Daniel 9 — Confession and the seventy weeks — Hebrew, Aramaic and Old Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 9:24, 9:26, 9:27
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.
Daniel 9 — Confession and the seventy weeks
Source texts for Daniel 9: Hebrew / Aramaic
Source texts for Daniel 9: Old Greek
Verse 9:1 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:1] In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who had been made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:1] In the first year under Darius son of Xerxes, from the Median family who ruled over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The father’s name is Ahasuerus in Hebrew and Xerxes in Greek. Hebrew describes Darius being made king; Greek uses a plural relative for those of the Median family who reigned, retained as a collective construction.
Verse 9:2 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:2] in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books the number of years spoken of in YHWH’s word to Jeremiah the prophet: seventy years to complete Jerusalem’s desolations.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:2] in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, considered in the books the number of years, when a command came to the land concerning Jeremiah the prophet, to bring Jerusalem’s reproach to its full term: seventy years.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew explicitly names YHWH’s word to Jeremiah and Jerusalem’s desolations. Greek has a command to the land concerning Jeremiah and reproach, in a compressed construction provisionally rendered bring to its full term. Both retain seventy years.
Verse 9:3 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:3] I turned my face toward the Lord God to seek Him with prayer and pleas for mercy, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:3] I set my face toward the Lord God to find prayer and mercy, with fasts, sackcloth, and ashes.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both turn toward the Lord God with penitential practices. Greek has plural fasts and the distinctive find-prayer-and-mercy wording.
Verse 9:4 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:4] I prayed to YHWH my God and confessed, saying, “Please, Lord, great and fearsome God, who keeps the covenant and steadfast love for those who love Him and keep His commandments:
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:4] I prayed to the Lord God and confessed, saying, “Look, Lord, You are the great, strong, and fearsome God, keeping the covenant and mercy for those who love You and guard Your commands:
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds strong and maintains direct second-person address; Hebrew moves to those who love Him and His commandments. Hebrew’s YHWH and Lord represent different actual divine designations.
Verse 9:5 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:5] we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, and rebelled, turning aside from Your commandments and judgments.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:5] we have sinned, done wrong, acted impiously, fallen away, and transgressed Your commandments and judgments,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both multiply confessions. Hebrew names rebellion and turning aside; Greek falling away and transgression, preserving its own fivefold sequence.
Verse 9:6 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:6] We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:6] and have not listened to Your servants the prophets, to what they spoke in Your name to our kings, our rulers, our fathers, and every nation upon the earth.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew ends with all the people of the land; Greek every nation upon the earth, widening the wording’s expressed audience.
Verse 9:7 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:7] Righteousness belongs to You, Lord, but shame of face belongs to us, as on this day—to the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the lands where You drove them because of the unfaithfulness they committed against You.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:7] Righteousness belongs to You, Lord, but shame of face to us as on this day—to the people of Judah, those dwelling in Jerusalem, and all the people Israel, near and far, in all the countries where You scattered them because of the trespass they committed before You.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The confession, groups, and near-and-far scope agree. Hebrew emphasizes being driven away for unfaithfulness; Greek scattering for trespass.
Verse 9:8 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:8] YHWH, shame of face belongs to us, to our kings, princes, and fathers, because we have sinned against You.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:8] Master, shame of face belongs to us, to our kings, rulers, and fathers, because we have sinned against You.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The confession and groups correspond; Hebrew directly addresses YHWH, Greek Master, despota, rather than its usual Lord rendering.
Verse 9:9 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:9] To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:9] To the Lord belong righteousness and mercy, for we have fallen away from You
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew names compassion and forgiveness and calls Him our God. Greek names righteousness and mercy and shifts from the Lord to direct address, You.
Verse 9:10 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:10] We have not listened to the voice of YHWH our God, to walk in His teachings that He set before us through His servants the prophets.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:10] and have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God, to follow Your law that You set before Moses and us through Your servants the prophets.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew has plural teachings and before us. Greek has singular law, adds Moses as a recipient, and maintains its shift to Your.
Verse 9:11 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:11] All Israel has transgressed Your teaching and turned aside, refusing to listen to Your voice. The curse and oath written in the teaching of Moses, God’s servant, have been poured out upon us, because we sinned against Him.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:11] All Israel abandoned Your law and fell away, refusing to hear Your voice. The curse and oath written in the law of Moses, God’s servant, came upon us, because we sinned against Him.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both connect disobedience with the Mosaic curse and oath. Hebrew uses the image poured out; Greek more generally came upon us.
Verse 9:12 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:12] He confirmed His words spoken against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing great calamity upon us. Under all heaven nothing has been done like what was done in Jerusalem.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:12] He established for us His commands, all He spoke against us and against our judges, all You judged for us, bringing great calamities upon us, such as had not occurred under heaven as occurred in Jerusalem.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew speaks of words and judges who judged us. Greek speaks of commands and shifts to what You judged for us, preserving that change of person and agency.
Verse 9:13 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:13] As written in Moses’ teaching, all this calamity came upon us. Yet we did not entreat the favor of YHWH our God by turning from our iniquity and gaining understanding of Your truth.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:13] According to what is written in Moses’ covenant, all the calamities came upon us. Yet we did not seek the face of the Lord our God by departing from our sins and understanding Your righteousness, Lord.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew names Moses’ teaching and God’s truth; Greek Moses’ covenant and God’s righteousness, adding Lord at the close.
Verse 9:14 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:14] YHWH watched over the calamity and brought it upon us, for YHWH our God is righteous in all His works that He has done, and we did not listen to His voice.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:14] The Lord God kept watch over the calamities and brought them upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything He may do, and we did not listen to His voice.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both affirm deliberate divine judgment and righteousness despite human disobedience. Greek adds God to the opening title and uses the more general everything He may do.
Verse 9:15 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:15] Now, Lord our God, who brought Your people out of Egypt with a strong hand and made Yourself a name as on this day: we have sinned and acted wickedly.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:15] Now, Master, Lord our God, who brought Your people out of Egypt with Your uplifted arm and made Yourself a name as on this day: we have sinned and acted in ignorance.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds Master, has an uplifted arm rather than a strong hand, and confesses ignorant wrongdoing where Hebrew says acted wickedly.
Verse 9:16 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:16] Lord, according to all Your righteous deeds, please turn Your anger and wrath away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain. Because of our sins and our fathers’ iniquities, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all around us.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:16] Master, according to Your righteousness, let Your wrath and anger turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain. Because of our sins and our fathers’ acts of ignorance, Jerusalem and Your people, Lord, are a reproach among all around us.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek again has Master and ignorant acts, where Hebrew has Lord and iniquities. Hebrew appeals to all righteous deeds; Greek to righteousness.
Verse 9:17 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:17] Now, our God, hear Your servant’s prayer and his pleas for mercy. Make Your face shine upon Your desolate sanctuary, for the Lord’s sake.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:17] Now, Master, hear Your servant’s prayer and my supplications. Let Your face look upon Your desolate holy mountain, for Your servants’ sake, Master.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew asks a shining face upon the sanctuary for the Lord’s sake. Greek asks a looking face upon the holy mountain for the servants’ sake, and shifts from Your servant to my supplications.
Verse 9:18 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:18] Incline Your ear, my God, and hear. Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city over which Your name is called. We do not lay our pleas before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your abundant compassion.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:18] Attend with Your ear, Lord, and hear me. Open Your eyes and see our desolation and that of Your city, over which Your name has been called. For we make our supplication in our prayers before You because of Your mercy, not our righteous deeds.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both ground the appeal in divine compassion rather than human righteousness. Hebrew addresses my God and calls the compassion abundant; Greek addresses Lord and expressly says hear me and Your city.
Verse 9:19 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:19] Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, attend and act! Do not delay, for Your own sake, my God, because Your name is called over Your city and Your people.”
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:19] Lord, be propitious! Lord, hear and act, and do not delay, for Your own sake, Master, because Your name has been called over Your city Zion and Your people Israel.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew repeats Lord three times and asks forgiveness; Greek uses be propitious, adds Master, and explicitly names Zion and Israel. The different petition verb is retained.
Verse 9:20 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:20] While I was still speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and laying my plea before YHWH my God concerning my God’s holy mountain,
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:20] While I was speaking in prayer, confessing my sins and the sins of my people Israel, and making supplication in prayers before the Lord my God and on behalf of our God’s holy mountain,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both continue the prayer for Israel and the holy mountain. Hebrew has singular sin and my God’s mountain; Greek plural sins and our God’s mountain.
