Isaiah 19 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 19:5, 19:10, 19:25
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 19
Egypt judged and restored
Verse 19:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:1 The burden concerning Egypt. Look, YHWH rides on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; Egypt's worthless idols tremble before Him, and Egypt's heart melts within it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:1 A vision of Egypt. Look, the Lord sits upon a light cloud and will come into Egypt; Egypt's handmade objects will be shaken before Him, and their heart overcome within them.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew divine riding becomes Greek sitting, and the swift cloud is described as light. Idol trembling and melting national heart become shaken handmade objects and an overcome heart; the visitation agrees.
Verse 19:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:2 I will stir Egypt against Egypt; each will fight his brother, each his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:2 Egyptians will be roused against Egyptians; each will fight his brother and each his neighbor, city against city and district against district.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew first-person God stirs civil conflict; Greek uses a passive rousing without naming its agent. Kingdom becomes Greek administrative district; brother, neighbor and city fighting remain.
Verse 19:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:3 Egypt's spirit will be emptied within it, and I will swallow up its counsel. They will consult the idols, the mutterers, the mediums and the spirit-knowers.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:3 The Egyptians' spirit will be troubled within them, and I will scatter their counsel. They will inquire of their gods, their statues, those speaking from the earth and the belly-speakers.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew emptied spirit and swallowed counsel become Greek troubled spirit and scattered counsel. Both list four consulted sources; Greek statues replaces Hebrew the obscure ittim, provisionally mutterers, and describes the last two through voices from earth and belly.
Verse 19:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:4 I will shut Egypt into the hand of a harsh master, and a fierce king will rule them, declares the Lord, YHWH of hosts.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:4 I will hand Egypt into the hands of harsh human masters, and harsh kings will rule them. Thus says the Lord Sabaoth.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew one harsh master and fierce king become Greek plural human masters and kings. Both credit God with handing Egypt over; Greek lacks the doubled Lord/YHWH title.
Verse 19:5 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:5 Waters will dry up from the sea, and the river become parched and dry.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:5 The Egyptians will drink water beside the sea, but the river will fail and dry up.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew sea-water drying becomes Greek Egyptians drinking beside the sea. Both retain the river's failure and drying; the new human drinking action is not removed to match Hebrew.
Verse 19:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:6 Rivers will stink, Egypt's canals dwindle and dry up; reed and rush will wither.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:6 Rivers and the river's canals will fail, and every gathering of water dry up, in every marsh of reed and papyrus,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew stinking rivers and withered plants become Greek failing waterways and all water gatherings drying in reed/papyrus marshes. Greek continues the vegetation description in the next verse rather than explicitly withering reed and rush here.
Verse 19:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:7 Bare places beside the Nile, by the Nile's mouth, and everything sown by the Nile will dry up, blow away and be no more.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:7 and all the green marsh growth around the river and everything sown by the river will dry up, destroyed by wind.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The riverbank growth, sowing, drying and wind destruction correspond. Hebrew the rare arot is provisionally bare riverbank places; Greek explicitly names green akhi vegetation. Exact plant identification remains uncertain.
Verse 19:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:8 Fishermen will lament, and all who cast a hook into the Nile mourn; those spreading a net over the waters will languish.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:8 Fishermen will groan, and all casting a hook into the river will groan; those casting seines and those using casting nets will mourn.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The fishers, hooks, nets and grief agree. Greek distinguishes seine users and casting-net fishers where Hebrew describes spreading one broad net over water.
Verse 19:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:9 Workers in combed flax and weavers of white cloth will be ashamed.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:9 Shame will seize those working split flax and those working fine linen,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both bring shame to textile workers. Hebrew combed flax and white weaving become Greek split flax and fine-linen working; the exact production techniques are not claimed as independently verified.
Verse 19:10 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:10 Her foundations will be crushed; all who work for wages will be grieved in soul.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:10 and those warping them will be in pain, and all who make beer will be grieved and suffer in their souls.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew foundations and wage-workers become Greek textile warpers and beer-makers. The grief agrees, but the named trades differ. Hebrew both occupational expressions remain lexically uncertain; the Greek brewing term is not changed into wages.
Verse 19:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:11 Surely Zoan's princes are fools; Pharaoh's wisest counselors give senseless counsel. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of wise men, a son of ancient kings”?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:11 Tanis's rulers will be fools; the king's wise counselors—their counsel will become foolish. How will you say to the king, “We are sons of the discerning, sons of kings from the beginning”?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The foolish court counsel agrees. Hebrew Pharaoh becomes Greek the king; the pedigree boast changes singular I to plural we. Zoan/Tanis names the corresponding city through each source's form.
Verse 19:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:12 Where, then, are your wise men? Let them tell you, please, and know what YHWH of hosts has counseled concerning Egypt.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:12 Where are your wise men now? Let them announce to you and say what the Lord Sabaoth has counseled against Egypt.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both challenge the court's wisdom to disclose the divine plan. Hebrew know becomes Greek say; Greek now replaces Hebrew then.
Verse 19:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:13 Zoan's princes have become foolish, Noph's princes deceived; the cornerstone of her tribes has led Egypt astray.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:13 Tanis's rulers failed, and Memphis's rulers were exalted; they will lead Egypt astray tribe by tribe.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew foolish and deceived rulers become Greek failed and exalted rulers. Hebrew tribal cornerstone leadership becomes Greek misleading by tribes, with no cornerstone image. Noph/Memphis retains the corresponding city names.
