King James Version

Genesis 27:40

And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

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Hebrew

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וְעַלvealand aboveעַלconjunction, preposition — “and 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,…חַרְבְּךָ֣charbekhaknifeחֶרֶבnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “knife”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.תִֽחְיֶ֔הtichyehliveחָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “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.וְאֶתveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and 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).אָחִ֖יךָachikhabrother ; kindredאָחnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “brother ; kindred”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'.תַּעֲבֹ֑דtaavodkeep in bondageעָבַדverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “keep in bondage”, an unfinished actionH5647to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.[idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er)…וְהָיָה֙vehayahand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, a completed action in a sequenceH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רkaasheras becauseאֲשֶׁרpreposition, particle, relative — “as because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…תָּרִ֔ידtaridhave the dominionרוּדverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “have the dominion”, an unfinished actionH7300to tramp about, i.e. ramble (free or disconsolate)have the dominion, be lord, mourn, rule.וּפָרַקְתָּ֥ufaraqtaand breakפָּרַקconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and break”, a completed action in a sequenceH6561to break off or crunch; figuratively, to deliverbreak (off), deliver, redeem, rend (in pieces), tear in pieces.עֻלּ֖וֹulvoyokeעֹלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “yoke”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5923a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figurativelyyoke.מֵעַ֥לmealfrom aboveעַלpreposition, preposition — “from 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,…צַוָּארֶֽךָtsavarekhaneckצַוָּארnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “neck”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6677the back of the neck (as that on which burdens are bound)neck.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt break loose, that thou shalt shake his yoke from off thy neck.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother; And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt break loose, That thou shalt shake his yoke from off thy neck.

Young’s Literal Translation

and by thy sword dost thou live, and thy brother dost thou serve; and it hath come to pass when thou rulest, that thou hast broken his yoke from off thy neck.'

World English Bible

You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.”

Darby Translation

And by thy sword shalt thou live; And thou shalt serve thy brother; And it shall come to pass when thou rovest about, That thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

Douay-Rheims

Shall thy blessing be. Thou shalt live by the sword and shalt serve thy brother: and the time shall come, when thou shalt shake off and loose his yoke from thy neck.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt break loose, that thou shalt shake his yoke from off thy neck.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And thou shalt live by thy sword, and shalt serve thy brother; and there shall be a time when thou shalt break and loosen his yoke from off thy neck.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ μαχαίρᾳ σου ζήσῃ, καὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου δουλεύσεις· ἔσται δὲ ἡνίκα ἐὰν καθέλῃς καὶ ἐκλύσῃς τὸν ζυγὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ τραχήλου σου.