Numbers 20 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 20:4, 20:19, 20:24
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.
Numbers 20
Israel’s Journey and Losses
Water from the Rock
Verse 20:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:1 The sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:1 The sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people remained at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there.
Classification & Notes
Same
Greek Sin represents Hebrew Zin here; ordinary name transcription is not treated as a different location.
Verse 20:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:2 There was no water for the congregation, and they assembled against Moses and Aaron.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:2 There was no water for the congregation, and they gathered against Moses and Aaron.
Classification & Notes
Same
Verse 20:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:3 The people quarreled with Moses and said: If only we had perished when our brothers perished before YHWH!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:3 The people reviled Moses, saying: If only we had died when our brothers were destroyed before the Lord!
Classification & Notes
Different
Quarreling / reviling and perishing / destruction sharpen the Greek account of complaint and death.
Verse 20:4 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:4 Why have you brought YHWH's assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:4 Why have you brought the Lord's congregation into this wilderness to kill us and our livestock?
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Hebrew complains of dying there; Greek explicitly accuses the leaders of bringing them there to kill them.
Verse 20:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:5 Why have you brought us up from Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is no place for seed, figs, vines, or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:5 Why have you brought us up from Egypt to arrive at this wretched place—a place where nothing is sown, with no figs, vines, pomegranates, or water to drink?
Classification & Notes
Similar
The same agricultural and water shortages are expressed with different syntax.
Verse 20:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:6 Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and fell on their faces. YHWH's glory appeared to them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:6 Moses and Aaron went away from the congregation to the entrance of the Tent of Testimony and fell on their faces. The Lord's glory appeared to them.
Classification & Notes
Different
Meeting / Testimony; the divine appearance agrees.
Verse 20:7 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:7 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:7 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
Classification & Notes
Same
Verse 20:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:8 Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it shall give its water. You shall bring water out of the rock for them and give the congregation and their livestock water to drink.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:8 Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to the rock before them, and it shall give its waters. You shall bring water out of the rock for them and give the congregation and their livestock water to drink.
Classification & Notes
Different
Hebrew's final commands address Moses in the singular; Greek addresses Moses and Aaron in the plural. Both command speaking to the rock.
Verse 20:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:9 Moses took the staff from before YHWH, as He had commanded him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:9 Moses took the staff that was before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Greek repeats the Lord's name where Hebrew uses pronouns.
Verse 20:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:10 Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation before the rock. He said to them: Listen now, you rebels! Shall we bring water out of this rock for you?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:10 Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation before the rock. He said to them: Listen to me, you disobedient people! Surely we are not to bring water out of this rock for you?
Classification & Notes
Different
Greek adds “to me” and uses a question introduced by mē, commonly expecting a negative answer. Hebrew asks with the ordinary interrogative.
Verse 20:11 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:11 Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff. Abundant water came out, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:11 Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff. Abundant water came out, and the congregation and their livestock drank.
Classification & Notes
Same
Apostolic reception: Paul identifies the spiritual rock accompanying Israel with Christ. This is his Christian interpretation of the wilderness provision; the name Christ is not inserted into Numbers.
Source: 1 Corinthians 10:4
Verse 20:12 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:12 YHWH said to Moses and Aaron: Because you did not trust Me to show Me holy before the eyes of the sons of Israel, you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Because you did not believe so as to show Me holy before the sons of Israel, you shall not bring this congregation into the land that I have given them.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Greek lacks Hebrew's explicit “in Me” after the verb of trust; both connect the leaders' failure with not displaying God's holiness and impose the same exclusion.
Rabbinic reception: Rashi explains that speaking to the rock would have demonstrated obedience to God and inspired the congregation to obey. He emphasizes the public failure to sanctify God’s name.
Source: Rashi, Numbers 20:12
Verse 20:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the sons of Israel quarreled with YHWH, and He showed Himself holy among them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:13 This is the Water of Dispute, because the sons of Israel reviled before the Lord, and He was shown holy among them.
