Isaiah 49 — 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 49
The servant’s mission and Zion’s gathered children
Verse 49:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:1 Listen to me, islands; attend, peoples from afar. YHWH called me from the womb; from my mother's belly He spoke my name.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:1 Listen to me, islands, and attend, nations. “After a long time it will stand,” says the Lord. From my mother's belly He called my name,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek turns the distant peoples into a statement about a long time and adds says the Lord; the subject of will stand is unstated. It combines the Hebrew two prenatal calling clauses. Rashi identifies the speaker as Isaiah in his commentary [RASHI49].
Verse 49:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword and hid me in His hand's shadow. He made me a polished arrow and concealed me in His quiver.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:2 and made my mouth like a sharp sword. Under His hand's shelter He hid me; He made me a chosen arrow and sheltered me in His quiver.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The sharp sword, concealed arrow, hand, and quiver agree. Hebrew polished becomes Greek chosen; shadow becomes protective shelter.
Verse 49:3 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:3 He said to me, “You are My servant, Israel, in whom I will display My glory.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:3 He said to me, “You are My slave, Israel, and in you I will be glorified.”
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both explicitly name the servant Israel and connect him with divine glory. Hebrew is reflexive, Greek passive; the name is retained in both despite later interpretive applications.
Verse 49:4 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:4 But I said, “I labored in vain, spent my strength on emptiness and vapor. Yet my judgment is with YHWH, and my recompense with my God.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:4 I said, “I toiled emptily and gave my strength to futility and nothing. Therefore my judgment is with the Lord, and my toil before my God.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Apparent wasted labor and appeal to divine judgment agree. Greek therefore replaces yet, and toil replaces the Hebrew work/recompense term.
Verse 49:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:5 And now YHWH, who formed me from the womb to be His servant, said to bring Jacob back to Him and gather Israel to Him. I will be honored in YHWH's eyes, and my God has become my strength.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:5 And now thus says the Lord, who formed me from the belly as His slave to gather Jacob and Israel to Him—I will be gathered and glorified before the Lord, and my God will be my strength—
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew Israel gathered to Him follows the directly checked read form, against written Israel not gathered [RASHI49]. Greek includes an additional first-person I will be gathered and puts divine strength in the future. Both describe the servant's prenatal formation and gathering task.
Verse 49:6 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:6 He said, “It is too small a thing for you to be My servant to establish Jacob's tribes and bring back Israel's besieged. I will give you as a light to nations, so that My salvation may reach the earth's end.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:6 and He said to me, “It is a great thing for you to be called My servant, to establish Jacob's tribes and bring back Israel's dispersion. Look, I have appointed you as a covenant for a race, a light for nations, so that you may bring salvation to the earth's extremity.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew too small becomes Greek great; Greek adds the covenant. Besieged follows Rashi; preserved is an alternative [RASHI49]. Acts thirteen forty-seven applies the light/salvation clause to Paul and Barnabas's mission; Luke two thirty-two applies light for nations to Jesus [NA28ACT13] [NA28LUK2].
Verse 49:7 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:7 Thus says YHWH, Israel's Redeemer, his Holy One, to one despised in soul, abhorred by a nation, a servant of rulers: “Kings will see and rise, princes will bow, because of YHWH who is faithful, Israel's Holy One, who chose you.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:7 Thus says the Lord who rescued you, Israel's God: “Sanctify the one who despises his own life, the one abhorred by nations—the slaves of rulers. Kings will see him and rise; rulers will bow to him because of the Lord, for Israel's Holy One is faithful, and I chose you.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek adds a sanctifying command and active self-disdain, where Hebrew addresses a despised person. Its genitive chain attaches slaves of rulers to the nations; the exact attachment is difficult. Greek ends with I chose you instead of He chose you.
