King James Version

2 Kings 9:17

And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?

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Hebrew

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וְהַצֹּפֶה֩vehatsofehand the beholdצָפָהconjunction, definite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “and the behold”, a verb used as a describing wordH6822properly, to lean forward, i.e. to peer into the distance; by implication, to observe, awaitbehold, espy, look up (well), wait for, (keep the) watch(-man).עֹמֵ֨דomedstandעָמַדverb, qal, participle, absolute — “stand”, a verb used as a describing wordH5975to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, [phrase] serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, m…עַֽלalaboveעַלpreposition — “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,…הַמִּגְדָּ֜לhamigdalthe castleמִגְדָּלdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the castle”, the ordinary formH4026a tower (from its size or height); by analogy, a rostrum; figuratively, a (pyramidal) bed of flowerscastle, flower, tower. Compare the names following.בְּיִזְרְעֶ֗אלbeyizreelin Jezreelיִזְרְעֵאלpreposition, noun, proper name — “in Jezreel”H3157Jizreel, the name of two places in Palestine and of two IsraelitesJezreel.וַיַּ֞רְאvayarand seeרָאָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and see”, the next action in the storyH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…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).שִׁפְעַ֤תshifatabundanceשִׁפְעָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “abundance”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8229copiousnessabundance, company, multitude.יֵהוּא֙yehuJehuיֵהוּאnoun, proper name — “Jehu”H3058Jehu, the name of five IsraelitesJehu.בְּבֹא֔וֹbevovoin to comeבּוֹאpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in to come”, the to-form of the verbH935to 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,…וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvayomerand 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…שִׁפְעַ֖תshifatabundanceשִׁפְעָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “abundance”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8229copiousnessabundance, company, multitude.אֲנִ֣יanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.רֹאֶ֑הroehseeרָאָהverb, qal, participle, absolute — “see”, a verb used as a describing wordH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvayomerand 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…יְהוֹרָ֗םyehoramJehoramיְהוֹרָםnoun, proper name — “Jehoram”H3088Jehoram, the name of a Syrian and of three IsraelitesJehoram, Joram. Compare H3141 (יוֹרָם).קַ֥חqachtakeלָקַחverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “take”, a commandH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.רַכָּ֛בrakavchariot manרַכָּבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “chariot man”, the ordinary formH7395a charioteerchariot man, driver of a chariot, horseman.וּֽשְׁלַ֥חushelachand sendשָׁלַחconjunction, verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and send”, a commandH7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, ou…לִקְרָאתָ֖םliqratamto helpקִרְאָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to help”, the to-form of the verbH7125an encountering, accidental, friendly or hostile (also adverbially, opposite)[idiom] against (he come), help, meet, seek, [idiom] to, [idiom] in the way.וְיֹאמַ֥רveyomarand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, an unfinished 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…הֲשָׁלֽוֹםhashalomhealthשָׁלוֹםparticle, interrogative, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “health”, the ordinary formH7965safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace[idiom] do, familiar, [idiom] fare, favour, [phrase] friend, [idiom] great, (good) health, ([idiom] perfect, such as be at) peace(-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous), rest, safe(-ty), salute, welfare, ([idiom] all is, be) well, [idiom] whol…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Now the watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said: 'I see a company.' And Joram said: 'Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say: Is it peace?'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?

Young’s Literal Translation

And the watchman is standing on the tower in Jezreel, and seeth the company of Jehu in his coming, and saith, 'A company I see;' and Joram saith, 'Take a rider and send to meet them, and let him say, Is there peace?'

World English Bible

Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company.” Joram said, “Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’”

Darby Translation

And the watchman stood on the tower in Jizreel, and saw Jehu's company as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?

Douay-Rheims

The watchmen therefore, that stood upon the tower of Jezrahel, saw the troop of Jehu coming, and said: I see a troop. And Joram said: Take a chariot, and send to meet them, and let him that goeth say: Is all well?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And there went up a watchman upon the tower of Jezrael, and saw the dust made by Ju as he approached; and he said, I see dust. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Peace.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ὁ σκοπὸς ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὸν πύργον Ἰεζράελ, καὶ εἶδε τὸν κονιορτὸν Ἰοὺ ἐν τῷ παραγίνεσθαι αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπε, Κονιορτὸν ἐγὼ βλέπω· καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωρὰμ, λάβε ἐπιβάτην, καὶ ἀπόστειλον ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰπάτω ἡ εἰρήνη.