King James Version

Genesis 26:7

And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

וַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּvayishalvand demandשָׁאַלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and demand”, the next action in the storyH7592to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demandask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, [idiom] earnestly, enquire, [phrase] greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, [phrase] salute, [idiom] straitly, [idiom] surely, wish.אַנְשֵׁ֤יanshea certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…הַמָּקוֹם֙hamaqomthe countryמָקוֹםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the 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).לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹleishtvoto eachאִשָּׁהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to 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.וַיֹּ֖אמֶרvayomerand 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…אֲחֹ֣תִיachotisisterאָחוֹתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “sister”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH269a sister (used very widely (like brother), literally and figuratively)(an-) other, sister, together.הִ֑ואhivas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.כִּ֤יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…יָרֵא֙yarefearיָרֵאverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “fear”, a completed actionH3372to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frightenaffright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).לֵאמֹ֣רlemorto sayאָמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to say”, the to-form of the verbH559to 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…אִשְׁתִּ֔יishtieachאִשָּׁהnoun, 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.פֶּןpenthat...notפֵּןconjunction — “that...not”H6435properly, removal; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest(lest) (peradventure), that...not.יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִיyahargunidestroyהָרַגverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “destroy”, an unfinished actionH2026to smite with deadly intentdestroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely.אַנְשֵׁ֤יanshea certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…הַמָּקוֹם֙hamaqomthe countryמָקוֹםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the 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).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,…רִבְקָ֔הrivqahRebekahרִבְקָהnoun, proper name — “Rebekah”H7259Ribkah, the wife of IsaacRebekah.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…טוֹבַ֥תtovatgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, construct — “good”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…מַרְאֶ֖הmarehvisionמַרְאֶהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “vision”, the ordinary formH4758a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural the looks), or (mental) a vision[idiom] apparently, appearance(-reth), [idiom] as soon as beautiful(-ly), countenance, fair, favoured, form, goodly, to look (up) on (to), look(-eth), pattern, to see, seem, sight, visage, vision.הִֽיאhias for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said: 'She is my sister'; for he feared to say: 'My wife'; 'lest the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she is fair to look upon.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

and the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, My wife; lest, said he , the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

Young’s Literal Translation

and men of the place ask him of his wife, and he saith, 'She [is] my sister:' for he hath been afraid to say, 'My wife — lest the men of the place kill me for Rebekah, for she [is] of good appearance.'

World English Bible

The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife”, lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.”

Darby Translation

And the men of the place asked about his wife. And he said, She is my sister; for he feared to say, my wife, [saying to himself,] Lest the men of the place slay me on account of Rebecca — because she was fair in countenance.

Douay-Rheims

And when he was asked by the men of that place, concerning his wife, he answered: She is my sister; for he was afraid to confess that she was his wife, thinking lest perhaps they would kill him because of her beauty.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the men of the place questioned him concerning Rebecca his wife, and he said, She is my sister, for he feared to say, She is my wife, lest at any time the men of the place should slay him because of Rebecca, because she was fair.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐπηρώτησαν δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τοῦ τόπου περὶ Ῥεβέκκας τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν, ἀδελφή μου ἐστίν· ἐφοβήθη γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι γυνή μου ἐστὶ, μή ποτε ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες τοῦ τόπου περὶ Ῥεβέκκας, ὅτι ὡραία τῇ ὄψει ἦν.