King James Version

Isaiah 36:12

But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvayomerand 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…רַבravRabshakehרַבְשָׁקֵהnoun, proper name — “Rabshakeh”H7262Rabshakeh, a Babylonian officialRabshakeh.שָׁקֵ֗הshaqehRabshakehרַבְשָׁקֵהnoun, proper name — “Rabshakeh”H7262Rabshakeh, a Babylonian officialRabshakeh.הַאֶ֨לhaelamongאֵלparticle, interrogative, preposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָadoneykhalordאָדוֹןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “lord”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH113sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'.וְאֵלֶ֨יךָ֙veeleykhaand amongאֵלconjunction, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).שְׁלָחַ֣נִיshelachanisendשָׁלַחverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “send”, a completed actionH7971to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)[idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, ou…אֲדֹנִ֔יadonilordאָדוֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “lord”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH113sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'.לְדַבֵּ֖רledaberto speakדָבַרpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct — “to speak”, the to-form of the verbH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “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).הַדְּבָרִ֣יםhadvarimthe causeדָּבָרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the cause”, the ordinary formH1697a 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…הָאֵ֑לֶּהhaelehthe theseאֵלֶּהdefinite article, pronoun, demonstrative, common, plural — “the these”H428these or thosean-(the) other; one sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those, thus, which, who(-m).הֲלֹ֣אhalono , -r,לֹאparticle, interrogative, particle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…הָאֲנָשִׁ֗יםhaanashimthe a certainאִישׁdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “the a certain”, the ordinary formH376a 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…הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙hayoshevimthe dwellיָשַׁבdefinite article, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “the dwell”, a verb used as a describing wordH3427properly, 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…עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…הַ֣חוֹמָ֔הhachomahthe wallחוֹמָהdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the wall”, the ordinary formH2346a wall of protectionwall, walled.לֶאֱכֹ֣לleekholto eatאָכַלpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to eat”, the to-form of the verbH398to eat (literally or figuratively)[idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “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).חראיהםchryhmdung. Alsoחֶרֶאnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “dung. Also”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2716excrementdung. Also חֲרִי.צוֹאָתָ֗םtsoatamdungצוֹאָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “dung”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6675excrement; generally, dirt; figuratively, pollutiondung, filth(-iness). Marg. for H2716 (חֶרֶא).וְלִשְׁתּ֛וֹתvelishtotand to banquetשָׁתָהconjunction, preposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “and to banquet”, the to-form of the verbH8354to imbibe (literally or figuratively)[idiom] assuredly, banquet, [idiom] certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk ([idiom] -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of H8248 (שָׁקָה).)אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “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).שיניהםshynyhmpissשַׁיִןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “piss”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7890urinepiss.מֵימֵ֥יmeymewaterמַיִםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “water”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).רַגְלֵיהֶ֖םragleyhemfootרֶגֶלnoun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “foot”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7272a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda[idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time.עִמָּכֶֽםimakhemwithעִםpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “with”H5973adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)accompanying, against, and, as ([idiom] long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from (among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-) to, with(-al).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

But Rab-shakeh said: 'Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you?'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, to eat their own dung, and to drink their own water with you?

Young’s Literal Translation

And Rabshakeh saith, 'Unto thy lord, and unto thee, hath my lord sent me to speak these words? is it not for the men — those sitting on the wall to eat their own dung and to drink their own water with you?'

World English Bible

But Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you, to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

Darby Translation

And Rab-shakeh said, Is it to thy master and to thee that my master sent me to speak these words? Is it not to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own urine with you?

Douay-Rheims

And Rabsaces said to them: Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee, to speak all these words; and not rather to the men that sit on the wall; that they may eat their own dung, and drink their urine with you?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Rabsaces said to them, Has my lord sent me to your lord or to you, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat dung, and drink their water together with you?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ῥαβσάκης, μὴ πρὸς τὸν κύριον ὑμῶν ἢ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπέσταλκέ με ὁ κύριός μου, λαλῆσαι τοὺς λόγους τούτους; οὐχὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς καθημένους ἐπὶ τῷ τείχει, ἵνα φάγωσι κόπρον, καὶ πίωσιν οὖρον μεθʼ ὑμῶν ἅμα;