Isaiah 31 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 31:8, 31:9
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.
Chapter 31
The failed Egyptian refuge and Zion defended
Verse 31:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
31:1 Woe to those going down to Egypt for help, leaning on horses, trusting chariots because they are many and horsemen because they are very strong, but not looking to Israel's Holy One or seeking YHWH!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
31:1 Woe to those going down to Egypt for help, trusting in horses and chariots because there are many, and in horses, a very great multitude, but not trusting Israel's Holy One or seeking God!
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The appeal to Egyptian military strength agrees. Hebrew horsemen become Greek horses again, and looking to the Holy One becomes trusting Him. Greek ends with God rather than Lord.
Verse 31:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
31:2 Yet He too is wise; He brings calamity and does not withdraw His words. He rises against evildoers' house and against the help of those doing wrong.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
31:2 He Himself, wise, brought evils upon them; His word will certainly not be set aside. He will rise against evil people's houses and against their futile hope,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew refusing to withdraw divine words becomes Greek a word that will not be annulled. Hebrew evildoers' assistance becomes their vain hope, specified further in three; Greek pluralizes houses and reports the evils as past.
Verse 31:3 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
31:3 Egypt is human and not God; its horses are flesh and not spirit. YHWH stretches His hand: the helper stumbles, the helped falls, and all of them end together.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
31:3 an Egyptian human being and not God, horses' flesh, with no help. The Lord will bring His hand against them; the helpers will grow weary, and all will perish together.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew horses are not spirit; Greek there is no help. Hebrew distinguishes helper stumbling and recipient falling, while Greek names only weary helpers before the common destruction. Its opening accusatives continue the futile hope of two.
Verse 31:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
31:4 For thus YHWH said to me: “As a lion, a young lion, growls over its prey, though a whole company of shepherds is called against it, unfrightened by their voice and unbowed by their noise, so YHWH of hosts will descend to wage war upon Mount Zion and upon its hill.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
31:4 For thus the Lord said to me: “As a lion or lion cub cries over prey it has caught and shouts over it until the mountains fill with its voice, and they are defeated and terrified by the greatness of its wrath, so the Lord Sabaoth will descend to march upon Mount Zion, upon her mountains.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew shepherds' hostile noise fails to frighten the lion; Greek the lion's own voice fills mountains and unnamed opponents are terrified. Greek lacks shepherds and makes Zion's hills plural; the direction of the warfare, upon or for Zion, remains contextual.
Verse 31:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
31:5 Like flying birds, so YHWH of hosts will shield Jerusalem—shielding and rescuing, passing over and delivering.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
31:5 Like flying birds, so the Lord will shield Jerusalem, rescue, preserve and save.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The bird comparison and comprehensive divine protection agree. Hebrew passing over becomes Greek preserving, and Greek lacks hosts in this verse.
Verse 31:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
31:6 Return to the One against whom Israel's children have deeply rebelled.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
31:6 Turn back, you planning a deep and lawless plan.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew returning to an unnamed One after Israel's deep rebellion becomes Greek a call to planners of deep, unlawful counsel. Greek lacks Israel's children and an expressed object of returning.
Verse 31:7 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
31:7 For on that day each will reject his silver idols and gold idols, which your hands made for you as sin.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
31:7 For on that day people will renounce their silver and golden handmade things, which their hands made.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: The rejection of self-made silver and gold objects agrees. Greek lacks the explicit sin judgment and maintains their, where Hebrew shifts each/his to your/you.
Verse 31:8 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
31:8 Assyria will fall by a sword not of a man; a sword not of a human will consume him. He will flee from the sword, and his young men will become forced labor.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
31:8 Assour will fall. Neither a man's sword nor a human's sword will devour him, and he will flee, but not from a sword. The young men will be defeated,
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Both deny a human sword as the effective destroyer, but Hebrew explicitly makes a nonhuman sword consume Assyria. Hebrew flight from a sword becomes Greek flight not from a sword; forced labor becomes defeat. The added Greek not is not removed.
Verse 31:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
31:9 His rock will pass away in terror, and his princes will be dismayed by a standard, declares YHWH, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
31:9 for they will be enclosed by a rock as by a palisade and defeated, and the fugitive will be captured. Thus says the Lord: “Blessed is the one who has seed in Zion and household members in Jerusalem.”
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew a terror-stricken rock or stronghold and frightened princes become Greek people enclosed by rock and a captured fugitive. Hebrew God's fire and furnace become a blessing upon seed and household in Zion/Jerusalem. Saints: Irenaeus joins this blessing with thirty-two one in his account of the Lord's reign in restored Jerusalem [IRENAEUS534].