King James Version

Genesis 48:19

And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

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Hebrew

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וַיְמָאֵ֣ןvaymaenand refuseמָאֵןconjunction, verb, piel, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and refuse”, the next action in the storyH3985to refuserefuse, [idiom] utterly.אָבִ֗יוavivfatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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-'.וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙vayomerand 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…יָדַ֤עְתִּֽיyadatiknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…בְנִי֙venisonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “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, […יָדַ֔עְתִּיyadatiknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…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.ה֥וּאhuas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.יִֽהְיֶהyihyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished 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.לְּעָ֖םleamto peopleעַםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.וְגַםvegamand alsoגַּםconjunction, particle, affirmation — “and 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.ה֣וּאhuas for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.יִגְדָּ֑לyigdalbeגָּדַלverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1431to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, be(-come, do, give, make, wax), great(-er, come to... estate, [phrase] things), grow(up), increase, lift up, magnify(-ifical), be much set by, nourish (up), pass, promote, proudly (spoken), towe…וְאוּלָ֗םveulamand howbeitאוּלָםconjunction, adverb — “and howbeit”H199however or on the contraryas for, but, howbeit, in very deed, surely, truly, wherefore.אָחִ֤יוachivbrother ; kindredאָחnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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-'.הַקָּטֹן֙haqatonthe leastקָטָןdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “the least”, the ordinary formH6996abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)least, less(-er), little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing), young(-er, -est).יִגְדַּ֣לyigdalbeגָּדַלverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1431to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, be(-come, do, give, make, wax), great(-er, come to... estate, [phrase] things), grow(up), increase, lift up, magnify(-ifical), be much set by, nourish (up), pass, promote, proudly (spoken), towe…מִמֶּ֔נּוּmimenvfromמִןpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “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.וְזַרְע֖וֹvezarvoand seedזֶרַעconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and seed”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2233seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity[idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time.יִהְיֶ֥הyihyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, an unfinished 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.מְלֹֽאmelofulnessמְלֹאnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “fulness”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4393fulness (literally or figuratively)[idiom] all along, [idiom] all that is (there-) in, fill, ([idiom] that whereof...was) full, fulness, (hand-) full, multitude.הַגּוֹיִֽםhagoyimthe Gentileגּוֹיdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the Gentile”, the ordinary formH1471a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locustsGentile, heathen, nation, people.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And his father refused, and said: 'I know it, my son, I know it; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; howbeit his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And his father refused, and said, I know it , my son, I know it ; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: howbeit his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

Young’s Literal Translation

And his father refuseth, and saith, 'I have known, my son, I have known; he also becometh a people, and he also is great, and yet, his young brother is greater than he, and his seed is the fulness of the nations;'

World English Bible

His father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.”

Darby Translation

But his father refused and said, I know, my son, I know: he also will become a people, and he also will be great; but truly his younger brother will be greater than he; and his seed will become the fulness of nations.

Douay-Rheims

But he refusing, said: I know, my son, I know: and this also shall become peoples, and shall be multiplied: but this younger brother shall be greater than he: and his seed shall grow into nations.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And he would not, but said, I know it, son, I know it; he also shall be a people, and he shall be exalted, but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν, ἀλλʼ εἶπεν, οἶδα, τέκνον, οἶδα· καὶ οὗτος ἔσται εἰς λαὸν, καὶ οὗτος ὑψωθήσεται· ἀλλʼ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ ὁ νεώτερος μείζον αὐτοῦ ἔσται, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἔσται εἰς πλῆθος ἐθνῶν.