King James Version

Deuteronomy 31:16

And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvayomerand 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…יְהוָה֙yehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).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).מֹשֶׁ֔הmoshehMosesמֹשֶׁהnoun, proper name — “Moses”H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverMoses.הִנְּךָ֥hinkhaloהִנֵּהparticle, demonstrative, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.שֹׁכֵ֖בshokhevlieשָׁכַבverb, qal, participle, absolute — “lie”, a verb used as a describing wordH7901to lie down (for rest, sexual connection, decease or any other purpose)[idiom] at all, cast down, (lover-)lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.עִםimwithעִםpreposition — “with”H5973adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)accompanying, against, and, as ([idiom] long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָavoteykhafatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.וְקָם֩veqamand riseקוּםconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and rise”, a completed action in a sequenceH6965to 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…הָעָ֨םhaamthe peopleעַםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.הַזֶּ֜הhazehthe 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,…וְזָנָ֣הvezanahand commit fornicationזָנָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and commit fornication”, a completed action in a sequenceH2181to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah)(cause to) commit fornication, [idiom] continually, [idiom] great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.אַחֲרֵ֣יachareafterאַחַרpreposition — “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…אֱלֹהֵ֣יeloheGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “God”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH430gods 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.נֵֽכַרnekharalienנֵכָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “alien”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5236foreign, or (concretely) a foreigner, or (abstractly) heathendomalien, strange ([phrase] -er).הָאָ֗רֶץhaaretsthe earthאֶרֶץdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.אֲשֶׁ֨רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…ה֤וּאhuas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.בָאvato comeבּוֹאverb, qal, participle, absolute — “to come”, a verb used as a describing wordH935to 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,…שָׁ֨מָּה֙shamahthereשָׁםadverb, directional ending — “there”H8033there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thencein it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither.בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹbeqirbvoin bowelsקֶרֶבpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in bowels”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7130properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition)[idiom] among, [idiom] before, bowels, [idiom] unto charge, [phrase] eat (up), [idiom] heart, [idiom] him, [idiom] in, inward ([idiom] -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, [phrase] out of, purtenance, [idiom] therein, [idiom] through, [idiom] w…וַעֲזָבַ֕נִיvaazavaniand commit selfעָזַבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and commit self”, a completed action in a sequenceH5800to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc.commit self, fail, forsake, fortify, help, leave (destitute, off), refuse, [idiom] surely.וְהֵפֵר֙veheferand breakפָּרַרconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and break”, a completed action in a sequenceH6565to break up (usually figuratively), i.e. to violate, frustrate[idiom] any ways, break (asunder), cast off, cause to cease, [idiom] clean, defeat, disannul, disappoint, dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate, bring (come) to nought, [idiom] utterly, make void.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).בְּרִיתִ֔יberiticonfederacyבְּרִיתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “confederacy”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1285a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh)confederacy, (con-) feder(-ate), covenant, league.אֲשֶׁ֥רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…כָּרַ֖תִּיkaraticovenantכָּרַתverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “covenant”, a completed actionH3772to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces)be chewed, be con-(feder-) ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league (covenant), [idiom] lose, perish, [idiom] utterly, [idiom] want.אִתּֽוֹitvoamongאֵתpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “among”H854properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Behold, thou art about to sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go astray after the foreign gods of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake Me, and break My covenant which I have made with them.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And Jehovah said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and play the harlot after the strange gods of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Lo, thou art lying down with thy fathers, and this people hath risen, and gone a-whoring after the gods of the stranger of the land into the midst of which it hath entered, and forsaken Me, and broken My covenant which I made with it;

World English Bible

Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers. This people will rise up and play the prostitute after the strange gods of the land where they go to be among them, and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them.

Darby Translation

And Jehovah said to Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the strange gods of the land into which they enter, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

Douay-Rheims

And the Lord said to Moses: Behold thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and this people rising up will go a fornicating after strange gods in the land, to which it goeth in to dwell: there will they forsake me, and will make void the covenant, which I have made with them,

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the Lord said to Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and this people will arise and go a whoring after the strange gods of the land, into which they are entering: and they will forsake me, and break my covenant, which I made with them.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν, ἰδοὺ σὺ κοιμᾷ μετὰ τῶν πατέρων σου, καὶ ἀναστὰς οὗτος ὁ λαὸς ἐκπορνεύσει ὀπίσω θεῶν ἀλλοτρίων τῆς γῆς, εἰς ἣν οὗτος εἰσπορεύεται, καὶ καταλείψουσί με, καὶ διασκεδάσουσι τὴν διαθήκην μου, ἣν διεθέμην αὐτοῖς.