King James Version

Jonah 4:11

And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

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Hebrew

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וַֽאֲנִי֙vaaniand mineאֲנִיconjunction, pronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “and mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.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…אָח֔וּסachuspityחוּסverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “pity”, an unfinished actionH2347properly, to cover, i.e. (figuratively) to compassionatepity, regard, spare.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “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,…נִינְוֵ֖הninevehNinevehנִינְוֵהnoun, proper name — “Nineveh”H5210Nineveh, the capital of AssyriaNineveh.הָעִ֣ירhairthe cityעִירdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the city”, the ordinary formH5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.הַגְּדוֹלָ֑הhagdolahthe greatגָּדוֹלdefinite article, adjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “the great”, the ordinary formH1419great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent[phrase] aloud, elder(-est), [phrase] exceeding(-ly), [phrase] far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, [idiom] sore, ([idiom]) very.אֲשֶׁ֣רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…יֶשׁyeshareיֵשׁparticle, demonstrative — “are”H3426there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)(there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.בָּ֡הּbahinבָּ֡הּpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “in”inהַרְבֵּה֩harbehincreaseרָבָהverb, hiphil, infinitive absolute — “increase”, the verb used for emphasisH7235to increase (in whatever respect)(bring in) abundance ([idiom] -antly), [phrase] archer (by mistake for H7232 (רָבַב)), be in authority, bring up, [idiom] continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, [idiom] -ness), grow up, heap, incre…מִֽשְׁתֵּיםmishteymfrom twoשְׁנַיִםpreposition, adjective, cardinal, feminine, dual, absolute — “from two”, the ordinary formH8147two; also (as ordinal) twofoldboth, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.עֶשְׂרֵ֨הesrehteenעָשָׂרadjective, cardinal, feminine, singular, absolute — “teen”, the ordinary formH6240ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-) teen(-th), [phrase] eleven(-th), [phrase] sixscore thousand, [phrase] twelve(-th).רִבּ֜וֹribvogreat thingsרִבּוֹadjective, cardinal, both genders, singular, absolute — “great things”, the ordinary formH7239a myriad, i.e. indefinitely, large numbergreat things, ten ((eight) -een, (for) -ty, [phrase] sixscore, [phrase] threescore, [idiom] twenty, (twen) -ty) thousand.אָדָ֗םadampersonאָדָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.אֲשֶׁ֤רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…לֹֽאlono , -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…יָדַע֙yadaknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…בֵּיןbeynbetweenבֵּיןpreposition — “between”H996between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...oramong, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), [phrase] from (the widest), [idiom] in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.יְמִינ֣וֹyeminvorightיָמִיןnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “right”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3225the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south[phrase] left-handed, right (hand, side), south.לִשְׂמֹאל֔וֹlismolvoto leftשְׂמֹאולpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to left”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8040properly, dark (as enveloped), i.e. the north; hence (by orientation), the left handleft (hand, side).וּבְהֵמָ֖הuvehemahand beastבְּהֵמָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and beast”, the ordinary formH929properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)beast, cattle.רַבָּֽהrabahaboundרַבadjective, adjective, feminine, singular, absolute — “abound”, the ordinary formH7227abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude),…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

and should not I have pity on Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also much cattle?'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

and should not I have regard for Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Young’s Literal Translation

and I — have not I pity on Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than twelve myriads of human beings, who have not known between their right hand and their left — and much cattle!'

World English Bible

Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who can’t discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also many animals?”

Darby Translation

and I, should not I have pity on Nineveh, the great city, wherein are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Douay-Rheims

And shall not I spare Ninive, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons that know not how to distinguish between their right hand and their left, and many beasts?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

and should not I have pity on Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also much cattle?'

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

and shall not I spare Nineve, the great city, in which dwell more than twelve myriads of human beings, who do not know their right hand or their left hand; and also much cattle?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ φείσομαι ὑπὲρ Νινευὴ τῆς πόλεως τῆς μεγάλης, ἐν ᾗ κατοικοῦσι πλείους ἢ δώδεκα μυριάδες ἀνθρώπων, οἵτινες οὐκ ἔγνωσαν δεξιὰν αὐτῶν ἢ ἀριστερὰν αὐτῶν, καὶ κτήνη πολλά;