King James Version

Numbers 31:23

Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

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Hebrew

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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).דָּבָ֞רdavarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cause”, the ordinary formH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…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,…יָבֹ֣אyavoto comeבּוֹאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to come”, an unfinished actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…בָאֵ֗שׁvaeshin fireאֵשׁpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in fire”, the ordinary formH784fire (literally or figuratively)burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.תַּעֲבִ֤ירוּtaavirvalienateעָבַרverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “alienate”, an unfinished actionH5674to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way…בָאֵשׁ֙vaeshin fireאֵשׁpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in fire”, the ordinary formH784fire (literally or figuratively)burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.וְטָהֵ֔רvetaherand be cleanטָהֵרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be clean”, a completed action in a sequenceH2891to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated; Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy)be (make, make self, pronounce) clean, cleanse (self), purge, purify(-ier, self).אַ֕ךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).בְּמֵ֥יbemein waterמַיִםpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “in water”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).נִדָּ֖הnidahfilthinessנִדָּהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “filthiness”, the ordinary formH5079properly, rejection; by implication, impurity, especially personal (menstruation) or moral (idolatry, incest)[idiom] far, filthiness, [idiom] flowers, menstruous (woman), put apart, [idiom] removed (woman), separation, set apart, unclean(-ness, thing, with filthiness).יִתְחַטָּ֑אyitchataby faultחָטָאverb, hithpael, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “by fault”, an unfinished actionH2398properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemnbear the blame, cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.וְכֹ֨לvekholand allכֹּלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and all”, the ordinary formH3605properly, 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).אֲשֶׁ֧רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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…יָבֹ֛אyavoto comeבּוֹאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to come”, an unfinished actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…בָּאֵ֖שׁbaeshin fireאֵשׁpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in fire”, the ordinary formH784fire (literally or figuratively)burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.תַּעֲבִ֥ירוּtaavirvalienateעָבַרverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “alienate”, an unfinished actionH5674to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way…בַמָּֽיִםvamayimin waterמַיִםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “in water”, the ordinary formH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of sprinkling; and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make to go through the water.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make to go through the water.

Young’s Literal Translation

every thing which may go into fire, ye cause to pass over through fire, and it hath been clean; only, with the water of separation it is cleansed, and all that may not go into fire, ye cause to pass over through water;

World English Bible

everything that may withstand the fire, you shall make to go through the fire, and it shall be clean; nevertheless it shall be purified with the water for impurity. All that doesn’t withstand the fire you shall make to go through the water.

Darby Translation

everything that passeth through the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean; only it shall be purified with the water of separation; and everything that cannot pass through the fire ye shall make go through the water.

Douay-Rheims

And all that may pass through the fire, shall be purified by fire, but whatsoever cannot abide the fire, shall be sanctified with the water of expiation:

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

every thing that shall pass through the fire shall so be clean, nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of sanctification; and whatsoever will not pass through the fire shall pass through water.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

πᾶν πρᾶγμα ὃ διελεύσεται ἐν πυρὶ, καὶ καθαρισθήσεται, ἀλλʼ ἢ τῷ ὕδατι τοῦ ἁγνισμοῦ ἁγνισθήσεται· καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐὰν μὴ διαπορεύηται διὰ πυρὸς, διελεύσεται διʼ ὕδατος.