Isaiah 37 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 37:25
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 37
Hezekiah’s prayer and Assyria’s defeat
Verse 37:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:1 When King Hezekiah heard, he tore his garments, covered himself with sackcloth, and entered YHWH's house.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:1 When King Hezekiah heard, he tore his garments, wrapped himself in sackcloth, and went up to the Lord's house.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both report the king's mourning and entry into the temple; Greek explicitly describes the movement as going up.
Verse 37:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:2 He sent Eliakim, who was over the house, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:2 He sent Eliakim the steward, Somnas the scribe, and the elders of the priests, wrapped in sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amos.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The same delegation, mourning clothing, and prophetic destination occur. The Hebrew household office and Greek steward designate the corresponding administrative role.
Verse 37:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:3 They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah: This day is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace, for children have reached the birth opening, but there is no strength to give birth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:3 They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah: Today is a day of distress, reproach, reproof, and wrath, for labor has come upon the woman giving birth, but she has no strength to deliver.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek has four calamity terms, including wrath, against Hebrew three. Hebrew children at the birth opening become the labor of a woman; both images describe an inability to complete delivery.
Verse 37:4 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:4 Perhaps YHWH your God will hear the Rab-shakeh's words, whom his master the king of Assyria sent to taunt the living God, and will rebuke the words that YHWH your God has heard. Lift up a prayer for the remnant that remains.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:4 May the Lord your God hear Rapsakes' words, which the king of the Assyrians sent to reproach the living God and to reproach words that the Lord your God has heard. You shall petition the Lord your God for these who remain.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew hopes for God's rebuke of the reported words. Greek repeats the infinitive reproach within the king's sending and makes words its second object, an awkward construction retained here. Greek also explicitly supplies the Lord as the recipient of Isaiah's petition.
Verse 37:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:5 King Hezekiah's servants came to Isaiah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:5 The king's servants came to Isaiah,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The arrival agrees; Greek omits Hezekiah's name at this point.
Verse 37:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:6 Isaiah said to them, “Say this to your master: Thus says YHWH: Do not fear the words you have heard, with which the king of Assyria's young men blasphemed Me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:6 and Isaiah said to them, “You shall say this to your master: Thus says the Lord: Do not fear the words you heard, with which the king of the Assyrians' envoys reproached Me.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew calls the speakers young men and their act blasphemy; Greek specifies envoys and reproach. The assurance and the divine target of their speech agree.
Verse 37:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:7 Look, I am putting a spirit in him. He will hear a report and return to his land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his land.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:7 Look, I will put a spirit into him. On hearing a report he will return to his country, and he will fall by the sword in his own land.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both announce a spirit, a report, return, and death by sword. Hebrew explicitly makes God cause the final fall; Greek states the fall without repeating that agency.
Verse 37:8 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:8 The Rab-shakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that he had departed from Lachish.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:8 Rapsakes returned and found the king besieging Lomna. The king of the Assyrians heard that
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek omits the report that the king had left Lachish and begins the next report within this verse. Libnah appears as Lomna, and fighting becomes besieging. The sentence continues in Greek nine.
Verse 37:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:9 He heard concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, “He has come out to fight you.” When he heard, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:9 Tharaka king of the Ethiopians had come out to besiege him. On hearing this he turned back and sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek completes the report begun in eight, calls Cush's ruler king of the Ethiopians, and describes a siege. It adds that the Assyrian king turned back before sending the messengers.
Verse 37:10 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:10 “Say this to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you by saying, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the king of Assyria's hand.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:10 “You shall say this to Hezekiah king of Judea: Do not let your God, on whom you rely, deceive you by saying, ‘Jerusalem will certainly not be handed into the king of the Assyrians' hands.’
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The renewed message challenges the same trust and promise of Jerusalem's protection. Greek emphasizes the negative promise and uses plural hands.
Verse 37:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:11 Look, you have heard what the kings of Assyria did to all the lands, devoting them to destruction. And will you be rescued?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:11 Or have you not heard what the kings of the Assyrians did—how they destroyed the whole earth?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek retains the precedent of Assyrian destruction but omits the final direct challenge about Hezekiah's rescue. Hebrew all lands becomes the whole earth.
Verse 37:12 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:12 Did the gods of the nations my fathers destroyed rescue them—Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the children of Eden who were in Telassar?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:12 Did the gods of the nations my fathers destroyed rescue them—Gozan, Charran, and Raphes, which are in the country of Themad?
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: The conquest list differs: Greek lacks the children of Eden and locates its three named places in Themad; Hebrew locates Eden's people in Telassar. These geographical forms are retained without harmonization.
