Exodus 5:19

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you each day."

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיִּרְא֞וּ שֹֽׁטְרֵ֧י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֹתָ֖ם בְּרָ֣ע לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹא־תִגְרְע֥וּ מִלִּבְנֵיכֶ֖ם דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

And wayyirʾû (saw) šōṭĕrê (officers of) bĕnê-yiśrāʾēl (sons of Israel) ʾōtām (themselves) bĕrāʿ (in trouble) lēʾmōr (saying): Not-tigrĕʿû (you shall diminish) from-llibnêkem (your bricks) dĕbar-yôm (matter of day) bĕyômô (in its day).

Grammar Details

• *wayyirʾû*: qal imperfect waw consecutive, 3rd person masculine plural - and they saw
• *šōṭĕrê*: masculine plural construct noun - officers/officials of
• *bĕnê*: masculine plural construct noun - sons of
• *yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel
• *ʾōtām*: direct object marker with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - them/themselves
• *bĕrāʿ*: preposition with masculine singular noun - in evil/trouble
• *lēʾmōr*: qal infinitive construct with prefixed preposition - saying
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *tigrĕʿû*: qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine plural - you shall diminish/reduce
• *millistnêkem*: preposition (from) + noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix - from your bricks
• *dĕbar*: masculine singular construct - word/matter of
• *yôm*: masculine singular - day
• *bĕyômô*: preposition + noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - in its day

Word Meanings

• *šōṭĕrê*: officers/foremen/officials
• *bĕrāʿ*: in evil/in trouble/in a bad situation
• *tigrĕʿû*: diminish/reduce/lessen
• *dĕbar-yôm bĕyômô*: daily quota/each day's matter in its day

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And the officers of the children of Israel realized they were in trouble when it was said, You shall not diminish anything from your bricks of your daily task.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And the officers{H7860} of the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} did see{H7200} that they were in evil{H7451} case, when it was said,{H559} Ye shall not diminish{H1639} aught from your bricks,{H3843} [your] daily{H3117} tasks.{H1697}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And the officers{H7860}{(H8802)} of the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} did see{H7200}{(H8799)} that they were in evil{H7451} case, after it was said{H559}{(H8800)}, Ye shall not minish{H1639}{(H8799)} ought from your bricks{H3843} of your daily{H3117}{H3117} task{H1697}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  when the officers of the childern of Israel sawe them silfe in shrode case (in that he sayde ye shall minysh nothinge of youre dalye makige of brycke)

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Then sawe the officers of the children of Israel, yt it was not amended, for it was sayde: ye shal mynish nothinge of the daye worke of the brycke.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then the officers of the children of Israel sawe them selues in an euill case, because it was saide, Ye shall diminish nothing of your bricke, nor of euery dayes taske.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in worse case, after it was sayde, ye shall minishe nothyng of your brycke, of your dayly taske in due tyme:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And the officers of the children of Israel did see [that] they [were] in evil [case], after it was said, Ye shall not minish [ought] from your bricks of your daily task.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!"

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And the authorities of the sons of Israel see them in affliction, saying, `Ye do not diminish from your bricks; the matter of a day in its day.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, when it was said, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, `your' daily tasks.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, when it was said, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, [your] daily tasks.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then the responsible men of the children of Israel saw that they were purposing evil when they said, The number of bricks which you have to make every day will be no less than before.

• World English Bible (2000)

  The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!"

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told,“You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks.”

Referenced Verses

• Deut 32:36 : 36 For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone and no one is left—neither slave nor free.
• Eccl 4:1 : 1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that is done under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter. Power was on the side of their oppressors, and they had no comforter.
• Eccl 5:8 : 8 The benefit of the land is for everyone; even a king depends on the field being cultivated.