Deuteronomy 30:12

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to bring it to us so we may hear it and do it?’

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה

Transliteration

Not lōʾ baššāmayim hîʾ, saying, mî yaʿăleh-lānû haššāmaymāh and wəyiqqāḥehā for us and wəyašmiʿēnû ʾōtāh and wənaʿăśennāh

Grammar Details

• *lōʾ baššāmayim*: negative particle + preposition + masculine dual noun with definite article - not in the heavens
• *hîʾ*: 3rd feminine singular independent pronoun - it/she
• *mî yaʿăleh-lānû*: interrogative pronoun + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular + preposition with 1st plural suffix - who will go up for us
• *haššāmaymāh*: masculine dual noun with definite article and directional suffix - to the heavens
• *wəyiqqāḥehā*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular with 3rd feminine singular suffix - and take it
• *wəyašmiʿēnû*: waw-consecutive + hiphil imperfect, 3rd masculine singular with 1st plural suffix - and make us hear it
• *ʾōtāh*: direct object marker with 3rd feminine singular suffix - it
• *wənaʿăśennāh*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect, 1st plural with 3rd feminine singular suffix - and we will do it

Word Meanings

• *baššāmayim*: in the heavens/in the sky
• *yaʿăleh*: go up/ascend/climb
• *wəyiqqāḥehā*: take/get/fetch it
• *wəyašmiʿēnû*: cause us to hear/proclaim to us/tell us
• *wənaʿăśennāh*: do it/perform it/carry it out

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  It is not in heaven, that thou shoulst say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  It is not in heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  It is not in heauen, that thou neadest to saye: who shall goo vpp for us in to heauen, and fett it us, that we maye heare it ad doo it:

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  ner yet in heauen, that thou neadest to saye: Who wil go vp for vs in to heauen, and brynge it vnto vs, that we maie heare it and do it?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  It is not in heauen, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go vp for vs to heauen, & bring it vs, and cause vs to heare it, that we may doe it?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  It is not in heauen, that thou needest to say: Who shall go vp for vs to heauen, and bryng it vnto vs, that we may heare it, and do it?

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  It [is] not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  It is not in heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  It is not in the heavens, -- saying, Who doth go up for us into the heavens, and doth take it for us, and doth cause us to hear it -- that we may do it.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  They are not in heaven, for you to say, Who will go up to heaven for us and give us knowledge of them so that we may do them?

• World English Bible (2000)

  It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?"

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  It is not in heaven, as though one must say,“Who will go up to heaven to get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”

Referenced Verses

• Rom 10:6-8 : 6 But the righteousness that is based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the message of faith that we proclaim):
• Prov 30:4 : 4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his hands? Who has wrapped the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
• John 3:13 : 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.