King James Version

Isaiah 1:18

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

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Hebrew

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לְכוּlekhvcarryיָלַךְverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “carry”, a commandH3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)[idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue,…נָ֛אnaI beseech theeנָאparticle, exhortation — “I beseech thee”H4994'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunctionI beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh.וְנִוָּֽכְחָ֖הvenivakhechahand argueיָכַחconjunction, verb, niphal, cohortative, 1st person, common, plural — “and argue”, a determination or requestH3198to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convictappoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct(-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove(-r), surely, in any wise.יֹאמַ֣רyomarsayאָמַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, an unfinished actionH559to 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…יְהוָ֑הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “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…יִֽהְי֨וּyihyvbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “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.חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤םchataeykhemfaultחֵטְאnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “fault”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2399a crime or its penaltyfault, [idiom] grievously, offence, (punishment of) sin.כַּשָּׁנִים֙kashanimas crimsonשָׁנִיpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “as crimson”, the ordinary formH8144crimson, properly, the insect or its color, also stuff dyed with itcrimson, scarlet (thread).כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶגkashelegas snowשֶׁלֶגpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as snow”, the ordinary formH7950snow (probably from its whiteness)snow(-y).יַלְבִּ֔ינוּyalbinvmake brickלָבַןverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “make brick”, an unfinished actionH3835to be (or become) white; to make bricksmake brick, be (made, make) white(-r).אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “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…יַאְדִּ֥ימוּyadimvbe redאָדַםverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “be red”, an unfinished actionH119flush or turn rosybe (dyed, made) red (ruddy).כַתּוֹלָ֖עkhatolaas crimsonתּוֹלָעpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “as crimson”, the ordinary formH8438the crimson-grub, but used only (in this connection) of the colorfrom it, and cloths dyed therewithcrimson, scarlet, worm.כַּצֶּ֥מֶרkatsemeras woolצֶמֶרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as wool”, the ordinary formH6785woolwool(-len).יִהְיֽוּyihyvbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “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.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Young’s Literal Translation

Come, I pray you, and we reason, saith Jehovah, If your sins are as scarlet, as snow they shall be white, If they are red as crimson, as wool they shall be!

World English Bible

“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Darby Translation

Come now, let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Douay-Rheims

And then come, and accuse me, saith the Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow: and if they be red as crimson, they shall be white as wool.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And come, let us reason together, saith the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ δεῦτε, διελεγχθῶμεν, λέγει Κύριος· καὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ· ἐὰν δὲ ὦσιν ὡς κόκκινον, ὡς ἔριον λευκανῶ.