King James Version

Genesis 24:8

And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

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Hebrew

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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…לֹ֨אlono , -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…תֹאבֶ֤הtovehbe willingאָבָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “be willing”, an unfinished actionH14to breathe after, i.e. (figuratively) to be acquiescentconsent, rest content will, be willing.הָֽאִשָּׁה֙haishahthe eachאִשָּׁהdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the each”, the ordinary formH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.לָלֶ֣כֶתlalekhetto carryיָלַךְpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to carry”, the to-form of the verbH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…אַחֲרֶ֔יךָachareykhaafterאַחַרpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “after”H310properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, the…וְנִקִּ֕יתָveniqitaand be blamelessנָקָהconjunction, verb, niphal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and be blameless”, a completed actionH5352to be (or make) clean (literally or figuratively); by implication (in an adverse sense) to be bare, i.e. extirpatedacquit [idiom] at all, [idiom] altogether, be blameless, cleanse, (be) clear(-ing), cut off, be desolate, be free, be (hold) guiltless, be (hold) innocent, [idiom] by no means, be quit, be (leave) unpunished, [idiom] utterly, [idiom] wholl…מִשְּׁבֻעָתִ֖יmishvuatifrom oathשְׁבוּעָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “from oath”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7621properly, something sworn, i.e. an oathcurse, oath, [idiom] sworn.זֹ֑אתzotthisזֹאתpronoun, demonstrative, feminine, singular — “this”H2063this (often used adverb)hereby (-in, -with), it, likewise, the one (other, same), she, so (much), such (deed), that, therefore, these, this (thing), thus.רַ֣קraqonlyרַקparticle, 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.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).בְּנִ֔יbenisonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, 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, […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…תָשֵׁ֖בtashevagainשׁוּבverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “again”, an unfinished actionH7725to 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,…שָֽׁמָּהshamahthereשָׁםadverb, directional ending — “there”H8033there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thencein it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath; only thou shalt not bring my son back thither.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath; only thou shalt not bring my son thither again.

Young’s Literal Translation

and if the woman be not willing to come after thee, then thou hast been acquitted from this mine oath: only my son thou dost not cause to turn back thither.'

World English Bible

If the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this oath to me. Only you shall not bring my son there again.”

Darby Translation

And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be quit of this my oath: only, bring not my son thither again.

Douay-Rheims

But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath; only bring not my son back thither again.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath; only thou shalt not bring my son back thither.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And if the woman should not be willing to come with thee into this land, thou shalt be clear from my oath, only carry not my son thither again.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ θέλῃ ἡ γυνὴ πορευθῆναι μετὰ σοῦ εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην, καθαρὸς ἔσῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὅρκου μου· μόνον τὸν υἱόν μου μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς ἐκεῖ.