King James Version

2 Samuel 5:24

And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

וִ֠יהִיvihiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, jussive, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, a wish or indirect commandH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.בשמעךvshmkhin hearשָׁמַעpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “in hear”, the to-form of the verbH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…כְּֽשָׁמְעֲךָ֞keshameakhaas hearשָׁמַעpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “as hear”, the to-form of the verbH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…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).ק֧וֹלqolsoundקוֹלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “sound”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6963a voice or sound[phrase] aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ([phrase] out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, [phrase] hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, [phrase] sing, sound, [phrase] spark, thunder(-ing), voice, [phrase] yell.צְעָדָ֛הtseadahgoingצְעָדָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “going”, the ordinary formH6807a march; (concretely) an (ornamental) ankle-chaingoing, ornament of the legs.בְּרָאשֵׁ֥יberashein headרֹאשׁpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “in head”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.הַבְּכָאִ֖יםhabkhaimthe mulberry treeבָּכָאdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the mulberry tree”, the ordinary formH1057the weeping tree (some gum-distilling tree, perhaps the balsam)mulberry tree.אָ֣זazat which timeאָזadverb — “at which time”H227at that time or place; also as a conjunction, thereforebeginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.תֶּחֱרָ֑ץtecheratsdecideחָרַץverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “decide”, an unfinished actionH2782properly, to point sharply, i.e. (literally) to wound; figuratively, to be alert, to decidebestir self, decide, decree, determine, maim, move.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…אָ֗זazat which timeאָזadverb — “at which time”H227at that time or place; also as a conjunction, thereforebeginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.יָצָ֤אyatsabring forthיָצָאverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bring forth”, a completed actionH3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.[idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail…יְהוָה֙yehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).לְפָנֶ֔יךָlefaneykhato a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “to 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(-…לְהַכּ֖וֹתlehakotto strikeנָכָהpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “to strike”, the to-form of the verbH5221to 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.בְּמַחֲנֵ֥הbemachanehin armyמַחֲנֶהpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “in army”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4264an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts)army, band, battle, camp, company, drove, host, tents.פְלִשְׁתִּֽיםfelishtimPhilistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיnoun, gentilic, masculine, plural, absolute — “Philistine”, the ordinary formH6430a Pelishtite or inhabitant of PeleshethPhilistine.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is the LORD gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is Jehovah gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.

Young’s Literal Translation

and it cometh to pass, in thy hearing the sound of a stepping in the tops of the mulberries, then thou dost move sharply, for then hath Jehovah gone out before thee to smite in the camp of the Philistines.'

World English Bible

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then stir yourself up; for then Yahweh has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.”

Darby Translation

And it shall be, when thou hearest a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then will Jehovah have gone forth before thee, to smite the army of the Philistines.

Douay-Rheims

And when thou shalt hear the sound of one going in the tops of the pear trees, then shalt thou join battle: for then will the Lord go out before thy face to strike the army of the Philistines.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And it shall come to pass when thou hearest the sound of a clashing together from the grove of weeping, then thou shalt go down to them, for then the Lord shall go forth before thee to make havoc in the battle with the Philistines.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαί σε τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ συγκλεισμοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄλσους τοῦ κλαυθμῶνος, τότε καταβήσῃ πρὸς αὐτούς, ὅτι τότε ἐξελεύσεται Κύριος ἔμπροσθέν σου κόπτειν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων.