King James Version

Malachi 1:4

Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

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Hebrew

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כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “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…תֹאמַ֨רtomarsayאָמַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “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…אֱד֜וֹםedomEdomאֱדֹםnoun, proper name — “Edom”H123Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by himEdom, Edomites, Idumea.רֻשַּׁ֗שְׁנוּrushashnvimpoverishרָשַׁשׁverb, pual, perfect, 1st person, common, plural — “impoverish”, a completed actionH7567to demolishimpoverish.וְנָשׁוּב֙venashuvand againשׁוּבconjunction, verb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, plural — “and again”, an unfinished actionH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…וְנִבְנֶ֣הvenivnehand buildבָּנָהconjunction, verb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, plural — “and build”, an unfinished actionH1129to build (literally and figuratively)(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.חֳרָב֔וֹתchoravotdecayed placeחׇרְבָּהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “decayed place”, the ordinary formH2723properly, drought, i.e. (by implication) a desolationdecayed place, desolate (place, -tion), destruction, (laid) waste (place).כֹּ֤הkoalsoכֹּהadverb — “also”H3541properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) nowalso, here, + hitherto, like, on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on) this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while, yonder.אָמַר֙amarsayאָמַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “say”, a completed 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…יְהוָ֣הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).צְבָא֔וֹתtsevaotarmyצָבָאnoun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “army”, the ordinary formH6635a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).הֵ֥מָּהhemahtheyהֵםpronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.יִבְנ֖וּyivnvbuildבָּנָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “build”, an unfinished actionH1129to build (literally and figuratively)(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.וַאֲנִ֣יvaaniand mineאֲנִיconjunction, pronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “and mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.אֶהֱר֑וֹסeherosbreakהָרַסverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “break”, an unfinished actionH2040to pull down or in pieces, break, destroybeat down, break (down, through), destroy, overthrow, pluck down, pull down, ruin, throw down, [idiom] utterly.וְקָרְא֤וּveqarevand callקָרָאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and call”, a completed action in a sequenceH7121to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.לָהֶם֙lahemtoלָהֶם֙preposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toגְּב֣וּלgevulborderגְּבוּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “border”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1366properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extension the territory inclosedborder, bound, coast, [idiom] great, landmark, limit, quarter, space.רִשְׁעָ֔הrishahfaultרִשְׁעָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “fault”, the ordinary formH7564wrong (especially moral)fault, wickedly(-ness).וְהָעָ֛םvehaamand the peopleעַםconjunction, definite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and the people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.אֲשֶׁרasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…זָעַ֥םzaamabhorזָעַםverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “abhor”, a completed actionH2194properly, to foam at the mouth, i.e. to be enragedabhor, abominable, (be) angry, defy, (have) indignation.יְהוָ֖הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).עַדadevenעַדpreposition — “even”H5704as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet.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)

Whereas Edom saith: 'We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places'; thus saith the LORD of hosts: They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall be called The border of wickedness, and The people whom the LORD execrateth for ever.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Whereas Edom saith, We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places; thus saith Jehovah of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and men shall call them The border of wickedness, and The people against whom Jehovah hath indignation for ever.

Young’s Literal Translation

Because Edom saith, 'We have been made poor, And we turn back and we build the wastes,' Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: They do build, and I do destroy, And [men] have called to them, 'O region of wickedness,' 'O people whom Jehovah defied to the age.'

World English Bible

Whereas Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places,” Yahweh of Armies says, “They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them ‘The Wicked Land,’ even the people against whom Yahweh shows wrath forever.”

Darby Translation

If Edom say, We are broken down, but we will build again the ruined places, — thus saith Jehovah of hosts: They shall build, but I will throw down; and [men] shall call them the territory of wickedness, and the people against whom Jehovah hath indignation for ever.

Douay-Rheims

But if Edom shall say: We are destroyed, but we will return and build up what hath been destroyed: thus saith the Lord of hosts: They shall build up, and I will throw down: and they shall be called the borders of wickedness, and the people with whom the Lord is angry for ever.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Because one will say, Idumea has been overthrown, but let us return and rebuild the desolate places; thus saith the Lord Almighty, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall be called The borders of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord has set himself for ever.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Διότι ἐρεῖ, ἡ Ἰδουμαία κατέστραπται, καὶ ἐπιστρέψωμεν, καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσωμεν τὰς ἐρήμους· τάδε λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ, αὐτοὶ οἰκοδομήσουσι, καὶ ἐγὼ καταστρέψω· καὶ ἐπικληθήσεται αὐτοῖς ὅρια ἀνομίας, καὶ λαὸς ἐφʼ ὃν παρατέτακται Κύριος ἕως αἰῶνος.