King James Version

Deuteronomy 4:12

And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.

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Hebrew

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וַיְדַבֵּ֧רvaydaberand speakדָבַרconjunction, verb, piel, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and speak”, the next action in the storyH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.יְהוָ֛הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).אֲלֵיכֶ֖םaleykhemamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “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).מִתּ֣וֹךְmitokhefrom amongתָּוֶךְpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “from among”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8432a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centreamong(-st), [idiom] between, half, [idiom] (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), [idiom] out (of), [idiom] through, [idiom] with(-in).הָאֵ֑שׁhaeshthe fireאֵשׁdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the fire”, the ordinary formH784fire (literally or figuratively)burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.ק֤וֹלqolsoundקוֹלnoun, 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.דְּבָרִים֙devarimcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “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…אַתֶּ֣םatemtheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.שֹׁמְעִ֔יםshomeimhearשָׁמַעverb, qal, participle, absolute — “hear”, a verb used as a describing wordH8085to 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…וּתְמוּנָ֛הutemunahand imageתְּמוּנָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and image”, the ordinary formH8544something portioned (i.e. fashioned) out, as ashape, i.e. (indefinitely) phantom, or (specifically) embodiment, or (figuratively) manifestation (of favor)image, likeness, similitude.אֵינְכֶ֥םeynkhemelseאַיִןparticle, negative, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).רֹאִ֖יםroimseeרָאָהverb, qal, participle, absolute — “see”, a verb used as a describing wordH7200to 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…זוּלָתִ֥יzulatibesideזוּלָהpreposition — “beside”H2108probably scattering, i.e. removal; used adverbially, exceptbeside, but, only, save.קֽוֹלqolsoundקוֹלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “sound”, the ordinary formH6963a 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.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the LORD spoke unto you out of the midst of the fire; ye heard the voice of words, but ye saw no form; only a voice.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And Jehovah spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of words, but ye saw no form; only ye heard a voice.

Young’s Literal Translation

'And Jehovah speaketh unto you out of the midst of the fire; a voice of words ye are hearing and a similitude ye are not seeing, only a voice;

World English Bible

Yahweh spoke to you out of the middle of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; you only heard a voice.

Darby Translation

And Jehovah spoke to you from the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but ye saw no form; only [ye heard] a voice.

Douay-Rheims

And the Lord spoke to you from the midst of the fire. You heard the voice of his words, but you saw not any form at all.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And the LORD spoke unto you out of the midst of the fire; ye heard the voice of words, but ye saw no form; only a voice.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire a voice of words, which ye heard: and ye saw no likeness, only ye heard a voice.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐκ μέσου τοῦ πυρὸς φωνὴν ῥημάτων, ἣν ὑμεῖς ἠκούσατε· καὶ ὁμοίωμα οὐκ εἴδετε, ἀλλʼ ἢ φωνήν·