King James Version

Numbers 23:8

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

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Hebrew

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מָ֣הmahhowמָהparticle, interrogative — “how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.אֶקֹּ֔בeqovwith holesנָקַבverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “with holes”, an unfinished actionH5344to puncture, literally (to perforate, with more or less violence) or figuratively (to specify, designate, libel)appoint, blaspheme, bore, curse, express, with holes, name, pierce, strike through.לֹ֥אlono , -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…קַבֹּ֖הqabocurseקָבַבverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “curse”, a completed actionH6895to scoop out, i.e. (figuratively) to malign or execrate (i.e. stab with words)[idiom] at all, curse.אֵ֑לelidolאֵלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “idol”, the ordinary formH410strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity)God (god), [idiom] goodly, [idiom] great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong. Compare names in '-el.'וּמָ֣הumahand howמָהconjunction, particle, interrogative — “and how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.אֶזְעֹ֔םezomabhorזָעַםverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “abhor”, an unfinished actionH2194properly, to foam at the mouth, i.e. to be enragedabhor, abominable, (be) angry, defy, (have) indignation.לֹ֥אlono , -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…זָעַ֖םzaamabhorזָעַםverb, 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.יְהוָֽהyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I execrate, whom the LORD hath not execrated?

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I defy, whom Jehovah hath not defied?

Young’s Literal Translation

What — do I pierce? — God hath not pierced! And what — am I indignant? — Jehovah hath not been indignant!

World English Bible

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied?

Darby Translation

How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I denounce whom Jehovah doth not denounce?

Douay-Rheims

How shall I curse him, whom God hath not cursed? By what means should I detest him, whom the Lord detesteth not?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? And how shall I execrate, whom the LORD hath not execrated?

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? or how can I devote whom God devotes not?

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Τί ἀράσωμαι ὃν μὴ ἀρᾶται Κύριος; ἢ τί καταράσωμαι ὃν μὴ καταρᾶται ὁ Θεός;