King James Version

Jeremiah 6:20

To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

לָמָּהlamahto howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “to how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.זֶּ֨הzehthe one...the otherזֶהpronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “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,…לִ֤יlitoלִ֤יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toלְבוֹנָה֙levonahincenseלְבוֹנָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “incense”, the ordinary formH3828frankincense (from its whiteness or perhaps that of its smoke)(frank-) incense.מִשְּׁבָ֣אmishvafrom Shebaשְׁבָאpreposition, noun, proper name — “from Sheba”H7614Sheba, the name of three early progenitors of tribes and of an Ethiopian districtSheba, Sabeans.תָב֔וֹאtavoto comeבּוֹאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “to come”, an unfinished actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…וְקָנֶ֥הveqanehand reedקָנֶהconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and reed”, the ordinary formH7070a reed (as erect); by resemblance a rod (especially for measuring), shaft, tube, stem, the radius (of the arm), beam (of a steelyard)balance, bone, branch, calamus, cane, reed, [idiom] spearman, stalk.הַטּ֖וֹבhatovthe goodטוֹבdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “the good”, the ordinary formH2896good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, [idiom] fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, [idiom] most, pleasant,…מֵאֶ֣רֶץmeeretsfrom earthאֶרֶץpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “from earth”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.מֶרְחָ֑קmerchaqfar . See also H1023מֶרְחָקnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “far . See also H1023”, the ordinary formH4801remoteness, i.e. (concretely) a distant place; often (adverbially) from afar(a-, dwell in, very) far (country, off). See also H1023 (בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָק).עֹלֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙oloteykhemascentעֹלָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “ascent”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5930a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke)ascent, burnt offering (sacrifice), go up to. See also H5766 (עֶוֶל).לֹ֣אlono , -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…לְרָצ֔וֹןleratsonto as... wouldרָצוֹןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to as... would”, the ordinary formH7522delight (especially as shown)(be) acceptable(-ance, -ed), delight, desire, favour, (good) pleasure, (own, self, voluntary) will, as...(what) would.וְזִבְחֵיכֶ֖םvezivcheykhemand sacrificeזֶבַחconjunction, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “and sacrifice”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2077properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)offer(-ing), sacrifice.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…עָ֥רְבוּarevvbe pleasantעָרֵבverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be pleasant”, a completed actionH6149to be agreeablebe pleasant(-ing), take pleasure in, be sweet.לִֽיlitoלִֽיpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”to

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

To what purpose is to Me the frankincense that cometh from Sheba, and the sweet cane, from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto Me.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

To what purpose cometh there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto me.

Young’s Literal Translation

Why [is] this to Me? frankincense from Sheba cometh, And the sweet cane from a land afar off, Your burnt-offerings [are] not for acceptance, And your sacrifices have not been sweet to Me.

World English Bible

To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”

Darby Translation

To what purpose should there come to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing unto me.

Douay-Rheims

To what purpose do you bring me frankincense from Saba, and the sweet smelling cane from a far country? your holocausts are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing to me.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

To what purpose is to Me the frankincense that cometh from Sheba, and the sweet cane, from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto Me.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Wherefore do ye bring me frankincense from Saba, and cinnamon from a land afar off? your whole-burnt-offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices have not been pleasant to me.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἱνατί μοι λίβανον ἐκ Σαβὰ φέρετε, καὶ κινάμωμον ἐκ γῆς μακρόθεν; τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα ὑμῶν οὐκ εἰσὶ δεκτὰ, καὶ αἱ θυσίαι ὑμῶν οὐχ ἥδυνάν μοι.