Jeremiah 38 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 38:9
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 38
Rescue from the cistern and the final private warning
Hebrew source: BHS38 • chapter 38
Greek source: LXX45 • chapter 45
Verse 38:1 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:1] Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah heard the words Jeremiah was speaking to all the people:
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:1] Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, and Jehucal son of Shelemiah heard the words Jeremiah was speaking to the people:
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks Pashhur son of Malchiah and all. Jucal/Jehucal are corresponding short/long name forms, retained here to show the local difference.
Verse 38:2 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:2] Thus says YHWH: Whoever remains in this city will die by sword, famine, and pestilence. Whoever goes out to the Chaldeans will live; his life will be his spoil, and he will live.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:2] Thus said the Lord: Whoever remains in this city will die by sword and famine. Whoever goes out to the Chaldeans will live; his life will be his gain, and he will live.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek lacks pestilence and uses heurema, something found/gained, instead of Hebrew spoil. Both preserve the repeated survival assurance.
Verse 38:3 Similar
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:3] Thus says YHWH: This city will certainly be handed over to the army of Babylon's king, and he will capture it.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:3] For thus said the Lord: This city will certainly be handed over to the force of Babylon's king, and he will seize it.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek adds for; the emphatic delivery corresponds.
Verse 38:4 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:4] The officials said to the king, Let this man be put to death! By speaking these words he weakens the hands of the fighting men left in this city and of all the people. This man seeks this people's harm, not their well-being.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:4] They said to the king, Let that man be killed! By speaking these words to them he weakens the hands of the fighters left in the city and of all the people. This man delivers oracles of evil to this people, not peace.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek oracle-speaking differs from Hebrew seeking welfare/harm; the accusation targets his predictions rather than expressly his motives. Weakening hands is the shared discouragement image.
Verse 38:5 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:5] King Zedekiah said, He is in your hands; the king can do nothing against you.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:5] The king said, He is in your hands—for the king was unable to oppose them.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek's explanatory third-person them and past tense differ from the Hebrew king's address to you; Greek lacks Zedekiah's name.
Verse 38:6 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:6] They took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchiah the king's son in the court of the guard, lowering Jeremiah with ropes. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:6] They threw him into the pit of Malchiah the king's son in the prison court and lowered him into the pit. There was no water in it, only mire, and he was in the mire.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks ropes and Jeremiah's repeated name, and says he-was rather than he-sank.
Verse 38:7 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:7] Ebed-melech the Cushite, a court eunuch in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern. The king was sitting at Benjamin's Gate.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:7] Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the pit. The king was at Benjamin's Gate.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks saris, rendered court eunuch here, and sitting. Cushite and ancient Greek Ethiopian are historical ethnogeographic terms, not exact modern nationalities.
Verse 38:8 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:8] Ebed-melech went out from the king's house and spoke to the king:
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:8] He went out to him, spoke to the king, and said:
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks the repeated name and the house-of-departure phrase.
Verse 38:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:9] My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in everything they did to Jeremiah the prophet by throwing him into the cistern. He will die there from hunger, for there is no more bread in the city.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:9] You have acted wickedly in what you did, killing this man through hunger, for there are no more loaves in the city.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek directly accuses the king, singular you, whereas Hebrew accuses these men. Greek lacks the polite address, Jeremiah's name/title, and the cistern detail. Hebrew death is prospective in context, not a claim he has already died.
Verse 38:10 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:10] The king instructed Ebed-melech the Cushite, Take thirty men from here under your command and bring Jeremiah the prophet up from the cistern before he dies.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:10] The king instructed Ebed-melech, Take thirty men from here under your command and bring him up from the pit so that he does not die.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Both selected texts explicitly have thirty, not an emended three. Greek lacks the ethnic designation and Jeremiah's name/title.
Verse 38:11 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:11] Ebed-melech took the men with him and entered the king's house below the treasury. He took worn rags and worn cloths from there and lowered them on ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:11] Ebed-melech took the men and entered the king's underground house. He took old rags and old ropes from there and threw them down to Jeremiah in the pit.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek underground house differs from below the treasury; old ropes differs from Hebrew worn cloths, and throwing differs from lowering by ropes. The two rare Hebrew cloth terms are rendered provisionally without overprecise textile identification.
Verse 38:12 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:12] Ebed-melech the Cushite said to Jeremiah, Please put the worn rags and cloths under your armpits beneath the ropes. Jeremiah did so.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:12] He said, Put these beneath the ropes. Jeremiah did so.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks the name, ethnicity, explicit materials, and armpits; no physical details are imported into its shorter instruction.
Verse 38:13 Similar
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:13] They pulled Jeremiah with the ropes and brought him up from the cistern. Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:13] They pulled him with the ropes and brought him up from the pit. Jeremiah remained in the prison court.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek uses a pronoun instead of the first Jeremiah; the rescue corresponds.
Verse 38:14 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:14] King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and brought him to the third entrance in YHWH's house. The king said to Jeremiah, I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:14] The king sent and summoned him to himself, to the aselisi house in the Lord's house. The king said to him, I will ask you something. Please hide no word from me.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek house-aselisi retains an untranslated local expression corresponding in sound to Hebrew the-third; it does not translate entrance. Greek lacks both names and prophet. The exact room/entrance identification remains uncertain.
Verse 38:15 Similar
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:15] Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, If I tell you, will you not certainly put me to death? And if I advise you, you will not listen to me.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:15] Jeremiah said to the king, If I tell you, will you not certainly put me to death? And if I advise you, you certainly will not listen to me.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek king replaces Zedekiah and adds emphatic negation to the second clause.
Verse 38:16 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:16] King Zedekiah secretly swore to Jeremiah, As YHWH lives, who made this life for us, I will not kill you or hand you over to these men seeking your life.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:16] The king swore to him, As the Lord lives, who made this life for us, I will not kill you or hand you over to these men.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks secretly, the names, and seeking-your-life. Both use an oath idiom whose if-clauses convey denial. Hebrew has an additional unvocalized et in the displayed text; its marginal status is not established here and it has no independent English object.
Verse 38:17 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:17] Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, Thus says YHWH, God of hosts, Israel's God: If you go out to Babylon's king's officials, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned with fire. You and your household will live.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:17] Jeremiah said to him, Thus said the Lord: If you go out to Babylon's king's commanders, your life will be spared and this city will certainly not be burned with fire. You and your household will live.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks Zedekiah and the expanded titles. Going out is surrender in context; no added condition is introduced.
Verse 38:18 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:18] But if you do not go out to Babylon's king's officials, this city will be handed over to the Chaldeans and they will burn it with fire. You will not escape their hands.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:18] But if you do not go out, this city will be handed over to the Chaldeans and they will burn it with fire. You certainly will not be saved.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks the repeated officials and from-their-hands.
Verse 38:19 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:19] King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, I fear the Judeans who have defected to the Chaldeans; they may hand me over to them, and they will abuse me.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:19] The king said to Jeremiah, I am concerned about the Judeans who have fled to the Chaldeans, lest they hand me over to them and mock me.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek concern and mockery differ from Hebrew fear and potentially broader abuse; the pronoun agents remain contextual, with the Chaldeans handing him to the defectors.
Verse 38:20 Similar
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:20] Jeremiah said, They will not hand you over. Please obey YHWH's voice in what I tell you, and it will go well with you; your life will be spared.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:20] Jeremiah said, They certainly will not hand you over. Hear the Lord's word which I speak to you, and it will be better for you; your life will be spared.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek word/better differs slightly from Hebrew voice/well; the conditional reassurance corresponds.
Verse 38:21 Same
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:21] But if you refuse to go out, this is what YHWH has shown me:
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:21] But if you are unwilling to go out, this is the word the Lord showed me:
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The warning introduces the following vision.
Verse 38:22 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:22] All the women left in Judah's king's house are being brought out to Babylon's king's officials. They are saying, Your trusted friends misled you and prevailed over you. Your feet sank into the mire; they turned back.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:22] All the women left in Judah's king's house were being brought out to Babylon's king's rulers. They said, Your peaceful friends deceived you and will overpower you. They will bring your feet to rest in slippery places; they turned away from you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek future overpowering and placing feet in slippery places differs from Hebrew completed prevailing and feet sinking in mud. Men-of-your-peace denotes trusted associates; Greek katályō's settle/rest image is provisional in this difficult line and is not harmonized into sinking.
Verse 38:23 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:23] They will bring all your wives and your sons out to the Chaldeans. You will not escape their hands; Babylon's king will seize you, and you will burn this city with fire.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:23] They will bring your wives and children out to the Chaldeans. You certainly will not be saved, for Babylon's king will seize you, and this city will be burned.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew directly says you-will-burn, assigning responsibility to the king; Greek is passive, city-will-be-burned. Greek lacks all, from-their-hands, and with-fire.
Verse 38:24 Similar
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:24] Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, Let no one know these words, and you will not die.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:24] The king said to him, Let no one learn anything of these words, and you certainly will not die.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek uses titles/pronouns and emphatic negation; the secrecy instruction corresponds.
Verse 38:25 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:25] If the officials hear that I spoke with you, come to you, and say, Tell us what you said to the king. Hide nothing from us and we will not kill you. What did the king say to you?
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:25] If the rulers hear that I spoke to you, come to you, and say, Tell us what the king said to you. Hide nothing from us and we certainly will not kill you. What did the king say to you?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek repeats the question about the king's speech, where Hebrew first asks Jeremiah's speech and then the king's. The repetition is not corrected.
Verse 38:26 Similar
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:26] tell them, I was laying my plea before the king not to send me back to Jonathan's house to die there.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:26] tell them, I am casting my appeal for mercy before the king's eyes, not to send me back to Jonathan's house to die there.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek mercy-appeal repeats the usage noted at36:7 and37:20; the plea's substance corresponds.
Verse 38:27 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:27] All the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him. He told them exactly what the king had instructed him, and they left him in silence, because the conversation had not been overheard.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:27] All the rulers came to Jeremiah and questioned him. He reported everything the king had instructed him, and they fell silent, because the Lord's word had not been heard.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek explicitly says the Lord's word, whereas Hebrew only says the matter/word. The Hebrew context suggests the private conversation; the Greek religious specification is preserved.
Verse 38:28 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[38:28] Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured. And when Jerusalem was captured—
Greek–English Saints Priority
[45:28] Jeremiah remained in the prison court until the time Jerusalem was captured.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew has a second capture clause after a paragraph break, introducing the next narrative; Greek lacks it. It is translated once here, within the publisher's38:28 boundary, not duplicated in chapter thirty-nine.