King James Version

Numbers 15:38

Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

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Hebrew

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דַּבֵּ֞רdaberspeakדָבַרverb, piel, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “speak”, a commandH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.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).בְּנֵ֤יbenesonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […יִשְׂרָאֵל֙yisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.וְאָמַרְתָּ֣veamartaand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, a completed action in a sequenceH559to 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…אֲלֵהֶ֔םalehemamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “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).וְעָשׂ֨וּveasvand doעָשָׂהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and do”, a completed action in a sequenceH6213to 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…לָהֶ֥םlahemtoלָהֶ֥םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to”toצִיצִ֛תtsitsitfringeצִיצִתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “fringe”, the ordinary formH6734a floral or wing-like projection, i.e. a forelock of hair, a tasselfringe, lock.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,…כַּנְפֵ֥יkanfewingכָּנָףnoun, common, feminine, dual, construct — “wing”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3671an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle[phrase] bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), [idiom] flying, [phrase] (one an-) other, overspreading, [idiom] quarters, skirt, [idiom] sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed).בִגְדֵיהֶ֖םvigdeyhemapparelבֶּגֶדnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “apparel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH899a covering, i.e. clothing; also treachery or pillageapparel, cloth(-es, ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, [idiom] very (treacherously), vesture, wardrobe.לְדֹרֹתָ֑םledorotamto ageדּוֹרpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to age”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1755properly, a revolution of time, i.e. an age or generation; also a dwellingage, [idiom] evermore, generation, (n-) ever, posterity.וְנָֽתְנ֛וּvenatenvand giveנָתַןconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and give”, a completed action in a sequenceH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…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,…צִיצִ֥תtsitsitfringeצִיצִתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “fringe”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6734a floral or wing-like projection, i.e. a forelock of hair, a tasselfringe, lock.הַכָּנָ֖ףhakanafthe wingכָּנָףdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the wing”, the ordinary formH3671an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle[phrase] bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), [idiom] flying, [phrase] (one an-) other, overspreading, [idiom] quarters, skirt, [idiom] sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed).פְּתִ֥ילpetilboundפָּתִילnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “bound”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6616twinebound, bracelet, lace, line, ribband, thread, wire.תְּכֵֽלֶתtekheletblueתְּכֵלֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “blue”, the ordinary formH8504the cerulean mussel, i.e. the color (violet) obtained therefrom or stuff dyed therewithblue.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

'Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them throughout their generations fringes in the corners of their garments, and that they put with the fringe of each corner a thread of blue.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of each border a cord of blue:

Young’s Literal Translation

'Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, and they have made for themselves fringes on the skirts of their garments, to their generations, and they have put on the fringe of the skirt a ribbon of blue,

World English Bible

“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them that they should make themselves fringes on the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue.

Darby Translation

Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them tassels on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and that they attach to the tassel of the corners a lace of blue;

Douay-Rheims

Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt tell them I to make to themselves fringes in the corners of their garments, putting in them ribands of blue:

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt tell them; and let them make for themselves fringes upon the borders of their garments throughout their generations: and ye shall put upon the fringes of the borders a lace of blue.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ ποιησάτωσαν ἐαυτοῖς κράσπεδα ἐπὶ τὰ πτερύγια τῶν ἱματίων αὐτῶν εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐπιθήσετε ἐπὶ τὰ κράσπεδα τῶν πτερυγίων κλῶσμα ὑακίνθινον.