King James Version

2 Kings 4:16

And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֗אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, 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…לַמּוֹעֵ֤דlamoedto appointedמוֹעֵדpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to appointed”, the ordinary formH4150properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally ayear; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand)appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn(-ity), synogogue, (set) time (appointed).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,…כָּעֵ֣תkaetas whenעֵתpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “as when”, the ordinary formH6256time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.[phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when.חַיָּ֔הchayahlifeחַיadjective, adjective, feminine, 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.אתיtytheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.אַ֖תְּattheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, feminine, singular — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.חֹבֶ֣קֶתchoveqetembraceחָבַקverb, qal, participle, absolute — “embrace”, a verb used as a describing wordH2263to clasp (the hands or in embrace)embrace, fold.בֵּ֑ןbensonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “son”, the ordinary formH1121a 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, […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…אַלalnotאַלparticle, negative — “not”H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothingnay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.אֲדֹנִי֙adonilordאָדוֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “lord”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH113sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'.אִ֣ישׁisha certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a 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…הָאֱלֹהִ֔יםhaelohimthe 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.אַלalnotאַלparticle, negative — “not”H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothingnay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.תְּכַזֵּ֖בtekhazevlieכָּזַבverb, piel, jussive, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “lie”, a wish or indirect commandH3576to lie (i.e. deceive), literally or figurativelyfail, (be found a, make a) liar, lie, lying, be in vain.בְּשִׁפְחָתֶֽךָbeshifchatekhain maidשִׁפְחָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “in maid”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8198a female slave (as a member of the household)(bond-, hand-) maid(-en, -servant), wench, bondwoman, womanservant.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And he said: 'At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son.' And she said: 'Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And he said, At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid.

Young’s Literal Translation

and he saith, 'At this season, according to the time of life, thou art embracing a son;' and she saith, 'Nay, my lord, O man of God, do not lie unto thy maid-servant.'

World English Bible

He said, “At this season next year, you will embrace a son.” She said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.”

Darby Translation

And he said, At this appointed time, when thy term is come, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, No, my lord, man of God, do not lie to thy handmaid.

Douay-Rheims

He said to her: At this time, and this same hour, if life accompany, thou shalt have a son in thy womb. But she answered: Do not, I beseech thee, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie to thy handmaid.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And he said: 'At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son.' And she said: 'Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Elisaie said to her, At this time next year , as the season is , thou shalt be alive, and embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, do not lie to thy servant.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπεν Ἐλισαιὲ πρὸς αὐτήν, εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον, ὡς ἡ ὥρα, ζῶσα σὺ, περιειληφυῖα υἱόν· ἡ δὲ εἶπε, μή κύριε, μὴ διαψεύσῃ τὴν δούλην σου.