Zechariah 1 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 1:6
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 1
Return and the mounted patrol
Verse 1:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:1 In the eighth month, in Darius's second year, the word of YHWH came to Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:1 In the eighth month of the second year under Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, Berechiah's son, son of Addo, the prophet, saying:
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The date, prophetic word and two-generation identification correspond; Iddo/Addo preserve the name forms.
Verse 1:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:2 “YHWH was fiercely angry with your fathers.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:2 “The Lord was angry with your fathers with great anger.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew repeats the anger root emphatically; Greek makes the greatness explicit.
Verse 1:3 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:3 Say to them: Thus says YHWH of hosts: Return to Me, declares YHWH of hosts, and I will return to you, says YHWH of hosts.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:3 You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord Almighty: Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek has fewer repeated divine declarations and renders the first hosts title as Almighty. Both retain reciprocal return.
Verse 1:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets called, saying, ‘Thus says YHWH of hosts: Please turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to Me, declares YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:4 Do not become like your fathers, against whom the former prophets brought charges, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord Almighty: Turn away from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they did not attend to hearing Me, says the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek enekalesan presents an accusation where Hebrew describes calling. Both name evil ways and conduct and the refusal to listen.
Verse 1:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:5 Your fathers—where are they? And the prophets—will they live forever?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:5 Your fathers—where are they? And the prophets—surely they will not live forever?
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both question the continued life of fathers and prophets; Greek explicitly anticipates a negative answer.
Verse 1:6 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:6 But My words and My decrees, which I commanded My servants the prophets—did they not overtake your fathers? They returned and said, ‘Just as YHWH of hosts planned to do to us according to our ways and deeds, so He has dealt with us.’”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:6 Yet receive My words and My ordinances, whatever I command in My Spirit to My servants the prophets, who overtook your fathers.” And they answered and said, “As the Lord Almighty has arrayed Himself to act according to your ways and practices, so He acted toward you.”
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew asks whether divine words overtook the fathers and reports their first-person acknowledgment. Greek commands reception, adds in My Spirit, grammatically makes the prophets the overtaking agents, and reports an address to you. These change both the means of confrontation and the confession's speakers and addressees.
Verse 1:7 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in Darius's second year, the word of YHWH came to Zechariah son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, the prophet, saying:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month—which is the month Sabat—in the second year under Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, Berechiah's son, son of Addo, the prophet, saying:
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The full date and prophetic identification correspond. Ancient month-name forms are retained without imposing a modern calendar date.
Verse 1:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:8 I saw in the night: look, a man riding a red horse! He was standing among the myrtles in the hollow, and behind him were red, tawny and white horses.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:8 I saw in the night: look, a man mounted on a flame-red horse! He stood between the two shaded mountains, and behind him were flame-red, gray, dappled and white horses.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew myrtles in a hollow become Greek two shaded mountains; Greek lists four color descriptions against Hebrew three. Hebrew seruqqim, rendered tawny, remains a color-identification question. No symbolic identities are inserted. Rabbinic: Rashi cautions that the cited allegorical account does not fit the verse’s language and sequence, and explicitly leaves seruqqim unidentified. Tawny therefore remains provisional [RASHI-ZEC1].
Verse 1:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:9 I said, “What are these, my lord?” The angel speaking with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:9 I said, “What are these, lord?” The angel speaking within me said to me, “I will show you what these are.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The question and promise agree. Hebrew diber bi can suggest speaking with or through the prophet; Greek en emoi is retained as within me without deciding a theory of inspiration.
Verse 1:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:10 The man standing among the myrtles answered, “These are the ones YHWH sent to go about the earth.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:10 The man standing between the mountains answered and said to me, “These are the ones the Lord sent out to travel around the earth.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The patrol's commission agrees; myrtles versus mountains continues the distinct setting of verse eight.
Verse 1:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:11 They answered the angel of YHWH standing among the myrtles, “We have gone about the earth, and look, all the earth is settled and quiet.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:11 They answered the angel of the Lord standing between the mountains, “We have traveled around all the earth, and look, all the earth is inhabited and quiet.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Both report a quiet, settled earth; the messenger's setting remains myrtles in Hebrew and mountains in Greek.
Verse 1:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:12 The angel of YHWH answered, “YHWH of hosts, how long will You withhold compassion from Jerusalem and Judah's cities, against which You have been indignant these seventy years?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:12 The angel of the Lord answered, “Lord Almighty, how long will You refuse mercy to Jerusalem and Judah's cities, which You have overlooked this seventieth year?”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew indignation becomes Greek overlooking, and these seventy years becomes this seventieth year. Both plead for mercy toward Jerusalem and Judah's cities.
Verse 1:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:13 YHWH answered the angel speaking with me with good words, comforting words.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:13 The Lord Almighty answered the angel speaking within me with good words and comforting speeches.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The comforting answer corresponds. Greek adds Almighty and retains its within-me formulation.
Verse 1:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:14 The angel speaking with me said to me, “Proclaim: Thus says YHWH of hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and Zion with great jealousy.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:14 The angel speaking within me said to me, “Cry out: Thus says the Lord Almighty: I have been jealous for Jerusalem and Zion with great jealousy,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The proclamation and intensive divine jealousy for Jerusalem and Zion correspond.
Verse 1:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:15 I am greatly angry with the nations at ease, for I was only a little angry, but they helped bring disaster.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:15 and I am angry with great anger at the nations joining in assault, because I was a little angry, but they joined in attacking to bring evils.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew characterizes the nations as complacent and helping disaster; Greek calls them fellow attackers and repeats their assault. The disproportion between divine anger and their action remains.
Verse 1:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:16 Therefore thus says YHWH: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion. My house will be built in her, declares YHWH of hosts, and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:16 Therefore thus says the Lord: I will return to Jerusalem in compassion, and My house will be rebuilt in her, says the Lord Almighty, and a measure will again be extended over Jerusalem.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The return, compassionate rebuilding and measuring correspond. Hebrew perfect returned is retained against Greek future return; Greek adds again to the measuring.
Verse 1:17 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
1:17 Proclaim further: Thus says YHWH of hosts: My cities will again overflow with good; YHWH will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
1:17 The angel speaking within me said to me, “Cry out: Thus says the Lord Almighty: Cities will again overflow with good things; the Lord will again have mercy on Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek explicitly repeats the angelic speech introduction, lacks My before cities and has mercy where Hebrew has comfort. Renewed prosperity and Jerusalem's choice agree.