King James Version

Genesis 42:1

Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

Study

Hebrew

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

וַיַּ֣רְאvayarand seeרָאָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and see”, the next action in the storyH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…יַעֲקֹ֔בyaaqovJacobיַעֲקֹבnoun, proper name — “Jacob”H3290Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchJacob.כִּ֥יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…יֶשׁyeshareיֵשׁparticle, demonstrative — “are”H3426there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)(there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.שֶׁ֖בֶרshevercornשֶׁבֶרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “corn”, the ordinary formH7668grain (as if broken into kernels)corn, victuals.בְּמִצְרָ֑יִםbemitsrayimin Egyptמִצְרַיִםpreposition, noun, proper name — “in Egypt”H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower EgyptEgypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvayomerand 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…יַעֲקֹב֙yaaqovJacobיַעֲקֹבnoun, proper name — “Jacob”H3290Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarchJacob.לְבָנָ֔יוlevanayvto sonבֵּןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to 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, […לָ֖מָּהlamahto howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “to how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.תִּתְרָאֽוּtitravseeרָאָהverb, hithpael, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “see”, an unfinished actionH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons: 'Why do ye look one upon another?'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

Young’s Literal Translation

And Jacob seeth that there is corn in Egypt, and Jacob saith to his sons, 'Why do you look at each other?'

World English Bible

Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”

Darby Translation

And Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

Douay-Rheims

And Jacob hearing that food was sold in Egypt, said to his sons: Why are ye careless?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said unto his sons: 'Why do ye look one upon another?'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Jacob having seen that there was a sale of corn in Egypt, said to his sons, Why are ye indolent?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἰδὼν δὲ Ἰακὼβ ὅτι ἐστὶ πράσις ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, εἶπε τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, ἱνατί ῥαθυμεῖτε;