Genesis 13:3

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

He journeyed from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְמַסָּעָ֔יו מִנֶּ֖גֶב וְעַד־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל עַד־הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר־הָ֨יָה שָׁ֤ם *אהלה *אֽ͏ָהֳלוֹ֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה בֵּ֥ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעָֽי׃

Transliteration

And wayyēlek on massāʿāyw from negeḇ and unto Bêṯ-ʾĒl, unto hammāqôm where hāyâ there ʾohŏlô in battĕḥillâ, between Bêṯ-ʾĒl and between hāʿĀy.

Grammar Details

• *wayyēlek*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he went/journeyed
• *massāʿāyw*: noun, masculine plural construct + 3rd masculine singular suffix - his journeys
• *negeḇ*: noun, masculine singular - south/Negev region
• *Bêṯ-ʾĒl*: proper noun - Bethel (house of God)
• *hammāqôm*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the place
• *hāyâ*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - was/had been
• *ʾohŏlô*: noun, masculine singular + 3rd masculine singular suffix - his tent
• *battĕḥillâ*: preposition + definite article + noun, feminine singular - in the beginning/at first
• *hāʿĀy*: definite article + proper noun - the Ai

Word Meanings

• *massāʿāyw*: his journeys/his stages/his stopping places
• *negeḇ*: south/Negev region/southern desert
• *hammāqôm*: the place/the site/the location
• *battĕḥillâ*: at the beginning/at first/previously

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai;

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he traveled on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he went on his journeys from the South even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Ai,

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And he went on his iourney fro the south even vnto BETHEL ad vnto the place where his tente was at the fyrst tyme betwene BETHEL and Ay

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And he wente on forth from the south vnto Bethel, vnto the place where his tent was at ye first, betwene Bethel and Ay:

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And he went on his iourney from ye South toward Beth-el, to the place where his tent had bene at ye beginning, betweene Beth-el & Haai,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he went foorth on his iourney, from the south towarde Bethel, vnto the place where his tent had ben at the begynnyng, betwene Bethel and Hai:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He went on his journeys from the South even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And he goeth on his journeyings from the south, even unto Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the commencement, between Bethel and Hai --

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he went on his journeys from the South even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Ai,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he went on his journeys from the South even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Ai,

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And travelling on from the South, he came to Beth-el, to the place where his tent had been before, between Beth-el and Ai;

• World English Bible (2000)

  He went on his journeys from the South even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  And he journeyed from place to place from the Negev as far as Bethel. He returned to the place where he had pitched his tent at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai.

Referenced Verses

• Gen 12:6 : 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the great tree of Moreh. At that time, the Canaanites were in the land.
• Gen 12:8-9 : 8 From there, Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. 9 Then Abram set out and continued traveling toward the Negev.