Isaiah 42 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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 42
The servant, the new song and the blind people
Verse 42:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:1 “Look, My servant whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My spirit upon him; he will bring justice to the nations.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:1 “Jacob is My servant; I will uphold him. Israel is My chosen one; My soul accepted him. I gave My spirit upon him; he will bring judgment to the nations.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek explicitly names Jacob and Israel; Hebrew leaves the servant unnamed here. Rashi identifies him with Jacob/Israel [RASHI42]. Matthew twelve fifteen–eighteen applies a differently worded quotation to Jesus, without these two names; that reception does not replace the declared Greek Isaiah text [NA28MAT12].
Verse 42:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:2 He will not cry out or raise his voice, or make his voice heard outside.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:2 He will not cry out or raise his voice, nor will his voice be heard outside.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The threefold rejection of loud public self-assertion agrees; the final Greek clause is passive rather than causative.
Verse 42:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:3 He will not break a crushed reed or extinguish a dim flax wick; faithfully he will bring justice.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:3 He will not crush a bruised reed or extinguish a smoking flax wick; rather, he will bring judgment in truth.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The two images of restrained power and truthful judgment agree; Greek explicitly describes smoke and adds rather. Matthew twelve twenty retains the reed and wick but says judgment brought to victory, unlike either declared Isaiah wording here [NA28MAT12].
Verse 42:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:4 He will not grow dim or be crushed until he sets justice on the earth, and islands will wait for his instruction.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:4 He will shine forth and will not be broken until he sets judgment upon the earth, and nations will hope in his name.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew not dimming becomes Greek positive shining. Hebrew islands waiting for instruction become nations hoping in his name; Matthew twelve twenty-one shares this Greek name-and-nations wording [NA28MAT12]. The servant's endurance until judgment agrees.
Verse 42:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:5 Thus says God, YHWH, who creates the heavens and stretches them out, spreads the earth and what springs from it, gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those walking on it:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:5 Thus says the Lord God, who made heaven and fixed it in place, established the earth and its contents, and gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those treading it:
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both identify the speaker as cosmic Creator and giver of life. Greek fixing and establishing replace stretching and spreading; the earth's contents replace what grows from it.
Verse 42:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:6 “I, YHWH, called you in righteousness; I will hold your hand, form you, and appoint you as a covenant for the people, a light for nations,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:6 “I, the Lord God, called you in righteousness; I will hold your hand and strengthen you, and gave you as a covenant for a people, a light for nations,
Verse 42:7 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:7 to open blind eyes, bring a prisoner out of confinement, and those sitting in darkness out of the prison house.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:7 to open blind people's eyes, bring those bound out of bonds, and those sitting in darkness out of the prison house.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The purposes of sight and liberation agree. Greek makes the bound prisoners plural where Hebrew first uses a singular prisoner.
Verse 42:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:8 I am YHWH; that is My name. I will not give My glory to another or My praise to carved images.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:8 I am the Lord God; this is My name. I will not give My glory to another or My praiseworthy deeds to carved images.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The exclusive divine glory and rejection of idol praise agree. Greek expands the divine designation and uses plural excellences or praiseworthy deeds for Hebrew praise.
Verse 42:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:9 Look, the former things have arrived; I announce new things. Before they spring up I let you hear them.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:9 Look, the things from the beginning have arrived, and new things I will announce; before they spring up, they were disclosed to you.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both contrast fulfilled former events with new predictions. Greek moves announcement to the future but disclosure to the past, where Hebrew describes present announcement and prospective hearing.
Verse 42:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:10 Sing a new song to YHWH, His praise from the earth's end, you who go down to the sea and all that fills it, islands and their inhabitants.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:10 Sing a new hymn to the Lord—its beginning: “Glorify His name from the earth's extremity, you who go down to the sea and sail it, islands and their inhabitants.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek includes the difficult phrase its beginning and an explicit command to glorify His name; the punctuation here takes the phrase as introducing the hymn's opening, but its attachment is uncertain. Hebrew all the sea's fullness becomes Greek those sailing it.
Verse 42:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:11 Let the wilderness and its cities raise their voice, the settlements Kedar inhabits. Let those dwelling in Sela sing; let them shout from the mountain tops.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:11 Rejoice, wilderness and its villages, settlements and those inhabiting Kedar. Those inhabiting Petra will rejoice and cry out from the mountain tops.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both summon desert settlements, Kedar, rock-city inhabitants, and mountain voices. Greek commands joy where Hebrew calls for raised voices, and has villages rather than cities. Sela/Petra preserves each language's rock place-name form; a generic rock dwelling is also possible.
Verse 42:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:12 Let them give glory to YHWH and announce His praise in the islands.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:12 They will give God glory and announce His praiseworthy deeds in the islands.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The island proclamation and divine glory agree. Greek uses God and plural excellences or deeds rather than Hebrew YHWH and praise.
