Ezekiel 9 — The mark and the judgment — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 9:2, 9:9
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 9 — The mark and the judgment
9:1–9:3 — The approaching executioners
Verse 9:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:1] He called in my ears with a loud voice, saying, “Draw near, you appointed punishers of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:1] He cried into my ears with a loud voice, saying, “The city’s retribution has drawn near.” Each had the implements of destruction in his hand.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew summons plural appointed punishers; Greek announces approaching retribution and then describes each person’s equipment.
Verse 9:2 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:2] And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate that faces north, each with his shattering weapon in his hand. One man among them was clothed in linen, with a scribe’s case at his waist. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:2] And behold, six men came from the direction of the high gate facing north, each with an axe in his hand. One man among them wore a full-length robe, with a sapphire belt at his waist. They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew specifies linen and a scribe’s case; Greek a full-length robe and a sapphire belt. The writing equipment is not supplied to Greek. Greek also identifies the weapon as an axe.
Verse 9:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:3] The glory of the God of Israel rose from above the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the house. He called to the man clothed in linen, who had the scribe’s case at his waist.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:3] The glory of the God of Israel, which had been upon the cherubim, rose from them to the forecourt of the house. He called the man wearing the full-length robe, who had the belt at his waist,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew has a singular cherub and threshold; Greek plural cherubim and aithrion, here forecourt. The linen/case versus robe/belt distinction continues.
9:4–9:7 — Mark those who mourn
Verse 9:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:4] YHWH said to him, “Pass through the midst of the city, through Jerusalem, and mark a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations being done within her.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:4] and said to him, “Pass through the midst of Jerusalem and put the sign upon the foreheads of the men who sigh deeply and grieve over all the lawlessness being committed within her.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek has no explicit divine name or separate midst-of-the-city phrase here. Hebrew’s verb and noun share the root taw, retained as mark a mark; Greek sēmeion is sign. Neither running text here specifies a cross shape.
Patristic: Tertullian, Against Marcion III.22 [P1], interprets the mark through Greek tau/Latin T as the cross and connects it with Christian forehead signing. This is his reception of the passage; the declared running texts do not specify that shape.
Verse 9:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:5] To these others He said in my hearing, “Pass through the city behind him and strike. Let your eyes not spare, and have no compassion.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:5] To these others He said while I listened, “Go behind him into the city and strike. Do not spare with your eyes, and have no mercy.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The order to follow and strike without pity corresponds.
Verse 9:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:6] Old man, young man, maiden, little children and women—kill them to destruction. But do not approach anyone upon whom the mark is. Begin at My sanctuary.” They began with the elderly men who were before the house.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:6] Old man, young man, maiden, infants and women—kill them to obliteration. But do not approach anyone upon whom the sign is. Begin at My holy places.” They began with the elderly men who were inside the house.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Both retain the complete list and the protected marked people. Hebrew’s elders are before the house; Greek’s inside it. Hebrew sanctuary is singular, Greek holy places plural.
Verse 9:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:7] He said to them, “Defile the house and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” They went out and struck in the city.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:7] He said to them, “Defile the house and fill the roads with the dead as you go out, and strike.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew names courts and narrates departure and striking in the city; Greek names roads and retains the action as a command.
9:8–9:11 — Ezekiel’s appeal and the report
Verse 9:8 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:8] As they struck, I was left, and I fell upon my face and cried out, saying, “Ah, Lord YHWH! Are You destroying the entire remnant of Israel as You pour out Your fury upon Jerusalem?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:8] As they struck, I fall upon my face and cried aloud and said, “Alas, Lord! Are You obliterating the survivors of Israel as You pour out Your wrath upon Jerusalem?”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks I was left and the totalizing entire, and shifts to present fall within the narration. Both retain the prophet’s appeal.
Verse 9:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:9] He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is filled with bloodshed, and the city full of perverted justice, for they say, ‘YHWH has abandoned the land, and YHWH does not see.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:9] He said to me, “The injustice of the house of Israel and Judah has grown very, very great, because the land is full of many peoples, and the city full of injustice and uncleanness. For they said, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land; the Lord does not look upon it.’
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew indicts bloodshed and perverted justice; Greek explicitly says many peoples and adds uncleanness to injustice. The land’s different contents are preserved without emendation.
Verse 9:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:10] As for Me, My eye will not spare, and I will have no compassion. I have brought their way upon their head.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:10] My eye will not spare, nor will I have mercy. I have brought their ways upon their heads.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The recompense agrees, with singular collective way/head in Hebrew and plural ways/heads in Greek.
Verse 9:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[9:11] And behold, the man clothed in linen, with the case at his waist, brought back word, saying, “I have done as You commanded me.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[9:11] And behold, the man wearing the full-length robe, with his waist belted by the belt, answered, saying, “I have done as You commanded me.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The closing report agrees; the differing clothing and equipment remain explicit.