King James Version

Isaiah 36:21

But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

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Hebrew

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וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּvayacharishvand be deafחָרַשׁconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and be deaf”, the next action in the storyH2790to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense); hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone; hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of dumbness)[idiom] altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise, ear, graven, imagine, leave off speaking, hold peace, plow(-er, man), be quiet, rest, practise secretly, keep silence, be silent, speak not a word, be still, hold tongue, worker.וְלֹֽאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and 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…עָנ֥וּanvshoutעָנָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “shout”, a completed actionH6030properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announcegive account, afflict (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), (cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, [idiom] scholar, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter,…אֹת֖וֹotvoobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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).דָּבָ֑רdavarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “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…כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…מִצְוַ֨תmitsvatlawמִצְוָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “law”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4687a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law)(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance, precept.הַמֶּ֥לֶךְhamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.הִ֛יאhias for herהוּאpronoun, personal, 3rd person, feminine, 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.לֵאמֹ֖רlemorto sayאָמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to say”, the to-form of the verbH559to 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…לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, 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…תַעֲנֻֽהוּtaanuhvshoutעָנָהverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “shout”, an unfinished actionH6030properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announcegive account, afflict (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), (cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for H6031 (עָנָה)), cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, [idiom] scholar, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

But they held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying: 'Answer him not.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

But they held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

Young’s Literal Translation

And they keep silent, and have not answered him a word, for a command of the king is, saying, 'Do not answer him.'

World English Bible

But they remained silent, and said nothing in reply, for the king’s commandment was, “Don’t answer him.”

Darby Translation

And they were silent, and answered him not a word; for the king's command was, saying, Answer him not.

Douay-Rheims

And they held their peace, and answered him not a word. For the king had commanded, saying: answer him not.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

But they held their peace, and answered him not a word; for the king's commandment was, saying: 'Answer him not.'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And they were silent, and none answered him a word; because the king had commanded that none should answer.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐσιώπησαν, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ λόγον, διὰ τὸ προστάξαι τὸν βασιλέα μηδένα ἀποκριθῆναι.