King James Version

Genesis 42:16

Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

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Hebrew

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שִׁלְח֨וּshilchvsendשָׁלַחverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “send”, a commandH7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, ou…מִכֶּ֣םmikemfrom fromמִןpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “from from”H4480properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many sensesabove, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with.אֶחָד֮echadfirstאֶחָדadjective, cardinal, masculine, singular, absolute — “first”, the ordinary formH259properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) firsta, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,וְיִקַּ֣חveyiqachand takeלָקַחconjunction, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and take”, an unfinished actionH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.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).אֲחִיכֶם֒achikhembrother ; kindredאָחnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “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-'.וְאַתֶּם֙veatemand theeאַתָּהconjunction, pronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “and thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.הֵאָ֣סְר֔וּheaservbindאָסַרverb, niphal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “bind”, a commandH631to yoke or hitch; by analogy, to fasten in any sense, to join battlebind, fast, gird, harness, hold, keep, make ready, order, prepare, prison(-er), put in bonds, set in array, tie.וְיִבָּֽחֲנוּ֙veyibachanvand examineבָּחַןconjunction, verb, niphal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and examine”, an unfinished actionH974to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigateexamine, prove, tempt, try (trial).דִּבְרֵיכֶ֔םdivreykhemcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…הַֽאֱמֶ֖תhaemetassuredאֶמֶתparticle, interrogative, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “assured”, the ordinary formH571stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthinessassured(-ly), establishment, faithful, right, sure, true (-ly, -th), verity.אִתְּכֶ֑םitkhemamongאֵתpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “among”H854properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.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…לֹ֕אlono , -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…חֵ֣יchelifeחַיadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “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.פַרְעֹ֔הfaroPharaohפַּרְעֹהnoun, proper name — “Pharaoh”H6547Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kingsPharaoh.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…מְרַגְּלִ֖יםmeraglimslanderרָגַלverb, piel, participle, absolute — “slander”, a verb used as a describing wordH7270to walk along; but only in specifically, applications, to reconnoiter, to be atale-bearer (i.e. slander); to lead aboutbackbite, search, slander, (e-) spy (out), teach to go, view.אַתֶּֽםatemtheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh liveth, surely ye are spies.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

Young’s Literal Translation

send one of you, and let him bring your brother, and ye, remain ye bound, and let your words be proved, whether truth be with you: and if not — Pharaoh liveth! surely ye [are] spies;'

World English Bible

Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.”

Darby Translation

Send one of you, that he may fetch your brother, but ye shall be imprisoned, and your words shall be put to the proof, whether the truth is in you; and if not, as Pharaoh lives, ye are spies.

Douay-Rheims

Send one of you to fetch him: and you shall be in prison, till what you have said be proved, whether it be true or false: or else by the health of Pharao you are spies.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh liveth, surely ye are spies.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Send one of you, and take your brother; and go ye to prison, till your words be clear, whether ye speak the truth or not; but, if not, by the health of Pharao, verily ye are spies.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀποστείλατε ἐξ ὑμῶν ἕνα, καὶ λάβετε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν· ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀπάχθητε ἕως τοῦ φανερὰ γενέσθαι τὰ ῥήματα ὑμῶν, εἰ ἀληθεύετε ἢ οὔ· εἰ δὲ μὴ, νὴ τὴν ὑγίειαν Φαραὼ, ἦ μὴν κατάσκοποί ἐστε.