King James Version

2 Kings 18:21

Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

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Hebrew

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עַתָּ֡הatahthis timeעַתָּהadverb — “this time”H6258at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletivehenceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.הִנֵּ֣הhinehloהִנֵּהparticle, demonstrative — “lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.בָטַ֣חְתָּvatachtabe 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.לְּךָ֡lekhatoלְּךָ֡preposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “to”toעַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “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,…מִשְׁעֶנֶת֩mishenetstaffמִשְׁעֵנָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “staff”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4938support (abstractly), i.e. (figuratively) sustenance or (concretely) a walking-stickstaff.הַקָּנֶ֨הhaqanehthe reedקָנֶהdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the reed”, the ordinary formH7070a reed (as erect); by resemblance a rod (especially for measuring), shaft, tube, stem, the radius (of the arm), beam (of a steelyard)balance, bone, branch, calamus, cane, reed, [idiom] spearman, stalk.הָרָצ֤וּץharatsutsthe breakרָצַץdefinite article, verb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “the break”, a verb used as a describing wordH7533to crack in pieces, literally or figurativelybreak, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress, struggle together.הַזֶּה֙hazehthe the one...the otherזֶהdefinite article, pronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…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,…מִצְרַ֔יִםmitsrayimEgyptמִצְרַיִםnoun, proper name — “Egypt”H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower EgyptEgypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.אֲשֶׁ֨רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…יִסָּמֵ֥ךְyisamekheholdסָמַךְverb, niphal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “hold”, an unfinished actionH5564to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense)bear up, establish, (up-) hold, lay, lean, lie hard, put, rest self, set self, stand fast, stay (self), sustain.אִישׁ֙isha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “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…עָלָ֔יוalayvaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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,…וּבָ֥אuvaand to comeבּוֹאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and to come”, a completed action in a sequenceH935to 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,…בְכַפּ֖וֹvekhapvoin hand , -dle,כַּףpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in 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.וּנְקָבָ֑הּuneqavahand with holesנָקַבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and with holes”, a completed action in a sequenceH5344to puncture, literally (to perforate, with more or less violence) or figuratively (to specify, designate, libel)appoint, blaspheme, bore, curse, express, with holes, name, pierce, strike through.כֵּ֚ןkenas... asכֵּןparticle, demonstrative — “as... as”H3651properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)[phrase] after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, [phrase] (for-) asmuch as yet, [phrase] be (for which) cause, [phrase] following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), [idiom] the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (th…פַּרְעֹ֣הparoPharaohפַּרְעֹהnoun, proper name — “Pharaoh”H6547Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kingsPharaoh.מֶֽלֶךְmelekhkingמֶלֶךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “king”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4428a kingking, royal.מִצְרַ֔יִםmitsrayimEgyptמִצְרַיִםnoun, proper name — “Egypt”H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower EgyptEgypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.לְכָֽלlekhalto allכֹּלpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “to all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).הַבֹּטְחִ֖יםhabotechimthe be boldבָּטַחdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the be bold”, a verb used as a describing wordH982figuratively, to trust, be confident or surebe bold (confident, secure, sure), careless (one, woman), put confidence, (make to) hope, (put, make to) trust.עָלָֽיוalayvaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

Young’s Literal Translation

'Now, lo, thou hast trusted for thee on the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; which a man leaneth on, and it hath gone into his hand, and pierced it! — so [is] Pharaoh king of Egypt to all those trusting on him.

World English Bible

Now, behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed, even in Egypt. If a man leans on it, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust on him.

Darby Translation

Now behold, thou reliest upon the staff of that broken reed, upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it goes into his hand and pierces it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that rely upon him.

Douay-Rheims

Dost thou trust in Egypt a staff of a broken reed, upon which if a man lean, it will break and go into his hand, and pierce it? so is Pharao king of Egypt, to all that trust in him.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

See now, art thou trusting for thyself on this broken staff of reed, even upon Egypt? whosoever shall stay himself upon it, it shall even go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharao king of Egypt to all that trust on him.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Νῦν ἰδοὺ πέποιθας σαυτῷ ἐπὶ τὴν ῥἁβδον τὴν καλαμίνην τὴς τεθλασμένην ταύτην, ἐπʼ Αἴγυπτον; ὃς ἂν στηριχθῇ ἀνὴρ ἐπʼ αὐτὴν, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τρήσει αὐτήν· οὕτως Φαραὼ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου πᾶσι τοῖς πεποιθόσιν ἐπʼ αὐτόν.