Verse 37:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:13 Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:13 Where are the kings of Aimath and Arphath, and of the city of Seppharim, Anag, and Ougaua?”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both challenge the survival of the same sequence of rulers and places, with distinct Greek name forms. The relationship of the final two names to the city list remains compact in both.
Verse 37:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:14 Hezekiah took the letters from the messengers' hands and read it. He went up to YHWH's house, and Hezekiah spread it before YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:14 Hezekiah took the document from the messengers and opened it before the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew begins with plural letters but refers back in the singular, retained here. Greek has one document and omits explicit reading, ascent, and temple location, condensing the action to opening it before the Lord.
Verse 37:15 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:15 Hezekiah prayed to YHWH, saying,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:15 Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The introduction to the prayer agrees.
Verse 37:16 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:16 “YHWH of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim, You alone are God over all the earth's kingdoms. You made the heavens and the earth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:16 “Lord Sabaoth, God of Israel, seated upon the cherubim, You alone are God of every kingdom of the inhabited world. You made heaven and earth.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The divine titles, unique sovereignty, cherubim throne, and creation confession agree; Greek transliterates the title Sabaoth.
Verse 37:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:17 Incline Your ear, YHWH, and hear; open Your eyes, YHWH, and see. Hear all Sennacherib's words, which he sent to taunt the living God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:17 Hear, Lord; look, Lord, and see the words that Sennacherib sent to reproach the living God.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek condenses the requests and lacks the explicit ear, eyes, and all. Both bring the Assyrian message before the living God as reproach.
Verse 37:18 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:18 Truly, YHWH, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the lands and their land,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:18 For the kings of the Assyrians have truly laid waste the whole inhabited world and their country,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both retain an unusual repeated geographical object, rather than silently replacing the first with nations. Greek omits the direct address and expands all lands to the entire inhabited world.
Verse 37:19 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:19 and put their gods into the fire. For they were not gods, but the work of human hands, wood and stone; so they destroyed them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:19 and cast their idols into the fire. For they were not gods, but works of human hands, wood and stones, and they destroyed them.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek explicitly calls the burned objects idols where Hebrew first calls them gods. Both deny their divinity and identify them as manufactured wood and stone.
Verse 37:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:20 Now, YHWH our God, save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone are YHWH.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:20 But You, Lord our God, save us from their hand, so that every kingdom of the earth may know that You alone are God.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew seeks deliverance from his hand and recognition of YHWH alone; Greek has their hand and recognition of God alone. The universal purpose of the petition remains.
Verse 37:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:21 Isaiah son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says YHWH, God of Israel: Concerning what you prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria—
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:21 Isaiah son of Amos was sent to Hezekiah and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, God of Israel: I heard what you prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of the Assyrians.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew Isaiah sends a message; Greek Isaiah himself is sent and speaks. Greek explicitly supplies God's hearing of the prayer where Hebrew introduces its subject without that verb.
Verse 37:22 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:22 this is the word YHWH has spoken against him: Virgin daughter Zion despises you and mocks you; daughter Jerusalem shakes her head behind you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:22 This is the word God spoke concerning him: Virgin daughter Zion despised and sneered at you; daughter Jerusalem shook her head over you.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Zion's contempt and Jerusalem's head gesture agree. The Hebrew gesture is behind the departing enemy, while Greek places it over or at him; the reporting tenses differ.
Verse 37:23 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:23 Whom have you taunted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:23 Whom did you reproach and provoke? Against whom did you raise your voice? Yet you did not lift your eyes on high toward the Holy One of Israel.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek explicitly negates lifting the eyes toward the Holy One, whereas Hebrew accuses the enemy of that arrogant action. The preceding challenges agree broadly, with provocation replacing blasphemy.
Verse 37:24 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:24 Through your servants you taunted the Lord, saying, ‘With my many chariots I climbed the mountain heights, the far recesses of Lebanon. I cut down its tallest cedars, its choicest cypresses, and reached its highest extremity, its fruitful forest.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:24 For through messengers you reproached the Lord. You said, ‘With my many chariots I climbed the mountain heights and the furthest reaches of Lebanon. I cut down its cedar's height and the cypress's beauty, and entered the height of a part of the woodland.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both quote the boast of mountain ascent and felling Lebanon's finest trees. Greek messengers replaces servants and its final woodland location is less specific than Hebrew the highest extremity and fruitful forest.
Verse 37:25 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:25 I dug and drank water, and with the soles of my feet I dried up all Egypt's streams.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:25 I laid a bridge and dried up waters and every gathering of water.’
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew digging and drinking becomes Greek bridge building; Greek lacks feet and Egypt and generalizes the waters. Both end with drying water, but the first claimed achievement is a different action.
