Genesis 38 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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Same 14 Similar 2 Different 9 Divergent 3 Disparate 2
Disparate in this chapter: 38:2, 38:12
Each verse is rendered independently from the Hebrew (Rabbinic reading tradition) and from the Greek (Saints reading tradition). The badge classifies the relationship between the two readings; the note beneath records the source document’s comparison and attributed interpretation. Each column retains its own verse references where numbering differs.
Judah’s Adversity
38:1 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:1 It came to pass at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and arrived as far as a certain Adullamite man named Hirah.
Greek · Saints priority
38:1 It came to pass at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and arrived as far as a certain Adullamite man named Hirah.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:2 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:2 Judah saw there the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He took her as his wife and went in to her.
Greek · Saints priority
38:2 Judah saw there a Canaanite man’s daughter named Shua. He took her as his wife and went in to her.
Hebrew names the father Shua; the Greek feminine relative names the woman Shua, as verse 12 confirms [G38]. The person bearing the name changes from the woman’s father to the woman.
38:3 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:3 She conceived and bore a son, and he named him Er.
Greek · Saints priority
38:3 She conceived and bore a son, and named him Er.
Hebrew’s naming verb is masculine; Greek continues without an expressed subject after the woman’s actions [G38].
38:4 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:4 And she conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.
Greek · Saints priority
38:4 And she conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:5 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:5 She bore another son and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.
Greek · Saints priority
38:5 She bore another son and named him Shelah. She was at Chasbi when she bore them.
He/she and him/them differ; the consulted Greek plural is retained [G38].
38:6 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:6 And Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
Greek · Saints priority
38:6 And Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:7 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:7 Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in YHWH’s sight, and YHWH put him to death.
Greek · Saints priority
38:7 Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked before the Lord, and God put him to death.
The final divine designation is YHWH/God [G38].
38:8 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:8 Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, perform a brother-in-law’s duty to her, and raise up seed for your brother.â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:8 Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, perform a brother-in-law’s duty to her, and raise up seed for your brother.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:9 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:9 Onan knew that the seed would not be his, so whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to avoid giving seed to his brother.
Greek · Saints priority
38:9 Onan knew that the seed would not be his, so whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to avoid giving seed to his brother.
The act is described in its stated family-duty context. Later ethical applications should remain in attributed commentary.
38:10 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:10 What he did was wicked in YHWH’s sight, and He put him to death also.
Greek · Saints priority
38:10 It appeared evil before God that he did this, and He put him to death also.
YHWH/God differs in designation [G38].
38:11 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows upâ€â€”for he said to himself, “Lest he also die like his brothers.†So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
Greek · Saints priority
38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows upâ€â€”for he said to himself, “Lest he also die like his brothers.†So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
Judah’s Lust
38:12 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:12 After many days, Shua’s daughter, Judah’s wife, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
Greek · Saints priority
38:12 After many days, Shua, Judah’s wife, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah with his shepherd Hirah the Adullamite.
The woman’s naming follows verse 2. Hirah is Judah’s friend in Hebrew and shepherd in Greek [G38]. The woman’s identity and his companion’s role differ.
38:13 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:13 And it was reported to Tamar, saying, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:13 Tamar, his daughter-in-law, was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.â€
Greek explicitly identifies Tamar as his daughter-in-law [G38].
38:14 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:14 She removed her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she had not been given to him as a wife.
Greek · Saints priority
38:14 She removed her widow’s garments, put on a veil, adorned herself, and sat at the gates of Ainan on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up, but he had not given her to him as a wife.
Wrapped/adorned, the place-name forms, and the explicit Greek agency differ [G38].
38:15 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:15 Judah saw her and thought she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face.
Greek · Saints priority
38:15 Judah saw her and thought she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face, and he did not recognize her.
Greek explicitly adds that he did not recognize her [G38].
38:16 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:16 And he turned aside to her by the wayside and said, “Allow me to come in to youâ€â€”for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me if you come in to me?â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:16 And he turned aside to her by the wayside and said, “Allow me to come in to youâ€â€”for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me if you come in to me?â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:17 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:17 He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.†She said, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:17 He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.†She said, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:18 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?†She said, “Your signet, your cord, and the staff in your hand.†He gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.
