Ezekiel 21 — The fire, the sword and the divided road — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 21:8, 21:9, 21:15, 21:18, 21:31, 21:35
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.
Ezekiel 21 — The fire, the sword and the divided road
21:1–21:5 — Fire through the southern forest
Verse 21:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:1] YHWH’s word came to me, saying,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:1] The Lord’s word came to me, saying,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The word formula agrees.
Verse 21:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:2] “Son of man, set your face toward the south, preach toward the southland, and prophesy against the forest of the Negeb field.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:2] “Son of man, set your face firmly toward Thaiman, look toward Darom, and prophesy against the leading forest, Nageb,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew uses southern-direction terms and a field; Greek transliterates Thaiman, Darom and Nageb and gives a leading forest. That difficult designation is not replaced from Hebrew.
Verse 21:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:3] Say to the Negeb forest, ‘Hear YHWH’s word! Thus says Lord YHWH: Behold, I am kindling a fire within you. It will consume every green tree and every dry tree in you. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:3] and say to the Nageb forest, ‘Hear the Lord’s word! Thus says the Lord, the Lord: Behold, I am kindling a fire within you. It will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The kindled flame will not be quenched, and every face from east to north will be burned by it.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew south-to-north becomes Greek east-to-north. The doubled Greek Lord and full green/dry contrast remain.
Verse 21:4 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:4] All flesh will see that I, YHWH, have kindled it; it will not be quenched.’”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:4] All flesh will recognize that I, the Lord, have kindled it, and it will not be quenched.’”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew seeing becomes Greek recognizing.
Verse 21:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:5] I said, “Ah, Lord YHWH! They say of me, ‘Is he not a teller of parables?’”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:5] I said, “By no means, Lord, Lord! They say to me, ‘Is this not a parable being spoken?’”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew laments and identifies the prophet as a parable teller; Greek protests and identifies the utterance as a parable.
21:6–21:10 — The unsheathed weapon
Verse 21:6 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:6] YHWH’s word came to me, saying,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:6] The Lord’s word came to me, saying,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The renewed word formula corresponds.
Verse 21:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:7] “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, preach toward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against Israel’s soil.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:7] “Therefore prophesy, son of man; set your face firmly toward Jerusalem, look toward their holy places, and prophesy against Israel’s land,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds therefore prophesy, gives looking rather than preaching toward, and explicitly says their holy places.
Verse 21:8 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:8] Say to Israel’s soil, ‘Thus says YHWH: Behold, I am against you. I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:8] and say to Israel’s land, ‘Behold, I am against you. I will draw My dagger from its sheath and destroy from you the unjust and the lawless.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew removes righteous and wicked; Greek explicitly removes unjust and lawless. Greek lacks the introductory thus-says-YHWH formula here and uses dagger for encheiridion.
Verse 21:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:9] Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will come out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:9] Because I will destroy from you the unjust and the lawless, so My dagger will come out of its sheath against all flesh from east to north.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: The righteous/unjust difference recurs, together with Hebrew south versus Greek east.
Verse 21:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:10] All flesh will know that I, YHWH, have drawn My sword from its sheath; it will not return again.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:10] All flesh will recognize that I, the Lord, have drawn My dagger from its sheath, and it will not return again.’
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both retain the irreversible drawing, with sword versus dagger.
21:11–21:12 — Groaning at the approaching report
Verse 21:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:11] And you, son of man, groan! With broken loins and bitterness, groan before their eyes.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:11] And you, son of man, groan deeply with your loins broken; groan in pains before their eyes.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew bitterness becomes Greek pains, and Greek explicitly says your loins.
Verse 21:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:12] When they say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ say, ‘Because of the report, for it comes. Every heart will melt, all hands fall slack, every spirit grow faint, and all knees run with water. Behold, it comes and will happen, declares Lord YHWH.’”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:12] If they say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ say, ‘Because of the message, for it comes. Every heart will be shattered, all hands paralyzed, all flesh and every spirit expire, and all thighs be defiled with moisture. Behold, it comes and will happen, says the Lord, the Lord.’”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds all flesh, has expiring rather than growing faint, and names thighs defiled with moisture instead of knees running with water.
21:13–21:18 — The sharpened sword
Verse 21:13 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:13] YHWH’s word came to me, saying,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:13] The Lord’s word came to me, saying,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The renewed word formula agrees.
Verse 21:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:14] “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: Say, “A sword, a sword is sharpened and also polished!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:14] “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: Say, “Sword, sword, be sharpened and enraged,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew describes a sharpened, polished sword; Greek commands sharpening and anger. Hebrew here has Adonai alone, so Lord without YHWH is retained.
