King James Version

Exodus 34:20

But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

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Hebrew

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וּפֶ֤טֶרufeterand firstlingפֶּטֶרconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and firstling”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6363a fissure, i.e. (concretely) firstling (as opening the matrix)firstling, openeth, such as open.חֲמוֹר֙chamorassחֲמוֹרnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “ass”, the ordinary formH2543a male ass (from its dun red)(he) ass.תִּפְדֶּ֣הtifdehransomפָּדָהverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “ransom”, an unfinished actionH6299to sever, i.e. ransom; gener. to release, preserve[idiom] at all, deliver, [idiom] by any means, ransom, (that are to be, let be) redeem(-ed), rescue, [idiom] surely.בְשֶׂ֔הvesehin goatשֶׂהpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in goat”, the ordinary formH7716a member of a flock, i.e. a sheep or goat(lesser, small) cattle, ewe, goat, lamb, sheep. Compare H2089 (זֶה).וְאִםveimand oh thatאִםconjunction, conjunction — “and oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תִפְדֶּ֖הtifdehransomפָּדָהverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “ransom”, an unfinished actionH6299to sever, i.e. ransom; gener. to release, preserve[idiom] at all, deliver, [idiom] by any means, ransom, (that are to be, let be) redeem(-ed), rescue, [idiom] surely.וַעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹvaaraftvoand break downעָרַףconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and break down”, a completed action in a sequenceH6202to break the neck; hence (figuratively) to destroythat is beheaded, break down, break (cut off, strike off) neck.כֹּ֣לkolallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).בְּכ֤וֹרbekhorfirstbornבְּכוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “firstborn”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1060firstborn; hence, chiefeldest (son), firstborn(-ling).בָּנֶ֨יךָ֙baneykhasonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […תִּפְדֶּ֔הtifdehransomפָּדָהverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “ransom”, an unfinished actionH6299to sever, i.e. ransom; gener. to release, preserve[idiom] at all, deliver, [idiom] by any means, ransom, (that are to be, let be) redeem(-ed), rescue, [idiom] surely.וְלֹֽאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יֵרָא֥וּyeravseeרָאָהverb, niphal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “see”, an unfinished actionH7200to 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…פָנַ֖יfanaya- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “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(-…רֵיקָֽםreyqamwithout causeרֵיקָםadverb — “without cause”H7387emptily; figuratively (objective) ineffectually, (subjective) undeservedlywithout cause, empty, in vain, void.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before Me empty.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

Young’s Literal Translation

and the firstling of an ass thou dost ransom with a lamb; and if thou dost not ransom, then thou hast beheaded it; every first-born of thy sons thou dost ransom, and they do not appear before Me empty.

World English Bible

You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before me empty.

Darby Translation

But the firstling of an ass thou shalt ransom with a lamb; and if thou ransom [it] not, then shalt thou break its neck. All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt ransom; and none shall appear before me empty.

Douay-Rheims

The firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a sheep: but if thou wilt not give a price for it, it shall be slain. The firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem: neither shalt thou appear before me empty.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the first-born of an ass thou shalt redeem with a sheep, and if thou wilt not redeem it thou shalt pay a price: every first-born of thy sons shalt thou redeem: thou shalt not appear before me empty.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ πρωτότοκον ὑποζυγίου λυτρώσῃ προβάτῳ· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ λυτρώσῃ αὐτὸ, τιμὴν δώσεις. πᾶν πρωτότοκον τῶν υἱῶν σου λυτρώσῃ· οὐκ ὀφθήσῃ ἐνώπιόν μου κενός.