Jeremiah 40 — 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 40
Jeremiah joins Gedaliah; a warning is rejected
Hebrew source: BHS40 • chapter 40
Greek source: LXX47 • chapter 47
Verse 40:1 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:1] The word that came to Jeremiah from YHWH after Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, released him from Ramah, having taken him while he was bound in chains among all Jerusalem's and Judah's exiles being deported to Babylon.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:1] The word that came from the Lord to Jeremiah afterward, after Nebuzaradan, the chief guard from Daman, sent him away, when he took him in handcuffs among Judah's exiles who were being led to Babylon.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek describes the chief guard as from Daman, whereas Hebrew has release from Ramah. Greek lacks Jerusalem and all. Chief guard renders the conventional office literally termed chief cook/slaughterer; Daman is not silently changed to Ramah.
Verse 40:2 Similar
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:2] The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, YHWH your God pronounced this disaster against this place.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:2] The chief guard took him and said to him, The Lord your God spoke these calamities against this place.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek pronoun him corresponds to the named Jeremiah; calamities is plural against Hebrew singular disaster.
Verse 40:3 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:3] YHWH brought it about and acted as He had spoken. Because you sinned against YHWH and did not obey His voice, this thing has happened to you.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:3] And the Lord acted, because you sinned against Him and did not obey His voice.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks brought-it-about/as-He-spoke and the concluding this-happened-to-you. You is plural in both, addressing the people collectively.
Verse 40:4 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:4] Now look, today I have released you from the chains on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. If it seems bad to you to come with me to Babylon, refrain. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever it seems good and right to you to go.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:4] Look, I have released you from the handcuffs on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek's alternative begins in the next source verse and lacks the extended whole-land invitation here. Set-my-eyes-on-you is rendered look-after-you in both. Each source verse is translated once.
Verse 40:5 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:5] Before he had yet turned back—Return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom Babylon's king appointed over Judah's cities, and live with him among the people; or go wherever it seems right to you to go. The captain of the guard gave him an allowance and a gift and sent him away.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:5] But if not, go off and return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom Babylon's king appointed in Judah's land, and live with him among the people in Judah's land. Go wherever it seems good in your eyes to go. The chief guard gave him gifts and sent him away.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew's initial third-person not-yet-returning clause shifts abruptly into an imperative; the dash preserves this difficult transition without inventing a new speaker formula. Greek gives a continuous alternative command. Hebrew cities contrasts Greek land; Greek lacks the separate allowance and adds the repeated land-of-Judah.
Verse 40:6 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:6] Jeremiah came to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and lived with him among the people remaining in the land.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:6] He came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and lived among the people left in the land.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks Jeremiah's explicit name, Gedaliah's patronymic, and with-him.
Verse 40:7 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:7] All the army commanders in the countryside, they and their men, heard that Babylon's king had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land and had entrusted to him men, women, children, and some of the land's poor who had not been deported to Babylon.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:7] All the commanders of the force in the countryside, they and their men, heard that Babylon's king had appointed Gedaliah in the land and had entrusted to him men and their wives whom he had not deported to Babylon.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks the patronymic, children, and poor, and specifies their-women/wives. Greek has an active deporting subject against Hebrew passive.
Verse 40:8 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:8] They came to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, they and their men.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:8] Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ophe the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, they and their men.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks Jonathan and consequently has son rather than sons of Kareah. Its Ophe is preserved against Hebrew displayed Ephai; familiar spellings are used only for recognizable correspondences.
Verse 40:9 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:9] Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan swore to them and their men, saying, Do not fear serving the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve Babylon's king, and it will go well with you.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:9] Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, Do not be afraid of the Chaldeans' servants. Live in the land and work for Babylon's king, and it will be better for you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew serving-the-Chaldeans differs from Greek before-the-servants-of-the-Chaldeans. Greek lacks the two-generation patronymic and uses comparative better.
Verse 40:10 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:10] As for me, I am staying at Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who come to us. Gather wine, summer fruit, and oil; put them in your containers and live in the cities you have taken over.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:10] Look, I am staying before you at Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who come against you. Gather wine and summer fruit, gather oil, put them in your containers, and live in the cities you have taken over.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds before-you, changes us to you, and has come-upon/against-you; the preposition need not assert a fresh hostile attack. Both retain standing before the Chaldeans rather than specifying an unattested administrative role.
Verse 40:11 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:11] All the Judeans in Moab, among Ammon's people, in Edom, and in all the other lands also heard that Babylon's king had left a remnant for Judah and appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan over them.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:11] All the Judeans in Moab's land, among Ammon's people, in Idumea, and in all the land heard that Babylon's king had left a remnant for Judah and appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over them.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek has singular all-the-land against Hebrew plural lands and lacks son-of-Shaphan. Idumea is retained as the Greek geographical designation corresponding to Edom.
Verse 40:12 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:12] All the Judeans returned from all the places where they had been scattered and came to Judah's land, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. They gathered a very great amount of wine and summer fruit.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:12] They came to Gedaliah in Judah's land at Mizpah and gathered a very great amount of wine and summer fruit, and oil.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks the opening return-from-all-scattered-places clause and adds oil at the end.
Verse 40:13 Same
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:13] Johanan son of Kareah and all the army commanders in the countryside came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:13] Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the force in the countryside came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both introduce the warning by Johanan and the commanders.
Verse 40:14 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:14] They said to him, Do you really know that Baalis king of Ammon's people has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life? But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:14] They said to him, Do you really know that Belisa king of Ammon's people has sent Ishmael to you to take your life? But Gedaliah did not believe them.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek adds to-you and lacks both patronymics. Belisa preserves the selected Greek royal name rather than silently replacing it with Baalis. Strike-your-life means kill, not merely injure.
Verse 40:15 Different
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:15] Johanan son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Let me go and strike down Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know. Why should he take your life, so that all Judah gathered to you is scattered and Judah's remnant perishes?
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:15] Johanan spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Let me go and strike down Ishmael, and let no one know, lest he take your life and all Judah gathered to you be scattered, and Judah's survivors perish.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek expresses a precaution with lest against Hebrew why-should and lacks the patronymics. The proposal to kill is retained without a euphemism or an endorsement.
Verse 40:16 Divergent
Hebrew–English Rabbinic Priority
[40:16] Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, Do not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely about Ishmael.
Greek–English Saints Priority
[47:16] Gedaliah said to Johanan, Do not do this thing, for you are speaking falsehoods about Ishmael.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks both patronymics; the rejection of the warning otherwise corresponds.