Isaiah 41:12

biblecontext

{ "verseID": "Isaiah.41.12", "source": "תְּבַקְשֵׁם֙ וְלֹ֣א תִמְצָאֵ֔ם אַנְשֵׁ֖י מַצֻּתֶ֑ךָ יִהְי֥וּ כְאַ֛יִן וּכְאֶ֖פֶס אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִלְחַמְתֶּֽךָ׃", "text": "*təḇaqšēm wəlōʾ timṣāʾēm ʾanšê maṣṣuteḵā yihyû ḵəʾayin ûḵəʾepes ʾanšê milḥamteḵā*", "grammar": { "*təḇaqšēm*": "verb, piel imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix - you will seek them", "*wəlōʾ*": "conjunction + negative particle - and not", "*timṣāʾēm*": "verb, qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix - you will find them", "*ʾanšê*": "noun, masculine plural construct - men of", "*maṣṣuteḵā*": "noun, feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your strife/contention", "*yihyû*": "verb, qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural - they will be", "*ḵəʾayin*": "preposition + noun - as nothing", "*ûḵəʾepes*": "conjunction + preposition + noun - and as non-entity", "*ʾanšê*": "noun, masculine plural construct - men of", "*milḥamteḵā*": "noun, feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your war/battle" }, "variants": { "*təḇaqšēm*": "you will seek them/search for them/look for them", "*timṣāʾēm*": "you will find them/locate them/discover them", "*ʾanšê maṣṣuteḵā*": "men of your strife/your opponents/those who quarrel with you", "*ḵəʾayin*": "as nothing/like nothing/as nonexistence", "*ûḵəʾepes*": "and as non-entity/as zero/as emptiness", "*ʾanšê milḥamteḵā*": "men of your war/those who war against you/your combatants" } }

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

תְּבַקְשֵׁם֙ וְלֹ֣א תִמְצָאֵ֔ם אַנְשֵׁ֖י מַצֻּתֶ֑ךָ יִהְי֥וּ כְאַ֛יִן וּכְאֶ֖פֶס אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִלְחַמְתֶּֽךָ׃

Transliteration

təḇaqšēm wəlōʾ timṣāʾēm ʾanšê maṣṣuteḵā yihyû ḵəʾayin ûḵəʾepes ʾanšê milḥamteḵā

Grammar Details

• *təḇaqšēm*: verb, piel imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix - you will seek them
• *wəlōʾ*: conjunction + negative particle - and not
• *timṣāʾēm*: verb, qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix - you will find them
• *ʾanšê*: noun, masculine plural construct - men of
• *maṣṣuteḵā*: noun, feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your strife/contention
• *yihyû*: verb, qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural - they will be
• *ḵəʾayin*: preposition + noun - as nothing
• *ûḵəʾepes*: conjunction + preposition + noun - and as non-entity
• *milḥamteḵā*: noun, feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your war/battle

Word Meanings

• *təḇaqšēm*: you will seek them/search for them/look for them
• *timṣāʾēm*: you will find them/locate them/discover them
• *ʾanšê maṣṣuteḵā*: men of your strife/your opponents/those who quarrel with you
• *ḵəʾayin*: as nothing/like nothing/as nonexistence
• *ûḵəʾepes*: and as non-entity/as zero/as emptiness
• *ʾanšê milḥamteḵā*: men of your war/those who war against you/your combatants

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  You will search for your enemies, but you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing, as non-existent.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  You shall seek them, and shall not find them, even those who contended with you: those who war against you shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contend with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  So that who so seketh after them, shal not fynde them. Thy destroyers shal perish, & so shall they that vndertake to make batell agaynst the.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Thou shalt seeke them and shalt not finde them: to wit, the men of thy strife, for they shall be as nothing, and the men that warre against thee, as a thing of nought.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  So that who so seeketh after them, shall not finde them, thy destroyers shall perishe: and so shall they that vndertake to make battayle against thee be as that is not, & as a thing of naught.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, [even] them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  You shall seek them, and shall not find them, even those who contend with you: those who war against you shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nothing.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Thou seekest them, and findest them not, The men who debate with thee, They are as nothing, yea, as nothing, The men who war with thee.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contend with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contend with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  You will make search for your haters but they will not be there; those who make war against you will be as nothing and will come to destruction.

