Genesis 20:3

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night and said to him, 'You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיָּבֹ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בַּחֲל֣וֹם הַלָּ֑יְלָה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ הִנְּךָ֥ מֵת֙ עַל־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֔חְתָּ וְהִ֖וא בְּעֻ֥לַת בָּֽעַל׃

Transliteration

wə-yāḇō' 'ĕlōhîm to-'ăḇîmeleḵ in-ḥălôm ha-laylāh wə-yō'mer to-him behold-you mēṯ on-hā-'iššāh that-lāqaḥtā and-she bə'ūlaṯ bā'al

Grammar Details

• *wə-yāḇō'*: waw consecutive + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he came
• *'ĕlōhîm*: common noun, masculine plural (used as singular) - God
• *'ăḇîmeleḵ*: proper noun, masculine singular - Abimelech
• *ḥălôm*: common noun, masculine singular construct - dream of
• *ha-laylāh*: definite article + common noun, masculine singular - the night
• *wə-yō'mer*: waw consecutive + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *lô*: preposition + 3rd masculine singular suffix - to him
• *hinnəḵā*: interjection + 2nd masculine singular suffix - behold you
• *mēṯ*: Qal participle masculine singular - dying/dead
• *hā-'iššāh*: definite article + common noun, feminine singular - the woman
• *lāqaḥtā*: Qal perfect 2nd masculine singular - you have taken
• *bə'ūlaṯ*: Qal passive participle, feminine singular construct - married to
• *bā'al*: common noun, masculine singular - husband/lord/master

Word Meanings

• *yāḇō'*: come/enter/arrive
• *'ĕlōhîm*: God/gods/divine beings/judges
• *ḥălôm*: dream/vision during sleep
• *mēṯ*: dying/dead/about to die
• *bə'ūlaṯ bā'al*: married to a husband/owned by a master/possessed by an owner

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, because of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And God came to Abimelech by nyghte in a dreame and sayde to him: Se thou art but a deed man for the womas sake which thou hast taken awaye for she is a mans wyfe.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But God came to Abimelech by night in a dreame, & sayde vnto him: Beholde, thou art but a deed man, for the womans sake which thou hast taken, for she is a mans wife.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But God came to Abimelech in a dreame by night, and said to him, Beholde, thou art but dead, because of the woman, which thou hast taken: for she is a mans wife.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But God came to Abimelech by night in a dreame, and saide to hym: See, thou art but a dead man for the womans sake whiche thou hast taken away, for she is a mans wyfe.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou [art but] a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she [is] a man's wife.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And God cometh in unto Abimelech in a dream of the night, and saith to him, `Lo, thou `art' a dead man, because of the woman whom thou hast taken -- and she married to a husband.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, because of the woman whom thou hast taken. For she is a man's wife.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, because of the woman whom thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream in the night, and said to him, Truly you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife.

• World English Bible (2000)

  But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him,“You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.”

Referenced Verses

• Gen 20:7 : 7 Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you can be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.'
• Job 33:15 : 15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while they slumber on their beds,
• Ps 105:14 : 14 He allowed no one to oppress them; He rebuked kings on their account.
• Matt 1:20 : 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'
• Matt 27:19 : 19 While he was seated on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message to him, saying, 'Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered greatly today in a dream because of Him.'
• Matt 2:12-13 : 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another route. 13 After they departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, 'Get up, take the child and His mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to destroy Him.'
• Ezek 33:14-15 : 14 And if I say to the wicked person, 'You will surely die,' but they turn from their sin and do what is just and right— 15 if they return what they took in pledge for a loan, restore anything they have stolen, and follow the decrees that give life, doing no wrong—they will surely live; they will not die.
• Jonah 3:4 : 4 Jonah began to go into the city, walking a journey of one day, and he proclaimed, saying, “In forty days Nineveh will be overturned!”
• Gen 28:12 : 12 And he dreamed; behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven. The angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
• Gen 31:24 : 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.'
• Gen 37:5 : 5 One time Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
• Gen 37:9 : 9 Then Joseph had another dream and told it to his brothers. He said, "Look, I had another dream, and this time the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."
• Gen 40:8 : 8 They said to him, 'We each had a dream, but there is no one to interpret it.' Joseph replied, 'Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.'
• Gen 41:1-9 : 1 After two full years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile. 2 And behold, seven cows, beautiful in appearance and well-fed, came up out of the Nile and began grazing among the reeds. 3 And behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and thin, and they stood beside the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 And the ugly and thin cows devoured the seven beautiful and well-fed cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. 5 He fell asleep again and dreamed a second time: Seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 6 And behold, seven ears of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted after them. 7 And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh woke up, and it was a dream. 8 In the morning, Pharaoh's spirit was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians of Egypt and its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. 9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, 'Today, I remember my offenses.' 10 'Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard.' 11 'We both had dreams on the same night, each with its own meaning.' 12 'And there with us was a young Hebrew man, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each of us the meaning of his dream.' 13 And just as he interpreted our dreams for us, so it came to be: I was restored to my position, and the other was hanged. 14 Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they quickly brought him from the dungeon. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said about you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it.' 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.' 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile.' 18 'And behold, seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the Nile and began grazing among the reeds.' 19 'Then seven other cows came up after them, weak, ugly, and gaunt—such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt for ugliness.' 20 'And the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven fat cows that came up first.' 21 'But even after they had eaten them, no one could tell that they had done so; they still looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.' 22 'In my second dream, I saw seven ears of grain, full and good, growing on one stalk.' 23 'After them, seven other ears of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind.' 24 'The thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven good ears. I told this to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.' 25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, 'The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do.' 26 'The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears of grain are also seven years; the dreams mean the same thing.' 27 The seven thin and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears of grain scorched by the east wind also represent seven years of famine. 28 It is just as I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29 Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt. 30 But after them, seven years of famine will arise, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered because the famine that follows will be so severe. 32 As for the dream being repeated to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and He will carry it out soon. 33 Now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in the land and collect a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 Let them gather all the food from these good years that are coming and store up grain under Pharaoh’s authority for food in the cities, and let them guard it. 36 This food will be held in reserve for the land to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the land will not be destroyed by the famine.
• Job 4:12-13 : 12 Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear caught a whisper of it. 13 In disquieting dreams from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men,