Zechariah 14 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 14:5, 14:10
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 14
The day of YHWH and holiness
Verse 14:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:1 Look, a day is coming for YHWH, when your plunder will be divided within you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:1 Look, days of the Lord are coming, and your spoils will be divided within you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew a day becomes Greek plural days. Both address the city whose plunder is divided inside it.
Verse 14:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:2 I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle. The city will be captured, the houses plundered and the women raped. Half the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:2 I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for war. The city will be captured, the houses plundered and the women violated. Half the city will go into captivity, but the remnant of My people will certainly not be destroyed from the city.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Both predict the city's capture, sexual violence and exile of half, without concealing the atrocities. Greek adds My people and uses defilement language for the women where Hebrew's displayed verb directly denotes sexual violation. The verse predicts violence; it does not instruct readers to commit it.
Verse 14:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:3 YHWH will go out and fight against those nations, as on a day when He fights on a day of battle.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:3 The Lord will go out and draw up for battle among those nations, as on the day of His battle formation on a day of war.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both describe divine military intervention; Greek formation among the nations is retained against Hebrew fighting them.
Verse 14:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives will split through its middle from east to west, making a very great valley; half the mountain will move north and half south.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives opposite Jerusalem to the east. The Mount of Olives will split, half of it toward the east and half toward the sea—a very great chasm; half the mountain will incline north and half south.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew gives an east-west split and north-south displacement; Greek describes halves toward east and sea before north-south inclination. Both preserve the vast opening and divine feet, without reconciling the spatial sequence into a modern map.
Verse 14:5 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:5 You will flee through the valley of My mountains, for the mountain valley will reach Azal. You will flee as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. YHWH my God will come, all the holy ones with you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:5 The ravine of My mountains will be blocked; the mountain ravine will be joined as far as Iasol and blocked as it was blocked in the days of the earthquake, in the days of Oziah king of Judah. The Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew repeated fleeing becomes Greek repeated blockage of the ravine. The shared earthquake and coming remain, but Hebrew with you becomes Greek with Him. Azal/Iasol and Uzziah/Oziah preserve source forms; neither escape nor blockage is silently erased. Rabbinic: Rashi reports Jonathan’s interpretation as the valley’s blockage. This is reception of the difficult wording, with the Targum known here only through Rashi’s quotation, not an independently checked Targum text [RASHI-ZEC14].
Verse 14:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:6 On that day there will be no light; the precious lights will congeal.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:6 On that day there will be no light, cold or ice.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew yeqarot yiqpaon is exceptionally difficult, here precious lights will congeal with lights supplied from context; no textual emendation is claimed. Greek explicitly names cold and ice. Its negation is read over the list, though punctuation restricting it to light remains possible. Rabbinic and reading note: the checked bilingual display also presents Qere weqippaon against the written yiqpaon. Rashi interprets fading light and congealed darkness. The Hebrew column here provisionally renders the written form; unlike 4:2, it does not adopt that displayed Qere [RASHI-ZEC14].
Verse 14:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:7 It will be one day, known to YHWH, neither day nor night; at evening time there will be light.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:7 It will last one day, and that day is known to the Lord, neither day nor night; toward evening there will be light.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The exceptional day, divine knowledge, neither-day-nor-night description and evening light correspond. Greek's accusative one day suggests duration.
Verse 14:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:8 On that day living waters will go out from Jerusalem, half toward the eastern sea and half toward the western sea; it will happen in summer and winter.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:8 On that day living water will go out from Jerusalem, half into the first sea and half into the last sea; it will be so in summer and spring.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew eastern/western seas become Greek first/last seas, and winter becomes spring. Both retain two equal streams and continuing seasonal flow; no modern sea names are supplied.
Verse 14:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:9 YHWH will be king over all the earth. On that day YHWH will be one, and His name one.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:9 The Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one, and His name one,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Universal divine kingship and the repeated oneness agree. Rabbinic: Rashi understands the oneness through the nations’ abandoning idols and universally acknowledging God and His name [RASHI-ZEC14].
Verse 14:10 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:10 All the land will become like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. She will be raised and dwell in her place, from Benjamin's Gate to the place of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from Hananel's Tower to the king's wine vats.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:10 encircling all the land and the wilderness from Gabe to Remmon south of Jerusalem. Rama will remain in its place, from Benjamin's Gate to the place of the First Gate, to the Gate of Corners and to Ananeel's Tower, to the king's wine vats.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew the land's becoming a plain and Jerusalem's being raised become Greek a continuing encircling action and the named Rama remaining. All stated landmarks are preserved, including Greek's repeated to rather than Hebrew's final from-to pair. The Greek participle's attachment remains provisional.
Verse 14:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:11 People will dwell in her; there will no longer be a ban of destruction, and Jerusalem will dwell securely.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:11 They will dwell in her; there will no longer be anything accursed, and Jerusalem will dwell confidently.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Habitation, removal of the destructive ban and security agree. Hebrew herem and Greek anathema retain their related dedication-and-curse vocabulary without adding an otherwise unnamed victim.
Verse 14:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:12 This will be the plague with which YHWH strikes all the peoples who fought against Jerusalem: each one's flesh will rot while he stands on his feet; his eyes will rot in their sockets, and his tongue will rot in their mouth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:12 This will be the downfall with which the Lord strikes all the peoples who marched against Jerusalem: their flesh will melt while they stand on their feet; their eyes will flow from their sockets, and their tongue will melt in their mouth.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew rot and Greek melting or flowing retain their different physical images; Hebrew plague becomes Greek downfall. Hebrew's singular representative and final plural their are preserved, while Greek uses plural possessives. Both retain the severe bodily judgment.
Verse 14:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:13 On that day great panic from YHWH will be among them. Each will seize his neighbor's hand, and his hand will rise against his neighbor's hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:13 On that day great bewilderment from the Lord will be upon them. Each will seize his neighbor's hand, and his hand will grapple with his neighbor's hand.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both depict divinely induced confusion and mutual hand-to-hand struggle, with rising against versus grappling as the action's imagery.
Verse 14:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:14 Judah too will fight in Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered: gold, silver and garments in very great abundance.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:14 Judah will draw up for battle in Jerusalem and gather the strength of all the surrounding peoples: gold, silver and clothing in very great abundance.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew passively gathered wealth becomes Greek Judah actively gathering resources. Hebrew fighting in Jerusalem can also be construed against Jerusalem; the locative reading is provisional. The full list and abundance agree.
Verse 14:15 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:15 The plague on horse, mule, camel, donkey and every animal in those camps will be like this plague.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:15 This will also be the downfall of horses, mules, camels, donkeys and every animal in those camps, according to this downfall.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: All four named animal kinds and the comprehensive remaining animals agree. Plague/downfall continues the sources' terminology.
Verse 14:16 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:16 Everyone remaining from all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to bow before the King, YHWH of hosts, and celebrate the Festival of Booths.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:16 Whoever remains from all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up each year to bow before the King, the Lord Almighty, and celebrate the Festival of Tent-Pitching.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both preserve surviving former attackers, annual pilgrimage, divine kingship and the festival of temporary dwellings. The festival's Hebrew and Greek imagery is retained.
Verse 14:17 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:17 Any of the earth's families who do not go up to Jerusalem to bow before the King, YHWH of hosts, will receive no rain.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:17 Whoever among all the earth's tribes does not go up to Jerusalem to bow before the King, the Lord Almighty—these will be added to those.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek lacks the withheld-rain clause and instead says these will be added to those, without explicitly naming the latter group. The pilgrimage condition agrees, but its stated consequence is not supplied from Hebrew.
Verse 14:18 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:18 If Egypt's family does not go up and come, with no rain upon them, there will be the plague with which YHWH strikes the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:18 If Egypt's tribe does not go up or come there, upon these too will be the downfall with which the Lord strikes all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tent-Pitching.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew includes the elliptical and not upon them, here read as no rain from verse seventeen; Greek has no corresponding negation and directly affirms the downfall upon Egypt too. The Hebrew ellipsis and Egypt's precise relation to the rain clause remain unresolved.
Verse 14:19 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:19 This will be Egypt's penalty and the penalty of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:19 This will be Egypt's sin and the sin of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tent-Pitching.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both summarize the consequence of refusing the festival. Hebrew hattat is construed as sin's penalty, Greek hamartia as sin; both terms can connect wrongdoing and its consequence, so no strict contradiction is claimed.
Verse 14:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:20 On that day the horses' bells will bear, ‘Holy to YHWH,’ and the pots in YHWH's house will be like the bowls before the altar.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:20 On that day what is upon the horse's bridle will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and the cauldrons in the Lord's house will be like bowls before the altar.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew bells become Greek the object on the bridle; Greek adds Almighty and does not explicitly frame the holiness phrase as an inscription. Both extend holiness to equine equipment and ordinary cooking vessels.
Verse 14:21 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
14:21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to YHWH of hosts. All who sacrifice will come, take some of them and cook in them. No Canaanite will remain in the house of YHWH of hosts on that day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
14:21 Every cauldron in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty. All who sacrifice will come, take some of them and boil in them. No Canaanite will remain in the house of the Lord Almighty on that day.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The holiness of every vessel, sacrificial cooking and final Canaanite clause correspond. Hebrew kenaʿani can also denote a merchant; the displayed ethnic term is retained provisionally in both, without applying the exclusion to a modern group.