Textual variants in the Book of Deuteronomy

Textual variants in the Book of Deuteronomy concerns textual variants in the Hebrew Bible found in the Book of Deuteronomy.

Frequently used sigla (symbols and abbreviations) of Hebrew Bible manuscripts and editions include:^[1]

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 5:6, 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^[2]

Ἐγώ Κύριος ὁ θεός σου, 'I Lord the god of yours' – LXX^Swete[3] – LXX^Rahlfs[4]

εγώ ειμι κύριος ο θεός σου, 'I am Lord the god of yours' – Brenton^[5] ABP^[6]

Ego Dominus Deus tuus, 'I Lord your God' – Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

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^[2] SP^[8]

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^n[8] (4QDeut^j[8])

Οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι θεοὶ ἕτεροι πρὸ προσώπου μου., 'There shall not be other gods to you before my face.' – LXX^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs[4] Brenton^[9] ABP^[6]

Non habebis deos alienos in conspectu meo., '[You] shall have no alien/foreign/strange gods in my sight/presence/proximity.' – Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

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^[6] Brenton^[9] (classical Greek spelling)

λήμψῃ, 'shall take' – LXX^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs[4] (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^[2]

μὴ καθαρίσῃ Κύριος, '[the] Lord shall not cleanse' – LXX^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs.^[4] κᾰθᾰρός ("clean, pure") is the origin of the terms catharsis and Catharism.

μὴ καθαρίσῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, '[the] Lord your God shall not cleanse' – Brenton^[9]

μὴ καθαρίσει Κύριος ο θεός σου, '[the] Lord your god shall not cleanse' – ABP^[6]

non erit impunitus, '[he] will not be unpunished' – Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}. 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 [is] within your gates' – WLC^[2]

καὶ (ὁ) προσήλυτος ὁ παροικῶν ἐν σοί., 'and the proselyte/convert the [one] sojourning among you.' – LXX^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs[4] Brenton (no 'ὁ') ^[9] ABP^[6]

et peregrinus qui est intra portas tuas., 'and [the] traveller who is within your gates.' – Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

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^[2]

ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ,, 'in [the] land of Egypt,' – LXX^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs[4] Brenton^[9] ABP^[6]

in Ægypto,, 'in Egypt,' – Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

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^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs[4] Brenton^[9] ABP^[6]

omitted – WLC^[2] Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

Compare Exodus 20:11: וַֽיְקַדְּשֵֽׁהוּ׃‎, way-qad-də-šê-hū. s, 'and (he) consecrated it.' καὶ ηγίασε αὐτήν., 'and [he] sanctified it.' et sanctificavit eum., 'and [he] 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 [plural]' – WLC^[2]

μακροχρόνιοι ἦτε, 'long times may [you] be [plural]' – LXX^Swete[3]

μακροχρόνιος γένη, '[a] long time may [you] happen [singular]' – LXX^Rahlfs[4] Brenton^[9] ABP^[6]

longo vivas tempore, '(during a) long time may [you] live [singular]' – Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

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 [singular] well with you' – WLC^[2]

ίνα ευ σοι γένηται, 'in order that good [things] should happen [plural] to you' – LXX^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs[4] Brenton^[9] ABP^[6] (mentioned before καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιοι ἦτε / καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιοι ἦτε)

et bene sit tibi, 'and [it] may be [singular] well with/for you' – Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

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, '[You] shall not murder. And [you] shall not commit adultery. And [you] shall not steal.' – WLC^[2]

Οὐ μοιχεύσεις. Οὐ φονεύσεις. Οὐ κλέψεις., '[You] shall not commit adultery. [You] shall not murder. [You] shall not steal.' – LXX^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs[4]

Οὐ φονεύσεις. Οὐ μοιχεύσεις. Οὐ κλέψεις., '[You] shall not murder. [You] shall not commit adultery. [You] shall not steal.' – Brenton^[9] ABP^[6]

Non occides, neque moechaberis, furtumque non facies:, '[You] shall not kill/slay, nor shall [you] commit adultery, and theft [you] shall not commit:' – Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

Compare Exodus 20:13–15.

Deuteronomy 5:21, see also Thou shalt not covet

ούτε παντός κτήνους αυτού, 'nor any of his cattle/beasts [of burden]' – LXX^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs[4] Brenton^[9] ABP^[6]

omitted – WLC^[2] Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

Compare Exodus 20:17.

Deuteronomy 5:21, see also Thou shalt not covet

כֹ֖ל‎, ḵōl, 'all/everything/anything' – WLC^[2]

πάντα, 'all or any/every [thing]' – Brenton^[9] ABP^[6]

universa, 'all [things] (combined) or [the] whole [of things]' – Vg^{Colunga&Turrado[7]}

omitted – LXX^Swete[3] LXX^Rahlfs[4]

Compare Exodus 20:17.