Verse 37:26 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:26 Have you not heard? Long ago I made it; from ancient days I formed it. Now I have brought it about, that you should turn fortified cities into ruined heaps.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:26 Did you not hear long ago these things I did? From ancient days I arranged them; now I have shown them: to desolate nations in strongholds and those dwelling in fortified cities.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Both subordinate Assyria's success to God's ancient plan. Greek includes nations in strongholds and the cities' residents as objects of desolation, whereas Hebrew makes fortified cities ruined heaps.
Verse 37:27 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:27 Their inhabitants, short of strength, were shattered and ashamed. They became field grass and green shoots, grass on roofs and a field before its crop stands.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:27 I let the hands go, and they withered and became like dry grass on roofs and like wild grass.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek makes the first action God's releasing hands and omits explicit shame; Hebrew describes the inhabitants' powerlessness. Greek shortens the vegetation list. Hebrew's final phrase about a field before standing grain is difficult; its compressed form is retained rather than supplied with an unattested disaster.
Verse 37:28 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:28 I know your sitting down, your going out and coming in, and your raging against Me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:28 But now I know your rest, your going out and your coming in.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The knowledge of rest and movements agrees. Hebrew already mentions rage against God here, while Greek places the rage statement in twenty-nine.
Verse 37:29 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:29 Because your raging against Me and your complacent arrogance have risen to My ears, I will put My hook in your nose and My bridle in your lips, and turn you back by the way you came.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:29 Your wrath with which you raged, and your bitterness, have risen to Me. I will put a muzzle in your nose and a bridle in your lips, and turn you back by the way you came.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew arrogance becomes Greek bitterness, and hook becomes muzzle. Both portray the invader restrained at nose and lips and forced to retrace his route; Greek omits ears.
Verse 37:30 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:30 This will be your sign: Eat this year what grows of itself, and in the second year what springs from that. In the third year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:30 This is your sign: This year eat what you have sown, in the second year what remains, and in the third, after sowing, reap and plant vineyards; you will eat their fruit.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The first year's spontaneous growth becomes Greek what you sowed, and the second year's volunteer growth becomes a remainder. Both promise restored sowing, harvesting, and vineyards in the third year.
Verse 37:31 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:31 The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again put down roots below and bear fruit above.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:31 Those remaining in Judea will grow a root below and produce seed above.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The rooted remnant image agrees. Greek names the territory rather than Judah's house, lacks again, and has seed where Hebrew has fruit.
Verse 37:32 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:32 For a remnant will go out from Jerusalem, and survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of YHWH of hosts will do this.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:32 For those remaining will go out from Jerusalem, and those being saved from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord Sabaoth will do these things.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The remnant's two corresponding points of departure and the Lord's zeal as cause agree.
Verse 37:33 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:33 Therefore thus says YHWH concerning the king of Assyria: He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow there; he will not approach it with a shield or heap a siege ramp against it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:33 Therefore thus says the Lord against the king of the Assyrians: He will certainly not enter this city or shoot a missile against it; he will not bring a shield against it or surround it with a siegework.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both deny entry and three forms of assault. Greek's siegework surrounds the city, whereas Hebrew specifies heaping up a ramp; Greek reinforces each denial.
Verse 37:34 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:34 By the way he came he will return; he will not enter this city, declares YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:34 By the way he came he will return. Thus says the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek lacks the repeated denial of entering the city; that denial remains in its preceding verse. Both announce return by the original route.
Verse 37:35 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:35 I will defend this city to save it, for My sake and for the sake of David My servant.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:35 I will shield this city to save it, because of Me and because of David My servant.”
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The divine defense, saving purpose, and two stated grounds agree.
Verse 37:36 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:36 YHWH's angel went out and struck one hundred eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When they rose early in the morning, look—all of them were dead bodies.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:36 An angel of the Lord went out and killed one hundred eighty-five thousand from the Assyrians' camp. On rising early in the morning, they found all the bodies dead.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both give the same number and the morning discovery after the angel's action. The living discoverers are implicit in each account rather than identified by an added name.
Verse 37:37 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:37 Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, went away, returned, and lived in Nineveh.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:37 The king of the Assyrians turned back, went away, and lived in Nineveh.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The retreat and residence agree; Greek omits the king's personal name and condenses the motion verbs.
Verse 37:38 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
37:38 While he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him with the sword. They escaped to the land of Ararat, and his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
37:38 While he was worshiping his cult-image in the house of Nasarach, his sons Adramelech and Sarasar struck him with swords. They escaped safely to Armenia, and his son Asordan reigned in his place.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek explicitly calls the worshiped object a cult-image, has plural swords, and names Armenia where Hebrew has the land of Ararat. The temple and personal names retain their respective forms; the assassination and succession agree.