This list provides examples of known textual variants, and contains the following parameters: Hebrew texts written right to left, the Hebrew text romanised left to right, an approximate English translation, and which Hebrew manuscripts or critical editions of the Hebrew Bible this textual variant can be found in. Greek (Septuagint) and Latin (Vulgate) texts are written left to right, and not romanised. Sometimes additional translation or interpretation notes are added, with references to similar verses elsewhere, or in-depth articles on the topic in question.
אֱלֹהִ֑ים, 'ĕ-lō-hîm ('[the] gods' or 'God') – MT (4QGenb) 4QGeng SP.[2]Grammatically speaking, the word elohim is a masculine plural noun meaning "gods", but it is often translated as singular and capitalised as Elohim, meaning "God".
מָקֹ֣ום, mā·qō·wm, 'place' – MT 4QGenb Damascus Pent. Codex SP.[9] The Yiddish word Mokum ("city") is derived from Makom.
מקוה, mikvé, 'ritual bath' – 4QGen.h[9] A mikveh is a ritual bath in modern Judaism.
συναγωγην, 'gathering' – LXX[9] ABP.[4] The English word "synagogue" is derived from συναγωγή.
locum, 'place' – VgColunga&Turrado[5] The English word "location" is derived from locus.
Genesis 1:9
και συνηχθη το νδωρ το υποκατω του ουρανου εις τας συναγωγας αυτών και ωφθη η ζηρα, 'And the water underneath the heaven gathered together into their gatherings, and the dry [land] appeared.' – LXX[9] ABP.[4] Compare Book of Jubilees 2:6.[9]
וַיִּיצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־ הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־ הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה, way-yî-ṣer Yah-weh 'ĕ-lō-hîm 'eṯ-hā-'ā-ḏām, 'ā-p̄ār min-hā-'ă-ḏā-māh,, 'And [the] god Yahweh formed [a/the] man [from] the dust of the ground/earth' – MT SP.[16][10]
There is a word play between אָדָם, ā-ḏām ("man", "human", later usually simply translated as the personal name "Adam") and אֲדָמָה, 'ă-ḏā-māh, 'ground, earth'.[16]
καὶ ἔπλασεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον χοῦν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς·, 'And the god shaped the dust man from the earth' – LXXSwete[12]
καὶ ἔπλασεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον χοῦν λαβών ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, 'And the god shaped the man taking dust from the earth' – ABP[13]
Formavit igitur Dominus Deus hominem de limo terrae, 'Therefore, (the) Lord God formed the human/man with the earth's mud/clay' – VgColunga&Turrado[14]
Genesis 2:8
יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים, Yah-weh 'ĕ-lō-hîm, 'Yahweh the god' – MT SP[17][10]
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה גָּדֹ֥ול עֲוֹנִ֖י מִנְּשֹֽׂא׃, way-yō-mer qa-yin ’el- Yah-weh; gā-ḏō-wl ‘ă-wō-nî min-nə-śō., 'And Cain said to Yahweh: Great is my punishment to bear.' – WLC[23]
καὶ εἶπεν Κάιν πρὸς τὸν κύριον Μείζων ἡ αἰτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με., 'And Cain said to (the) lord: My fault is (too) great to forgive me.' – LXXSwete[24] LXXRahlfs[3] ABP[25]
Dixitque Cain ad Dominum: Major est iniquitas mea, quam ut veniam merear., 'And Cain said to (the) Lord: My iniquity is greater than that [I] deserve pardon.' – VgColunga&Turrado[26]
עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ תֵּבַ֣ת עֲצֵי־גֹ֔פֶר, ‘ă-śêh lə-ḵā tê-ḇaṯ ‘ă-ṣê- ḡō-p̄er,, 'Make for yourself [a] box/basket of gopher wood' – WLC[32]
ποίησον οὖν σεαυτῷ κιβωτὸν ἐκ ξύλων τετραγώνων·, 'Then make for yourself [a] wooden box out of four-cornered wood!' – LXXSwete[33] LXXRahlfs[3] ABP[34]
Fac tibi arcam de lignis laevigatis;, 'Make for yourself [a] chest/box of polished wood;' – VgColunga&Turrado[35]
In other contexts, each of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin words are used to describe a (wooden) box, basket or chest for storage. The traditionally used English word ark derives from the Latin word arca (from the verb arceō, "to keep off/away/close"), which outside of the Bible never refers to any kind of ship, but always a relatively small object for keeping items. The same nouns are used for the Ark of the Covenant. The Hebrew noun H1613 גֹ֔פֶרgopher is a hapax legomenon.
אִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה, ’îš hā-’ă-ḏā-māh, '[a] man of the land/ground/earth/soil' – WLC[36]
ἄνθρωπος γεωργὸς γῆς, '[a] farmer-man of [the] land/earth/soil or [a] tilling/working/fertilising man of [the] land/earth/soil' – LXXSwete[37] LXXRahlfs[3] ABP[38]
vir agricola exercere terram, '[a] farmer-man to work at [the] land/earth/soil or [a] man working as [a] farmer on [the] land/earth/soil' – VgColunga&Turrado[39]
וַעֲלָטָ֖ה הָיָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה תַנּ֤וּר עָשָׁן֙ וְלַפִּ֣יד אֵ֔שׁ, wa-‘ă-lā-ṭāh hā-yāh; wə-hin-nêh ṯan-nūr 'ā-šān wə-lap-pîḏ 'êš,, 'and it became dark, behold a firepot/oven smoking and a torch burning' – WLC[40]
φλὸξ ἐγένετο· καὶ ἰδοὺ κλίβανος καπνιζόμενος καὶ λαμπάδες πυρός,, 'a flame came/happened. And behold, an oven smoking and torches/lamps of fire' LXXSwete[41] Brenton[42] ABP[43]
facta est caligo tenebrosa, et apparuit clibanus fumans, et lampas ignis, 'a dark fog happened, and a smoking furnace appeared, and lamps of fire' – VgColunga&Turrado[44]
וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב אֹתָ֖הּ וַיְעַנֶּֽהָ׃, way-yiq-qaḥ ’ō-ṯāh way-yiš-kaḇ ’ō-ṯāh way-‘an-ne-hā., 'and he took her, and he laid her, and he raped her.[50]' – WLC[45]
adamavit eam: et rapuit, et dormivit cum illa, vi opprimens virginem., '[he] fell in love with her: and [he] abducted [her], and slept with her, attacking/subduing/oppressing [the] virgin by force.' – VgColunga&Turrado[49]
וַתִּדְבַּ֣ק נַפְשֹׁ֔ו בְּדִינָ֖ה בַּֽת־יַעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֶּֽאֱהַב֙ אֶת־הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל־לֵ֥ב הַֽנַּעֲרָֽ׃, wat-tiḏ-baq nap̄-šōw bə-ḏî-nāh baṯ- ya-‘ă-qōḇ; way-ye-’ĕ-haḇ ’eṯ- han-na-‘ă-rā, way-ḏab-bêr ‘al- lêḇ han-na-‘ă-rā., 'And he stayed with/kept Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he lusted after the young woman, and he tried to quiet the young woman.[50]' – WLC[45]
καὶ προσέσχεν τῇ ψυχῇ Δείνας τῆς θυγατρὸς Ἰακώβ, καὶ ἠγάπησεν τὴν παρθένον, καὶ ἐλάλησεν κατὰ τὴν διάνοιαν τῆς παρθένου αὐτῇ, 'and [he] clung to the breath/soul/mind/person of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he took pleasure in the young woman, and he spoke against the mind of the young woman.' LXXSwete[47]
καὶ προσέσχε τῇ ψυχῇ Δείνας/Δίνας τῆς θυγατρὸς Ἰακώβ καὶ ἠγάπησε τὴν παρθένον καὶ ἐλάλησε κατὰ τὴν διάνοιαν τῆς παρθένου αὐτῇ, 'and [he] clung to the breath/soul/mind/person of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he took pleasure in the young woman, and he spoke against the mind of the young woman.' Brenton[46] ABP[48]
Et conglutinata est anima ejus cum ea, tristemque delinivit blanditiis., 'And his soul was glued to her, and [he] soothed [the] sad one with blandishments.' – VgColunga&Turrado[49]
Genesis 34:3 (twice)
הנער, han-na-‘ar, 'the young man' [H5288] – MT[51]
הנערה, han-na-‘ă-rā,, 'the young woman' [H5291] – SP[51]
παρθένον/παρθένου, 'young woman or virgin' – LXXSwete[47] Brenton[46] ABP[48]
Wells, Bruce (2020). "On the Beds of a Woman: The Leviticus Texts on Same-Sex Relations Reconsidered". Sexuality and Law in the Torah. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp.123–158. ISBN9780567681607. Retrieved 5 November 2022.