King James Version

Genesis 15:8

And he said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּאמַ֑רvayomarand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to 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.יֱהוִ֔הyehviGodיְהֹוִהnoun, proper name — “God”H3069{YHWH}God.בַּמָּ֥הbamahin howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “in how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.אֵדַ֖עedaknowיָדַעverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “know”, an unfinished actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…כִּ֥יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…אִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּהirashenahexpelיָרַשׁverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “expel”, an unfinished actionH3423to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruincast out, consume, destroy, disinherit, dispossess, drive(-ing) out, enjoy, expel, [idiom] without fail, (give to, leave for) inherit(-ance, -or) [phrase] magistrate, be (make) poor, come to poverty, (give to, make to) possess, get (have)…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And he said: 'O Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?'

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And he said, O Lord Jehovah, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

Young’s Literal Translation

and he saith, 'Lord Jehovah, whereby do I know that I possess it?'

World English Bible

He said, “Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?”

Darby Translation

And he said, Lord Jehovah, how shall I know that I shall possess it?

Douay-Rheims

But he said: Lord God, whereby may I know that I shall possess it?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And he said: 'O Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And he said, Master and Lord, how shall I know that I shall inherit it?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἶπε δέ, Δέσποτα Κύριε, κατὰ τί γνώσομαι, ὅτι κληρονομήσω αὐτήν;