Classification & Notes
Different
Greek translates Meribah's meaning and again uses reviling language. The final statement of holiness is shared.
Edom Denies Israel Passage
Verse 20:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that has overtaken us.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that has overtaken us.
Classification & Notes
Same
Greek angeloi denotes human messengers here.
Verse 20:15 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:15 Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt many days. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:15 Our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived as sojourners in Egypt many days. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Greek explicitly describes their residence as sojourning.
Verse 20:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:16 We cried out to YHWH, and He heard our voice, sent a messenger, and brought us out of Egypt. Look, we are at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:16 We cried out to the Lord, and the Lord heard our voice; He sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. Now we are at Kadesh, a town at the edge of your territory.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Hebrew mal'akh and Greek angelos can each mean messenger or angel. The English distinction here does not establish different Hebrew and Greek agents.
Verse 20:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not cross fields or vineyards or drink well water. We will travel the King's Highway and turn neither right nor left until we have passed through your territory.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:17 We will pass through your land. We will not cross fields or vineyards or drink water from your cistern. We will travel the royal road and turn neither right nor left until we have passed through your territory.
Classification & Notes
Different
Hebrew makes a polite request and names well water; Greek states the proposed passage and specifies the king's cistern.
Verse 20:18 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:18 Edom said to him: You shall not pass through me, or I will come out against you with the sword.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:18 Edom said to him: You shall not pass through me; otherwise I will come out to meet you in war.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Sword / war expresses the same military threat through different wording.
Verse 20:19 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:19 The sons of Israel said to him: We will go up by the highway. If I and my livestock drink your water, I will pay its price. It is only a small matter; let me pass through on foot.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:19 The sons of Israel said to him: We will pass alongside the mountain. If I and the livestock drink your water, I will pay you its price. The matter is nothing; we will pass alongside the mountain.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Highway and passage on foot / repeated passage alongside the mountain changes the proposed route and its description.
Verse 20:20 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:20 He said: You shall not pass through. Edom came out against him with a large force and a strong hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:20 He said: You shall not pass through me. Edom came out to meet him with a large force and a strong hand.
Classification & Notes
Same
Verse 20:21 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:21 Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:21 Edom was unwilling to allow Israel to pass through his territory, so Israel turned away from him.
Classification & Notes
Same
The Death of Aaron
Verse 20:22 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:22 They set out from Kadesh, and the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:22 They set out from Kadesh, and the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, arrived at Mount Hor.
Classification & Notes
Same
Verse 20:23 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:23 YHWH said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:23 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom:
Classification & Notes
Same
Verse 20:24 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:24 Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:24 Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for you shall certainly not enter the land that I have given to the sons of Israel, because you provoked Me at the Water of Reviling.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Hebrew excludes “he,” Aaron; Greek addresses “you” in the plural. Rebelling against God's command / provoking God and Meribah / Reviling also differ.
Verse 20:25 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:25 Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor before the whole congregation.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Greek adds the public setting to the command; Hebrew includes the public ascent in verse 27.
Verse 20:26 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:26 Strip Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:26 Strip Aaron of his robe and clothe his son Eleazar. Let Aaron be gathered and die there.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Both transfer the priestly clothing to Eleazar before Aaron's death.
Verse 20:27 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:27 Moses did as YHWH commanded, and they went up Mount Hor before the eyes of the whole congregation.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:27 Moses did as the Lord commanded, and he brought him up Mount Hor before the whole congregation.
Classification & Notes
Different
“They went up” / “he brought him up” changes agency and number in the ascent.
Verse 20:28 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron died there on the summit of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:28 He stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron died on the summit of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.
Classification & Notes
Divergent
Greek leaves Moses implicit in the first clause and lacks “there”; the transfer and death agree.
Verse 20:29 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
20:29 The whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, and all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
20:29 The whole congregation saw that Aaron had been released, and all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.
Classification & Notes
Different
Hebrew states expiration; Greek uses “released” as a death expression. Both describe the same death and thirty-day mourning.