King James Version

Numbers 22:4

And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to 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…מוֹאָ֜בmoavMoabמוֹאָבnoun, proper name — “Moab”H4124Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendantsMoab.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).זִקְנֵ֣יziqneoldזָקֵןadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, construct — “old”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2205oldaged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man, men and...women), senator.מִדְיָ֗ןmidyanMidianמִדְיָןnoun, proper name — “Midian”H4080Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendantsMidian, Midianite.עַתָּ֞הatahthis timeעַתָּהadverb — “this time”H6258at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletivehenceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.יְלַחֲכ֤וּyelachakhvlickלָחַךְverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “lick”, an unfinished actionH3897to licklick (up).הַקָּהָל֙haqahalthe assemblyקָהָלdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the assembly”, the ordinary formH6951assemblage (usually concretely)assembly, company, congregation, multitude.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “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).כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).סְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּsevivoteynvaboutסָבִיבnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “about”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5439(as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around(place, round) about, circuit, compass, on every side.כִּלְחֹ֣ךְkilchokheas lickלָחַךְpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “as lick”, the to-form of the verbH3897to licklick (up).הַשּׁ֔וֹרhashorthe bullשׁוֹרdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the bull”, the ordinary formH7794a bullock (as a traveller)bull(-ock), cow, ox, wall (by mistake for H7791 (שׁוּר)).אֵ֖תetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “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).יֶ֣רֶקyereqgrassיֶרֶקnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “grass”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3418properly, pallor, i.e. hence, the yellowish green of young and sickly vegetation; concretely, verdure, i.e. grass or vegetationgrass, green (thing).הַשָּׂדֶ֑הhasadehthe fieldשָׂדֶהdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the field”, the ordinary formH7704a field (as flat)country, field, ground, land, soil, [idiom] wild.וּבָלָ֧קuvalaqand Balakבָּלָקconjunction, noun, proper name — “and Balak”H1111Balak, a Moabitish kingBalak.בֶּןbensonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, singular, 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, […צִפּ֛וֹרtsiporZipporצִפּוֹרnoun, proper name — “Zippor”H6834Tsippor, a MoabiteZippor.מֶ֥לֶךְmelekhkingמֶלֶךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.לְמוֹאָ֖בlemoavto Moabמוֹאָבpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Moab”H4124Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendantsMoab.בָּעֵ֥תbaetin whenעֵתpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in when”, the ordinary formH6256time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.[phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when.הַהִֽואhahivthe as for herהוּאdefinite article, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “the as for her”H1931he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or arehe, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Moab said unto the elders of Midian: 'Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.' — And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. —

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

Young’s Literal Translation

and Moab saith unto the elders of Midian, 'Now doth the assembly lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the green thing of the field.' And Balak son of Zippor [is] king of Moab at that time,

World English Bible

Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

Darby Translation

And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this company lick up all that is round about us, as an ox licks up the green herb of the field. Now Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

Douay-Rheims

He said to the elders of Madian: So will this people destroy all that dwell in our borders, as the ox is wont to eat the grass to the very roots. Now he was at that time king in Moab.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Moab said to the elders of Madiam, Now shall this assembly lick up all that are round about us, as a calf would lick up the green herbs of the field:—and Balac son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπε Μωὰβ τῇ γερουσίᾳ Μαδιὰμ, νῦν ἐκλείξει ἡ συναγωγὴ αὕτη πάντας τοὺς κύκλῳ ἡμῶν, ὡσεὶ ἐκλείξαι ὁ μόσχος τὰ χλωρὰ ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου· καὶ Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Σεπφὼρ βασιλεὺς Μωὰβ ἦν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον.