King James Version

Exodus 4:20

And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

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וַיִּקַּ֨חvayiqachand takeלָקַחconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and take”, the next action in the storyH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.מֹשֶׁ֜הmoshehMosesמֹשֶׁהnoun, proper name — “Moses”H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverMoses.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אִשְׁתּ֣וֹishtvoeachאִשָּׁהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “each”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.וְאֶתveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).בָּנָ֗יוbanayvsonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd 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, […וַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙vayarkivemand on backרָכַבconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and on back”, the next action in the storyH7392to ride (on an animal or in a vehicle); causatively, to place upon (for riding or generally), to despatchbring (on (horse-) back), carry, get (oneself) up, on (horse-) back, put, (cause to, make to) ride (in a chariot, on, -r), set.עַֽלalaboveעַלpreposition — “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,…הַחֲמֹ֔רhachamorthe assחֲמוֹרdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the ass”, the ordinary formH2543a male ass (from its dun red)(he) ass.וַיָּ֖שָׁבvayashavand againשׁוּבconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and again”, the next action in the storyH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…אַ֣רְצָהartsahearthאֶרֶץnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, directional ending — “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.וַיִּקַּ֥חvayiqachand takeלָקַחconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and take”, the next action in the storyH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.מֹשֶׁ֛הmoshehMosesמֹשֶׁהnoun, proper name — “Moses”H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverMoses.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).מַטֵּ֥הmatehrodמַטֶּהnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “rod”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4294a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre), throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a support of life, e.g. bread)rod, staff, tribe.הָאֱלֹהִ֖יםhaelohimthe 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.בְּיָדֽוֹbeyadvoin handיָדpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in 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, […

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Young’s Literal Translation

and Moses taketh his wife, and his sons, and causeth them to ride on the ass, and turneth back to the land of Egypt, and Moses taketh the rod of God in his hand.

World English Bible

Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. Moses took God’s rod in his hand.

Darby Translation

And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them riding upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

Douay-Rheims

Moses therefore took his wife, and his sons, and set them upon an ass: and returned into Egypt, carrying the rod of God in his hand.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Moses took his wife and his children, and mounted them on the beasts, and returned to Egypt; and Moses took the rod which he had from God in his hand.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀναλαβὼν δὲ Μωυσῆς τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὰ παιδία, ἀνεβίβασεν αὐτὰ ἐπὶ τὰ ὑποζύγια, καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον· ἔλαβε δὲ Μωυσῆς τὴν ῥάβδον τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ.