King James Version

Exodus 20:21

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

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Hebrew

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וַיַּעֲמֹ֥דvayaamodand standעָמַדconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and stand”, the next action in the storyH5975to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, [phrase] serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, m…הָעָ֖םhaamthe 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.מֵרָחֹ֑קmerachoqfrom of oldרָחוֹקpreposition, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “from of old”, the ordinary formH7350remote, literally or figuratively, of place or time; specifically, precious; often used adverbially (with preposition)(a-) far (abroad, off), long ago, of old, space, great while to come.וּמֹשֶׁה֙umoshehand Mosesמֹשֶׁהconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Moses”H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverMoses.נִגַּ֣שׁnigashbringנָגַשׁverb, niphal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bring”, a completed actionH5066to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an enemy, to attack; religious to worship; causatively, to present; figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand back(make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither, near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake, present, put, stand.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).הָֽעֲרָפֶ֔לhaarafelthe darkעֲרָפֶלdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the dark”, the ordinary formH6205gloom (as of a lowering sky)(gross, thick) dark (cloud, -ness).אֲשֶׁרasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…שָׁ֖םshamthereשָׁםadverb — “there”H8033there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thencein it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither.הָאֱלֹהִֽיםhaelohimthe Godאֱלֹהִיםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the God”, the ordinary formH430gods 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.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(20-18) And the people stood afar off; but Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

Young’s Literal Translation

And the people stand afar off, and Moses hath drawn nigh unto the thick darkness where God [is].

World English Bible

The people stayed at a distance, and Moses came near to the thick darkness where God was.

Darby Translation

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near to the obscurity where God was.

Douay-Rheims

And the people stood afar off. But Moses went to the dark cloud wherein God was.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(20-18) And the people stood afar off; but Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the people stood afar off, and Moses went into the darkness where God was.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἱστήκει δὲ ὁ λαὸς μακρόθεν, Μωυσῆς δὲ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν γνόφον, οὗ ἦν ὁ Θεός.