• World English Bible (2000)

  You will seek them, and won't find them, even those who contend with you. Those who war against you will be as nothing, as a non-existent thing.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  When you will look for your opponents, you will not find them; your enemies will be reduced to absolutely nothing.

Referenced Verses

• Ps 37:35-36 : 35 { "verseID": "Psalms.37.35", "source": "רָ֭אִיתִי רָשָׁ֣ע עָרִ֑יץ וּ֝מִתְעָרֶ֗ה כְּאֶזְרָ֥ח רַעֲנָֽן׃", "text": "I have *rāʾîtî rāšāʿ ʿārîṣ*, and *mitʿāreh* like *ʾezrāḥ raʿănān*.", "grammar": { "*rāʾîtî*": "Qal perfect, 1st person singular - I have seen", "*rāšāʿ*": "masculine singular adjective/noun - wicked person", "*ʿārîṣ*": "masculine singular adjective - ruthless/terrifying/powerful", "*mitʿāreh*": "Hithpael participle, masculine singular - spreading himself", "*ʾezrāḥ*": "masculine singular noun - native tree/native", "*raʿănān*": "masculine singular adjective - luxuriant/flourishing" }, "variants": { "*rāšāʿ ʿārîṣ*": "ruthless wicked person/terrifying evil one/powerful evildoer", "*mitʿāreh*": "spreading himself/flourishing/extending", "*ʾezrāḥ raʿănān*": "luxuriant native tree/flourishing green tree/leafy indigenous plant" } } 36 { "verseID": "Psalms.37.36", "source": "וַ֭יּֽ͏ַעֲבֹר וְהִנֵּ֣ה אֵינֶ֑נּוּ וָֽ֝אֲבַקְשֵׁ֗הוּ וְלֹ֣א נִמְצָֽא׃", "text": "Yet he *wayyaʿăbōr* and *hinnēh* he was *ʾênenû*; and I *wāʾăbaqšēhû* and he was not *nimṣāʾ*.", "grammar": { "*wayyaʿăbōr*": "conjunction + Qal imperfect (consecutive), 3rd person masculine singular - and he passed away/vanished", "*hinnēh*": "interjection - behold/indeed", "*ʾênenû*": "particle of negation + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - he was not", "*wāʾăbaqšēhû*": "conjunction + Piel imperfect (consecutive), 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - and I sought him", "*lōʾ*": "particle of negation - not", "*nimṣāʾ*": "Niphal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he was found" }, "variants": { "*wayyaʿăbōr*": "passed away/vanished/moved on", "*wāʾăbaqšēhû*": "I sought him/I searched for him", "*lōʾ nimṣāʾ*": "was not found/could not be found" } }
• Job 20:7-9 : 7 { "verseID": "Job.20.7", "source": "כְּֽגֶלֲלוֹ לָנֶ֣צַח יֹאבֵ֑ד רֹ֝אָ֗יו יֹאמְר֥וּ אַיּֽוֹ׃", "text": "*kĕ-* *gĕlălô* *lā-neṣaḥ* *yōʾbēd* *rōʾāyw* *yōʾmĕrû* *ʾayyô*", "grammar": { "*kĕ-*": "preposition - like/as", "*gĕlălô*": "noun, masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his dung/excrement", "*lā-neṣaḥ*": "preposition with definite article and noun, masculine singular - to the perpetuity/forever", "*yōʾbēd*": "qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he perishes", "*rōʾāyw*": "verb qal participle, masculine plural with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his seers/those seeing him", "*yōʾmĕrû*": "qal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural - they will say", "*ʾayyô*": "interrogative particle with 3rd masculine singular suffix - where is he?" }, "variants": { "*gĕlălô*": "his dung/his excrement/his refuse", "*neṣaḥ*": "perpetuity/forever/completeness", "*yōʾbēd*": "perishes/is destroyed/is lost", "*rōʾāyw*": "those seeing him/his viewers/those who saw him", "*ʾayyô*": "where is he?/where has he gone?" } } 8 { "verseID": "Job.20.8", "source": "כַּחֲל֣וֹם יָ֭עוּף וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָא֑וּהוּ וְ֝יֻדַּ֗ד כְּחֶזְי֥וֹן לָֽיְלָה׃", "text": "*ka-* *ḥălôm* *yāʿûp* *wĕ-* *lōʾ* *yimṣāʾûhû* *wĕ-* *yuddad* *kĕ-* *ḥezyôn* *lāylāh*", "grammar": { "*ka-*": "preposition - like/as", "*ḥălôm*": "noun, masculine singular - dream", "*yāʿûp*": "qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he flies away", "*wĕ-*": "conjunction - and", "*lōʾ*": "negative particle - not", "*yimṣāʾûhû*": "qal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural with 3rd masculine singular suffix - they will find him", "*yuddad*": "hofal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he is chased away", "*kĕ-*": "preposition - like/as", "*ḥezyôn*": "noun, masculine singular construct - vision/apparition", "*lāylāh*": "noun, masculine singular - night" }, "variants": { "*ḥălôm*": "dream/dreaming", "*yāʿûp*": "flies away/soars away/vanishes", "*yimṣāʾûhû*": "they will find him/they will discover him/they will obtain him", "*yuddad*": "is chased away/is driven away/is banished", "*ḥezyôn*": "vision/apparition/sight", "*lāylāh*": "night/darkness" } } 9 { "verseID": "Job.20.9", "source": "עַ֣יִן שְׁ֭זָפַתּוּ וְלֹ֣א תוֹסִ֑יף וְלֹא־ע֝֗וֹד תְּשׁוּרֶ֥נּוּ מְקוֹמֽוֹ׃", "text": "*ʿayin* *šĕzāpattû* *wĕ-* *lōʾ* *tôsîp* *wĕ-* *lōʾ-* *ʿôd* *tĕšûrennû* *mĕqômô*", "grammar": { "*ʿayin*": "noun, feminine singular - eye", "*šĕzāpattû*": "qal perfect, 3rd feminine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - it gazed at him", "*wĕ-*": "conjunction - and", "*lōʾ*": "negative particle - not", "*tôsîp*": "hifil imperfect, 3rd feminine singular - it will add/continue", "*wĕ-*": "conjunction - and", "*lōʾ-*": "negative particle - not", "*ʿôd*": "adverb - still/yet/again", "*tĕšûrennû*": "qal imperfect, 3rd feminine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - it will behold him", "*mĕqômô*": "noun, masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his place" }, "variants": { "*ʿayin*": "eye/sight", "*šĕzāpattû*": "gazed at him/looked upon him/glimpsed him", "*tôsîp*": "will add/will continue/will do again", "*tĕšûrennû*": "will behold him/will look at him/will see him", "*mĕqômô*": "his place/his location/his position" } }
• Isa 17:14 : 14 { "verseID": "Isaiah.17.14", "source": "לְעֵ֥ת עֶ֙רֶב֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה בַלָּהָ֔ה בְּטֶ֥רֶם בֹּ֖קֶר אֵינֶ֑נּוּ זֶ֚ה חֵ֣לֶק שׁוֹסֵ֔ינוּ וְגוֹרָ֖ל לְבֹזְזֵֽינוּ׃", "text": "At-*ʿēṯ* *ʿereḇ* *wə-hinnēh* *ḇallāhāh* before *bōqer* *ʾênennû* *zeh* *ḥēleq* *šôsênû* *wə-gôrāl* *ləḇōzəzênû*", "grammar": { "At-*ʿēṯ*": "preposition לְ + noun, feminine singular construct - at time of", "*ʿereḇ*": "noun, masculine singular - evening", "*wə-hinnēh*": "conjunction + demonstrative particle - and behold", "*ḇallāhāh*": "noun, feminine singular - terror/distress", "before": "preposition בְּטֶרֶם - before", "*bōqer*": "noun, masculine singular - morning", "*ʾênennû*": "particle of negation + 3rd masculine singular suffix - he is not", "*zeh*": "demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular - this", "*ḥēleq*": "noun, masculine singular construct - portion of", "*šôsênû*": "Qal participle, masculine plural + 1st common plural suffix - our plunderers", "*wə-gôrāl*": "conjunction + noun, masculine singular - and lot/portion", "*ləḇōzəzênû*": "preposition לְ + Qal participle, masculine plural + 1st common plural suffix - to our spoilers" }, "variants": { "*ʿēṯ*": "time/season/appointed time", "*ʿereḇ*": "evening/night", "*ḇallāhāh*": "terror/distress/sudden destruction", "*ʾênennû*": "he is not/it is no more/they are gone", "*ḥēleq*": "portion/share/territory", "*šôsênû*": "our plunderers/those who spoil us", "*gôrāl*": "lot/portion/share", "*ləḇōzəzênû*": "to our spoilers/to those who plunder us" } }