Deuteronomy 22:25

הַנַּעַר‎, han-na-‘ar, 'a boy or a young man' – K^[10][11]

הַֽנַּעֲרָה֙‎, han-na-‘ar-rāh, 'a girl/damsel or a young woman' – Q^[10][11] SP^[10]

την παίδα, 'a child/boy/girl' – LXX^Swete[12] ABP^[13] Brenton^[14]

Deuteronomy 22:25

וּמֵ֗ת הָאִ֛ישׁ‎, ū-mêṯ hā-’îš, 'then the man shall die' – MT^[10][11]

αποκτενείτε τον άνθρωπον, 'you shall kill the man' – ABP^[13]

ἀποκτενεῖτε, 'you shall kill' – LXX^Swete[12] Brenton^[14]

Deuteronomy 22:26

־[ולנער] (וְלַֽנַּעֲרָה֙‪‬) לֹא־תַעֲשֶׂ֣ה דָבָ֔ר‎, [wə·lan·na·‘ar] (wə·lan·na·‘ă·rāh) lō- ṯa-‘ă-śeh ḏā-ḇār,, '(But [to] the young woman) you shall not do anything;' – WLC^[11]

τη δε νεάνιδι ου ποιήσετε ουδέν, 'but to the young woman you shall not do anything,' – ABP^[13]

omitted – LXX^Swete[12] Brenton^[14]

Deuteronomy 22:26

אֵ֥ין [לַנַּעַר כ] (לַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה ק) חֵ֣טְא מָ֑וֶת כִּ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ כִּ֡י‎, ’ên [lan·na·‘ar] (lan·na·‘ă·rāh) ḥêṭ mā·weṯ; kî, '[there is] not [to] (the young woman) a sin [worthy] of death. For' – WLC^[11]

ουκ έστι τη νεάνιδι αμάρτημα θανάτου. ότι ως, 'there is not to the young woman a sin [worthy] of death. For as' – ABP^[13]

καὶ τῇ νεάνιδι οὐκ ἔστιν ἁμάρτημα θανάτου. ὡς, 'and to the young woman there is no sin [worthy] of death. As' – LXX^Swete[12] Brenton^[14]

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^[11]

Ἐὰν δέ τις εὕρῃ, 'And if anyone finds' – LXX^Swete[12] ABP^[13] Brenton^[14]

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

וּתְפָשָׂ֖הּ‎, ū-ṯə-p̄ā-śāh, 'and he seizes her' – WLC^[11]

και βιασάμενος αυτήν, 'and using force on her' – ABP^[13]

καὶ βιασάμενος, 'and using force or and [if] he should force [her]' – LXX^Swete[12] Brenton^[14]

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

וְנִמְצָֽאוּ׃‎, wə-nim-ṣā-’ū., 'and [they] are found,' – WLC^[11]

καὶ εὑρεθῇ·, 'and [he] should be found' – LXX^Swete[12] ABP^[13] Brenton^[14]

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^[11]

πεντήκοντα δίδραχμα αργυρίου, 'fifty double-drachmas of silver or fifty silver didrachms' – LXX^Swete[12] ABP^[13] Brenton^[14]

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^[11]

οὐ δυνήσεται, 'he will not be able' – LXX^Swete[12] ABP^[13] Brenton^[14]

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^[11]

τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον, 'at any time' – LXX^Swete[12] ABP^[13] Brenton^[14]

Deuteronomy 22:30

λήψεται, 'shall take' – ABP^[13] Brenton^[14] (classical Greek spelling)

λήμψεται, 'shall take' – LXX^Swete[12] (Koine Greek spelling)

Compare Songs 2:6.

Deuteronomy 22:30

συγκάλυμμα, 'skirt or marriage veil' – ABP^[13] Brenton^[14]

συνκάλυμμα, 'skirt' – LXX^Swete[12]

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

יִשְׁכָּבֶ֔נָּה‎, yiš-kā-ḇen-nāh,^[15], 'will rape her^[16][17]' – Q^[18]

יִשְׁגָּלֶנָּה‎ – K^[18]

ישכב‎ – SP^[18]

ἕξει αὐτήν·, 'shall have/hold her' – LXX^Swete[19] ABP^[20] Brenton^[21]

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

עמה‎, ‘am-māh, 'people' – SP^[18]

omitted – MT^[18]

• List of Hebrew Bible manuscripts

• 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.

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