King James Version

Proverbs 8:27

When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

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Hebrew

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בַּהֲכִינ֣וֹbahakhinvoin be fittedכּוּןpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in be fitted”, the to-form of the verbH3559properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous)certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth…שָׁ֭מַיִםshamayimheavenשָׁמַיִםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “heaven”, the ordinary formH8064the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).שָׁ֣םshamthereשָׁםadverb — “there”H8033there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thencein it, [phrase] thence, there (-in, [phrase] of, [phrase] out), [phrase] thither, [phrase] whither.אָ֑נִיanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.בְּח֥וּקוֹbechuqvoin appointחָקַקpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in appoint”, the to-form of the verbH2710properly, to hack, i.e. engrave (Judges 5:14, to be a scribe simply); by implication, to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (gen.) prescribeappoint, decree, governor, grave, lawgiver, note, pourtray, print, set.ח֝֗וּגchugcircleחוּגnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “circle”, the ordinary formH2329a circlecircle, circuit, compass.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,…פְּנֵ֥יpenea- foreפָּנִיםnoun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “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(-…תְהֽוֹםtehomdeepתְּהוֹםnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “deep”, the ordinary formH8415an abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean watersupply)deep (place), depth.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

When He established the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle upon the face of the deep,

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,

Young’s Literal Translation

In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,

World English Bible

When he established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

Darby Translation

When he prepared the heavens I was there; when he ordained the circle upon the face of the deep;

Douay-Rheims

When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

When He established the heavens, I was there; when He set a circle upon the face of the deep,

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἡνίκα ἡτοίμαζε τὸν οὐρανὸν, συμπαρήμην αὐτῷ, καὶ ὅτε ἀφώριζε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θρόνον ἐπʼ ἀνέμων,