Ruth 3:8

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

In the middle of the night, the man was startled and turned over; there was a woman lying at his feet!

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיְהִי֙ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד הָאִ֖ישׁ וַיִּלָּפֵ֑ת וְהִנֵּ֣ה אִשָּׁ֔ה שֹׁכֶ֖בֶת מַרְגְּלֹתָֽיו׃

Transliteration

Wa-yəhî ba-ḥăṣî ha-laylâ wa-yeḥĕrad hā-ʾîš wa-yillāpēt wə-hinnēh ʾiššâ, šōkebet margəlōtāyw.

Grammar Details

• *Wa-yəhî*: waw consecutive + Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and it happened
• *ba-ḥăṣî*: preposition + masculine singular construct - in the middle of
• *ha-laylâ*: definite article + masculine singular noun - the night
• *wa-yeḥĕrad*: waw consecutive + Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he trembled/was startled
• *hā-ʾîš*: definite article + masculine singular noun - the man
• *wa-yillāpēt*: waw consecutive + Niphal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he turned himself/twisted around
• *wə-hinnēh*: conjunction + demonstrative particle - and behold
• *ʾiššâ*: feminine singular noun - woman
• *šōkebet*: Qal participle, feminine singular - lying
• *margəlōtāyw*: feminine plural noun + 3rd masculine singular suffix - his feet/foot area

Word Meanings

• *yeḥĕrad*: trembled/was startled/was afraid
• *yillāpēt*: turned himself/twisted around/bent over/grasped
• *margəlōtāyw*: place of his feet/foot area/lower end (euphemism)

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was startled, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Now wha it was midnight, the man was afrayed, and groped aboute him, and beholde, a woman laye at his fete.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And at midnight the man was afraide and caught holde: and loe, a woman lay at his feete.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And at midnight, the man was afraide, and caught holde: and beholde, a woman lay at his feete.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  It happened at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And it cometh to pass, at the middle of the night, that the man trembleth, and turneth himself, and lo, a woman is lying at his feet.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Now in the middle of the night, the man awaking from his sleep in fear, and lifting himself up, saw a woman stretched at his feet.

• World English Bible (2000)

  It happened at midnight, that the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  In the middle of the night he was startled and turned over. Now he saw a woman lying beside him!