King James Version

Genesis 20:11

And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙vayomerand 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…אַבְרָהָ֔םavrahamAbrahamאַבְרָהָםnoun, proper name — “Abraham”H85Abraham, the later name of AbramAbraham.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…אָמַ֗רְתִּיamartisayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, 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…רַ֚קraqonlyרַקparticle, affirmation — “only”H7535properly, leanness, i.e. (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, althoughbut, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless, nothing but, notwithstanding, only, save, so (that), surely, yet (so), in any wise.אֵיןeynelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).יִרְאַ֣תyiratfearיִרְאָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “fear”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3374fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence[idiom] dreadful, [idiom] exceedingly, fear(-fulness).אֱלֹהִ֔יםelohimGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “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.בַּמָּק֖וֹםbamaqomin countryמָקוֹםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in country”, the ordinary formH4725properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)country, [idiom] home, [idiom] open, place, room, space, [idiom] whither(-soever).הַזֶּ֑הhazehthe the one...the otherזֶהdefinite article, pronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…וַהֲרָג֖וּנִיvaharaguniand destroyהָרַגconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and destroy”, a completed action in a sequenceH2026to smite with deadly intentdestroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely.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,…דְּבַ֥רdevarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…אִשְׁתִּֽיishtieachאִשָּׁהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, 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.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Abraham said: 'Because I thought: Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Abraham saith, 'Because I said, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they have slain me for the sake of my wife;

World English Bible

Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’

Darby Translation

And Abraham said, Because I said, Surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will kill me for my wife's sake.

Douay-Rheims

Abraham answered: I thought with myself, saying: Perhaps there is not the fear of God in this place: and they will kill me for the sake of my wife:

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And Abraham said: 'Because I thought: Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Abraam said, Why I said, Surely there is not the worship of God in this place, and they will slay me because of my wife.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἶπε δὲ Ἁβραὰμ, εἶπα γὰρ, ἄρα οὐκ ἔστι θεοσέβεια ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, ἐμέ τε ἀποκτενοῦσιν ἕνεκεν τῆς γυναικός μου.