Verse 9:21 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:21] while I was still speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at first, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening offering.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:21] while I was still speaking in my prayer, the man I had seen at first in my sleep, Gabriel, was carried swiftly and approached me at the hour of the evening sacrifice.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew calls the earlier experience a vision and Greek sleep. Hebrew muaf biaf is provisionally swift flight, though its relation to flight or weariness is disputed; Greek explicitly has being carried swiftly.
Verse 9:22 Similar
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:22] He gave understanding, spoke with me, and said, “Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:22] He approached and spoke with me, saying, “Daniel, I have just come out to show you understanding.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both introduce Gabriel’s explanatory mission. Hebrew begins with giving understanding; Greek with approach.
Verse 9:23 Different
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:23] At the beginning of your pleas, a word went out, and I have come to declare it, for you are treasured. Consider the word and understand the vision.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:23] At the beginning of your supplication, a command went out from the Lord, and I came to explain it to you, because you are worthy of pity. Understand the command.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek explicitly attributes the command to the Lord and calls Daniel eleeinos, worthy of pity or compassion. Hebrew calls him treasured and separately commands understanding of word and vision. The Greek adjective is not silently changed to beloved.
Verse 9:24 Disparate
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:24] Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city: to restrain transgression, seal up sins, make atonement for iniquity, bring everlasting righteousness, seal vision and prophet, and anoint a holy of holies.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:24] Seventy weeks have been determined for your people and the city Zion: for sin to be brought to completion, injustices to become scarce, injustices to be wiped away, the vision to be understood, everlasting righteousness to be given, the vision to be fulfilled, and a holy of holies to be gladdened.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew includes atonement, sealing vision and prophet, and anointing; Greek instead includes wiping away injustices, understanding and fulfilling the vision, and gladdening a holy of holies. The holiness expression may refer to a sacred place or person and is not prematurely identified. Hebrew seal up sins follows the displayed written form; no critical-apparatus or qere collation is claimed.
Verse 9:25 Divergent
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:25] Know and understand: from the issuing of a word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed leader, there will be seven weeks. For sixty-two weeks it will be restored and rebuilt, with square and moat, but in troubled times.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:25] You will know, understand, and rejoice. You will find commands to be answered, and you will build Jerusalem as a city for the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew distinguishes seven weeks before an anointed leader from the following sixty-two-week rebuilding clause according to the displayed Masoretic phrasing. Greek has no numerical or anointed-leader clause here, adds rejoicing and a city for the Lord, and has the difficult commands-to-be-answered phrase. Hebrew moat is a provisional rendering of the cut/trench term haruts.
Verse 9:26 Disparate
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:26] After the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing. The people of a coming ruler will destroy the city and sanctuary. Its end will be with a flood; until the end there will be war, with desolations decreed.
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:26] After seven and seventy and sixty-two, an anointing will be removed and no longer exist. A kingdom of nations will destroy the city and sanctuary together with the anointed one. Its completion will come with wrath and last until the time of completion; it will be assailed by war.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek preserves its unusual sequence seven and seventy and sixty-two without an expressed unit here; Hebrew has sixty-two weeks. Hebrew cuts off an anointed one, while Greek removes an anointing, chrisma, and later mentions the anointed one with the destroyed sanctuary. Hebrew’s people of a ruler and flood differ from Greek’s kingdom of nations and wrath. The pronoun antecedents and have nothing remain open to review.
Verse 9:27 Disparate
Hebrew / Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:27] He will make a covenant strong for many for one week, and halfway through the week he will stop sacrifice and offering. Upon a wing of abominations will be a desolator, until the decreed complete destruction is poured upon the desolator.”
Old Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:27] The covenant will prevail for many. It will return again and be rebuilt in breadth and length. At the completion of times, after seven and seventy periods and sixty-two years, until the time of the completion of war, desolation will be removed when the covenant grows strong for many weeks. At the end of the week the sacrifice and libation will be removed. Upon the temple will be an abomination of desolations until completion, and completion will be given upon the desolation.”
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek has an expanded and difficult chronology, explicitly periods, years, and many weeks, and removes sacrifice at the week’s end. Hebrew strengthens a covenant for one week and stops sacrifice at its halfway point. Greek’s temple and desolation differ from Hebrew’s wing of abominations and desolator. Unexpressed agents and abrupt referent shifts are retained rather than supplied from a preferred eschatological scheme.