Verse 49:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:8 Thus says YHWH: “At a time of favor I answered you, and on a day of salvation I helped you. I will guard you and appoint you as a covenant people, to establish a land and apportion desolate inheritances,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:8 Thus says the Lord: “At an acceptable time I heard you, and on a day of salvation I helped you. I gave you as a covenant for nations, to establish the earth and inherit a desolate inheritance,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew covenant people follows Rashi; covenant for a people is another construction [RASHI49]. Greek lacks guarding, specifies nations, and makes inheriting active. Second Corinthians six two quotes the opening aid promise and identifies now as salvation's day [NA282CO6].
Verse 49:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:9 to say to prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ They will graze along roads, with pasture beside every stream.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:9 saying to those in bonds, ‘Come out,’ and telling those in darkness to be revealed. They will be fed along all their roads, with pasture along every path.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew streams follows the interpretation Rashi reports; bare heights is an alternative [RASHI49]. Greek has paths and passive feeding. The release from captivity and darkness agrees.
Verse 49:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:10 They will neither hunger nor thirst, and scorching heat and sun will not strike them, for their Compassionate One will lead them and guide them beside springs of water.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:10 They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will scorching heat or the sun strike them. Rather, the One showing them mercy will comfort them and lead them through springs of water.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The protection and watery guidance agree; Greek comfort replaces the first leading verb. Revelation seven sixteen–seventeen reuses hunger, thirst, sun, heat, and springs language, naming the Lamb as shepherd and guide [NA28REV7].
Verse 49:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:11 I will make all My mountains into a road, and My highways will be raised.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:11 I will make every mountain into a road and every path into pasture for them.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew raised highways become Greek paths converted to pasture. Greek lacks My before mountains and adds for them; both transform the terrain for the returning people.
Verse 49:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:12 Look, these will come from afar, these from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:12 Look, these come from afar, these from the north and these from the sea, and others from the Persians' land.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew Sinim becomes Greek Persia. Hebrew west uses the word sea, rendered literally in Greek. The location of Sinim is not resolved here; the different named lands are retained.
Verse 49:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:13 Sing, heavens, and rejoice, earth! Let mountains break into song, for YHWH has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:13 Rejoice, heavens, and let earth exult! Let mountains burst out in joy and hills in righteousness, for God had mercy on His people and comforted His people's lowly ones.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds hills and righteousness and reverses the distribution of mercy and comfort between people and afflicted. Hebrew the displayed written jussive mountains may burst is retained; the checked read form has a direct command [RASHI49].
Verse 49:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:14 But Zion said, “YHWH has abandoned me; my Lord has forgotten me.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:14 But Zion said, “The Lord has abandoned me, and the Lord has forgotten me.”
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The twofold lament of abandonment and forgetting agrees; Hebrew distinguishes YHWH and my Lord.
Verse 49:15 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, fail to have compassion on the son of her womb? Even if these women forget, I will not forget you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:15 “Will a woman forget her child, failing to have mercy on the offspring of her belly? Even if a woman forgets these, I will not forget you,” said the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The maternal comparison and stronger divine remembrance agree. Greek adds the speech attribution and uses offspring rather than a son.
Verse 49:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:16 Look, I engraved you upon My palms; your walls are always before Me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:16 “Look, on My hands I painted your walls, and you are before Me continually.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew the city engraved on palms and walls before God become Greek walls painted on hands and the city before God. Both embody unceasing divine attention.
Verse 49:17 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:17 Your sons hurry back; your demolishers and devastators will depart from you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:17 You will swiftly be rebuilt by those who pulled you down, and those who laid you waste will depart from you.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew hurrying sons becomes Greek swift rebuilding by the city's former destroyers. The departure of devastators agrees, but Greek explicitly assigns rebuilding to those who demolished it.
Verse 49:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:18 Lift your eyes around and see: they all gather and come to you. As I live, declares YHWH, you will wear them all as ornaments and bind them on like a bride.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:18 Lift your eyes around and see them all. Look, they gathered and came to you. As I live, says the Lord, you will put them all on and wrap them around you like a bride's adornment.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The gathering population as bridal adornment and the divine oath agree.
