King James Version

Genesis 49:15

And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

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Hebrew

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וַיַּ֤רְאvayarand 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…מְנֻחָה֙menuchahcomfortableמְנוּחָהnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “comfortable”, the ordinary formH4496repose or (adverbially) peacefully; figuratively, consolation (specifically, matrimony); hence (concretely) an abodecomfortable, ease, quiet, rest(-ing place), still.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…ט֔וֹבtovgoodטוֹבadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…וְאֶתveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and 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).הָאָ֖רֶץhaaretsthe earthאֶרֶץdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.כִּ֣יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…נָעֵ֑מָהnaemahbe delightנָעֵםverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “be delight”, a completed actionH5276to be agreeable (literally or figuratively)pass in beauty, be delight, be pleasant, be sweet.וַיֵּ֤טvayetand spreadנָטָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and spread”, the next action in the storyH5186to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application[phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, o…שִׁכְמוֹ֙shikhmvobackשְׁכֶםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “back”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7926the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively, the spur of ahillback, [idiom] consent, portion, shoulder.לִסְבֹּ֔לlisbolto be a burdenסָבַלpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to be a burden”, the to-form of the verbH5445to carry (literally or figuratively), or (reflexively) be burdensome; specifically, to be gravidbear, be a burden, carry, strong to labour.וַיְהִ֖יvayhiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to 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.לְמַסlemasto discomfitedמַסpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “to discomfited”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4522properly, a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labordiscomfited, levy, task(-master), tribute(-tary).עֹבֵֽדovedkeep in bondageעָבַדverb, qal, participle, absolute — “keep in bondage”, a verb used as a describing wordH5647to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.[idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er)…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

For he saw a resting-place that it was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant under task-work

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And he saw a resting-place that it was good, And the land that it was pleasant; And he bowed his shoulder to bear, And became a servant under taskwork.

Young’s Literal Translation

And he seeth rest that [it is] good, And the land that [it is] pleasant, And he inclineth his shoulder to bear, And is to tribute a servant.

World English Bible

He saw a resting place, that it was good, the land, that it was pleasant. He bows his shoulder to the burden, and becomes a servant doing forced labor.

Darby Translation

And he saw the rest that it was good, And the land that it was pleasant; And he bowed his shoulder to bear, And was a tributary servant.

Douay-Rheims

He saw rest that it was good: and the land that it was excellent: and he bowed his shoulder to carry, and became a servant under tribute.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

For he saw a resting-place that it was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant under task-work

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And having seen the resting place that it was good, and the land that it was fertile, he subjected his shoulder to labour, and became a husbandman.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἰδὼν τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν ὅτι καλὴ, καὶ τὴν γῆν ὅτι πίων, ὑπέθηκε τὸν ὦμον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πονεῖν, καὶ ἐγενήθη ἀνὴρ γεωργός.