King James Version

1 Samuel 4:18

And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

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Hebrew

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וַיְהִ֞יvayhiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.כְּהַזְכִּיר֣וֹkehazkirvoas be maleזָכַרpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as be male”, the to-form of the verbH2142properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male[idiom] burn (incense), [idiom] earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, [idiom] still, think on, [idiom] well.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אֲר֣וֹןaronchestאָרוֹןnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “chest”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH727a boxark, chest, coffin.הָאֱלֹהִ֗יםhaelohimthe Godאֱלֹהִיםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the God”, the ordinary formH430gods 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.וַיִּפֹּ֣לvayipoland fallנָפַלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and fall”, the next action in the storyH5307to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל…מֵֽעַלmealfrom aboveעַלpreposition, preposition — “from above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…הַ֠כִּסֵּאhakisethe throneכִּסֵּאdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the throne”, the ordinary formH3678properly, covered, i.e. a throne (as canopied)seat, stool, throne.אֲחֹ֨רַנִּ֜יתachoranitbackאֲחֹרַנִּיתadverb — “back”H322backwardsback (-ward, again).בְּעַ֣דbeadat byבְּעַדpreposition — “at by”H1157in up to or over against; generally at, beside, among, behind, for, etc.about, at by (means of), for, over, through, up (-on), within.יַ֣דyadhandיָדnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […הַשַּׁ֗עַרhashaarthe doorשַׁעַרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the door”, the ordinary formH8179an opening, i.e. door or gatecity, door, gate, port ([idiom] -er).וַתִּשָּׁבֵ֤רvatishaverand breakשָׁבַרconjunction, verb, niphal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and break”, the next action in the storyH7665to burst (literally or figuratively)break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, [idiom] quite, tear, view (by mistake for H7663 (שָׂבַר)).מַפְרַקְתּוֹ֙mafraqtvoneckמִפְרֶקֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “neck”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4665properly, a fracture, i.e. joint (vertebrae) of the neckneck.וַיָּמֹ֔תvayamotand dieמוּתconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and die”, the next action in the storyH4191to 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…כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…זָקֵ֥ןzaqenbe oldזָקֵןverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be old”, a completed actionH2204to be oldaged man, be (wax) old (man).הָאִ֖ישׁhaishthe a certainאִישׁdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…וְכָבֵ֑דvekhavedand heavyכָּבֵדconjunction, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “and heavy”, the ordinary formH3515heavy; figuratively in a good sense (numerous) or in a bad sense (severe, difficult, stupid)(so) great, grievous, hard(-ened), (too) heavy(-ier), laden, much, slow, sore, thick.וְה֛וּאvehuand as for herהוּאconjunction, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.שָׁפַ֥טshafatjudgeשָׁפַטverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “judge”, a completed actionH8199to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively)[phrase] avenge, [idiom] that condemn, contend, defend, execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), [idiom] needs, plead, reason, rule.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.אַרְבָּעִ֥יםarbaimfortyאַרְבָּעִיםadjective, cardinal, both genders, plural, absolute — “forty”, the ordinary formH705forty-forty.שָׁנָֽהshanahyearשָׁנֶהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “year”, the ordinary formH8141a year (as a revolution of time)[phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

Young’s Literal Translation

And it cometh to pass, at his mentioning the ark of God, that he falleth from off the throne backward, by the side of the gate, and his neck is broken, and he dieth, for the man [is] old and heavy, and he hath judged Israel forty years.

World English Bible

When he made mention of God’s ark, Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

Darby Translation

And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for the man was old, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

Douay-Rheims

And when he had named the ark of God, he fell from his stool backwards by the door, and broke his neck, and died. For he was an old man, and far advanced in years: and he judged Israel forty years.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from the seat backward near the gate, and his back was broken, and he died, for he was an old man and heavy: and he judged Israel twenty years.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐμνήσθη τῆς κιβωτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἀπὸ τοῦ δίφρου ὀπισθίως ἐχόμενος τῆς πύλης, καὶ συνετρίβη ὁ νῶτος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέθανεν, ὅτι πρεσβύτης ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ βαρύς· καὶ αὐτὸς ἔκρινε τὸν Ἰσραὴλ εἴκοσι ἔτη.