Exodus 19:15

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

He said to the people, 'Be ready by the third day; do not go near a woman.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם הֱי֥וּ נְכֹנִ֖ים לִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים אַֽל־תִּגְּשׁ֖וּ אֶל־אִשָּֽׁה׃

Transliteration

wə-yōʾmer to the ʿām hĕyû nəḵōnîm for šəlōšet yāmîm not tiggəšû to ʾiššāh.

Grammar Details

• *wə-yōʾmer*: conjunction + verb, qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *ʿām*: noun, masculine singular (with definite article) - the people
• *hĕyû*: verb, qal imperative masculine plural - be
• *nəḵōnîm*: adjective, masculine plural - ready/prepared
• *šəlōšet*: noun, feminine singular construct - three of
• *yāmîm*: noun, masculine plural - days
• *tiggəšû*: verb, qal imperfect 2nd masculine plural - you shall come near/approach
• *ʾiššāh*: noun, feminine singular - woman/wife

Word Meanings

• *nəḵōnîm*: ready/prepared/set
• *tiggəšû*: come near/approach/go near
• *ʾiššāh*: woman/wife

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he said to the people, Be ready for the third day; do not come near your wives.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not near a woman.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And he sayde vnto the people: be redie agenst the thirde daye, and se that ye come not at youre wiues.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And he sayde vnto them: Be ready agaynst the thirde daye, and no man come at his wife.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And he said vnto the people, Be ready on the third day, and come not at your wiues.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he sayd vnto the people: be redy agaynst the thirde day, and come not at your wyues.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at [your] wives.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He said to the people, "Be ready by the third day. Don't have sexual relations with a woman."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and he saith unto the people, `Be ye prepared for the third day, come not nigh unto a woman.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not near a woman.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not near a woman.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he said to the people, Be ready by the third day: do not come near a woman.

• World English Bible (2000)

  He said to the people, "Be ready by the third day. Don't have sexual relations with a woman."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  He said to the people,“Be ready for the third day. Do not approach your wives for marital relations.”

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 21:4-5 : 4 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever you can find.' 5 The priest answered David, 'I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is consecrated bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women.'
• Exod 19:11 : 11 They must be prepared for the third day, because on the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai.
• 1 Cor 7:5 : 5 Do not deprive one another, except by mutual agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
• 2 Pet 3:11-12 : 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 Looking forward to and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens, being set on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with intense heat.
• Exod 19:16 : 16 On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
• Joel 2:16 : 16 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out from his chamber and the bride from her wedding canopy.
• Amos 4:12 : 12 Therefore, this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.
• Zech 6:3 : 3 the third chariot had white horses, and the fourth chariot had dappled, strong horses.
• Zech 7:3 : 3 They asked the priests of the house of the LORD of Hosts and the prophets, 'Should I weep in the fifth month and abstain, as I have done for so many years?'
• Zech 12:12-14 : 12 The land will mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves. 13 The family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves. 14 All the remaining families, each family by itself, and their wives by themselves.
• Mal 3:2 : 2
• Matt 3:10-12 : 10 Even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
• Matt 24:44 : 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.