King James Version

Joel 2:20

But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

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Hebrew

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וְֽאֶתveetand object markerאֵתconjunction, particle, direct object marker — “and 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).הַצְּפוֹנִ֞יhatsfonithe northernצְפוֹנִיdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “the northern”, the ordinary formH6830northernnorthern.אַרְחִ֣יקarchiqlooseרָחַקverb, hiphil, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “loose”, an unfinished actionH7368to widen (in any direction), i.e. (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove (literally or figuratively, of place or relation)(a-, be, cast, drive, get, go, keep (self), put, remove, be too, (wander), withdraw) far (away, off), loose, [idiom] refrain, very, (be) a good way (off).מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֗םmealeykhemfrom aboveעַלpreposition, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “from 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,…וְהִדַּחְתִּיו֮vehidachtivand banishנָדַחconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential perfect, 1st person, common, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and banish”, a completed action in a sequenceH5080to push off; used in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively (to expel, mislead, strike, inflict, etc.)banish, bring, cast down (out), chase, compel, draw away, drive (away, out, quite), fetch a stroke, force, go away, outcast, thrust away (out), withdraw.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “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).אֶ֣רֶץeretsearthאֶרֶץnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.צִיָּ֣הtsiyahbarrenצִיָּהadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “barren”, the ordinary formH6723aridity; concretely, a desertbarren, drought, dry (land, place), solitary place, wilderness.וּשְׁמָמָה֒ushemamahand desolateשְׁמָמָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and desolate”, the ordinary formH8077devastation; figuratively, astonishment(laid, [idiom] most) desolate(-ion), waste.אֶתetamongאֵתpreposition — “among”H854properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.פָּנָ֗יוpanayva- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “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).הַיָּם֙hayamthe seaיָםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the sea”, the ordinary formH3220a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the southsea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).הַקַּדְמֹנִ֔יhaqadmonithe ancientקַדְמוֹנִיdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “the ancient”, the ordinary formH6931(of time) anterior or (of place) orientalancient, they that went before, east, (thing of) old.וְסֹפ֖וֹvesofvoand conclusionסוֹףconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and conclusion”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5490a terminationconclusion, end, hinder participleאֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “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).הַיָּ֣םhayamthe seaיָםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the sea”, the ordinary formH3220a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the southsea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).הָאַֽחֲר֑וֹןhaacharonthe lastאַחֲרוֹןdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “the last”, the ordinary formH314hinder; generally, late or last; specifically (as facing the east) westernafter (-ward), to come, following, hind(-er, -ermost, -most), last, latter, rereward, ut(ter) most.וְעָלָ֣הvealahand ascend upעָלָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and ascend up”, a completed action in a sequenceH5927to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurativearise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make t…בָאְשׁ֗וֹvaeshvostinkבְּאֹשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “stink”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH889a stenchstink.וְתַ֨עַל֙vetaaland ascend upעָלָהconjunction, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “and ascend up”, an unfinished actionH5927to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurativearise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make t…צַחֲנָת֔וֹtsachanatvoill savourצַחֲנָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “ill savour”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6709stenchill savour.כִּ֥יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…הִגְדִּ֖ילhigdilbeגָּדַלverb, hiphil, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be”, a completed actionH1431to be (causatively make) large (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)advance, boast, bring up, exceed, excellent, be(-come, do, give, make, wax), great(-er, come to... estate, [phrase] things), grow(up), increase, lift up, magnify(-ifical), be much set by, nourish (up), pass, promote, proudly (spoken), towe…לַעֲשֽׂוֹתlaasotto doעָשָׂהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to do”, the to-form of the verbH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

But I will remove far off from you the northern one, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the eastern sea, and his hinder part toward the western sea; that his foulness may come up, and his ill savour may come up, because he hath done great things.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

but I will remove far off from you the northern army , and will drive it into a land barren and desolate, its forepart into the eastern sea, and its hinder part into the western sea; and its stench shall come up, and its ill savor shall come up, because it hath done great things.

Young’s Literal Translation

And the northern I put far off from you, And have driven him unto a land dry and desolate, With his face unto the eastern sea, And his rear unto the western sea, And come up hath his stink, And come up doth his stench, For he hath exerted himself to work.

World English Bible

But I will remove the northern army far away from you, and will drive it into a barren and desolate land, its front into the eastern sea, and its back into the western sea; and its stench will come up, and its bad smell will rise.” Surely he has done great things.

Darby Translation

And I will remove far off from you him [that cometh] from the north, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, his face toward the eastern sea, and his rear toward the hinder sea; and his stench shall come up, and his ill odour shall come up, for he hath exalted himself to do great things.

Douay-Rheims

And I will remove far off from you the northern enemy: and I will drive him into a land unpassable, and desert, with his face towards the east sea, and his hinder part towards the utmost sea: and his stench shall ascend, and his rottenness shall go up, because he hath done proudly.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And I will chase away from you the northern adversary , and will drive him away into a dry land, and I will sink his face in the former sea, and his back parts in the latter sea, and his ill savour shall come up, and his stink shall come up, because he has wrought great things.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ Βοῤῥᾶ ἐκδιώξω ἀφʼ ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐξώσω αὐτὸν εἰς γῆν ἄνυδρον, καὶ ἀφανιῶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν τὴν πρώτην, καὶ τὰ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν τὴν ἐσχάτην· καὶ ἀναβήσεται ἡ σαπρία αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναβήσεται ὁ βρόμος αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνε τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.