King James Version

2 Samuel 11:15

And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

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Hebrew

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וַיִּכְתֹּ֥בvayikhtovand describeכָּתַבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and describe”, the next action in the storyH3789to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe)describe, record, prescribe, subscribe, write(-ing, -ten).בַּסֵּ֖פֶרbaseferin bookסֵפֶרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in book”, the ordinary formH5612properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a bookbill, book, evidence, [idiom] learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll.לֵאמֹ֑רlemorto 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…הָב֣וּhavvcome onיָהַבverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “come on”, a commandH3051to give (whether literal or figurative); generally, to put; imperatively (reflexive) comeascribe, bring, come on, give, go, set, take.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).אֽוּרִיָּ֗הuriyahUrijahאוּרִיָּהnoun, proper name — “Urijah”H223Urijah, the name of one Hittite and five IsraelitesUriah, Urijah.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).מוּל֙mulfrontמוּלpreposition — “front”H4136properly, abrupt, i.e. a precipice; by implication, the front; used only adverbially (with prepositional prefix) opposite(over) against, before, (fore-) front, from, (God-) ward, toward, with.פְּנֵ֤יpenea- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…הַמִּלְחָמָה֙hamilchamahthe battleמִלְחָמָהdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the battle”, the ordinary formH4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).הַֽחֲזָקָ֔הhachazaqahthe strongחָזָקdefinite article, adjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “the strong”, the ordinary formH2389strong (usu. in a bad sense, hard, bold, violent)harder, hottest, [phrase] impudent, loud, mighty, sore, stiff(-hearted), strong(-er).וְשַׁבְתֶּ֥םveshavtemand againשׁוּבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “and again”, a completed action in a sequenceH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…מֵאַחֲרָ֖יוmeacharayvfrom afterאַחַרpreposition, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “from after”H310properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, the…וְנִכָּ֥הvenikahand strikeנָכָהconjunction, verb, niphal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and strike”, a completed action in a sequenceH5221to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound.וָמֵֽתvametand dieמוּתconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and die”, a completed action in a sequenceH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And he wrote in the letter, saying: 'Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

Young’s Literal Translation

and he writeth in the letter, saying, 'Place ye Uriah over-against the front of the severest battle, and ye have turned back from after him, and he hath been smitten, and hath died.'

World English Bible

He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck and die.”

Darby Translation

And he wrote in the letter saying, Set Urijah in the front of the thickest fight, and withdraw from him, that he may be smitten and die.

Douay-Rheims

Writing in the letter: Set ye Urias in the front of the battle, where the fight is strongest: and leave ye him, that he may be wounded and die.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And he wrote in the letter, saying: 'Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And he wrote in the letter, saying, Station Urias in front of the severe part of the fight, and retreat from behind him, so shall he be wounded and die.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἔγραψεν ἐν βιβλίῳ, λέγων, εἰσάγαγε τὸν Οὐρίαν ἐξεναντίας τοῦ πολέμου τοῦ κραταιοῦ, καὶ ἀποστραφήσεσθε ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πληγήσεται καὶ ἀποθανεῖται.