King James Version

Genesis 42:2

And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvayomerand 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…הִנֵּ֣הhinehloהִנֵּהparticle, demonstrative — “lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.שָׁמַ֔עְתִּיshamatihearשָׁמַעverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “hear”, a completed actionH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…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.רְדוּredvbring downיָרַדverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “bring down”, a commandH3381to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)[idiom] abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, [idiom] indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take…שָׁ֨מָּה֙shamahthereשָׁםadverb, directional ending — “there”H8033there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thencein it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither.וְשִׁבְרוּveshivrvand sellשָׁבַרconjunction, verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “and sell”, a commandH7666to deal in grainbuy, sell.לָ֣נוּlanvtoלָ֣נוּpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “to”toמִשָּׁ֔םmishamfrom thereשָׁםpreposition, adverb — “from there”H8033there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thencein it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither.וְנִחְיֶ֖הvenichyehand liveחָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, plural — “and 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.וְלֹ֥אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and 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…נָמֽוּתnamutdieמוּתverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, plural — “die”, an unfinished actionH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And he said: 'Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt. Get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

Young’s Literal Translation

he saith also, 'Lo, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt, go down thither, and buy for us from thence, and we live and do not die;'

World English Bible

He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die.”

Darby Translation

And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down thither and buy [grain] for us from thence, in order that we may live, and not die.

Douay-Rheims

I have heard that wheat is sold in Egypt: go ye down, and buy us necessaries, that we may live, and not be consumed with want.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And he said: 'Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt. Get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt; go down thither, and buy for us a little food, that we may live, and not die.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἰδοὺ ἀκήκοα, ὅτι ἐστὶ σῖτος ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ· κατάβητε ἐκεὶ, καὶ πρίασθε ἡμῖν μικρὰ βρώματα, ἵνα ζήσωμεν καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν.