Deuteronomy 29:23

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

All the nations will ask, 'Why has the LORD done this to this land? Why this fierce, burning anger?'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם עַל־מֶ֨ה עָשָׂ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה כָּ֖כָה לָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את מֶ֥ה חֳרִ֛י הָאַ֥ף הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה׃

Transliteration

And-ʾāmᵉrû all-the-gôyim: For-what ʿāśāh YHWH thus to-the-ʾāreṣ the-zōʾt? What ḥŏrî the-ʾap̄ the-gādôl the-zeh?

Grammar Details

• *ʾāmᵉrû*: Qal perfect 3rd common plural consecutive - and they will say
• *gôyim*: noun masculine plural - nations
• *ʿāśāh*: Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular - he did
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the divine name
• *ʾāreṣ*: noun feminine singular - land
• *zōʾt*: demonstrative adjective feminine singular - this
• *ḥŏrî*: noun masculine singular construct - burning of
• *ʾap̄*: noun masculine singular - nose/anger
• *gādôl*: adjective masculine singular - great
• *zeh*: demonstrative adjective masculine singular - this

Word Meanings

• *gôyim*: nations/peoples/gentiles
• *ʿāśāh*: did/made/accomplished
• *ḥŏrî*: burning/heat/fierceness
• *ʾap̄*: anger/nose/wrath

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And that the whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor bears, nor any grass grows therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger and in his wrath:

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  [ and that] the whole land{H776} thereof is brimstone,{H1614} and salt,{H4417} [and] a burning,{H8316} [that] it is not sown,{H2232} nor beareth,{H6779} nor any grass{H6212} groweth{H5927} therein, like the overthrow{H4114} of Sodom{H5467} and Gomorrah,{H6017} Admah{H126} and Zeboiim,{H6636} which Jehovah{H3068} overthrew{H2015} in his anger,{H639} and in his wrath:{H2534}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And that the whole land{H776} thereof is brimstone{H1614}, and salt{H4417}, and burning{H8316}, that it is not sown{H2232}{(H8735)}, nor beareth{H6779}{(H8686)}, nor any grass{H6212} groweth{H5927}{(H8799)} therein, like the overthrow{H4114} of Sodom{H5467}, and Gomorrah{H6017}, Admah{H126}, and Zeboim{H6636}, which the LORD{H3068} overthrew{H2015}{(H8804)} in his anger{H639}, and in his wrath{H2534}:

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  how all the londe is burnt vpp with bremstone and salt, that it is nether sowne nor beareth nor any grasse groweth, after the ouertrowenge of Sodome, Gomor, Adama ad Zeboim: which the Lorde ouerthrewe in his wrath and angre.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  that he hath brent vp all their londe with brymstone and salt, so yt it cannot be sowne, ner is frutefull, nether groweth there eny grasse therin, Like as Sodom, Gomor, Adama and Zeboim are ouerthrowne, which the LORDE ouerthrewe in his wrath and anger.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  (For all that land shall burne with brimstone and salt: it shall not be sowen, nor bring forth, nor any grasse shall growe therein, like as in the ouerthrowing of Sodom, and Gomorah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord ouerthrewe in his wrath and in his anger)

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Howe all the lande is burnt vp with brimstone and salt, and that it is neither sowen, nor beareth, nor any grasse groweth therin, lyke as in the place of ye ouerthrowyng of Sodome, Gomor, Adama, and Zeboim, which the Lorde ouerthrewe in his wrath and anger.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  [And that] the whole land thereof [is] brimstone, and salt, [and] burning, [that] it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  [and that] the whole land of it is sulfur, and salt, [and] a burning, [that] it is not sown, nor bears, nor any grass grows therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Yahweh overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  (`with' brimstone and salt is the whole land burnt, it is not sown, nor doth it shoot up, nor doth there go up on it any herb, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, which Jehovah overturned in His anger, and in His fury,) --

• American Standard Version (1901)

  `and that' the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, `and' a burning, `that' it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Jehovah overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

• American Standard Version (1901)

  [ and that] the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, [and] a burning, [that] it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Jehovah overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And that all the land is a salt and smoking waste, not planted or giving fruit or clothed with grass, but wasted like Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, on which the Lord sent destruction in the heat of his wrath:

• World English Bible (2000)

  [and that] the whole land of it is sulfur, and salt, [and] a burning, [that] it is not sown, nor bears, nor any grass grows therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Yahweh overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The whole land will be covered with brimstone, salt, and burning debris; it will not be planted nor will it sprout or produce grass. It will resemble the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD destroyed in his intense anger.

Referenced Verses

• Jer 17:6 : 6 They will be like a shrub in the desert, dwelling in a parched place in the wilderness, in a land of salt where no one lives, and will not see when prosperity comes.
• Zeph 2:9 : 9 Therefore, as surely as I live—declares the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel—Moab will become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land of weeds and salt pits, a perpetual ruin. The remnant of My people will plunder them, and the survivors of My nation will inherit their land.
• Isa 34:9 : 9 And its streams will be turned to pitch, its soil to sulfur; its land will become burning pitch.
• Gen 19:24-25 : 24 Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.
• Judg 9:45 : 45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day, captured it, killed its inhabitants, tore it down, and sowed it with salt.
• Jer 20:16 : 16 May that man be like the cities the LORD overthrew without relenting. May he hear cries of distress in the morning and shouts of alarm at noon.
• Ezek 47:11 : 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.
• Gen 14:2 : 2 that they made war against Bera, king of Sodom, Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).
• Luke 14:34-35 : 34 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is no longer fit for the soil or the manure pile; it is thrown out. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.
• Luke 17:29 : 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
• Rev 19:20 : 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf. By these signs he had deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.
• Hos 11:8-9 : 8 How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within Me; My compassion grows warm and tender. 9 I will not carry out My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man—the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
• Amos 4:11 : 11 I overthrew some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a firebrand snatched from the burning, yet you did not return to Me,' declares the LORD.
• Job 18:15 : 15 What does not belong to him will dwell in his tent; burning sulfur will be scattered over his dwelling.
• Ps 107:34 : 34 and a fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who dwell there.