King James Version

2 Kings 18:20

Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙amartasayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “say”, a completed actionH559to 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…אַךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).דְּבַרdevarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…שְׂפָתַ֔יִםsefatayimlanguageשָׂפָהnoun, common, feminine, dual, absolute — “language”, the ordinary formH8193the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, (sea-)shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.עֵצָ֥הetsahadviceעֵצָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “advice”, the ordinary formH6098advice; by implication, plan; also prudenceadvice, advisement, counsel(l-(or)), purpose.וּגְבוּרָ֖הugevurahand forceגְּבוּרָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and force”, the ordinary formH1369force (literally or figuratively); by implication, valor, victoryforce, mastery, might, mighty (act, power), power, strength.לַמִּלְחָמָ֑הlamilchamahto battleמִלְחָמָהpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “to battle”, the ordinary formH4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).עַתָּה֙atahthis timeעַתָּהadverb — “this time”H6258at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletivehenceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “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,…מִ֣יmiwhoמִיparticle, interrogative — “who”H4310who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffixany (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.בָטַ֔חְתָּvatachtabe boldבָּטַחverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “be bold”, a completed actionH982figuratively, to trust, be confident or surebe bold (confident, secure, sure), careless (one, woman), put confidence, (make to) hope, (put, make to) trust.כִּ֥יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…מָרַ֖דְתָּmaradtarebelמָרַדverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “rebel”, a completed actionH4775to rebelrebel(-lious).בִּֽיbiinבִּֽיpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “in”in

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Sayest thou that a mere word of the lips is counsel and strength for the war? Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Thou sayest (but they are but vain words), There is counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

Young’s Literal Translation

Thou hast said: Only a word of the lips! counsel and might [are] for battle; now, on whom hast thou trusted that thou hast rebelled against me?

World English Bible

You say (but they are but vain words), ‘There is counsel and strength for war.’ Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?

Darby Translation

Thou sayest — but it is a word of the lips — There is counsel and strength for war. Now on whom dost thou rely, that thou hast revolted against me?

Douay-Rheims

Perhaps thou hast taken counsel, to prepare thyself for battle. On whom dost thou trust, that thou darest to rebel?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Sayest thou that a mere word of the lips is counsel and strength for the war? Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Thou hast said, (but they are mere words,) I have counsel and strength for war. Now then in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast revolted from me?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἶπας, πλὴν λόγοι χειλέων, Βουλὴ καὶ δύναμις εἰς πόλεμον· νῦν οὖν τίνι πεποιθὼς ἠθέτησας ἐν ἐμοί;