Numbers 1 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Reading text of Numbers 1 · Numbers: all chapters · Numbers 2 compared →
Same 18 Similar 7 Different 7 Divergent 21 Disparate 1
Disparate in this chapter: 1:53
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.
The Command to Take a Census
1:1 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:1 YHWH spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt, saying:
Greek · Saints priority
1:1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Testimony, on the first day of the second month of the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt, saying:
Meeting / Testimony: the sanctuary is named by encounter in Hebrew and by witness in Greek. The setting and date agree.
Rabbinic reception: Rashi on Numbers 1:1 reads the repeated censuses as expressions of God’s affection for Israel.
Source: Rashi, Numbers 1:1
1:2 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:2 Take a census of the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of every male, head by head.
Greek · Saints priority
1:2 Take a total of the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families and their ancestral houses, counting their names, head by head, every male:
Both expressions direct an individual census. Greek synagÅgÄ“ means the gathered congregation here; it does not itself establish a later church polity.
1:3 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:3 From twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service in Israel: you and Aaron shall register them by their armies.
Greek · Saints priority
1:3 From twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in Israel’s army: register them with their army; you and Aaron shall register them.
Greek repeats the command to register. Its census verb episkeptomai does not itself designate a Christian episcopal office.
Appointment of Tribal Leaders
1:4 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:4 A man from each tribe shall be with you, each the head of his ancestral house.
Greek · Saints priority
1:4 With you shall be one of the rulers from each tribe; they shall represent their ancestral houses.
Both require tribal and ancestral-house leadership; the Greek syntax is compressed.
1:5 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:5 These are the names of the men who shall stand with you. For Reuben: Elizur son of Shedeur.
Greek · Saints priority
1:5 These are the names of the men who shall stand with you. For Reuben: Elizur son of Shedeur.
1:6 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:6 For Simeon: Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
Greek · Saints priority
1:6 For Simeon: Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
1:7 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:7 For Judah: Nahshon son of Amminadab.
Greek · Saints priority
1:7 For Judah: Nahshon son of Amminadab.
1:8 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:8 For Issachar: Nethanel son of Zuar.
Greek · Saints priority
1:8 For Issachar: Nethanel son of Zuar.
1:9 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:9 For Zebulun: Eliab son of Helon.
Greek · Saints priority
1:9 For Zebulun: Eliab son of Helon.
1:10 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:10 For the sons of Joseph: for Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; for Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
Greek · Saints priority
1:10 For the sons of Joseph: for Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; for Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
1:11 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:11 For Benjamin: Abidan son of Gideoni.
Greek · Saints priority
1:11 For Benjamin: Abidan son of Gideoni.
1:12 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:12 For Dan: Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
Greek · Saints priority
1:12 For Dan: Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
1:13 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:13 For Asher: Pagiel son of Ocran.
Greek · Saints priority
1:13 For Asher: Pagiel son of Ocran.
1:14 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:14 For Gad: Eliasaph son of Deuel.
Greek · Saints priority
1:14 For Gad: Eliasaph son of Reuel.
Hebrew Deuel / Greek Ragouel, rendered Reuel. Hebrew itself has Reuel at 2:14; the name difference is preserved here.
1:15 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:15 For Naphtali: Ahira son of Enan.
Greek · Saints priority
1:15 For Naphtali: Ahira son of Enan.
1:16 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:16 These were the men summoned from the congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of Israel’s thousands.
Greek · Saints priority
1:16 These were the men designated from the congregation, rulers of the tribes by ancestral houses; they were commanders of Israel’s thousands.
Greek chiliarchoi makes the leadership of thousands explicitly a command role.
Assembly and Registration
1:17 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:17 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name.
Greek · Saints priority
1:17 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been called by name.
1:18 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:18 They assembled the whole congregation on the first day of the second month. The men declared their descent by their clans and ancestral houses, with their names counted, from twenty years old and upward, head by head.
Greek · Saints priority
1:18 They assembled the whole congregation on the first day of the month of the second year and registered them by their descent and ancestral houses, counting their names, from twenty years old and upward, every male, head by head.
