King James Version

1 Kings 17:12

And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

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Hebrew

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וַתֹּ֗אמֶרvatomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…חַיchaylifeחַיadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “life”, the ordinary formH2416alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively[phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.יְהוָ֤הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙eloheykhaGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…יֶשׁyeshareיֵשׁparticle, demonstrative — “are”H3426there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)(there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.לִ֣יlitoלִ֣יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toמָע֔וֹגmaogcakeמָעוֹגnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cake”, the ordinary formH4580a cake of bread; parasitecake, feast.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…מְלֹ֤אmelofulnessמְלֹאnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “fulness”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4393fulness (literally or figuratively)[idiom] all along, [idiom] all that is (there-) in, fill, ([idiom] that whereof...was) full, fulness, (hand-) full, multitude.כַףkhafhand , -dle,כַּףnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “hand , -dle,”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3709the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, powerbranch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.קֶ֨מַח֙qemachflourקֶמַחnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “flour”, the ordinary formH7058flourflour, meal.בַּכַּ֔דbakadin barrelכַּדpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in barrel”, the ordinary formH3537properly, a pail; but generally of earthenware; a jar for domestic purposesbarrel, pitcher.וּמְעַטumeatand littleמְעַטconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and little”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4592a little or few (often adverbial or compar.)almost (some, very) few(-er, -est), lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some, soon, [idiom] very.שֶׁ֖מֶןshemenoliveשֶׁמֶןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “olive”, the ordinary formH8081grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richnessanointing, [idiom] fat (things), [idiom] fruitful, oil(-ed), ointment, olive, [phrase] pine.בַּצַּפָּ֑חַתbatsapachatin cruseצַפַּחַתpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in cruse”, the ordinary formH6835a saucer (as flat)cruse.וְהִנְנִ֨יvehinniand ifהֵןconjunction, particle, interjection, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and if”H2005lo!; also (as expressing surprise) ifbehold, if, lo, though.מְקֹשֶׁ֜שֶׁתmeqosheshetgatherקָשַׁשׁverb, poel, participle, absolute — “gather”, a verb used as a describing wordH7197to forage for straw, stubble or wood; figuratively, to assemblegather (selves) (together).שְׁנַ֣יִםshenayimtwoשְׁנַיִםadjective, cardinal, masculine, dual, absolute — “two”, the ordinary formH8147two; also (as ordinal) twofoldboth, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.עֵצִ֗יםetsimtreeעֵץnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “tree”, the ordinary formH6086a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)[phrase] carpenter, gallows, helve, [phrase] pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.וּבָ֨אתִי֙uvatiand to comeבּוֹאconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “and to come”, a completed actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…וַעֲשִׂיתִ֨יהוּ֙vaasitihvand doעָשָׂהconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…לִ֣יlitoלִ֣יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toוְלִבְנִ֔יvelivniand to sonבֵּןconjunction, preposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and to son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […וַאֲכַלְנֻ֖הוּvaakhalnuhvand eatאָכַלconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, plural, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and eat”, a completed actionH398to eat (literally or figuratively)[idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.וָמָֽתְנוּvamatenvand dieמוּתconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 1st person, common, plural — “and die”, a completed action in a sequenceH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And she said: 'As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, only a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the cruse; and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And she said, As Jehovah thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

Young’s Literal Translation

And she saith, 'Jehovah thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but the fulness of the hand of meal in a pitcher, and a little oil in a dish; and lo, I am gathering two sticks, and have gone in and prepared it for myself, and for my son, and we have eaten it — and died.'

World English Bible

She said, “As Yahweh your God lives, I don’t have anything baked, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jar. Behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

Darby Translation

And she said, As Jehovah thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse; and behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

Douay-Rheims

And she answered: As the Lord thy God liveth, I have no bread, but only a handful of meal in a pot, and a little oil in a cruse: behold I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and dress it, for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the woman said, As the Lord thy God lives, I have not a cake, but only a handful of meal in the pitcher, and a little oil in a cruse, and, behold, I am going to gather two sticks, and I shall go in and dress it for myself and my children, and we shall eat it and die.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ, ζῇ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, εἰ ἔστι μοι ἐγκρυφίας, ἀλλʼ ἢ ὅσον δρὰξ ἀλεύρου ἐν τῇ ὑδρίᾳ, καὶ ὀλίγον ἔλαιον ἐν τῷ καψάκῃ· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ συλλέξω δύο ξυλάρια, καὶ εἰσελεύσομαι καὶ ποιήσω αὐτὸ ἐμαυτῇ καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις μου, καὶ φαγόμεθα, καὶ ἀποθανούμεθα.