King James Version

Numbers 33:55

But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

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Hebrew

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וְאִםveimand oh thatאִםconjunction, conjunction — “and oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…לֹ֨אlono , -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…תוֹרִ֜ישׁוּtorishvexpelיָרַשׁverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “expel”, an unfinished actionH3423to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruincast out, consume, destroy, disinherit, dispossess, drive(-ing) out, enjoy, expel, [idiom] without fail, (give to, leave for) inherit(-ance, -or) [phrase] magistrate, be (make) poor, come to poverty, (give to, make to) possess, get (have)…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).יֹשְׁבֵ֣יyoshevedwellיָשַׁבverb, qal, participle, construct — “dwell”, a verb used as a describing wordH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…הָאָרֶץ֮haaretsthe earthאֶרֶץdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.מִפְּנֵיכֶם֒mipneykhemfrom a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “from a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…וְהָיָה֙vehayahand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, a completed action in a sequenceH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.אֲשֶׁ֣רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…תּוֹתִ֣ירוּtotirvexcelיָתַרverb, hiphil, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “excel”, an unfinished actionH3498to jut over or exceed; by implication, to excel; (intransitively) to remain or be left; causatively, to leave, cause to abound, preserveexcel, leave (a remnant), left behind, too much, make plenteous, preserve, (be, let) remain(-der, -ing, -nant), reserve, residue, rest.מֵהֶ֔םmehemfromמֵהֶ֔םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “from”fromלְשִׂכִּים֙lesikimto prickשֵׂךְpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “to prick”, the ordinary formH7899a brier (as of a hedge)prick.בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔םbeeyneykhemin eye , , -sightעַיִןpreposition, noun, common, both genders, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “in eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…וְלִצְנִינִ֖םvelitsninimand to thornצָנִיןconjunction, preposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “and to thorn”, the ordinary formH6796a thornthorn.בְּצִדֵּיכֶ֑םbetsideykhemin sideצַדpreposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “in side”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6654a side; figuratively, an adversary(be-) side.וְצָרֲר֣וּvetsararvand adversaryצָרַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and adversary”, a completed action in a sequenceH6887to cramp, literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitiveadversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex.אֶתְכֶ֔םetkhemobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “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).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,…הָאָ֕רֶץhaaretsthe earthאֶרֶץdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the earth”, the ordinary formH776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)[idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.אֲשֶׁ֥רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, 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,…אַתֶּ֖םatemtheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.יֹשְׁבִ֥יםyoshevimdwellיָשַׁבverb, qal, participle, absolute — “dwell”, a verb used as a describing wordH3427properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, r…בָּֽהּbahinבָּֽהּpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “in”in

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those that ye let remain of them be as thorns in your eyes, and as pricks in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those that ye let remain of them be as pricks in your eyes, and as thorns in your sides, and they shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Young’s Literal Translation

'And if ye do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it hath been, those whom ye let remain of them, [are] for pricks in your eyes, and for thorns in your sides, and they have distressed you on the land in which ye are dwelling,

World English Bible

“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be like pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land in which you dwell.

Darby Translation

But if ye will not dispossess the inhabitants of the land from before you, those that ye let remain of them shall be thorns in your eyes, and pricks in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Douay-Rheims

But if you will not kill the inhabitants of the land: they that remain, shall be unto you as nails in your eyes, and spears in your sides, and they shall be your adversaries in the land of your habitation.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

But if ye will not destroy the dwellers in the land from before you, then it shall come to pass that whomsoever of them ye shall leave shall be thorns in your eyes, and darts in your sides, and they shall be enemies to you on the land on which ye shall dwell;

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀπολέσητε τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν, καὶ ἔσται οὓς ἐὰν καταλίπητε ἐξ αὐτῶν, σκόλοπες ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν, καὶ βολίδες ἐν ταῖς πλευραῖς ὑμῶν, καὶ ἐχθρεύσουσιν ὑμῖν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἐφʼ ἣν ὑμεῖς κατοικήσετε.