Hebrew dates the assembly to the second month; Greek’s compressed phrase is read here as the month of the second year. Greek also includes every male and describes tabulation rather than declaration of descent. Compare the fuller date in 1:1.
1:19 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:19 As YHWH commanded Moses, he registered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
Greek · Saints priority
1:19 As the Lord instructed Moses, they were registered in the wilderness of Sinai.
Hebrew names the counting action in the active singular; Greek gives a passive report.
The Tribal Census Counts
1:20 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:20 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, head by head, every male, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:20 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula.
1:21 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:21 Those registered for the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:21 The enrollment from the tribe of Reuben was forty-six thousand five hundred.
1:22 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:22 The sons of Simeon: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, those registered by the number of names, head by head, every male, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:22 The sons of Simeon: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Both include registration by names, head by head. Greek uses families and divisions where Hebrew speaks of descendants and clans.
1:23 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:23 Those registered for the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:23 The enrollment from the tribe of Simeon was fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
1:24 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:24 The sons of Gad: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:24 (LXX 1:36) The sons of Gad: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula. The Greek list has a different order; this cell aligns the same tribe, with its Greek verse reference shown.
1:25 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:25 Those registered for the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.
Greek · Saints priority
1:25 (LXX 1:37) The enrollment from the tribe of Gad was forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.
The count agrees. The Greek position differs; this is rearrangement, not a competing census total.
1:26 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:26 The sons of Judah: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:26 (LXX 1:24) The sons of Judah: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula. The Greek list has a different order; this cell aligns the same tribe, with its Greek verse reference shown.
1:27 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:27 Those registered for the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:27 (LXX 1:25) The enrollment from the tribe of Judah was seventy-four thousand six hundred.
The count agrees. The Greek position differs; this is rearrangement, not a competing census total.
1:28 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:28 The sons of Issachar: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:28 (LXX 1:26) The sons of Issachar: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula. The Greek list has a different order; this cell aligns the same tribe, with its Greek verse reference shown.
1:29 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:29 Those registered for the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:29 (LXX 1:27) The enrollment from the tribe of Issachar was fifty-four thousand four hundred.
The count agrees. The Greek position differs; this is rearrangement, not a competing census total.
1:30 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:30 The sons of Zebulun: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:30 (LXX 1:28) The sons of Zebulun: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula. The Greek list has a different order; this cell aligns the same tribe, with its Greek verse reference shown.
1:31 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:31 Those registered for the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:31 (LXX 1:29) The enrollment from the tribe of Zebulun was fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
The count agrees. The Greek position differs; this is rearrangement, not a competing census total.
1:32 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:32 The sons of Joseph, the sons of Ephraim: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:32 (LXX 1:30) The sons of Joseph, the sons of Ephraim: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula. The Greek list has a different order; this cell aligns the same tribe, with its Greek verse reference shown.
1:33 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:33 Those registered for the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:33 (LXX 1:31) The enrollment from the tribe of Ephraim was forty thousand five hundred.
The count agrees. The Greek position differs; this is rearrangement, not a competing census total.
1:34 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:34 The sons of Manasseh: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:34 (LXX 1:32) The sons of Manasseh: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula. The Greek list has a different order; this cell aligns the same tribe, with its Greek verse reference shown.
1:35 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:35 Those registered for the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:35 (LXX 1:33) The enrollment from the tribe of Manasseh was thirty-two thousand two hundred.
The count agrees. The Greek position differs; this is rearrangement, not a competing census total.
1:36 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:36 The sons of Benjamin: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:36 (LXX 1:34) The sons of Benjamin: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula. The Greek list has a different order; this cell aligns the same tribe, with its Greek verse reference shown.
1:37 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:37 Those registered for the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:37 (LXX 1:35) The enrollment from the tribe of Benjamin was thirty-five thousand four hundred.
The count agrees. The Greek position differs; this is rearrangement, not a competing census total.
1:38 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:38 The sons of Dan: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:38 The sons of Dan: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula.
1:39 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:39 Those registered for the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:39 The enrollment from the tribe of Dan was sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
1:40 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:40 The sons of Asher: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:40 The sons of Asher: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula.
