2 Kings 3:14

KJV1611 – Modern English

And Elisha said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you."

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֗ע חַי־יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָמַ֣דְתִּי לְפָנָ֔יו כִּ֗י לוּלֵ֛י פְּנֵ֛י יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֖ה אֲנִ֣י נֹשֵׂ֑א אִם־אַבִּ֥יט אֵלֶ֖יךָ וְאִם־אֶרְאֶֽךָּ׃

Transliteration

wa-yōʾmer ʾĔlîšāʿ, ḥay-YHWH ṣĕbāʾôt whom I-ʿāmadtî before-him, that if-not pĕnê Yĕhôšāpāṭ king-of-Yĕhûdāh I nōśēʾ, if-I-ʾabbîṭ toward-you and-if-I-ʾerʾekkā.

Grammar Details

• *wa-yōʾmer*: conjunction + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *ʾĔlîšāʿ*: proper name - Elisha
• *ḥay-YHWH*: construct relationship - as YHWH lives
• *ṣĕbāʾôt*: masculine plural noun - hosts/armies
• *ʿāmadtî*: qal perfect, 1st common singular - I have stood
• *lûlê*: conditional particle - if not/were it not for
• *pĕnê*: construct plural noun - face of/presence of
• *Yĕhôšāpāṭ*: proper name - Jehoshaphat
• *Yĕhûdāh*: proper name - Judah
• *nōśēʾ*: qal participle, masculine singular - lifting up/regarding
• *ʾabbîṭ*: hiphil imperfect, 1st common singular - I would look
• *ʾerʾekkā*: qal imperfect, 1st common singular with 2nd masculine singular suffix - I would see you

Word Meanings

• *ḥay-YHWH*: as the LORD lives/by the life of the LORD
• *ṣĕbāʾôt*: of hosts/armies/heavenly forces
• *nōśēʾ*: regard/respect/pay attention to
• *ʾabbîṭ*: look at/pay attention to
• *ʾerʾekkā*: see you/notice you/acknowledge you

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Elisha replied, "As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, whom I serve, were it not for the presence of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, I would not pay attention to you or even look at you."

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Elisha{H477} said,{H559} As Jehovah{H3068} of hosts{H6635} liveth,{H2416} before{H6440} whom I stand,{H5975} surely, were it not that{H3884} I regard{H5375} the presence{H6440} of Jehoshaphat{H3092} the king{H4428} of Judah,{H3063} I would not look{H5027} toward thee, nor see{H7200} thee.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Elisha{H477} said{H559}{(H8799)}, As the LORD{H3068} of hosts{H6635} liveth{H2416}, before{H6440} whom I stand{H5975}{(H8804)}, surely, were it not that{H3884} I regard{H5375}{(H8802)} the presence{H6440} of Jehoshaphat{H3092} the king{H4428} of Judah{H3063}, I would not look{H5027}{(H8686)} toward thee, nor see{H7200}{(H8799)} thee.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Eliseus sayde: As truly as the LORDE Zebaoth lyueth, before whom I stode, yf I regarded not Iosaphat the kynge of Iuda, I wolde not regarde the, ner set oughte by ye.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then Elisha said, As the Lord of hostes liueth, in whose sight I stande, if it were not, that I regarde the presence of Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah, I woulde not haue looked towarde thee, nor seene thee.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And Elias saide: As the Lorde of hoastes liueth, in whose sight I stande, and it were not that I regarde the presence of Iehosaphat the king of Iuda, I would not loke towarde thee, nor yet see thee.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And Elisha said, [As] the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Elisha said, As Yahweh of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And Elisha saith, `Jehovah of Hosts liveth, before whom I have stood; for unless the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah I am lifting up, I do not look unto thee, nor see thee;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then Elisha said, By the life of the Lord of armies whose servant I am, if it was not for the respect I have for Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, I would not give a look at you, or see you.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Elisha said, "As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Elisha said,“As certainly as the LORD of Heaven’s Armies lives(whom I serve), if I did not respect King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would not pay attention to you or acknowledge you.

Referenced Verses

• 1 Kgs 17:1 : 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was one of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain for these years, except by my word.
• 2 Kgs 5:16 : 16 But he said, As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
• 2 Chr 17:3-9 : 3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and did not seek after the Baal idols; 4 But sought the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the practices of Israel. 5 Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honor in abundance. 6 And his heart was uplifted in the ways of the LORD; moreover, he took away the high places and groves from Judah. 7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethaneel, and Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 And with them he sent Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. 9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
• 2 Chr 19:3-4 : 3 Nevertheless, there are good things found in you, in that you have removed the groves out of the land and have prepared your heart to seek God. 4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem, and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD God of their fathers.
• Ps 15:4 : 4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised; but he honors those who fear the LORD. He who swears to his own hurt, and does not change.
• Jer 1:18 : 18 For behold, I have made you this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.
• Dan 5:17-23 : 17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, majesty, glory, and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him; whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21 Then he was driven from the sons of men; his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that He appoints over it whomever He chooses. 22 And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this. 23 But you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them, and you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, brass, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.
• Matt 22:16 : 16 And they sent out to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God in truth, nor do you care about anyone, for you do not regard the person of men.
• 1 Kgs 18:15 : 15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.
• 1 Kgs 21:20 : 20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Have you found me, O my enemy? And he answered, I have found you: because you have sold yourself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
• 1 Sam 15:26-31 : 26 And Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you: for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel. 27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for He is not a man, that He should repent. 30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD your God. 31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.
• 1 Kgs 14:5-9 : 5 And the LORD said to Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam comes to ask a thing of you for her son; for he is sick: this and that shall you say to her: for it shall be, when she comes in, that she shall pretend to be another woman. 6 And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, you wife of Jeroboam; why do you pretend to be another? for I am sent to you with heavy tidings. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you prince over my people Israel, 8 And tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you: yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in my eyes; 9 But have done evil above all that were before you: for you have gone and made for yourself other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and have cast me behind your back: 10 Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him who urinates against the wall, and him who is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man takes away dung, until it is all gone. 11 Anyone of Jeroboam who dies in the city shall the dogs eat; and anyone who dies in the field shall the birds of the air eat: for the LORD has spoken it. 12 Arise therefore, go to your own house: and when your feet enter into the city, the child shall die. 13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. 14 Moreover the LORD shall raise up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now. 15 For the LORD shall strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall uproot Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger. 16 And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned, and who made Israel to sin. 17 And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died; 18 And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.