King James Version

Exodus 13:21

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

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Hebrew

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וַֽיהוָ֡הvayhvahand Jehovahיְהֹוָהconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).הֹלֵךְ֩holekhewalkהָלַךְverb, qal, participle, absolute — “walk”, a verb used as a describing wordH1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] gre…לִפְנֵיהֶ֨םlifneyhemto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “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(-…יוֹמָ֜םyomamdailyיוֹמָםadverb — “daily”H3119dailydaily, (by, in the) day(-time).בְּעַמּ֤וּדbeamudin pillarעַמּוּדpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in pillar”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5982a column (as standing); also a stand, i.e. platform[idiom] apiece, pillar.עָנָן֙anancloudעָנָןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cloud”, the ordinary formH6051a cloud (as covering the sky), i.e. the nimbus or thunder-cloudcloud(-y).לַנְחֹתָ֣םlanchotamto guideנָחָהpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to guide”, the to-form of the verbH5148to guide; by implication, to transport (into exile, or as colonists)bestow, bring, govern, guide, lead (forth), put, straiten.הַדֶּ֔רֶךְhaderekhthe alongדֶּרֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the along”, the ordinary formH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).וְלַ֛יְלָהvelaylahand nightלַיִלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and night”, the ordinary formH3915properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity(mid-)night (season).בְּעַמּ֥וּדbeamudin pillarעַמּוּדpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in pillar”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5982a column (as standing); also a stand, i.e. platform[idiom] apiece, pillar.אֵ֖שׁeshfireאֵשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “fire”, the ordinary formH784fire (literally or figuratively)burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.לְהָאִ֣ירlehairto gloriousאוֹרpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct — “to glorious”, the to-form of the verbH215to be (causative, make) luminous (literally and metaphorically)[idiom] break of day, glorious, kindle, (be, en-, give, show) light (-en, -ened), set on fire, shine.לָהֶ֑םlahemtoלָהֶ֑םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toלָלֶ֖כֶתlalekhetto carryיָלַךְpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to carry”, the to-form of the verbH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…יוֹמָ֥םyomamdailyיוֹמָםadverb — “daily”H3119dailydaily, (by, in the) day(-time).וָלָֽיְלָהvalayelahand nightלַיִלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and night”, the ordinary formH3915properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity(mid-)night (season).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:

Young’s Literal Translation

and Jehovah is going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them, to go by day and by night;

World English Bible

Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:

Darby Translation

And Jehovah went before their face by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them [in] the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; so that they could go day and night.

Douay-Rheims

And the Lord went before them to shew the way by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire: that he might be the guide of their journey at both times.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And God led them, in the day by a pillar of cloud, to show them the way, and in the night by a pillar of fire.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἡγεῖτο αὐτῶν, ἡμέρας μὲν ἐν στύλῳ νεφέλης, δεῖξαι αὐτοῖς τὴν ὁδόν· τὴν δὲ νύκτα ἐν στύλῳ πυρός.