King James Version

Jeremiah 20:17

Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

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Hebrew

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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,…לֹאlono , -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…מוֹתְתַ֖נִיmotetanidieמוּתverb, polel, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “die”, a completed actionH4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill[idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) w…מֵרָ֑חֶםmerachemfrom wombרֶחֶםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “from womb”, the ordinary formH7358the wombmatrix, womb.וַתְּהִיvathiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to 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.לִ֤יlitoלִ֤יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toאִמִּי֙imimotherאֵםnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “mother”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH517a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))dam, mother, [idiom] parting.קִבְרִ֔יqivrisepulchreקֶבֶרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “sepulchre”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6913a sepulchreburying place, grave, sepulchre.וְרַחְמָ֖הֿverachmahand wombרֶחֶםconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and womb”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7358the wombmatrix, womb.הֲרַ֥תharatwith childהָרֶהadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, construct — “with child”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2030pregnant(be, woman) with child, conceive, [idiom] great.עוֹלָֽםolamalwayעוֹלָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “alway”, the ordinary formH5769properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial (especially with prepositional prefix) alwaysalway(-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, (n-)) ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world ([phrase] without end). Compare H5331 (נֶצַח), H5…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Because He slew me not from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

because he slew me not from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.

Young’s Literal Translation

Because he hath not put me to death from the womb, And my mother is to me — my grave, And her womb a pregnancy age-during.

World English Bible

because he didn’t kill me from the womb. So my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.

Darby Translation

because he slew me not from the womb. Or would that my mother had been my grave, and her womb always great [with me]!

Douay-Rheims

Who slew me not from the womb, that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb an everlasting conception.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Because He slew me not from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

because he slew me not in the womb, and my mother became not my tomb, and her womb always great with me.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ὅτι οὐκ ἀπέκτεινέ με ἐν μήτρᾳ, καὶ ἐγένετό μοι ἡ μήτηρ μου τάφος μου, καὶ ἡ μήτρα συλλήψεως αἰωνίας.