King James Version

Isaiah 8:20

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

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Hebrew

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לְתוֹרָ֖הletorahto lawתּוֹרָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “to law”, the ordinary formH8451a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuchlaw.וְלִתְעוּדָ֑הvelitudahand to testimonyתְּעוּדָהconjunction, preposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and to testimony”, the ordinary formH8584attestation, i.e. a precept, usagetestimony.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…לֹ֤אlono , -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…יֹֽאמְרוּ֙yomrvsayאָמַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “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…כַּדָּבָ֣רkadavaras causeדָּבָרpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as 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…הַזֶּ֔הhazehthe the one...the otherזֶהdefinite article, pronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…אֲשֶׁ֥רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…אֵֽיןeynelseאַיִןparticle, negative — “else”H369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).ל֖וֹlvotoל֖וֹpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to”toשָֽׁחַרshacharearlyשַׁחַרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “early”, the ordinary formH7837dawn (literal, figurative or adverbial)day(-spring), early, light, morning, whence riseth.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

for instruction and for testimony?' — Surely they will speak according to this word, wherein there is no light. —

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.

Young’s Literal Translation

To the law and to the testimony! If not, let them say after this manner, 'That there is no dawn to it.'

World English Bible

Turn to the law and to the covenant! If they don’t speak according to this word, surely there is no morning for them.

Darby Translation

To the law and the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, for them there is no daybreak.

Douay-Rheims

To the law rather, and to the testimony. And if they speak not according to this word, they shall not have the morning light.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

for instruction and for testimony?' — Surely they will speak according to this word, wherein there is no light. —

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

For he has given the law for a help, that they should not speak according to this word, concerning which there are no gifts to give for it.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Νόμον γὰρ εἰς βοήθειαν ἔδωκεν, ἵνα εἴπωσιν οὐχ ὡς τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο, περὶ οὗ οὐκ ἔστι δῶρα δοῦναι περὶ αὐτοῦ.