King James Version

2 Kings 18:36

But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

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Hebrew

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וְהֶחֱרִ֣ישׁוּvehecherishvand be deafחָרַשׁconjunction, verb, hiphil, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and be deaf”, a completed actionH2790to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense); hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone; hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of dumbness)[idiom] altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise, ear, graven, imagine, leave off speaking, hold peace, plow(-er, man), be quiet, rest, practise secretly, keep silence, be silent, speak not a word, be still, hold tongue, worker.הָעָ֔םhaamthe peopleעַםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.וְלֹֽאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…עָנ֥וּanvshoutעָנָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “shout”, a completed actionH6030properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announcegive account, afflict (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), (cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, [idiom] scholar, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter,…אֹת֖וֹotvoobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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).דָּבָ֑רdavarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cause”, the ordinary formH1697a 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…כִּיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…מִצְוַ֨תmitsvatlawמִצְוָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “law”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4687a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law)(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance, precept.הַמֶּ֥לֶךְhamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.הִ֛יאhias for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “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.לֵאמֹ֖רlemorto sayאָמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to say”, the to-form of the verbH559to 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…לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תַעֲנֻֽהוּtaanuhvshoutעָנָהverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “shout”, an unfinished actionH6030properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announcegive account, afflict (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), (cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, [idiom] scholar, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying: 'Answer him not.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

Young’s Literal Translation

And the people have kept silent, and have not answered him a word, for the command of the king is, saying, 'Do not answer him.'

World English Bible

But the people stayed quiet, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.”

Darby Translation

But the people were silent and answered him not a word; for the king's command was, saying, Answer him not.

Douay-Rheims

But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for they had received commandment from the king that they should not answer him.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying: 'Answer him not.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

But the men were silent, and answered him not a word: for there was a commandment of the king, saying, Ye shall not answer him.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐκώφευσαν καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ λόγον, ὅτι ἐντολὴ τοῦ βασιλέως, λέγων, οὐκ ἀποκριθήσεσθε αὐτῷ.