Verse 49:19 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:19 For your ruins, desolate places, and demolished land will now be too cramped for inhabitants, while those who swallowed you will be far away.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:19 For your deserted, destroyed, and fallen places will now be cramped by inhabitants, and those swallowing you will be removed far from you.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The reversal from devastation to crowded habitation and removal of devourers agree.
Verse 49:20 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:20 The children you lost will yet say within your hearing, ‘This place is too cramped for me. Move over for me, so I can settle.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:20 For your sons whom you lost will say within your hearing, ‘This place is too cramped for me. Make room for me, so I can settle.’
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The recovered children's demand for living space agrees. Hebrew the children of bereavement is understood with Rashi as children once lost, not newly born during loss [RASHI49].
Verse 49:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:21 You will say in your heart, ‘Who bore these for me? I was bereaved and solitary, exiled and rejected. Who raised these? Look, I was left alone; where were these?’”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:21 You will say in your heart, ‘Who bore these for me? I was childless and widowed. Who raised these for me? I was left alone; where were these of mine?’”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek childlessness and widowhood replaces Hebrew bereavement, solitude, exile, and rejection. The astonished questions about the children's birth, nurture, and whereabouts agree.
Verse 49:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:22 Thus says Lord YHWH: “Look, I will lift My hand toward nations and raise My banner toward peoples. They will bring your sons tucked under their arms, and your daughters will be carried on shoulders.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:22 Thus says the Lord: “Look, I lift My hand toward nations and will raise My signal toward islands. They will bring your sons in their bosom and carry your daughters on shoulders,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek islands replaces peoples and bosom replaces the Hebrew underarm carrying adopted with Rashi [RASHI49]. Both signal the return of sons and daughters; Greek lacks the compound divine designation.
Verse 49:23 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:23 Kings will be your foster fathers and their princesses your nursing mothers. They will bow to you with faces to the ground and lick your feet's dust. You will know that I am YHWH and that those waiting for Me will not be ashamed.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:23 and kings will be your foster fathers and ruling women your nurses. They will bow to you upon the earth's surface and lick your feet's dust. You will know that I am the Lord, and you will not be ashamed.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew the waiting people's freedom from shame becomes Greek a direct promise to Zion, without waiting. Royal care and humbled rulers agree; Greek ruling women need not be the kings' princesses.
Verse 49:24 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:24 Can spoil be taken from a mighty warrior, or can captives taken from a righteous man escape?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:24 Will anyone take spoils from a giant? If someone takes captives unjustly, will he be saved?”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew captives taken from the righteous follows Rashi; lawfully held captives is another construal [RASHI49]. Greek asks about an unjust captor's salvation and calls the warrior a giant, changing both the moral description and the subject of escape.
Verse 49:25 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:25 For thus says YHWH: “Even a warrior's captives will be taken, and a tyrant's spoil will escape. I will contend with your contender, and I will save your sons.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:25 Thus says the Lord: “If someone captures a giant, he will take spoils; one taking from a strong man will be saved. I will judge your case, and I will rescue your sons.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew taking captives away from a warrior becomes Greek capturing the giant himself. Greek promises the successful taker's safety and judges Zion's case, where Hebrew contends with its opponent. Rescue of the sons agrees.
Verse 49:26 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
49:26 I will give your taunters' flesh as food, and drinkers of blood will become drunk on their blood as on sweet wine. All flesh will know that I am YHWH, your Savior and Redeemer, Jacob's Mighty One.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
49:26 Those who afflicted you will eat their own flesh, drink their own blood like new wine, and become drunk. All flesh will perceive that I am the Lord who rescued you and upholds Jacob's strength.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew the supplied blood-drinkers follows Rashi's birds, with flesh given to beasts; self-consumption is the alternative construction [RASHI49]. Greek explicitly makes oppressors consume themselves and replaces Jacob's Mighty One with the One supporting Jacob's strength. Universal recognition agrees.