Numbers 12:12

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother's womb with its flesh half eaten away.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אַל־נָ֥א תְהִ֖י כַּמֵּ֑ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר בְּצֵאתוֹ֙ מֵרֶ֣חֶם אִמּ֔וֹ וַיֵּאָכֵ֖ל חֲצִ֥י בְשָׂרֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

ʾAl-nāʾ təhî kammēt ʾăšer bəṣēʾtō mēreḥem ʾimmō wayyēʾākēl ḥăṣî ḇəśārō

Grammar Details

• *ʾAl-nāʾ*: negative particle + particle of entreaty - 'please do not'
• *təhî*: Qal imperfect jussive, 3rd person feminine singular - 'let her be'
• *kammēt*: preposition + definite article + masculine singular noun - 'like the dead'
• *ʾăšer*: relative pronoun - 'who/which'
• *bəṣēʾtō*: preposition + Qal infinitive construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - 'when he comes out'
• *mēreḥem*: preposition + masculine singular construct - 'from the womb of'
• *ʾimmō*: feminine singular noun + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - 'his mother'
• *wayyēʾākēl*: waw-consecutive + Niphal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - 'and is consumed'
• *ḥăṣî*: masculine singular construct - 'half of'
• *ḇəśārō*: masculine singular noun + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - 'his flesh'

Word Meanings

• *kammēt*: like the dead/as one dead
• *bəṣēʾtō*: when he comes out/at his coming out
• *wayyēʾākēl*: is consumed/is eaten away/is devoured
• *ḇəśārō*: his flesh/his body

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  'Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb.'

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Oh let her not be as one that came deed oute of his mothers wombe: for halfe hyr fleshe is eaten awaye.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  that she be not as one that commeth deed out of his mothers wombe: It hath eaten vp half hir flesh allready.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Let her not, I pray thee, be as one dead, of whome the flesh is halfe consumed, when he commeth out of his mothers wombe.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Oh, let her not be as one dead, of who the fleshe is halfe consumed when he commeth out of his mothers whom.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  let her not, I pray thee, be as `one' dead, when in his coming out from the womb of his mother -- the half of his flesh is consumed.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half wasted when he comes out from the body of his mother.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Do not let her be like a baby born dead, whose flesh is half-consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb!”

Referenced Verses

• Job 3:16 : 16 Or why was I not like a stillborn child, like infants who never saw the light?
• Ps 58:8 : 8 May they vanish like water that flows away; when they aim their arrows, may they be blunted.
• Ps 88:4-5 : 4 For my soul is filled with troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. 5 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength.
• 1 Cor 15:8 : 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
• Eph 2:1-5 : 1 And you were dead in your transgressions and sins. 2 In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 Among them we all also once lived in the desires of our flesh, carrying out the inclinations of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, 5 made us alive together with Christ, even when we were dead in our transgressions—by grace you have been saved.
• Col 2:13 : 13 And when you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ, forgiving us all our trespasses.
• 1 Tim 5:6 : 6 But the one who lives indulgently, even while living, is dead.