2 Kings 7:19

KJV1611 – Modern English

And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat thereof.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיַּ֨עַן הַשָּׁלִ֜ישׁ אֶת־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ וְהִנֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֗ה עֹשֶׂ֤ה אֲרֻבּוֹת֙ בַּשָּׁמַ֔יִם הֲיִהְיֶ֖ה כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנְּךָ֤ רֹאֶה֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ וּמִשָּׁ֖ם לֹ֥א תֹאכֵֽל

Transliteration

And wayyaʿan the-šālîš ʾet-ʾîš the-ʾĕlōhîm and wayyōʾmar, And-behold YHWH ʿōśeh ʾărubbôt in-the-šāmayim, will-happen as-the-dābār the-this? And wayyōʾmer, Behold-you rōʾeh with-ʿênayim-your, but from-there not tōʾḵēl.

Grammar Details

• *wayyaʿan*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he answered
• *šālîš*: masculine singular noun with definite article - the officer
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *ʾîš*: masculine singular construct - man of
• *ʾĕlōhîm*: masculine plural noun with definite article - the God/God
• *wayyōʾmar*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD/Yahweh
• *ʿōśeh*: qal participle masculine singular - making/doing
• *ʾărubbôt*: feminine plural noun - windows/openings
• *šāmayim*: masculine dual noun with prefixed preposition - in the heavens
• *dābār*: masculine singular noun with definite article - the word/thing/matter
• *rōʾeh*: qal participle masculine singular - seeing
• *ʿênayim*: feminine dual noun with 2nd masculine singular suffix - your eyes
• *tōʾḵēl*: qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you will eat

Word Meanings

• *hinnĕḵā*: behold you/look, you
• *ʾărubbôt*: windows/openings/floodgates
• *hadābār hazzeh*: this thing/this matter/this word

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  The officer had answered the man of God, "Look, even if the Lord were to open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?" The man of God had replied, "You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!"

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  and that captain{H7991} answered{H6030} the man{H376} of God,{H430} and said,{H559} Now, behold, if Jehovah{H3068} should make{H6213} windows{H699} in heaven,{H8064} might such a thing{H1697} be? and he said,{H559} Behold, thou shalt see{H7200} it with thine eyes,{H5869} but shalt not eat{H398} thereof:

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And that lord{H7991} answered{H6030}{(H8799)} the man{H376} of God{H430}, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, Now, behold, if the LORD{H3068} should make{H6213}{(H8802)} windows{H699} in heaven{H8064}, might such a thing{H1697} be? And he said{H559}{(H8799)}, Behold, thou shalt see{H7200}{(H8802)} it with thine eyes{H5869}, but shalt not eat{H398}{(H8799)} thereof.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And the knyghte answered the man of God, and sayde: Beholde, though ye LORDE made wyndowes in heauen, how coulde soch a thinge come to passe? Neuertheles he sayde: Beholde, with thine eyes shalt thou se it, and shalt not eate therof.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But the prince had answered the man of God, and saide, Though the Lorde would make windowes in the heauen, coulde it come so to passe? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not eate thereof.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Whervnto that lorde aunswered the man of God, and sayde: Yea and if the Lorde made windowes in heauen, might it come to passe? And he sayd: Beholde, thou shalt see it with thyne eyes, and shalt not eate thereof.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, [if] the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  and that captain answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? and he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it:

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and the captain answereth the man of God, and saith, `And lo, Jehovah is making windows in the heavens -- it is according to this word?' and he saith, `Lo, thou art seeing with thine eyes, and thereof thou dost not eat;'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  and that captain answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if Jehovah should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? and he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof:

• American Standard Version (1901)

  and that captain answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if Jehovah should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? and he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof:

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And that captain said to the man of God, Even if the Lord made windows in heaven, would such a thing be possible? And he said to him, Your eyes will see it, but you will not have a taste of the food.

• World English Bible (2000)

  and that captain answered the man of God, and said, "Now, behold, if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?" and he said, "Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But the officer replied to the prophet,“Look, even if the LORD made it rain by opening holes in the sky, could this happen so soon?” Elisha said,“Look, you will see it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of the food!”

Referenced Verses

• 2 Kgs 7:2 : 2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat thereof.