Verse 42:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:13 YHWH goes out like a mighty warrior; like a man of battles He rouses zeal. He shouts, indeed cries out, and shows Himself mighty against His enemies.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:13 The Lord God of Powers will go out and crush war. He will rouse zeal and cry out mightily against His enemies.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek replaces the two warrior comparisons with the title God of Powers and the crushing of war. The roused zeal and strong cry against enemies remain, while Hebrew explicitly states prevailing over them.
Verse 42:14 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:14 “Long have I kept silent; I remain still and restrain Myself. Like a woman giving birth I will cry out, be appalled, and long to consume them all together.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:14 “I was silent; surely I will not always be silent and hold back? I endured like a woman giving birth; I will astonish and dry up together.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew future labor cries become Greek past labor-like endurance. Hebrew the closing distress and desire to consume follows Rashi; gasping and panting together is another lexical construal [RASHI42]. Greek instead explicitly announces causing astonishment and drying, without stated objects.
Verse 42:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:15 I will lay mountains and hills waste and dry all their vegetation. I will turn rivers into islands and dry up pools.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:15 I will turn rivers into islands and dry up marshes.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek lacks the entire first half about devastating mountains, hills, and vegetation. Rivers becoming islands and water bodies drying agree, with marshes corresponding to pools.
Verse 42:16 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:16 I will lead the blind along a road they do not know, guide them on paths they do not know. I will turn darkness before them to light and crooked places to level ground. These things I will do; I will not abandon them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:16 I will lead the blind on a road they did not know and make them tread paths they did not know. I will turn darkness into light for them and crooked places straight. These things I will do, and I will not abandon them.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The unfamiliar guidance, transformation, and continued care agree. Hebrew final completed verb forms are read prospectively with Rashi, consistent with the preceding promises [RASHI42].
Verse 42:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:17 Those trusting a carved image will turn back in utter shame, those saying to a cast image, ‘You are our gods.’”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:17 But they turned backward. Be utterly ashamed, you who trust carved images, who say to cast images, ‘You are our gods.’”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew predicts the idolaters' shame; Greek directly commands it after reporting their retreat. Greek plural images replace Hebrew singular collective images.
Verse 42:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:18 Deaf people, hear; blind people, look and see!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:18 Deaf people, listen; blind people, look up and see!
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both command the same reversal of deafness and blindness.
Verse 42:19 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:19 Who is blind but My servant, or deaf like My messenger whom I send? Who is blind like one fully repaid, or blind like YHWH's servant?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:19 Who is blind except My servants, or deaf except those ruling them? God's slaves have become blind.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew singular servant and sent messenger become Greek plural servants and their rulers. Hebrew fully repaid follows Rashi, who relates it to completed chastisement; devoted or restored is another construal [RASHI42]. Greek omits that comparison and ends with an explicit statement of the slaves' blindness.
Verse 42:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:20 There are many things to see, but you do not attend; ears are opened, but he does not hear.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:20 You saw often but did not keep watch; the ears were opened, but you did not listen.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew follows the directly checked read form seeing, against written you saw, and shifts from second-person attention to third-person hearing [RASHI42]. Greek consistently addresses a plural you and has often rather than many things.
Verse 42:21 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:21 YHWH desired, for His righteousness' sake, to make instruction great and glorious.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:21 The Lord God wished to be justified and to magnify praise. And I saw,
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew magnifying instruction becomes Greek magnifying praise, with God's being justified replacing the stated motive of righteousness. Greek adds a seeing clause that continues into twenty-two; its first-person reading is adopted, though the form can also be third-person plural.
Verse 42:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:22 Yet this is a people plundered and robbed, all their young men dejected, hidden in prison houses. They have become plunder with no rescuer, spoil with no one saying, ‘Give it back!’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:22 and the people became plundered and despoiled. For the snare is in the storerooms everywhere and in houses together, where they hid them. They became plunder, and no one rescued the spoil; no one said, ‘Give it back!’
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew dejected young men follows Rashi; trapped in holes is another reading [RASHI42]. Greek explicitly describes widespread snares in rooms and houses, not young men. Both lament unrescued captives or spoils and the absence of a demand for restitution.
Verse 42:23 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:23 Who among you will give ear to this, attend and listen for what comes afterward?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:23 Who among you will give ear to these things and listen for what is coming?
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both call for attentive learning with reference to future events.
Verse 42:24 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:24 Who gave Jacob over to spoil and Israel to plunderers? Was it not YHWH, against whom we sinned? They would not walk in His ways or listen to His instruction.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:24 Who gave Jacob over to plunder and Israel to those despoiling him? Was it not God, against whom they sinned, refusing to walk in His ways or listen to His law?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew confesses we sinned, then describes their refusal; Greek consistently has they. The divine handing over and refusal of ways and instruction agree; God replaces YHWH.
Verse 42:25 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
42:25 He poured upon him His burning anger and the fury of war. It blazed around him, yet he did not know; it burned within him, yet he did not take it to heart.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
42:25 He brought His wrathful anger upon them; war overpowered them, as did those burning them all around. None of them understood, nor did they take it to soul.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew uses a collective singular victim and repeated fire actions; Greek pluralizes the victims and identifies surrounding burners as agents alongside overpowering war. Both end with failure to understand or inwardly attend.