1:41 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:41 Those registered for the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:41 The enrollment from the tribe of Asher was forty-one thousand five hundred.
1:42 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:42 The sons of Naphtali: their descendants by their clans and ancestral houses, by the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service.
Greek · Saints priority
1:42 The sons of Naphtali: by their families, divisions, and ancestral houses, by the number of their names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out in the army.
Greek uses the fuller recurring census formula.
1:43 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:43 Those registered for the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.
Greek · Saints priority
1:43 The enrollment from the tribe of Naphtali was fifty-three thousand four hundred.
Total Census Count
1:44 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:44 These are those registered by Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel, twelve men, one man for each ancestral house.
Greek · Saints priority
1:44 This was the enrollment made by Moses, Aaron, and the rulers of Israel, twelve men, one man for each tribe, according to the tribe of their ancestral houses.
Greek states the tribal representation more fully.
1:45 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:45 All those registered among the sons of Israel by their ancestral houses, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out for military service in Israel—
Greek · Saints priority
1:45 The whole enrollment of the sons of Israel with their army, from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes out to fight in Israel—
Ancestral houses / army: the organizing description differs.
1:46 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:46 All those registered were six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.
Greek · Saints priority
1:46 Was six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.
The same total; Greek continues the sentence begun in verse forty-five.
Exemption and Duties of the Levites
1:47 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:47 The Levites, according to their ancestral tribe, were not registered among them.
Greek · Saints priority
1:47 The Levites, from their ancestral tribe, were not registered among the sons of Israel.
1:48 Same
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:48 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying:
Greek · Saints priority
1:48 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
1:49 Similar
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:49 Only, you shall not register the tribe of Levi or take their census among the sons of Israel.
Greek · Saints priority
1:49 See that you do not register the tribe of Levi together with them or take their number among the sons of Israel.
Both exclude Levi from this military enrollment.
1:50 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:50 Appoint the Levites over the Dwelling of Testimony, over all its furnishings, and over everything belonging to it. They shall carry the Dwelling and all its furnishings, serve it, and camp around it.
Greek · Saints priority
1:50 Appoint the Levites over the Tent of Testimony, over all its furnishings, and over everything in it. They shall carry the Tent and all its furnishings, minister in it, and camp around it.
Belonging to it / in it; serving it / ministering in it. The same Levite responsibilities remain in view.
1:51 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:51 When the Dwelling sets out, the Levites shall take it down; when it camps, the Levites shall erect it. Any unauthorized person who approaches shall be put to death.
Greek · Saints priority
1:51 When the Tent sets out, the Levites shall take it down; when it camps, they shall erect it. Let an outsider who approaches die.
Hebrew specifies being put to death; Greek commands death without an expressed execution verb. “Outsider†is relative to the authorized sanctuary group here, not automatically a foreign national.
1:52 Different
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:52 The sons of Israel shall camp, each with his camp and each by his standard, according to their armies.
Greek · Saints priority
1:52 The sons of Israel shall camp, each in his own formation and each according to his own command, with their army.
Camp and standard / formation and command: the Greek emphasizes military organization.
1:53 Disparate
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:53 The Levites shall camp around the Dwelling of Testimony, so that wrath does not fall on the congregation of the sons of Israel. The Levites shall keep charge of the Dwelling of Testimony.
Greek · Saints priority
1:53 Let the Levites camp before the Lord around the Tent of Testimony, and there shall be no offense among the sons of Israel. The Levites themselves shall keep charge of the Tent of Testimony.
Hebrew prevents wrath; Greek prevents offense (hamartÄ“ma). The stated consequence changes from judgment to wrongdoing. Rahlfs–Hanhart includes “before the Lord.â€
1:54 Divergent
Hebrew · Rabbinic priority
1:54 The sons of Israel did everything that YHWH commanded Moses; so they did.
Greek · Saints priority
1:54 The sons of Israel did everything that the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron; so they did.
Greek includes Aaron as a recipient of the command.
Reading text of Numbers 1 · Numbers: all chapters · Numbers 2 compared →
Saints Translation · Companion comparison edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.