Isaiah 33 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 33:2, 33:9, 33:11, 33:14, 33:19
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 33
The destroyer judged and Zion secure
Verse 33:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:1 Woe, despoiler, though you have not been despoiled; betrayer, though they have not betrayed him! When you finish despoiling, you will be despoiled; when you end betraying, they will betray you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:1 Woe to those afflicting you—yet no one makes you afflicted—and the one rejecting you does not reject. The rejecters will be captured and handed over; like a moth upon a cloak, so they will be defeated.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew a violent actor's eventual matching punishment becomes Greek a difficult denial of present affliction or rejection, followed by captured rejecters and an added moth comparison. The Greek repeated negatives are retained; its initial clause relations remain unresolved.
Verse 33:2 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:2 YHWH, favor us; we have waited for You. Be their arm every morning, and our salvation in a time of distress.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:2 Lord, have mercy on us, for we have trusted in You. The disobedient people's seed came to destruction, but our salvation is in a time of affliction.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew a petition for their morning support becomes Greek the destruction of disobedient offspring. Our salvation in trouble remains, but Greek leaves it as an elliptical statement rather than a matching arm petition.
Verse 33:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:3 At the sound of tumult peoples fled; at Your rising nations scattered.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:3 At the sound of Your terror, peoples were dismayed by fear of You, and nations scattered.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew tumult and divine rising become Greek repeated divine fear or terror. Peoples' flight becomes dismay; nations scatter in both.
Verse 33:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:4 Your spoil is gathered like a devouring locust's gathering; as locusts swarm, one swarms upon it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:4 Now your spoils, small and great, will be gathered; as someone gathers locusts, so they will mock you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew locust-like gathering and swarming upon spoil becomes Greek gathered locusts as a comparison for mockery. Greek adds small and great, while the Hebrew rare swarm terms remain provisional.
Verse 33:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:5 YHWH is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:5 Holy is God, who dwells on high; Zion has been filled with judgment and righteousness.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew divine exaltation becomes Greek holiness. Both place God on high and fill Zion with justice; Greek uses a passive rather than naming Him as filling agent.
Verse 33:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:6 There will be stability in your times, a wealth of deliverance, wisdom and knowledge; fear of YHWH is his treasure.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:6 They will be handed over under law; our salvation is among treasures. There are wisdom, knowledge and reverence toward the Lord; these are treasures of righteousness.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew stable times and a wealth of salvation become Greek people handed over under law and salvation among treasures. Greek adds treasures of righteousness and our, while the wisdom, knowledge and divine reverence themes remain. Hebrew his treasure has an unstated possessor.
Verse 33:7 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:7 Look, their heroes cry outside; messengers of peace weep bitterly.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:7 Look, in your terror they themselves will fear; those you feared will fear you. For messengers will be sent asking for peace, weeping bitterly, pleading for peace.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek adds two fear-reversal clauses and explicitly sends peace-seeking messengers with a repeated plea. Hebrew has the rare erellam, provisionally their heroes, crying outside; that phrase has no direct Greek equivalent.
Verse 33:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:8 Highways are desolate; the traveler has ceased. He broke a covenant, despised cities and regarded no human being.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:8 For their roads will be deserted; fear of the nations has ceased, the covenant with these people is removed, and you will certainly not reckon them as human beings.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew absent travelers become Greek absent fear of nations. An unnamed he breaking a covenant, despising cities and disregarding humanity becomes a removed covenant and your refusal to count them human; Greek lacks cities.
Verse 33:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:9 The earth mourns and languishes; Lebanon is ashamed and withers. Sharon has become like the Arabah, and Bashan and Carmel shake off their growth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:9 The earth mourned; Lebanon was ashamed; Sharon became marshes. Galilee and Carmel will be manifest.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew dry Arabah becomes Greek marshes, Bashan becomes Galilee, and shaken-off growth becomes being manifest. Greek lacks the separate earth-languishing and Lebanon-withering actions.
Verse 33:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:10 “Now I will rise,” says YHWH. “Now I will be exalted; now I will be lifted up.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:10 “Now I will rise,” says the Lord. “Now I will be glorified; now I will be exalted.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The three repeated now declarations of divine rising and elevation agree; Greek uses glorification for the middle action.
Verse 33:11 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:11 You conceive chaff and bear stubble; your breath is a fire that will consume you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:11 Now you will see, now you will perceive; your spirit's strength will be futile. Fire will consume you.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew worthless conception and birth becomes Greek seeing, perception and futile spiritual strength. Hebrew the people's own breath is consuming fire; Greek separates spirit's weakness from the fire that consumes.
Verse 33:12 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:12 Peoples will be burned to lime, cut thorns set ablaze in fire.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:12 Nations will be burned, like a thorn thrown in a field and burned.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: The burned-thorn comparison agrees. Greek lacks Hebrew lime-burning and adds a field where the thorn is thrown.
Verse 33:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:13 Hear, distant ones, what I have done; know, near ones, My might.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:13 Those far away will hear what I did; those drawing near will know My strength.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Distant and near people learn the divine action and strength in both. Hebrew commands become Greek future assurances, and near people become those approaching.
