King James Version

Deuteronomy 33:21

And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.

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Hebrew

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וַיַּ֤רְאvayarand 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…רֵאשִׁית֙reshitfirstרֵאשִׁיתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “first”, the ordinary formH7225the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit)beginning, chief(-est), first(-fruits, part, time), principal thing.ל֔וֹlvotoל֔וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toכִּיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…שָׁ֛םshamthereשָׁםadverb — “there”H8033there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thencein it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither.חֶלְקַ֥תchelqatfieldחֶלְקָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “field”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2513properly, smoothness; figuratively, flattery; also an allotmentfield, flattering(-ry), ground, parcel, part, piece of land (ground), plat, portion, slippery place, smooth (thing).מְחֹקֵ֖קmechoqeqappointחָקַקverb, poel, participle, absolute — “appoint”, a verb used as a describing wordH2710properly, to hack, i.e. engrave (Judges 5:14, to be a scribe simply); by implication, to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (gen.) prescribeappoint, decree, governor, grave, lawgiver, note, pourtray, print, set.סָפ֑וּןsafuncieledסָפַןverb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “cieled”, a verb used as a describing wordH5603to hide by covering; specifically, to roof (passive participle as noun, a roof) or wainscot; figuratively, to reservecieled, cover, seated.וַיֵּתֵא֙vayeteand comeאָתָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and come”, the next action in the storyH857to arrive(be-, things to) come (upon), bring.רָ֣אשֵׁיrasheheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “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.עָ֔םampeopleעַםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “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.צִדְקַ֤תtsidqatjusticeצְדָקָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “justice”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6666rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity)justice, moderately, right(-eous) (act, -ly, -ness).יְהוָה֙yehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).עָשָׂ֔הasahdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd 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…וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יוumishpatayvand lawמִשְׁפָּטconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and law”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4941properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style[phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right,…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).יִשְׂרָאֵֽלyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And he chose a first part for himself, for there a portion of a ruler was reserved; and there came the heads of the people, he executed the righteousness of the LORD, and His ordinances with Israel.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And he provided the first part for himself, For there was the lawgiver’s portion reserved; And he came with the heads of the people; He executed the righteousness of Jehovah, And his ordinances with Israel.

Young’s Literal Translation

And he provideth the first part for himself, For there the portion of the lawgiver is covered, And he cometh [with] the heads of the people; The righteousness of Jehovah he hath done, And His judgments with Israel.

World English Bible

He provided the first part for himself, for the lawgiver’s portion was reserved for him. He came with the heads of the people. He executed the righteousness of Yahweh, His ordinances with Israel.”

Darby Translation

And he provided the first part for himself, For there was reserved the portion of the lawgiver; And he came with the heads of the people; The justice of Jehovah and his judgments Hath he executed with Israel.

Douay-Rheims

And he saw his pre-eminence, that in his portion the teacher was laid up: who was with the princes of the people, and did the justices of the Lord, and his judgment with Israel.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And he chose a first part for himself, for there a portion of a ruler was reserved; and there came the heads of the people, he executed the righteousness of the LORD, and His ordinances with Israel.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And he saw his first-fruits, that there the land of the princes gathered with the chiefs of the people was divided; the Lord wrought righteousness, and his judgment with Israel.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶδεν ἀπαρχὴν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἐμερίσθη γῆ ἀρχόντων συνηγμένων ἅμα ἀρχηγοῖς λαῶν· δικαιοσύνην Κύριος ἐποίησε, καὶ κρίσιν αὐτοῦ μετὰ Ἰσραήλ.