1 Kings 2:20

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

She said, 'I have one small request to make of you. Do not refuse me.' The king replied, 'Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַתֹּ֗אמֶר שְׁאֵלָ֨ה אַחַ֤ת קְטַנָּה֙ אָֽנֹכִי֙ שֹׁאֶ֣לֶת מֵֽאִתָּ֔ךְ אַל־תָּ֖שֶׁב אֶת־פָּנָ֑י וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֤הּ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ שַׁאֲלִ֣י אִמִּ֔י כִּ֥י לֹֽא־אָשִׁ֖יב אֶת־פָּנָֽיִךְ

Transliteration

wə-tōʾmer šəʾēlâ one small ʾānōkî šōʾelet from-you, not-tāšeb ʾet-pānāy; wə-yōʾmer-to-her the-melek šaʾălî ʾimmî because not-ʾāšîb ʾet-pānāyik

Grammar Details

• *wə-tōʾmer*: waw consecutive with 3rd person feminine singular Qal imperfect - 'and she said'
• *šəʾēlâ*: feminine singular noun - 'request/petition'
• *ʾānōkî*: 1st person singular independent pronoun - 'I'
• *šōʾelet*: feminine singular Qal active participle - 'asking/requesting'
• *tāšeb*: 2nd person masculine singular Hiphil imperfect with negative particle - 'you will not turn away'
• *pānāy*: noun masculine plural construct with 1st person singular suffix - 'my face'
• *wə-yōʾmer*: waw consecutive with 3rd person masculine singular Qal imperfect - 'and he said'
• *šaʾălî*: 2nd person feminine singular Qal imperative - 'ask'
• *ʾimmî*: feminine singular noun with 1st person singular suffix - 'my mother'
• *ʾāšîb*: 1st person singular Hiphil imperfect with negative particle - 'I will not turn away'
• *pānāyik*: noun masculine plural construct with 2nd person feminine singular suffix - 'your face'

Word Meanings

• *šəʾēlâ*: request/petition/question
• *šōʾelet*: asking/requesting/petitioning
• *tāšeb*: turn away/refuse/reject
• *pānāy*: my face/my presence/my request
• *pānāyik*: your face/your presence/your request

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Then she said, I desire one small petition of you; please do not deny me. And the king said to her, Ask on, my mother, for I will not refuse you.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then she said, I ask one small petition of thee; deny me not. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny thee.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And she sayde: One peticion desyre I of the make not my face ashamed. The kynge saydt: Axe O my mother, I wyl not shame thy face.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then she sayd, I desire a small request of thee, say me not nay. Then the King sayde vnto her, Aske on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Then she sayd: I desire a litle petition of thee, I pray thee say me not nay. And the king sayd vnto her: Aske on, my mother, for I wil not say thee nay.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; [I pray thee], say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Then she said, I ask one small petition of you; don't deny me. The king said to her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny you.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And she saith, `One small petition I ask of thee, turn not back my face;' and the king saith to her, `Ask, my mother, for I do not turn back thy face.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then she said, I ask one small petition of thee; deny me not. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny thee.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then she said, I ask one small petition of thee; deny me not. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny thee.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then she said, I have one small request to make to you; do not say, No, to me. And the king said, Say on, my mother, for I will not say, No, to you.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Then she said, "I ask one small petition of you; don't deny me." The king said to her, "Ask on, my mother; for I will not deny you."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  She said,“I would like to ask you for just one small favor. Please don’t refuse me.” He said,“Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.”

Referenced Verses

• Matt 7:7-9 : 7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?
• Matt 10:35-36 : 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A person's enemies will be those of his own household.
• Matt 11:24 : 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.
• Matt 18:19 : 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
• Matt 20:20-21 : 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling before him and asking something from him. 21 'What do you want?' he asked. She said to him, 'Declare that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.'
• Luke 11:9-9 : 9 So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
• John 2:3-4 : 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, 'They have no more wine.' 4 Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what does this have to do with me? My time has not yet come.'
• John 14:13-14 : 13 And whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.
• John 15:16 : 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.