 (MT 17:5) as a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to burn incense before YHWH, lest he become like Korah and his company, as YHWH had spoken to him through Moses.
Greek · Saints priority
16:40 (LXX 17:5) as a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to place incense before the Lord, so that he will not become like Korah and his faction, as the Lord had spoken through Moses.
Greek specifies placing incense rather than burning it and calls Korah’s group a faction. Outsider is defined by Aaronic descent here, not by foreign nationality. Greek omits the final to him.
Aaron’s Atonement
16:41 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:41 (MT 17:6) The next day the whole Israelite congregation grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have put YHWH’s people to death!”
Greek · Saints priority
16:41 (LXX 17:6) The next day the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the Lord’s people!”
Greek omits the whole congregation phrase; both attribute the same accusation to Israel.
16:42 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:42 (MT 17:7) When the congregation assembled against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tent of Meeting. There the cloud covered it, and YHWH’s glory appeared.
Greek · Saints priority
16:42 (LXX 17:7) When the congregation banded together against Moses and Aaron, they rushed toward the Tent of Testimony. The cloud covered it, and the Lord’s glory appeared.
Hebrew describes turning toward the tent; Greek describes rushing at or toward it. The movement and intensity of the confrontation change.
16:43 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:43 (MT 17:8) Moses and Aaron came before the Tent of Meeting.
Greek · Saints priority
16:43 (LXX 17:8) Moses and Aaron came into the area before the Tent of Testimony.
Greek uses entered with before the tent. It does not unambiguously say they entered the tent itself.
16:44 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:44 (MT 17:9) YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,
Greek · Saints priority
16:44 (LXX 17:9) The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
Greek adds Aaron as a direct recipient of the speech.
16:45 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:45 (MT 17:10) “Withdraw from this congregation, and I will consume them in a moment.” They fell on their faces.
Greek · Saints priority
16:45 (LXX 17:10) “Withdraw from the midst of this congregation, and I will consume them all at once.” They fell on their faces.
The command, threatened destruction, and response correspond.
16:46 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:46 (MT 17:11) Moses said to Aaron, “Take the censer, put fire from the altar on it, and place incense on it. Carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from before YHWH; the plague has begun.”
Greek · Saints priority
16:46 (LXX 17:11) Moses said to Aaron, “Take the fire pan, put fire from the altar on it, and place incense on it. Carry it quickly into the camp and make propitiation for them, for wrath has gone out from before the Lord; it has begun to strike the people.”
Hebrew names the congregation as destination and the onset of a plague; Greek names the camp and describes striking the people. The common atonement verb is represented with differentiated English glosses, not a claim of incompatible ritual aims.
16:47 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:47 (MT 17:12) Aaron took it as Moses had said and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had begun among the people. He placed the incense and made atonement for the people.
Greek · Saints priority
16:47 (LXX 17:12) Aaron took it just as Moses had told him and ran into the congregation. The outbreak had already begun among the people. He placed the incense and made propitiation for the people,
The actions and sequence correspond; Greek emphasizes that the outbreak had already begun.
16:48 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:48 (MT 17:13) He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped.
Greek · Saints priority
16:48 (LXX 17:13) and stood between the dead and the living, and the outbreak subsided.
The mediating position and cessation of the disaster correspond.
16:49 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:49 (MT 17:14) Those who died in the plague numbered fourteen thousand seven hundred, apart from those who died in the affair of Korah.
Greek · Saints priority
16:49 (LXX 17:14) Those who died in the outbreak numbered fourteen thousand seven hundred, apart from those who died because of Korah.
The number and exclusion of the earlier deaths agree.
16:50 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
16:50 (MT 17:15) Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and the plague was stopped.
Greek · Saints priority
16:50 (LXX 17:15) Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tent of Testimony, and the outbreak subsided.
The sanctuary titles differ; the return and cessation correspond. This ends familiar English chapter 16 at verse 50.
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