King James Version

Genesis 3:24

So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

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Hebrew

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וַיְגָ֖רֶשׁvaygareshand drive awayגָּרַשׁconjunction, verb, piel, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and drive away”, the next action in the storyH1644to drive out from a possession; especially to expatriate or divorcecast up (out), divorced (woman), drive away (forth, out), expel, [idiom] surely put away, trouble, thrust out.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).הָֽאָדָ֑םhaadamthe personאָדָםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩vayashkenand abideשָׁכַןconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and abide”, the next action in the storyH7931to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)abide, continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation, inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).מִקֶּ֨דֶםmiqedemfrom beforeקֶדֶםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “from before”, the ordinary formH6924the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward)aforetime, ancient (time), before, east (end, part, side, -ward), eternal, [idiom] ever(-lasting), forward, old, past. Compare H6926 (קִדְמָה).לְגַןleganto gardenגַּןpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “to garden”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1588a garden (as fenced)garden.עֵ֜דֶןedenEdenעֵדֶןnoun, proper name — “Eden”H5731Eden, the region of Adam's homeEden.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).הַכְּרֻבִ֗יםhakruvimthe cherubכְּרוּבdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the cherub”, the ordinary formH3742a cherub or imaginary figurecherub, (plural) cherubims.וְאֵ֨תveetand 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).לַ֤הַטlahatflamingלַהַטnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “flaming”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3858a blaze; also (from the idea of enwrapping) magic (as covert)flaming, enchantment.הַחֶ֨רֶב֙hacherevthe knifeחֶרֶבdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the knife”, the ordinary formH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶתhamithapekhetthe changeהָפַךְdefinite article, verb, hithpael, participle, absolute — “the change”, a verb used as a describing wordH2015to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert[idiom] become, change, come, be converted, give, make (a bed), overthrow (-turn), perverse, retire, tumble, turn (again, aside, back, to the contrary, every way).לִשְׁמֹ֕רlishmorto bewardשָׁמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to beward”, the to-form of the verbH8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).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).דֶּ֖רֶךְderekhalongדֶּרֶךְnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “along”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).עֵ֥ץetstreeעֵץnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “tree”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6086a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)[phrase] carpenter, gallows, helve, [phrase] pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.הַֽחַיִּֽיםhachayimthe lifeחַיdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the life”, the ordinary formH2416alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively[phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way to the tree of life.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Young’s Literal Translation

yea, he casteth out the man, and causeth to dwell at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubs and the flame of the sword which is turning itself round to guard the way of the tree of life.

World English Bible

So he drove out the man; and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Darby Translation

And he drove out Man; and he set the Cherubim, and the flame of the flashing sword, toward the east of the garden of Eden, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Douay-Rheims

And he cast out Adam; and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubims, and a flaming sword, turning every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way to the tree of life.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And he cast out Adam and caused him to dwell over against the garden of Delight, and stationed the cherubs and the fiery sword that turns about to keep the way of the tree of life.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐξέβαλεν τὸν Ἀδὰμ, καὶ κατῴκισεν αὐτὸν ἀπέναντι τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς· καὶ ἔταξε τὰ χερουβὶμ· καὶ τὴν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν τὴν στρεφομένην, φυλάσσειν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς.