Genesis 43 — Hebrew and Greek compared
↠Genesis 42 compared · Reading text of Genesis 43 · Genesis: all chapters · Genesis 44 compared →
Same 19 Similar 2 Different 8 Divergent 5 Disparate 0
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.
Israel’s Acceptance
43:1 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:1 But the famine prevailed upon the land.
Greek · Saints priority
43:1 But the famine prevailed upon the land.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:2 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:2 And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:2 And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:3 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:3 Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:3 Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your youngest brother is with you.’â€
Greek explicitly adds youngest. Rahlfs–Hanhart has is with you, correcting the draft’s comes down to me. [G43]
43:4 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:4 “If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:4 “If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:5 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:5 “but if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you’.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:5 “but if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your youngest brother is with you’.â€
Greek repeats the youngest qualification [G43].
43:6 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:6 And Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:6 And Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:7 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:7 And they replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we answered him according to his questioning. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:7 And they replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we answered him according to his questioning. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:8 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:8 Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the young man with me. We will set out, so we may live and not die, we, you, and our little ones.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:8 Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the young man with me. We will set out, so we may live and not die, we, you, and our households.â€
Greek aposkeuē can include the traveling household and its dependents; households fits the living-and-dying context better than V1’s possessions. Hebrew specifically names the little ones [G43].
43:9 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:9 “I myself will be his guarantor; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:9 “I myself will be his guarantor; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:10 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:10 “For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:10 “For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:11 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:11 Israel their father said to them, “If it must be so, do this: take some of the land’s choice produce in your bags and bring the man a gift, a little balm, a little honey, spices, ladanum, pistachios, and almonds.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:11 Israel their father said to them, “If it must be so, do this: take some of the land’s produce in your bags and bring the man gifts of resin, honey, aromatics, stacte, terebinth nuts, and nuts.â€
The goods retain distinct source terms; Greek’s final nut term is broader than almonds. Exact botanical identifications remain provisional; see 37:25 [G43].
43:12 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:12 “And take twice the silver in your hands, and carry back with you the silver that was returned in the mouths of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:12 “And take twice the silver in your hands, and carry back with you the silver that was returned in your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.â€
Both order the silver returned; Greek mentions the sacks without repeating the Hebrew mouths of the sacks.
43:13 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:13 “Take your brother also, and arise, go down again to the man.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:13 “Take your brother also, and arise, go down again to the man.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:14 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:14 “May El Shaddai grant you compassion before the man, so he may release your other brother and Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:14 “May my God grant you favor before the man, so he may release your one brother and Benjamin. As for me, as I have been bereaved, I have been bereaved.â€
Hebrew El Shaddai and Greek my God retain distinct divine designations. The bereavement formula also differs in verbal presentation. El Shaddai is rendered consistently with 28:3 and 35:11, without claiming that its etymology is settled. [G43]
Joseph Welcomes His Brothers
43:15 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:15 So the men took those presents, and they took twice the silver in their hands, along with Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
Greek · Saints priority
43:15 So the men took those presents, and they took twice the silver in their hands, along with Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:16 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward, “Bring the men into the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare the meal, for the men will eat with me at noon.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:16 Joseph saw them with Benjamin, his brother by the same mother, and ordered his steward to bring the men into the house. “Slaughter animals and prepare the meal, for the men will eat bread with me at noon.â€
Greek explicitly identifies the shared mother. Its slaughter term can denote sacrificial victims, but the meal context does not independently establish a formal religious rite [G43].
43:17 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:17 And the man did just as Joseph said, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.
Greek · Saints priority
43:17 And the man did just as Joseph said, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:18 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:18 The men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of the silver returned to our sacks the first time, so he can find a pretext against us, attack us, and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:18 Seeing that they were brought into Joseph’s house, the men said, “We are being brought in because of the silver returned to our sacks the first time, so he can accuse us falsely, attack us, and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.â€
Hebrew expressly states their fear; Greek begins with seeing and makes false accusation explicit. The duplicated were in V1 is removed [G43].
43:19 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:19 So they approached the man who was over Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him in the gateway of the house.
