King James Version

Genesis 46:34

That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

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Hebrew

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וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֗םvaamartemand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “and say”, a completed action in a sequenceH559to 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…אַנְשֵׁ֨יanshea certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “a certain”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…מִקְנֶ֜הmiqnehcattleמִקְנֶהnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cattle”, the ordinary formH4735something bought, i.e. property, but only livestock; abstractly, acquisitioncattle, flock, herd, possession, purchase, substance.הָי֤וּhayvbeהָיָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be”, a completed actionH1961to 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.עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙avadeykhaservantעֶבֶדnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “servant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5650a servant[idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.מִנְּעוּרֵ֣ינוּminureynvfrom youthנָעוּרpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “from youth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5271(only in plural collectively or emphatic form) youth, the state (juvenility) or the persons (young people)childhood, youth.וְעַדveadand evenעַדconjunction, preposition — “and even”H5704as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet.עַ֔תָּהatahthis timeעַתָּהadverb — “this time”H6258at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletivehenceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.גַּםgamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “also”H1571properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...andagain, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.אֲנַ֖חְנוּanachnvweאֲנַחְנוּpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, plural — “we”H587weourselves, us, we.גַּםgamalsoגַּםparticle, affirmation — “also”H1571properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...andagain, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea.אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּavoteynvfatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.בַּעֲב֗וּרbaavurin thatעָבוּרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “in that”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5668properly, crossed, i.e. (abstractly) transit; used only adverbially, on account of, in order thatbecause of, for (...'s sake), (intent) that, to.תֵּשְׁבוּ֙teshevvdwellיָשַׁבverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “dwell”, an unfinished actionH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…בְּאֶ֣רֶץbeeretsin earthאֶרֶץpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “in earth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.גֹּ֔שֶׁןgoshenGoshenגֹּשֶׁןnoun, proper name — “Goshen”H1657Goshen, the residence of the Israelites in Egypt; also a place in PalestineGoshen.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…תוֹעֲבַ֥תtoavatabominableתּוֹעֵבַהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “abominable”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8441properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idolabominable (custom, thing), abomination.מִצְרַ֖יִםmitsrayimof Egyptמִצְרִיnoun, proper name — “of Egypt”H4713a Mitsrite, or inhabitant of MitsrajimEgyptian, of Egypt.כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).רֹ֥עֵהroehcompanionרָעָהverb, qal, participle, construct — “companion”, a verb used as a describing wordH7462to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)[idiom] break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep) (-er), pastor, [phrase] shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.צֹֽאןtsonflockצֹאןnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “flock”, the ordinary formH6629a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)(small) cattle, flock ([phrase] -s), lamb ([phrase] -s), sheep(-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

that ye shall say: Thy servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers; that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

that ye shall say, Thy servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Young’s Literal Translation

that ye have said, Thy servants have been men of cattle from our youth, even until now, both we and our fathers, — in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen, for the abomination of the Egyptians is every one feeding a flock.'

World English Bible

that you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers:’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

Darby Translation

then ye shall say, Thy servants are men that have been occupied with cattle from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers; in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Douay-Rheims

You shall answer: We thy servants are shepherds, from our infancy until now, both we and our fathers. And this you shall say, that you may dwell in the land of Gessen, because the Egyptians have all shepherds in abomination.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Ye shall say, We thy servants are herdsmen from our youth until now, both we and our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Gesem of Arabia, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐρεῖτε, ἄνδρες κτηνοτρόφοι ἐσμὲν οἱ παῖδές σου ἐκ παιδὸς ἕως τοῦ νῦν, καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν· ἵνα κατοικήσητε ἐν γῇ Γεσὲμ Ἀραβίας· βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν Αἰγυπτίοις πᾶς ποιμὴν προβάτων.