Textual variants in the Book of Deuteronomy

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

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.

Deuteronomy 5

See also: Ten Commandments

Deuteronomy 5:6, see also I am the Lord thy God

אָֽנֹכִי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ‎, ’ā-nō-ḵî Yah-weh ’ĕ-lō-he-ḵā,, 'I Yahweh your god' – WLC

Ἐγώ Κύριος ὁ θεός σου, 'I Lord the god of yours' – LXX – LXX

εγώ ειμι κύριος ο θεός σου, 'I am Lord the god of yours' – Brenton ABP

Ego Dominus Deus tuus, 'I Lord your God' – Vg

Compare Exodus 20:2.

Deuteronomy 5:7, see also Thou shalt have no other gods before me

לֹ֣א יִהְיֶ֥ה־לְךָ֛֩ אֱלֹהִ֥֨ים אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים עַל־פָּנָֽ֗יַ׃‎, lō yih-yeh- lə-ḵā ’ĕ-lō-hîm ’ă-ḥê-rîm ‘al- pā-nā-ya., 'You shall not have other/further gods over/against/above/beside me' – WLC SP

לוא יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛֩ אלוהים אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים עַל־פָּנָֽ֗יַ‎, l-v-a yih-yeh- lə-ḵā l-v-h-m ’ă-ḥê-rîm ‘al- pā-nā-ya, 'You shall not have other/further gods over/against/above/beside me' – 4QDeut (4QDeut)

Οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι θεοὶ ἕτεροι πρὸ προσώπου μου., 'There shall not be other gods to you before my face.' – LXX LXX Brenton ABP

Non habebis deos alienos in conspectu meo., ' shall have no alien/foreign/strange gods in my sight/presence/proximity.' – Vg

Compare Exodus 20:3.

Deuteronomy 5:11, see also Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain

λήψη, 'shall take' – ABP Brenton (classical Greek spelling)

λήμψῃ, 'shall take' – LXX LXX (Koine Greek spelling)

Compare Exodus 20:7.

Deuteronomy 5:11, see also Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain

לֹ֤א יְנַקֶּה֙ יְהוָ֔ה‎, lō yə-naq-qeh Yah-weh, 'Yahweh will not acquit / leave unpunished / hold guiltless' – WLC

μὴ καθαρίσῃ Κύριος, ' Lord shall not cleanse' – LXX LXX. κᾰθᾰρός ("clean, pure") is the origin of the terms catharsis and Catharism.

μὴ καθαρίσῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ' Lord your God shall not cleanse' – Brenton

μὴ καθαρίσει Κύριος ο θεός σου, ' Lord your god shall not cleanse' – ABP

non erit impunitus, ' will not be unpunished' – Vg. impunitus is the root of the term impunity.

Compare Exodus 20:7.

Deuteronomy 5:14, see also Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy

וְגֵרְךָ֖֙ אֲשֶׁ֥֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶֽ֔יךָ ׃‎, wə-ḡê-rə-ḵā ’ă-šer biš-‘ā-re-ḵā,, 'your stranger/sojourner who within your gates' – WLC

καὶ (ὁ) προσήλυτος ὁ παροικῶν ἐν σοί., 'and the proselyte/convert the sojourning among you.' – LXX LXX Brenton (no 'ὁ') ABP

et peregrinus qui est intra portas tuas., 'and traveller who is within your gates.' – Vg

Compare Exodus 20:10.

Deuteronomy 5:15, see also Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy

בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔֗יִם‎, bə-’e-reṣ miṣ-ra-yim,, 'in the land of Egypt,' – WLC

ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ,, 'in land of Egypt,' – LXX LXX Brenton ABP

in Ægypto,, 'in Egypt,' – Vg

Compare Exodus 20:11 (an entirely different sentence in all witnesses, which supports Sabbath observance by reference to the Genesis creation narrative rather than the Exodus).

Deuteronomy 5:15, see also Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy

καὶ ἁγιάζειν αὐτήν., 'and to sanctify it.' – LXX LXX Brenton ABP

omitted – WLC Vg

Compare Exodus 20:11: וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ׃‎, way-qad-də-šê-hū. s, 'and (he) consecrated it.' καὶ ηγίασε αὐτήν., 'and sanctified it.' et sanctificavit eum., 'and sanctified it.'.

Deuteronomy 5:16, see also Honour thy father and thy mother

לְמַ֣עַן ׀ יַאֲרִיכֻ֣ן יָמֶ֗יךָ‎, lə-ma-‘an ya-’ă-rî-ḵun yā-me-ḵā, 'that your days/times may be long ' – WLC

μακροχρόνιοι ἦτε, 'long times may be ' – LXX

μακροχρόνιος γένη, ' long time may happen ' – LXX Brenton ABP

longo vivas tempore, '(during a) long time may live ' – Vg

Compare Exodus 20:12.

Deuteronomy 5:16, see also Honour thy father and thy mother

וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ‎, ū-lə-ma-‘an yî-ṭaḇ lāḵ, 'that it may be well with you' – WLC

ίνα ευ σοι γένηται, 'in order that good should happen to you' – LXX LXX Brenton ABP (mentioned before καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιοι ἦτε / καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιοι ἦτε)

et bene sit tibi, 'and may be well with/for you' – Vg

Compare Exodus 20:12 (where this phrase is omitted in Hebrew and Latin witnesses, but identical in Greek witnesses).

Deuteronomy 5:17–19, see also Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery and Thou shalt not steal

לֹ֥֖א תִּֿרְצָֽח׃ ס וְלֹ֖֣א תִּֿנְאָֽ֑ף׃ סוְלֹ֖֣א תִּֿגְנֹֽ֔ב׃ ס‎, lō trə-ṣāḥ. s wə-lō tnə-’āp̄. s wə-lō tḡə-nōḇ. s, ' shall not murder. And shall not commit adultery. And shall not steal.' – WLC

Οὐ μοιχεύσεις. Οὐ φονεύσεις. Οὐ κλέψεις., ' shall not commit adultery. shall not murder. shall not steal.' – LXX LXX

Οὐ φονεύσεις. Οὐ μοιχεύσεις. Οὐ κλέψεις., ' shall not murder. shall not commit adultery. shall not steal.' – Brenton ABP

Non occides, neque moechaberis, furtumque non facies:, ' shall not kill/slay, nor shall commit adultery, and theft shall not commit:' – Vg

Compare Exodus 20:13–15.

Deuteronomy 5:21, see also Thou shalt not covet

ούτε παντός κτήνους αυτού, 'nor any of his cattle/beasts ' – LXX LXX Brenton ABP

omitted – WLC Vg

Compare Exodus 20:17.

Deuteronomy 5:21, see also Thou shalt not covet

כֹ֖ל‎, ḵōl, 'all/everything/anything' – WLC

πάντα, 'all or any/every ' – Brenton ABP

universa, 'all (combined) or whole ' – Vg

omitted – LXX LXX

Compare Exodus 20:17.

Deuteronomy 22

Deuteronomy 22:25

הַנַּעַר‎, han-na-‘ar, 'a boy or a young man' – K

הַֽנַּעֲרָה֙‎, han-na-‘ar-rāh, 'a girl/damsel or a young woman' – Q SP

την παίδα, 'a child/boy/girl' – LXX ABP Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:25

וּמֵ֗ת הָאִ֛ישׁ‎, ū-mêṯ hā-’îš, 'then the man shall die' – MT

αποκτενείτε τον άνθρωπον, 'you shall kill the man' – ABP

ἀποκτενεῖτε, 'you shall kill' – LXX Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:26

־ (וְלַֽנַּעֲרָה֙‪‬) לֹא־תַעֲשֶׂ֣ה דָבָ֔ר‎, (wə·lan·na·‘ă·rāh) lō- ṯa-‘ă-śeh ḏā-ḇār,, '(But the young woman) you shall not do anything;' – WLC

τη δε νεάνιδι ου ποιήσετε ουδέν, 'but to the young woman you shall not do anything,' – ABP

omitted – LXX Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:26

אֵ֥ין (לַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה ק) חֵ֣טְא מָ֑וֶת כִּ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ כִּ֡י‎, ’ên (lan·na·‘ă·rāh) ḥêṭ mā·weṯ; kî, ' not (the young woman) a sin of death. For' – WLC

ουκ έστι τη νεάνιδι αμάρτημα θανάτου. ότι ως, 'there is not to the young woman a sin of death. For as' – ABP

καὶ τῇ νεάνιδι οὐκ ἔστιν ἁμάρτημα θανάτου. ὡς, 'and to the young woman there is no sin of death. As' – LXX Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:28, see also Rape in the Hebrew Bible § Deuteronomy 22:28–29

כִּֽי־יִמְצָ֣א אִ֗ישׁ‎, kî- yim-ṣā ’îš,, 'If a man finds' – WLC

Ἐὰν δέ τις εὕρῃ, 'And if anyone finds' – LXX ABP Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:28, see also Rape in the Hebrew Bible § Deuteronomy 22:28–29

וּתְפָשָׂ֖הּ‎, ū-ṯə-p̄ā-śāh, 'and he seizes her' – WLC

και βιασάμενος αυτήν, 'and using force on her' – ABP

καὶ βιασάμενος, 'and using force or and he should force ' – LXX Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:28, see also Rape in the Hebrew Bible § Deuteronomy 22:28–29

וְנִמְצָֽאוּ׃‎, wə-nim-ṣā-’ū., 'and are found,' – WLC

καὶ εὑρεθῇ·, 'and should be found' – LXX ABP Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:29, see also Rape in the Hebrew Bible § Deuteronomy 22:28–29

חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים כָּ֑סֶף‎, ḥă-miš-šîm kā-sep̄;, 'fifty of silver' – WLC

πεντήκοντα δίδραχμα αργυρίου, 'fifty double-drachmas of silver or fifty silver didrachms' – LXX ABP Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:29, see also Rape in the Hebrew Bible § Deuteronomy 22:28–29

לֹא־יוּכַ֥ל‎, lō- yū-ḵal, 'he shall not be permitted' – WLC

οὐ δυνήσεται, 'he will not be able' – LXX ABP Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:29, see also Rape in the Hebrew Bible § Deuteronomy 22:28–29

כָּל־יָמָֽיו׃ ס‎, kāl- yā-māw. s, 'all his days' – WLC

τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον, 'at any time' – LXX ABP Brenton

Deuteronomy 22:30

λήψεται, 'shall take' – ABP Brenton (classical Greek spelling)

λήμψεται, 'shall take' – LXX (Koine Greek spelling)

Compare Songs 2:6.

Deuteronomy 22:30

συγκάλυμμα, 'skirt or marriage veil' – ABP Brenton

συνκάλυμμα, 'skirt' – LXX

Deuteronomy 28

Deuteronomy 28:30, see also Rape in the Hebrew Bible § Deuteronomy 28

יִשְׁכָּבֶ֔נָּה‎, yiš-kā-ḇen-nāh,, 'will rape her' – Q

יִשְׁגָּלֶנָּה‎ – K

ישכב‎ – SP

ἕξει αὐτήν·, 'shall have/hold her' – LXX ABP Brenton

Deuteronomy 28:30, see also Rape in the Hebrew Bible § Deuteronomy 28

עמה‎, ‘am-māh, 'people' – SP

omitted – MT

References

J.P. van de Giessen (2003). "Legenda tekstkritische notities". bijbelaantekeningen.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 November 2022.
^ Biblos.com & Helps Ministries (2011–2018). "Deuteronomy 5 Interlinear Bible". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ "Deuteronomy 5 Swete's Septuagint". Biblehub.com. 1930. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ Rahlfs 1935, Δευτερονόμιον.
Brenton 1879, p. 253–254.
^ Charles Van der Pool (1996). "Apostolic Bible Polyglot Deuteronomy 5". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ Colunga & Turrado, ed. (1946). "Deuteronomy 5 VULGATE;NIV - Bible Gateway". biblegateway.com. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ J.P. van de Giessen (2003). "Deuteronomium 5:7". bijbelaantekeningen.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
^ Brenton 1879, p. 254.
^ J.P. van de Giessen (2003). "Deuteronomium 22:25". bijbelaantekeningen.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 21 October 2022.
^ Biblos.com & Helps Ministries (2011–2018). "Deuteronomy 22 Interlinear Bible". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
^ "Deuteronomy 22 Swete's Septuagint". Biblehub.com. 1930. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
^ Charles Van der Pool (1996). "Apostolic Bible Polyglot Deuteronomy 22". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
^ Brenton 1879, p. 277.
Biblos.com & Helps Ministries (2011–2018). "Deuteronomy 28 Interlinear Bible". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
"Deuteronomy 28 (New International Version)". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
Scholz 2021.
^ J.P. van de Giessen (2003). "Deuteronomium 28:30". bijbelaantekeningen.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 October 2022.
"Deuteronomy 28 Swete's Septuagint". Biblehub.com. 1930. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
Charles Van der Pool (1996). "Apostolic Bible Polyglot Deuteronomy 28". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
Brenton 1879, p. 285.

Bibliography

Biblos.com & Helps Ministries (2011–2018). "Interlinear Bible (Westminster Leningrad Codex – English)". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
Brenton, Lancelot Charles Lee (1851). "Brenton's Septuagint Translation". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
Brenton, Lancelot Charles Lee (1879). The Septuagint version of the OT, with an English translation (PDF). London: Samuel Bagster. p. 1156. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
Rahlfs, Alfred (1935). "Δευτερονόμιον (Deuteronomy Rahlfs)". Alfred Rahlfs' edition of the Septuagint (in Greek). Greek Wikisource. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
Scholz, Susanne (2021). Sacred Witness. Rape in the Hebrew Bible. Fortress Press. ISBN 9781506482033. (E-book edition)
Swete, Henry Barclay (1930). "Swete's Septuagint". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
Emanuel Tov, The Text-Critical Use of the Septuagint in Biblical Research (TCU), 1981 (1st edition), 1997 (2nd edition), 2015 (3rd edition).
Emanuel Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible (TCHB), 1992 (1st edition), 2001 (2nd edition), 2012 (3rd edition).
Emanuel Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible, Qumran, Septuagint: Collected Writings, Volume 3 (2015).
Tov, Emanuel (1999). "38. The Septuagint Additions ('Miscellanies') in 1 Kings 2 (3 Reigns 2)". The Greek and Hebrew Bible: Collected Essays on the Septuagint. Vetus Testamentum Supplements. Vol. 72. Leiden: Brill.
van de Giessen, J. P. (2003). "Index Bijbelverzen". bijbelaantekeningen.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 5 November 2022.
Van der Pool, Charles (1996). "Apostolic Bible Polyglot (ABP)". Biblehub.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.

External links

Digitized Hebrew and Greek Manuscripts: Access and Issues – Introduction to online biblical textual studies

v t e Textual variants in the Hebrew Bible by book
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v t e Book of Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy	1–3 3–7 7–11 11–16 16–21 21–25 (22) 26–29 29–30 31 32 32 33 33–34
Parashah	Devarim Va'etchanan Eikev Re'eh Shofetim Ki Teitzei Ki Tavo Nitzavim Vayelech Haazinu V'Zot HaBerachah
Places	Mount Sinai Kadesh–barnea Moab Mount Nebo
People	Moses Joshua
Terms	Kohen Levite Gathering of Israel Israelites Jewish holidays Song of Moses Tabernacle Ten Commandments Deuteronomic Code Asherah pole Shedim Shema Yisrael
Manuscripts	4Q41 4Q122 Papyrus Fouad 266 Papyrus Rylands 458
Analysis	Deuteronomist Deuteronomy Rabbah Mekhilta le-Sefer Devarim Sifre Textual variants

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