King James Version

Ezekiel 13:18

And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?

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Hebrew

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וְאָמַרְתָּ֞veamartaand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, a completed action in a sequenceH559to 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…כֹּהkoalsoכֹּהadverb — “also”H3541properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) nowalso, here, + hitherto, like, on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on) this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while, yonder.אָמַ֣רamarsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, a completed actionH559to 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…אֲדֹנָ֣יadonayLordאֲדֹנָיnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “Lord”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH136the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)(my) Lord.יְהוִ֗הyehviGodיְהֹוִהnoun, proper name — “God”H3069{YHWH}God.הוֹי֩hoyalasהוֹיparticle, interjection — “alas”H1945oh!ah, alas, ho, O, woe.לִֽמְתַפְּר֨וֹתlimtaprotto sewתָּפַרpreposition, verb, piel, participle, absolute — “to sew”, a verb used as a describing wordH8609to sew(women that) sew (together).כְּסָת֜וֹתkesatotpillowכֶּסֶתnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “pillow”, the ordinary formH3704a cushion or pillow (as covering a seat or bed)pillow.עַ֣לalaboveעַלpreposition — “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,…כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, 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).אַצִּילֵ֣יatsileholeאַצִּילnoun, common, feminine, plural, construct — “hole”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH679a joint of the hand (i.e. knuckle); also (according to some) a party-wall (Ezekiel 41:8)(arm) hole, great.יָדַ֗יyadayhandיָדnoun, common, both genders, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, 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, […וְעֹשׂ֧וֹתveosotand doעָשָׂהconjunction, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “and do”, a verb used as a describing wordH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…הַמִּסְפָּח֛וֹתhamispachotthe kerchiefמִסְפָּחָהdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “the kerchief”, the ordinary formH4555a veil (as spread out)kerchief.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,…רֹ֥אשׁroshheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “head”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, 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).קוֹמָ֖הqomahheightקוֹמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “height”, the ordinary formH6967height[idiom] along, height, high, stature, tall.לְצוֹדֵ֣דletsodedto chaseצוּדpreposition, verb, polel, infinitive construct — “to chase”, the to-form of the verbH6679to lie alongside (i.e. in wait); by implication, to catch an animal (figuratively, men); to victual (for a journey)chase, hunt, sore, take (provision).נְפָשׁ֑וֹתnefashotcreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “creature”, the ordinary formH5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally,…הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙hanfashotthe creatureנֶפֶשׁdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “the creature”, the ordinary formH5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally,…תְּצוֹדֵ֣דְנָהtetsodedenahchaseצוּדverb, polel, imperfect, 2nd person, feminine, plural — “chase”, an unfinished actionH6679to lie alongside (i.e. in wait); by implication, to catch an animal (figuratively, men); to victual (for a journey)chase, hunt, sore, take (provision).לְעַמִּ֔יleamito peopleעַםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to people”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.וּנְפָשׁ֖וֹתunefashotand creatureנֶפֶשׁconjunction, noun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “and creature”, the ordinary formH5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally,…לָכֶ֥נָהlakhenahtoלָכֶ֥נָהpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, feminine, plural — “to”toתְחַיֶּֽינָהtechayeynahliveחָיָהverb, piel, imperfect, 2nd person, feminine, plural — “live”, an unfinished actionH2421to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revivekeep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

and say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the women that sew cushions upon all elbows, and make pads for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of My people, and save souls alive for yourselves?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the women that sew pillows upon all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?

Young’s Literal Translation

And thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Woe to those sowing pillows for all joints of the arm, And to those making the kerchiefs For the head of every stature — to hunt souls, The souls do ye hunt of My people? And the souls ye have do ye keep alive?

World English Bible

and say, “The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all elbows and make veils for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people and save souls alive for yourselves?

Darby Translation

and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe unto the women that sew pillows for all wrists, and that make veils for the head [of persons] of every stature to catch souls! Will ye catch the souls of my people, and will ye save your own souls alive?

Douay-Rheims

And say: Thus saith the Lord God: Woe to them that sew cushions under every elbow: and make pillows for the heads of persons of every age to catch souls: and when they caught the souls of my people, they gave life to their souls.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord, Woe to the women that sew pillows under every elbow, and make kerchiefs on the head of every stature to pervert souls! The souls of my people are perverted, and they have saved souls alive.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

καὶ ἐρεῖς, τάδε λέγει Κύριος, οὐαὶ ταῖς συῤῥαπτούσαις προσκεφάλαια ὑπὸ πάντα ἀγκῶνα χειρὸς, καὶ ποιούσαις ἐπιβόλαια ἐπὶ πᾶσαν κεφαλὴν πάσης ἡλικίας, τοῦ διαστρέφειν ψυχάς· αἱ ψυχαὶ διεστράφησαν τοῦ λαοῦ μου· καὶ ψυχὰς περιεποιοῦντο.