King James Version

2 Samuel 12:21

Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּאמְר֤וּvayomrvand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “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…עֲבָדָיו֙avadayvservantעֶבֶדnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “servant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5650a servant[idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.אֵלָ֔יוelayvamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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).מָֽהmahhowמָהparticle, interrogative — “how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.הַדָּבָ֥רhadavarthe causeדָּבָרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the 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…הַזֶּ֖הhazehthe 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,…אֲשֶׁ֣רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…עָשִׂ֑יתָהasitahdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “do”, a completed actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…בַּעֲב֞וּרbaavurin thatעָבוּרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in that”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5668properly, crossed, i.e. (abstractly) transit; used only adverbially, on account of, in order thatbecause of, for (...'s sake), (intent) that, to.הַיֶּ֤לֶדhayeledthe childיֶלֶדdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the child”, the ordinary formH3206something born, i.e. a lad or offspringboy, child, fruit, son, young man (one).חַי֙chaylifeחַיadjective, adjective, masculine, 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.צַ֣מְתָּtsamtafastצוּםverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “fast”, a completed actionH6684to cover over (the mouth), i.e. to fast[idiom] at all, fast.וַתֵּ֔בְךְּvatevekeand weepבָּכָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and weep”, the next action in the storyH1058to weep; generally to bemoan[idiom] at all, bewail, complain, make lamentation, [idiom] more, mourn, [idiom] sore, [idiom] with tears, weep.וְכַֽאֲשֶׁר֙vekhaasherand as becauseאֲשֶׁרconjunction, preposition, particle, relative — “and as 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,…מֵ֣תmetdieמוּתverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “die”, a completed actionH4191to 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…הַיֶּ֔לֶדhayeledthe childיֶלֶדdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the child”, the ordinary formH3206something born, i.e. a lad or offspringboy, child, fruit, son, young man (one).קַ֖מְתָּqamtariseקוּםverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “rise”, a completed actionH6965to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (u…וַתֹּ֥אכַלvatokhaland eatאָכַלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and eat”, the next action in the storyH398to eat (literally or figuratively)[idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.לָֽחֶםlachembreadלֶחֶםnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “bread”, the ordinary formH3899food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)(shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Then said his servants unto him: 'What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

Young’s Literal Translation

And his servants say unto him, 'What [is] this thing thou hast done? because of the living lad thou hast fasted and dost weep, and when the lad is dead thou hast risen and dost eat bread.'

World English Bible

Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”

Darby Translation

And his servants said to him, What thing is this which thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child alive; but as soon as the child is dead, thou dost rise and eat bread.

Douay-Rheims

And his servants said to him: What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou didst rise up, and eat bread.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Then said his servants unto him: 'What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And his servants said to him, What is this thing that thou hast done concerning the child? while it was yet living thou didst fast, and weep, and watch: and when the child was dead thou didst rise up, and didst eat bread, and drink.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπαν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν, τί τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ὃ ἐποίησας ἕνεκα τοῦ παιδαρίου; ἔτι ζῶντος ἐνήστευες καὶ ἔκλαιες καὶ ἠγρύπνεις, καὶ ἡνίκα ἀπέθανε τὸ παιδάριον, ἀνέστης, καὶ ἔφαγες ἄρτον, καὶ πέπωκας;