Greek · Saints priority
43:19 So they approached the man who was over Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him in the gateway of the house.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:20 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:20 They said, “Please, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:20 They said, “Please, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:21 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:21 “When we reached the lodging place and opened our sacks, each man’s silver was in the mouth of his sack, our silver at its full weight. We have brought it back with us.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:21 “When we reached the lodging place and opened our sacks, each man’s silver was in his sack. We have now brought our silver back at its full weight in our hands.â€
Both describe the returned silver at its full weight. Rahlfs–Hanhart ends in our hands, correcting the draft’s in our sacks. The retelling is preserved without rewriting the account in 42:27–35. [G43]
43:22 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:22 “and we have brought other silver with us to buy food. We do not know who cast the silver into our sacks.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:22 “and we have brought other silver with us to buy food. We do not know who cast the silver into our sacks.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:23 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:23 He said, “Peace to you; do not fear. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your silver.†He brought Simeon out to them.
Greek · Saints priority
43:23 The man said, “May you find favor; do not fear. Your God and the God of your fathers has given you treasures in your sacks. I have received your good silver in full.†He brought Simeon out to them.
Father/fathers, the greeting, and the receipt language differ. Good silver describes accepted payment, without imposing coined legal tender [G43].
43:24 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:24 And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water to wash their feet, and he provided fodder for their donkeys.
Greek · Saints priority
43:24 He brought water for them to wash their feet and brought fodder for their donkeys.
The consulted Greek lacks the repeated entry into the house [G43].
43:25 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:25 They prepared the gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon, for they had heard that they would eat bread there.
Greek · Saints priority
43:25 Then they prepared their presents for Joseph’s arrival at noon, for they had heard that he was about to dine there.
Hebrew refers to their eating; Greek refers to his dining [G43].
Israel’s Sons Feast
43:26 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:26 When Joseph entered the house, they brought him the presents that were in their hands into the house, and they prostrated themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
Greek · Saints priority
43:26 When Joseph entered the house, they brought him the presents that were in their hands into the house, and they prostrated themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:27 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:27 And he questioned them, saying, “How are you?†And he said to them, “Is your father healthy, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:27 And he questioned them, saying, “How are you?†And he said to them, “Is your father healthy, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:28 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.†They bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.
Greek · Saints priority
43:28 They said, “Your servant our father is healthy; he is still alive.†He said, “May that man be blessed by God.†They bowed their heads and prostrated themselves.
Greek adds the blessing, with he referring contextually to Joseph [G43].
43:29 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:29 He looked up and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?†He said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:29 Joseph looked up and saw Benjamin, his brother by the same mother, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you said you would bring to me?†He said, “May God show mercy to you, child.â€
Greek refers to bringing Benjamin and has mercy/child against gracious/my son [G43].
43:30 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:30 Joseph hurried away, deeply moved for his brother, and sought a place to weep. He entered his chamber and wept there.
Greek · Saints priority
43:30 Joseph was troubled, for his heart stirred deeply for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. He entered his chamber and wept there.
Hurried/was troubled differs. The Greek inward-organ idiom is rendered as deep emotion, without V1’s distracting literal anatomy [G43].
43:31 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:31 Then he washed his face and came out; and restraining himself, he said, “Set on the bread.â€
Greek · Saints priority
43:31 Then he washed his face and came out; and restraining himself, he said, “Set on the bread.â€
The corresponding meaning and content agree.
43:32 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:32 And they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who dined with him by themselves; for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
Greek · Saints priority
43:32 They served him separately, the brothers separately, and the Egyptians who ate with him separately. The Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that was an abomination to the Egyptians.
Rahlfs–Hanhart attributes the objection to eating together, agreeing with Hebrew. The draft’s every shepherd of sheep clause belongs to 46:34 and is removed here. [G43]
43:33 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:33 They sat before him in order of age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
Greek · Saints priority
43:33 They sat before him in order of age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
The age-order and astonishment expressions are smoothed without adding an explanation for Joseph’s knowledge.
43:34 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
43:34 Portions were brought to them from his table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as large as any of theirs. They drank and became drunk with him.
Greek · Saints priority
43:34 Portions were brought to them from his table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as large as any of theirs. They drank and became drunk with him.
Both use a verb of becoming intoxicated; the wording is retained without turning the scene into a separate ethical judgment [G43].
↠Genesis 42 compared · Reading text of Genesis 43 · Genesis: all chapters · Genesis 44 compared →
Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.