Verse 21:15 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:15] It is sharpened for slaughtering a slaughter; it is polished to become lightning. Or shall we rejoice? My son’s rod—despising every tree.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:15] so that you may slaughter victims. Be sharpened to become gleaming. Ready for paralysis, slaughter! Disdain; thrust away every tree.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew’s difficult rejoicing/son’s-rod clause contrasts with Greek commands to the sword and readiness for paralysis. The Hebrew rod expression is left as a compressed fragment rather than confidently resolving its syntax.
Verse 21:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:16] He gave it to be polished, to be grasped in the palm. The sword is sharpened and polished, to be put into a killer’s hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:16] He gave it ready for his hand to grasp. The sword has been sharpened; it is ready to be put into the hand of one who pierces.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew repeatedly names polishing; Greek readiness, with an explicit his hand and a piercing agent.
Verse 21:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:17] Cry and wail, son of man, for it is against My people, against all Israel’s princes. They are given over to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:17] Cry aloud and wail, son of man, for it has come among My people, among all Israel’s leaders. They will sojourn upon a sword; it has come among My people. Therefore strike upon your hand.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek repeats coming among My people, speaks of sojourning upon a sword, and commands striking the hand instead of Hebrew’s thigh.
Verse 21:18 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:18] For it is a testing—and what if even the despising rod is no more? declares Lord YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:18] For it has been justified. And what if even a tribe was rejected? It will not be, says the Lord, the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew testing and a difficult rod clause contrasts with Greek justification and a rejected tribe. The doubled Greek title is retained.
21:19–21:22 — The doubled and third sword
Verse 21:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:19] And you, son of man, prophesy and strike palm against palm. Let the sword be doubled a third time—the sword of the slain, the sword of the great slain one, closing in upon them,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:19] And you, son of man, prophesy and strike hand upon hand, and double the sword. The third sword of the wounded is the great sword of the wounded, and it will terrify them,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew gives doubling a third time and the great slain one; Greek a distinct third sword, plural wounded and terror. No numerical simplification replaces the differing constructions.
Verse 21:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:20] so that the heart melts and stumbling blocks multiply. At all their gates I have placed sword-slaughter. Ah! It is made for lightning, drawn for slaughter.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:20] so that the heart is shattered and the weak multiply at every gate of theirs. They have been handed over as victims of a sword. It has been well prepared for slaughter, well prepared for gleaming.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew has stumbling blocks and God placing sword-slaughter; Greek weak people handed over and a repeated well-prepared statement.
Verse 21:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:21] Gather yourself! Go right! Set yourself! Go left! Wherever your face is appointed.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:21] Pass through! Be sharpened on the right and on the left, wherever your face may be roused.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew’s terse directional imperatives differ from Greek’s passing and sharpening commands. The sword remains the addressee.
Verse 21:22 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:22] I too will strike My palm against My palm and let My fury rest. I, YHWH, have spoken.’”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:22] I too will strike My hand against My hand and release My wrath. I, the Lord, have spoken.’”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both retain divine hand striking; Hebrew settling wrath contrasts with Greek releasing it.
21:23–21:28 — The two roads and the divination
Verse 21:23 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:23] YHWH’s word came to me, saying,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:23] The Lord’s word came to me, saying,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The renewed word formula agrees.
Verse 21:24 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:24] “And you, son of man, mark out two roads for Babylon’s king’s sword to come. Both shall come out from one land. Carve a hand; carve it at the head of the road to a city.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:24] “And you, son of man, arrange two roads for Babylon’s king’s sword to enter. Both will come out from one country, and a hand at the beginning of a city road; at the beginning
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew commands carving a hand-shaped marker twice; Greek has a hand without a carving verb and begins a road-head phrase continued in 21:25.
Verse 21:25 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:25] Mark out a road for the sword to come to Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah at fortified Jerusalem.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:25] of a road you shall arrange for the sword to enter against Rabbath of the sons of Ammon, against Judea, and against Jerusalem in her midst.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek completes the preceding road-head phrase, adds a separate against Judea, and has Jerusalem in her midst instead of fortified Jerusalem. Rabbah/Rabbath retains the source forms.
Verse 21:26 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:26] For Babylon’s king stands at the fork of the road, at the head of the two roads, to practice divination. He shakes the arrows, consults the teraphim and examines the liver.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:26] For Babylon’s king will stand upon the ancient road, at the beginning of the two roads, to divine a divination, toss a rod, question the carved images and inspect a liver at his right.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew fork, literally mother of the road, becomes Greek ancient road; arrows become one rod, teraphim carved images. Greek at-his-right belongs here, corresponding to the opening of Hebrew 21:27.
Verse 21:27 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:27] At his right is the divination for Jerusalem: to set battering rams, open the mouth for murder, raise the voice in a battle cry, set battering rams against the gates, heap up a ramp and build a siege wall.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:27] The oracle came against Jerusalem: to set a siege stake, open the mouth in a shout, raise the voice with a cry, set a siege stake against her gates, cast up a mound and build missile stations.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek has stakes, a shout and missile stations against Hebrew rams, murder and a siege wall. The right-hand clause is already in Greek 21:26 and is not repeated.
Verse 21:28 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:28] It will seem to them like empty divination in their eyes—they have sworn oaths—but he brings iniquity to remembrance, so that they may be caught.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:28] He is to them like one divining a divination before them, and he himself recalls his injustices for remembrance.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks empty, the sworn-oaths clause and the purpose of capture, while explicitly saying his injustices. The unnamed agent is not identified beyond either text.
21:29–21:32 — The prince, the crown and the coming one
Verse 21:29 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:29] Therefore thus says Lord YHWH: Because you have brought your iniquity to remembrance by the uncovering of your transgressions, so that your sins appear in all your deeds—because you are remembered, you will be seized in the hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:29] Therefore thus says the Lord: Because you recalled your injustices when your impieties were revealed, so that your sins were seen in all your impieties and practices—because you recalled them, in these you will be captured.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds impieties alongside practices and ends with capture in these, against Hebrew in the hand.
Verse 21:30 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:30] And you, slain, wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come at the time of final iniquity,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:30] And you, profane, lawless leader of Israel, whose day has arrived in a season of injustice—an end!—
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew ḥalal is provisionally slain, with the alternative profaned sense unresolved; Greek explicitly says profane. Greek’s final end noun is retained as a compressed announcement.
Verse 21:31 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:31] thus says Lord YHWH: Remove the turban and lift off the crown. This shall not remain this. Raise the low and lower the high.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:31] thus says the Lord: You removed the tiara and put on the crown. This will not be such. You lowered the high and raised the low.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew commands removing both insignia and changing high/low status; Greek reports removal of the tiara but putting on the crown, followed by accomplished lowering and raising.
Verse 21:32 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:32] Ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it! This too shall not be until the one comes to whom the judgment belongs, and I will give it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:32] Injustice, injustice I will make it! Nor will this be such until the one comes to whom it belongs, and I will hand it over to him.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew repeats ruin three times and names judgment; Greek repeats injustice twice, lacks the judgment noun and explicitly supplies to him. No personal identity is added to the promised one.
21:33–21:37 — The sword against Ammon
Verse 21:33 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:33] And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says Lord YHWH concerning the sons of Ammon and their reproach.’ Say, ‘A sword, a sword is drawn for slaughter, polished to devour, to flash like lightning,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:33] And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord concerning the sons of Ammon and their reproach.’ Say, ‘Sword, sword, drawn for victims and drawn for complete destruction, arise so that you may gleam,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek repeats drawn and adds an arise command; Hebrew has polishing, devouring and lightning.
Verse 21:34 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:34] while they see emptiness for you and divine lies for you, to place you upon the necks of the slain wicked, whose day has come at the time of final iniquity.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:34] in your vain vision and your divining false things, to hand you over upon the necks of the wounded lawless, whose day has arrived in a season of injustice—an end!
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew has others divining for the addressee; Greek explicitly makes the vision and divination the addressee’s own. Slain becomes wounded.
Verse 21:35 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:35] Return it to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your origins, I will judge you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:35] Turn back; do not lodge in this place where you were born. In your own land I will judge you
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew commands returning the sword to its sheath; Greek has no sheath and explicitly prohibits lodging at the birthplace.
Verse 21:36 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:36] I will pour My indignation upon you; I will blow upon you with the fire of My wrath and give you into the hand of brutish men, craftsmen of destruction.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:36] and pour My anger upon you. I will blow upon you with the fire of My anger and hand you into the hands of barbarian men devising destruction.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew brutish men becomes Greek barbarian men, the ancient text’s designation; both retain destructive craftsmanship.
Verse 21:37 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:37] You will be food for fire; your blood will be in the midst of the land. You will not be remembered, for I, YHWH, have spoken.’”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[21:37] You will be food in fire; your blood will be in the midst of your land. There certainly will be no remembrance of you, for I, the Lord, have spoken.’”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek explicitly says your land and intensifies the lack of remembrance.