Exodus 2:12

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Looking this way and that, and seeing no one, Moses struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיִּ֤פֶן כֹּה֙ וָכֹ֔ה וַיַּ֖רְא כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־הַמִּצְרִ֔י וַֽיִּטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בַּחֽוֹל׃

Transliteration

wa-yip̄en kōh wāḵōh wa-yarʾ kî ʾên ʾîš wa-yaḵ ʾet-hammiṣrî wa-yiṭmənēhû baḥôl

Grammar Details

• *wa-yip̄en*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and turned
• *kōh*: adverb - thus/here/this way
• *wāḵōh*: conjunction + adverb - and thus/and there/and that way
• *wa-yarʾ*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and saw
• *kî*: conjunction - that
• *ʾên*: particle of negation - there was not
• *ʾîš*: masculine singular noun - a man/anyone
• *wa-yaḵ*: waw consecutive + hiphil imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and struck
• *ʾet-hammiṣrî*: direct object marker + definite article + masculine singular adjective - the Egyptian
• *wa-yiṭmənēhû*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular + 3rd masculine singular suffix - and hid him
• *baḥôl*: preposition + definite article + masculine singular noun - in the sand

Word Meanings

• *yip̄en*: turned/looked
• *kōh wāḵōh*: here and there/this way and that
• *yarʾ*: saw/noticed
• *ʾên ʾîš*: there was no one/no man was present
• *yaḵ*: struck/hit/killed
• *yiṭmənēhû*: hid him/buried him
• *ḥôl*: sand/dust

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And he loked round aboute: and when he sawe that there was no man by, he slewe the Egiptian and hyd hi in the sonde.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And he loked rounde aboute him: and whan he sawe that there was no man, he slew the Egipcian, and buried him in the sonde.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And he looked rounde about, and when he sawe no man, hee slewe the Egyptian, and hid him in the sande.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he loked rounde about, and when he sawe no man by, he slewe the Egyptian, and hyd hym in the sande.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that [there was] no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and he turneth hither and thither, and seeth that there is no man, and smiteth the Egyptian, and hideth him in the sand.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And turning this way and that, and seeing no one, he put the Egyptian to death, covering his body with sand.

• World English Bible (2000)

  He looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no one, he killed the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  He looked this way and that and saw that no one was there, and then he attacked the Egyptian and concealed the body in the sand.

Referenced Verses

• Acts 7:24-26 : 24 When Moses saw someone being mistreated, he came to his defense and avenged the oppressed man by striking down the Egyptian. 25 Moses assumed that his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not understand. 26 The next day, he appeared to two of them as they were fighting and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brothers. Why are you hurting each other?'