1 Samuel 3:2

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

One day, Eli was lying in his usual place. His eyesight had begun to grow dim, so he could not see well.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ וְעֵינָיו֙ הֵחֵ֣לּוּ כֵה֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֽוֹת׃

Transliteration

And wayĕhî in the yôm that, and ʿĒlî šōkēb in bimqōmô; and ʿênāyw hēḥēllû kēhôt, not yûkal to lirʾôt.

Grammar Details

• *wayĕhî*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular with waw consecutive - and it came to pass/happened
• *yôm*: noun, masculine singular - day
• *ʿĒlî*: proper noun, masculine singular - Eli
• *šōkēb*: Qal participle, masculine singular - lying down
• *bimqōmô*: preposition (bi-) + noun, masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - in his place
• *ʿênāyw*: noun, feminine dual construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his eyes
• *hēḥēllû*: Hiphil perfect, 3rd person plural - had begun/started
• *kēhôt*: Qal infinitive construct - to grow dim/faint
• *yûkal*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - was able
• *lirʾôt*: Qal infinitive construct with preposition (li-) - to see

Word Meanings

• *šōkēb*: lying down/sleeping/resting
• *hēḥēllû*: had begun/started/commenced
• *kēhôt*: growing dim/failing/becoming weak
• *yûkal*: was able/could/had capacity

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And it happened at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow dim, that he could not see;

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it came to pass at that time,{H3117} when Eli{H5941} was laid down{H7901} in his place{H4725} (now his eyes{H5869} had begun{H2490} to wax dim,{H3544} so that he could{H3201} not see),{H7200}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it came to pass at that time{H3117}, when Eli{H5941} was laid down{H7901}{(H8802)} in his place{H4725}, and his eyes{H5869} began{H2490}{(H8689)} to wax dim{H3544}, that he could{H3201}{(H8799)} not see{H7200}{(H8800)};

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And it fortuned at the same tyme, that Eli laye in his place, and his eyes beganne to be dymme, so that he coulde not se.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And at that time, as Eli lay in his place, his eyes began to waxe dimme that he could not see.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And as at that tyme Eli lay in his place, his eyes began to waxe dymme that he coulde not see.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli [was] laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, [that] he could not see;

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim -- he is not able to see.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see,)

• World English Bible (2000)

  It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place,

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 4:15 : 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were fixed, so he could not see.
• Gen 27:1 : 1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, 'My son,' and Esau replied, 'Here I am.'
• Gen 48:10 : 10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing due to old age—he could not see well. Joseph brought the boys near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them.
• Gen 48:19 : 19 But his father refused and said, 'I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.'
• 1 Sam 2:22 : 22 Now Eli was very old, and he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
• Ps 90:10 : 10 The span of our life is seventy years—or eighty, if we have strength; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
• Eccl 12:3 : 3 On the day when those who watch over the house tremble, the strong men stoop, and the women who grind cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim.