Isaiah 63 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 63:9
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 63
The divine warrior and the remembered mercies
Verse 63:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:1 Who is this coming from Edom, with stained garments from Bozrah, splendid in His clothing, girded with abundant strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:1 Who is this arriving from Edom, with redness of garments from Bosor, so beautiful in His robe, with force and strength? “I speak righteousness and saving judgment.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek explicitly names redness and speaks of saving judgment rather than great saving power. Hebrew girded follows Rashi; striding is another rendering. Rashi explains the divine warrior's clothing as human imagery suited to human understanding [RASHI63]. Cyril, Catechetical Lecture thirteen twenty-seven, reads the red garments with Jesus's purple Passion robe [CYRILCAT13].
Verse 63:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:2 Why is Your clothing red, and Your garments like those of someone treading a winepress?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:2 Why are Your garments red and Your clothes as though from a trodden winepress?
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The question about red clothing and winepress treading agrees. Greek describes a trodden press rather than explicitly naming the treader.
Verse 63:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:3 “I trod the winepress alone, and no one from the peoples was with Me. I trod them in My anger and trampled them in My fury; their lifeblood spattered My garments, and I stained all My clothing.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:3 “I am full of what has been trodden. No man from the nations is with Me. I trampled them in wrath, crushed them like earth, and brought their blood down to earth.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek's opening fullness phrase is difficult and lacks Hebrew's explicit I trod alone; the implied speaker is supplied. Crushing like earth and blood brought to earth replaces blood splashed on clothing and the staining of all garments. Rashi identifies the Hebrew splashed substance as lifeblood [RASHI63].
Verse 63:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:4 For a day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:4 For a day of recompense came upon them, and a year of redemption is here.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek judgment arriving upon them replaces the day held in God's heart. It speaks of redemption without Hebrew's possessive or redeemed people. The appointed time of deliverance agrees.
Verse 63:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:5 I looked, but no one helped; I was astonished, but no one supported Me. My own arm brought Me salvation, and My fury supported Me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:5 I looked, but there was no helper; I considered, but no one came to aid. My arm rescued them, and My wrath stood by.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek consideration replaces astonishment; its arm explicitly rescues them rather than saving for Me. Greek wrath stood by leaves its relation to the speaker less explicit than Hebrew supported Me; no unexpressed object of wrath is inserted. The absent helper agrees. Rashi describes fury over the nations’ excesses as motivating intervention despite Israel’s unworthiness [RASHI63].
Verse 63:6 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:6 I trampled peoples in My anger, made them drunk in My fury, and brought their power down to earth.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:6 I trampled them in My anger and brought their blood down to earth.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks the intoxication clause and identifies blood where Hebrew power follows Rashi's explanation [RASHI63]. Hebrew the same noun was lifeblood in three; lifeblood is also possible here. The trampling and downward destruction agree.
Verse 63:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:7 I will recount YHWH's kindnesses, YHWH's praises, according to all YHWH has bestowed on us, and the abundant goodness He bestowed on Israel's house according to His compassion and abundant kindnesses.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:7 I remembered the Lord's mercy, the Lord's excellent deeds in everything He repays us. The Lord is a good judge for Israel's house; He brings upon us according to His mercy and the abundance of His righteousness.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds the Lord as good judge, uses remembered rather than will recount, and changes abundant kindnesses to righteousness. Its final what He brings is implicit. Recollection of divine favor toward Israel agrees.
Verse 63:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:8 He said, “Surely they are My people, children who will not deal falsely,” and He became their savior.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:8 He said, “Are they not My people, children who will surely not reject Me?” And He became their salvation
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek uses a question and rejection rather than Hebrew's assertion and false dealing. Me supplies the implied object of rejection. Greek salvation continues with deliverance from affliction in nine.
Verse 63:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:9 In all their distress He did not distress them, and the angel of His presence saved them. In His love and pity He redeemed them, lifted them, and carried them throughout the days of old.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:9 from every affliction. Neither an envoy nor an angel, but the Lord Himself saved them because He loved and spared them. He Himself redeemed them, took them up, and exalted them throughout all the days of the age.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew explicitly has the saving angel of His presence; Greek expressly excludes envoy and angel in favor of the Lord Himself. Hebrew did not distress follows the written negative and Rashi's explanation; the traditional read form supports He was distressed, displayed on the checked reception page [RASHI63]. The divine love, redemption, and bearing of the people agree.
