King James Version

Isaiah 28:13

But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

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Hebrew

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וְהָיָ֨הvehayahand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, a completed action in a sequenceH1961to 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.לָהֶ֜םlahemtoלָהֶ֜םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toדְּבַרdevarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…יְהוָ֗הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).צַ֣וtsavcommandmentצַוnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “commandment”, the ordinary formH6673an injunctioncommandment, precept.לָצָ֞וlatsavto commandmentצַוpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to commandment”, the ordinary formH6673an injunctioncommandment, precept.צַ֤וtsavcommandmentצַוnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “commandment”, the ordinary formH6673an injunctioncommandment, precept.לָצָו֙latsavto commandmentצַוpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to commandment”, the ordinary formH6673an injunctioncommandment, precept.קַ֤וqavcorrected toקַוnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “corrected to”, the ordinary formH6957a cord (as connecting), especially formeasuring; figuratively, a rule; also a rim, a musical string or accordline. Compare H6978 (קַו־קַו)lemma קַו־קַי yod, corrected to קַו־קַו.לָקָו֙laqavto corrected toקַוpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to corrected to”, the ordinary formH6957a cord (as connecting), especially formeasuring; figuratively, a rule; also a rim, a musical string or accordline. Compare H6978 (קַו־קַו)lemma קַו־קַי yod, corrected to קַו־קַו.קַ֣וqavcorrected toקַוnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “corrected to”, the ordinary formH6957a cord (as connecting), especially formeasuring; figuratively, a rule; also a rim, a musical string or accordline. Compare H6978 (קַו־קַו)lemma קַו־קַי yod, corrected to קַו־קַו.לָקָ֔וlaqavto corrected toקַוpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to corrected to”, the ordinary formH6957a cord (as connecting), especially formeasuring; figuratively, a rule; also a rim, a musical string or accordline. Compare H6978 (קַו־קַו)lemma קַו־קַי yod, corrected to קַו־קַו.זְעֵ֥ירzeeyrlittleזְעֵירnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “little”, the ordinary formH2191smalllittle.שָׁ֖םshamthereשָׁםadverb — “there”H8033there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thencein it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither.זְעֵ֣ירzeeyrlittleזְעֵירnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “little”, the ordinary formH2191smalllittle.שָׁ֑םshamthereשָׁםadverb — “there”H8033there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thencein it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither.לְמַ֨עַןlemaanthatמַעַןpreposition — “that”H4616properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order thatbecause of, to the end (intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), [phrase] lest, that, to.יֵלְכ֜וּyelekhvcarryיָלַךְverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “carry”, an unfinished actionH3212to 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,…וְכָשְׁל֤וּvekhashelvand fallכָּשַׁלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and fall”, a completed action in a sequenceH3782to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fallbereave (from the margin), cast down, be decayed, (cause to) fail, (cause, make to) fall (down, -ing), feeble, be (the) ruin(-ed, of), (be) overthrown, (cause to) stumble, [idiom] utterly, be weak.אָחוֹר֙achorafterאָחוֹרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “after”, the ordinary formH268the hinder part; hence (adverb) behind, backward; also (as facing north) the Westafter(-ward), back (part, -side, -ward), hereafter, (be-) hind(-er part), time to come, without.וְנִשְׁבָּ֔רוּvenishbarvand breakשָׁבַרconjunction, verb, niphal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and break”, a completed action in a sequenceH7665to burst (literally or figuratively)break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, [idiom] quite, tear, view (by mistake for H7663 (שָׂבַר)).וְנוֹקְשׁ֖וּvenoqeshvand fowler snareיָקֹשׁconjunction, verb, niphal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and fowler snare”, a completed action in a sequenceH3369to ensnare (literally or figuratively)fowler (lay a) snare.וְנִלְכָּֽדוּvenilkadvand catchלָכַדconjunction, verb, niphal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and catch”, a completed action in a sequenceH3920to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere[idiom] at all, catch (self), be frozen, be holden, stick together, take.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And so the word of the LORD is unto them precept by precept, precept by precept, line by line, line by line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Therefore shall the word of Jehovah be unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Young’s Literal Translation

And to whom a word of Jehovah hath been, Rule on rule, rule on rule, line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there, So that they go and have stumbled backward, And been broken, and snared, and captured.

World English Bible

Therefore Yahweh’s word will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken.

Darby Translation

And the word of Jehovah was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little: that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Douay-Rheims

And the word of the Lord shall be to them: Command, command again; command, command again: expect, expect again; expect, expect again: a little there, a little there: that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Therefore the oracle of God shall be to them affliction on affliction, hope on hope, yet a little, and yet a little, that they may go and fall backward; and they shall be crushed and shall be in danger, and shall be taken.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἔσται αὐτοῖς τὸ λόγιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, θλίψις ἐπὶ θλίψιν, ἐλπὶς ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι, ἔτι μικρὸν ἔτι μικρὸν, ἵνα πορεύσωσι καὶ πέσωσιν ὀπίσω· καὶ συντριβήσονται, καὶ κινδυνεύσουσι, καὶ ἁλώσονται.