Verse 33:14 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:14 Sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless. “Who among us can dwell with consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:14 The lawless in Zion departed; trembling will seize the ungodly. Who will announce to you that fire burns? Who will announce to you the everlasting place?
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew frightened sinners become Greek departed lawless people. Questions about surviving perpetual fire become questions about who announces burning fire and an eternal place; Greek does not call that place everlasting burnings.
Verse 33:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:15 One who walks in righteous deeds and speaks uprightly, rejects gain from oppression, shakes his palms free of a bribe, stops his ears against bloodshed and closes his eyes against seeing evil,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:15 One walking in righteousness, speaking a straight way, hating lawlessness and injustice, shaking his hands free of gifts, making his ears heavy so as not to hear a judgment of blood, and closing his eyes so as not to see injustice,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The righteous walk, speech and refusal of corruption agree. Hebrew extortionate gain becomes Greek lawlessness and injustice, and bloodshed becomes a blood judgment. Greek gifts denotes the refused payments without adding an unstated donor; the exact judicial phrase remains provisional.
Verse 33:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:16 he will dwell on high; rocky fortresses will be his refuge. His bread is supplied; his water is assured.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:16 this one will dwell in a high cave of strong rock. Bread will be given him, and his water is trustworthy.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Secure elevated rock dwelling and dependable provisions agree. Hebrew plural fortresses become Greek one strong-rock cave.
Verse 33:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:17 Your eyes will behold a king in his beauty; they will see a land stretching far away.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:17 You will see a king with glory, and your eyes will see a land from afar.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The king's splendor and distant land agree. Greek explicitly repeats your seeing before mentioning eyes and uses plural you; no king is named in either.
Verse 33:18 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:18 Your heart will ponder terror: “Where is the scribe? Where is the weigher? Where is the one counting the towers?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:18 Your soul will ponder fear: “Where are the scholars? Where are the counselors? Where is the one counting those being fed,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew heart becomes Greek soul, scribe becomes plural scholars, and weigher becomes counselors. Counting towers becomes counting fed people, with the Greek question continued in nineteen.
Verse 33:19 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:19 You will not see the insolent people, a people of speech too deep to hear, of stammering tongue without understanding.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:19 a people small and great?” With whom they did not deliberate, nor did he know a deep voice, so that a despised people would not hear; the hearer has no understanding.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek completes the preceding census question, then gives difficult clauses about failed counsel, unknown deep speech and a despised people's hearing. Hebrew promises the insolent foreigners will not be seen; that promise is absent in Greek. Its shifting singular/plural subjects and relative connection remain unresolved rather than reconstructed from Hebrew.
Verse 33:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:20 Look at Zion, city of our appointed gatherings! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful pasture, a tent never moved, its stakes never pulled up and none of its ropes torn.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:20 Look, Zion, the city, our salvation! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a wealthy city, tents that will certainly not be shaken; her tent's pegs will never be moved, nor her ropes torn.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew festival city and peaceful pasture become Greek salvation and a wealthy city. Both promise secure tents, stakes and ropes; Greek initially pluralizes tents before returning to her singular tent.
Verse 33:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:21 For there majestic YHWH will be for us a place of rivers and broad streams; no oared vessel will go there, and no mighty ship will pass through it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:21 For the Lord's name is great for you. There will be a place for you, rivers and broad, spacious canals. You will not go this way, nor will a rowing ship go.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew majestic YHWH for us becomes His great name for you. Greek first prohibits your travel, then one rowing ship, where Hebrew excludes an oared vessel and a mighty ship. Rivers and spacious waterways agree.
Verse 33:22 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:22 For YHWH is our judge, YHWH our lawgiver, YHWH our king; He will save us.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:22 For my God is great; the Lord will not pass me by. The Lord is our judge, the Lord our ruler, the Lord our king; this One will save us.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek adds divine greatness and assurance that the Lord will not pass the speaker by. The three offices and salvation agree, with Hebrew lawgiver becoming Greek ruler.
Verse 33:23 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:23 Your ropes hang loose; they cannot hold their mast's base firm or spread a sail. Then abundant spoil is divided; even the lame plunder booty.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:23 Your ropes tore because it was not strong; your mast tilted. It will not lower the sails or raise a signal until it is handed over for plunder. Then many lame people will take spoil.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew loose rigging, unsupported mast and unspread sail become Greek torn ropes, tilted mast, unlowered sails and an unraised signal until surrender. The lame take spoil in both; Greek specifies many, while Hebrew calls the spoil abundant. The Greek initial it has no newly named referent.
Verse 33:24 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
33:24 No resident will say, “I am sick.” The people dwelling there have their guilt lifted.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
33:24 The people dwelling among them will certainly not say, “I am weary,” for their sin has been forgiven.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The healed or relieved population and forgiven offense agree. Hebrew sickness becomes Greek weariness; dwelling in her becomes among them, with Greek explicitly linking forgiveness by for.