Verse 63:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:10 But they rebelled and grieved His holy spirit. He turned into their enemy and Himself fought against them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:10 But they disobeyed and provoked His holy spirit. He turned toward hostility against them and Himself fought them.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Rebellion provoking divine opposition agrees. Greek provoked replaces grieved. Ephesians four thirty echoes the warning about grieving God's Holy Spirit within commands about speech and communal conduct [NA28EPH4].
Verse 63:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:11 His people remembered the days of old, the days of Moses: Where is the one who brought them up from the sea, as a shepherd his flock? Where is the one who placed His holy spirit within them,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:11 The one who brought the sheep's shepherd up from earth remembered days of old. Where is the one who placed the holy spirit among them,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek makes the shepherd's raiser the remembering subject, brings the shepherd from earth rather than bringing the people from the sea, and leaves Moses to twelve. Hebrew the people's recollection and shepherd comparison follows Rashi [RASHI63]; the publisher's visible shepherds form also permits bringing them with the flock's shepherds. These alternatives are not combined into a reconstructed text.
Verse 63:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:12 who led His glorious arm at Moses's right hand, dividing waters before them to make Himself an everlasting name,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:12 who led Moses by the right hand, the arm of His glory? He overpowered water before Him to make Himself an everlasting name.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew positions the glorious arm beside Moses; Greek has Moses led by the right hand and the arm as apposition. Greek overpowering water before Him replaces dividing waters before them. The everlasting name agrees.
Verse 63:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:13 who led them through the depths, like a horse in the wilderness, without stumbling?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:13 He led them through the abyss like a horse through a wilderness, and they did not grow weary.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek lack of weariness replaces Hebrew lack of stumbling. The safe passage through depths with the horse comparison agrees.
Verse 63:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:14 Like animals spreading out in a valley, YHWH's spirit guided them. So You led Your people to make Yourself a glorious name.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:14 Like livestock through a plain, a spirit from the Lord came down and guided them. So You led Your people to make Yourself a glorious name.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek explicitly makes the spirit descend and guide. Hebrew animals spreading and spirit guiding follows Rashi; animals descending into the valley and the spirit giving rest is another construction [RASHI63]. The final divine leading for a glorious name agrees.
Verse 63:15 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:15 Look down from heaven and see from Your holy, glorious dwelling. Where are Your zeal and mighty deeds? Your inward yearning and compassion are restrained from me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:15 Turn from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious house. Where are Your zeal and strength? Where is the abundance of Your mercy and compassion, since You have held back from us?
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The appeal for renewed divine attention and mercy agrees. Greek turn replaces look, omits the inward-organ metaphor, and has us rather than me. Its restraint can also be understood as bearing with us.
Verse 63:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:16 For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not recognize us. You, YHWH, are our Father; Our Redeemer from of Old is Your name.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:16 For You are our Father, because Abraham did not know us and Israel did not recognize us. But You, Lord, are our Father. Rescue us! From the beginning Your name has been upon us.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek Rescue us replaces the title Our Redeemer and makes the ancient name rest upon the people. Divine fatherhood beyond the patriarchs agrees. Rashi connects the patriarchs' lack of recognition with their having died before the later distress [RASHI63].
Verse 63:17 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:17 Why, YHWH, do You make us stray from Your ways and harden our heart against fearing You? Return for Your servants' sake, the tribes of Your inheritance!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:17 Why, Lord, did You make us stray from Your way and harden our hearts so that we do not fear You? Return because of Your servants, because of the tribes of Your inheritance,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both directly address God concerning straying and hardened fearlessness; the causal wording is preserved. Greek ways becomes one way, while heart becomes hearts. Rashi reads the appeal through God's power to remove the evil inclination [RASHI63].
Verse 63:18 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:18 Your holy people possessed their inheritance only briefly; our adversaries trampled Your sanctuary.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:18 so that we may inherit a little of Your holy mountain. Our adversaries trampled Your sanctuary.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew recalls brief possession by the holy people; Greek asks to inherit a little of the holy mountain as the purpose of God's return. Greek adds mountain and changes third-person people to we. The sanctuary's trampling agrees.
Verse 63:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
63:19 We have become like those You never ruled, those over whom Your name was not called. If only You had torn heaven open and come down, mountains would have flowed away before You!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
63:19 We became as at the beginning, when You did not rule us and Your name had not been called upon us. If You open heaven, trembling will seize mountains because of You, and they will melt,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek describes an earlier condition of us rather than comparison with those never ruled. It opens rather than tears heaven, omits the descent, and explicitly gives the mountains trembling. Both source editions include here the heaven-opening clause commonly numbered English sixty-four one; the Greek melting comparison continues into sixty-four one.