King James Version

Exodus 10:21

And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvayomerand 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…יְהוָ֜הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, 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).מֹשֶׁ֗הmoshehMosesמֹשֶׁהnoun, proper name — “Moses”H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverMoses.נְטֵ֤הnetehspreadנָטָהverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “spread”, a commandH5186to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application[phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, o…יָֽדְךָ֙yadekhahandיָדnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםhashamayimthe heavenשָׁמַיִםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).וִ֥יהִיvihiand 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.חֹ֖שֶׁךְchoshekhdarkחֹשֶׁךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “dark”, the ordinary formH2822the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickednessdark(-ness), night, obscurity.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…אֶ֣רֶץeretsearthאֶרֶץnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “earth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.מִצְרָ֑יִםmitsrayimEgyptמִצְרַיִםnoun, proper name — “Egypt”H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower EgyptEgypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.וְיָמֵ֖שׁveyameshand feelמָשַׁשׁconjunction, verb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and feel”, an unfinished actionH4959to feel of; by implication, to gropefeel, grope, search.חֹֽשֶׁךְchoshekhdarkחֹשֶׁךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “dark”, the ordinary formH2822the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickednessdark(-ness), night, obscurity.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.'

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, Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Stretch out thy hand towards the heavens, and there is darkness over the land of Egypt, and the darkness is felt.'

World English Bible

Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.”

Darby Translation

And Jehovah said to Moses, Stretch out thy hand toward the heavens, that there may be darkness in the land of Egypt — so that one may feel darkness.

Douay-Rheims

And the Lord said to Moses: Stretch out they hand towards heaven: and may there be darkness upon the land of Egypt, so thick that it may be felt.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the Lord said to Moses, Stretch out thy hand to heaven, and let there be darkness over the land of Egypt—darkness that may be felt.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν, ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ γενηθήτω σκότος ἐπὶ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ψηλαφητὸν σκότος.