Verse 19:14 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:14 YHWH has mixed within her a spirit of confusion; they have led Egypt astray in all its work, as a drunk staggers in his vomit.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:14 For the Lord mixed for them a spirit of wandering; they led Egypt astray in all their works, as someone drunk and vomiting at once wanders.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: God's mixed spirit, misdirection of activity and drunk-vomit comparison agree. Greek for them replaces within her, and depicts drunkenness and vomiting as simultaneous actions.
Verse 19:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:15 There will be no work for Egypt that head or tail, palm frond or reed, can do.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:15 There will be no work for the Egyptians that will produce a head and tail, a beginning and end.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew head/tail and palm/reed are the actors unable to do work; Greek puts head/tail and beginning/end in an object construction after work. The Greek produce phrasing is provisional, preserving its marked syntax and different second pair.
Verse 19:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:16 On that day Egypt will be like women, trembling and afraid before the waving hand of YHWH of hosts, which He waves over it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:16 On that day the Egyptians will be like women in fear and trembling before the Lord Sabaoth's hand, which He Himself will bring upon them.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The ancient gendered fear comparison and threatening divine hand agree. Hebrew repeated hand-waving becomes Greek bringing the hand upon them; the comparison is translated without turning it into an independent general claim about women.
Verse 19:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:17 Judah's land will become a terror to Egypt; everyone to whom it is mentioned will fear because of the counsel YHWH of hosts counsels against it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:17 The Judeans' country will become a terror to the Egyptians; whenever anyone names her to them, they will fear because of the counsel the Lord has counseled against her.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both associate mention of Judah with fear of divine counsel. Greek lacks of hosts and ends with a feminine her, whose country referent is less explicit than the threatened Egyptians; that ambiguity is not resolved by adding a name.
Verse 19:18 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:18 On that day five cities in Egypt's land will speak Canaan's language and swear allegiance to YHWH of hosts. One will be called City of Destruction.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:18 On that day five cities in Egypt will speak the Canaanite language and swear by the Lord's name. One city will be called City-Asedek.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The five cities, language and divine oath agree. Hebrew City of Destruction becomes Greek City-Asedek, retaining its partly transliterated designation, associated linguistically with righteousness. Greek adds name and lacks of hosts. No City-of-the-Sun alternate reading or unconsulted manuscript evidence is adopted.
Verse 19:19 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:19 On that day an altar to YHWH will stand within Egypt's land, and a pillar to YHWH beside its border.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:19 On that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the Egyptians' country and a pillar to the Lord by its border,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Altar, pillar, divine dedication and interior/border locations correspond.
Verse 19:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:20 It will be a sign and witness to YHWH of hosts in Egypt's land. When they cry to YHWH because of oppressors, He will send them a savior and champion, and rescue them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:20 and it will be an everlasting sign to the Lord in Egypt's country, because they will cry to the Lord on account of their oppressors. The Lord will send them a man who will save them; judging, he will save them.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew sign and witness becomes Greek an everlasting sign. Hebrew savior and champion becomes Greek a man saving through judging, with salvation repeated and no hosts title. Both answer the oppressed people's cry; no later person's identity is supplied.
Verse 19:21 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:21 YHWH will make Himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know YHWH on that day. They will worship with sacrifice and grain offering, vow a vow to YHWH and fulfill it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:21 The Lord will be known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the Lord on that day. They will make sacrifices, vow vows to the Lord and pay them.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Mutual knowing, sacrifices and fulfilled vows agree. Greek does not separately name a grain offering, and its plural vows corresponds to Hebrew the distributive singular.
Verse 19:22 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:22 YHWH will strike Egypt, striking and healing. They will return to YHWH, and He will respond to their plea and heal them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:22 The Lord will strike the Egyptians with a great blow and heal them with healing. They will turn back to the Lord, and He will listen to them and heal them.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The joined judgment and healing, return, hearing and repeated healing agree. Greek explicitly adds a great blow and an emphatic healing phrase.
Verse 19:23 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:23 On that day a highway will run from Egypt to Assyria. Assyria will come into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria, and Egypt will serve with Assyria.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:23 On that day there will be a road from Egypt toward the Assyrians. Assyrians will enter Egypt, and Egyptians go toward the Assyrians, and the Egyptians will serve the Assyrians.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Reciprocal movement agrees, but Hebrew et permits with or an object marker: the main Hebrew column chooses shared service with Assyria, while Greek explicitly makes Assyrians the masters served. The alternative Hebrew Egypt will serve Assyria remains a valid grammatical construal, not a different manuscript reading.
Verse 19:24 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:24 On that day Israel will be a third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing within the earth,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:24 On that day Israel will be third among the Assyrians and Egyptians, blessed upon the earth,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew Israel is a blessing with the two nations; Greek Israel is blessed among them. The three-party relation agrees, with Assyria and Egypt reversed in order.
Verse 19:25 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
19:25 whom YHWH of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt, My people, and Assyria, My hands' work, and Israel, My inheritance.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
19:25 which the Lord Sabaoth blessed, saying, “Blessed be My people in Egypt and among the Assyrians, and My inheritance Israel.”
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew names Egypt as My people and Assyria as My hands' work; Greek speaks of My people located in Egypt and among Assyrians, without the hands'-work designation. Israel remains God's inheritance. Greek which is feminine and connects back to earth rather than the Hebrew blessing recipient; the distinct scope of the national blessing is preserved.