Greek · Saints priority
38:18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?†She said, “Your ring, your necklace, and the staff in your hand.†He gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.
The personal objects are described as signet/cord and ring/necklace [G38].
38:19 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:19 Then she arose and departed; she took off her veil and put on her widow’s garments once again.
Greek · Saints priority
38:19 Then she arose and departed; she took off her veil and put on her widow’s garments once again.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:20 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:20 Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to recover the pledge from the woman, but he did not find her.
Greek · Saints priority
38:20 Judah sent the young goat by his shepherd the Adullamite to recover the pledge from the woman, but he did not find her.
Friend/shepherd repeats verse 12 [G38].
38:21 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:21 Then he questioned the men of that place, saying, “Where is the prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?†They replied, “There has been no prostitute here.â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:21 Then he questioned the men of that place, saying, “Where is the prostitute who was by the road at Ainan?†They replied, “There has been no prostitute here.â€
Hebrew here uses qedeshah rather than the zonah of verse 15; Greek uses prostitute. A specific temple institution is not established by the word alone.
38:22 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I did not find her; and moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There is no prostitute here.’â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I did not find her; and moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There is no prostitute here.’â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:23 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:23 And Judah said, “Let her keep them for herself, lest we become a laughingstock. Behold, I sent this kid, and you did not find her.â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:23 And Judah said, “Let her keep them for herself, lest we become a laughingstock. Behold, I sent this kid, and you did not find her.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
Judah’s Shame
38:24 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:24 And it came to pass after three months that it was reported to Judah, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the prostitute, and behold, she is with child from prostitution.†Then Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned.â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:24 And it came to pass after three months that it was reported to Judah, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the prostitute, and behold, she is with child from prostitution.†Then Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:25 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.†She said, “Please recognize whose signet, cords, and staff these are.â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.†She said, “Recognize whose ring, necklace, and staff these are.â€
The pledged objects retain the distinction in verse 18 [G38]. Rabbinic reception: Rashi’s ethical reading emphasizes Tamar’s care to avoid publicly shaming Judah through her indirect disclosure [R38].
38:26 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more in the right than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.†He did not know her again.
Greek · Saints priority
38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “Tamar is more in the right than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.†He did not know her again.
Greek names Tamar. The comparative judgment concerns Judah’s failure here; know is the sexual idiom [G38].
38:27 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:27 And it came to pass when she was giving birth, behold, there were twins in her womb.
Greek · Saints priority
38:27 And it came to pass when she was giving birth, behold, there were twins in her womb.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
38:28 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:28 As she gave birth, one put out a hand. The midwife took it and tied a scarlet thread around it, saying, “This one came out first.â€
Greek · Saints priority
38:28 As she gave birth, one put out a hand. The midwife took it and tied a scarlet thread around it, saying, “This one will come out first.â€
The midwife’s statement is past in Hebrew and future in Greek [G38].
38:29 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:29 But as he drew back his hand, his brother came out. She said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!†He was named Perez.
Greek · Saints priority
38:29 But as he drew back his hand, his brother immediately came out. She said, “Why has a barrier been broken through because of you?†He was named Perez.
The breach imagery supplies the naming wordplay. Passive naming avoids supplying a person not explicitly named [G38]. Saints reception: Matthew 1:3 names Judah, Tamar, Perez, and Zerah in Jesus’ genealogy. This is a genealogical use of the narrative, not a quotation of this verse [S38].
38:30 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
38:30 Afterward his brother came out, with the scarlet thread on his hand; he was named Zerah.
Greek · Saints priority
38:30 Afterward his brother came out, with the scarlet thread on his hand; he was named Zerah.
Both record the second twin’s emergence and naming. Hebrew has an unexpressed masculine naming subject; Greek does not identify the namer explicitly. The passive avoids the draft’s unsupported she in the Hebrew column. [H38; G38]
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Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.