Deuteronomy 22:6

KJV1611 – Modern English

If a bird's nest happens to be before you in the way, in any tree, or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֣י יִקָּרֵ֣א קַן־צִפּ֣וֹר ׀ לְפָנֶ֡יךָ בַּדֶּ֜רֶךְ בְּכָל־עֵ֣ץ ׀ א֣וֹ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֶפְרֹחִים֙ א֣וֹ בֵיצִ֔ים וְהָאֵ֤ם רֹבֶ֙צֶת֙ עַל־הָֽאֶפְרֹחִ֔ים א֖וֹ עַל־הַבֵּיצִ֑ים לֹא־תִקַּ֥ח הָאֵ֖ם עַל־הַבָּנִֽים׃

Transliteration

When yiqqārēʾ qan-ṣippôr before-you in-the-derek in-any-ʿēṣ or on-the-ʾāreṣ ʾep̄rōḥîm or bêṣîm and-the-ʾēm rōbeṣet on-the-ʾep̄rōḥîm or on-the-bêṣîm not-tiqqaḥ the-ʾēm with-the-bānîm.

Grammar Details

• *yiqqārēʾ*: niphal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular - happens to be/is encountered
• *qan*: noun masculine singular construct - nest
• *ṣippôr*: noun common singular - bird
• *derek*: noun masculine singular - way/road
• *ʿēṣ*: noun masculine singular - tree
• *ʾāreṣ*: noun feminine singular - ground/earth
• *ʾep̄rōḥîm*: noun masculine plural - young birds/chicks
• *bêṣîm*: noun feminine plural - eggs
• *ʾēm*: noun feminine singular - mother
• *rōbeṣet*: qal participle feminine singular - sitting/crouching
• *tiqqaḥ*: qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular - you shall take
• *bānîm*: noun masculine plural - children/young

Word Meanings

• *yiqqārēʾ*: happens to be/is encountered/you chance upon
• *qan*: nest/dwelling
• *ṣippôr*: bird/sparrow
• *rōbeṣet*: sitting/crouching/brooding
• *bānîm*: children/young ones/offspring

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  If you come across a bird’s nest along the road, in a tree or on the ground, and it contains young birds or eggs with the mother sitting on them, do not take the mother with the young.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Yf thou chaunce vppon a byrds nest by the waye, in what soeuer tree it be or on the groude, whether they be younge or egges, ad the dame sittenge vppon the younge or vppo the egges: Thou shalt not take the mother with the younge.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Yf thou chaunce vpon a byrdes nest by ye waye in a tre, or on the grounde, with yonge or with egges, and the dame syttinge vpon the yonge or vpon the egges, thou shalt not take the dame with the yonge,

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  If thou finde a birdes nest in the way, in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be yong or egges, and the damme sitting vpon the yong, or vpon the egges, thou shalt not take ye damme with the yong,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  If thou chaunce vpon a birdes nest by the way, in whatsoeuer tree it be, or on the grounde, whether they be young or egges, and the damme sittyng vpon the young, or on the egges: thou shalt not take the damme with the young:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, [whether they be] young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  If a bird's nest chance to be before you in the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the hen sitting on the young, or on the eggs, you shall not take the hen with the young:

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `When a bird's nest cometh before thee in the way, in any tree, or on the earth, brood or eggs, and the mother sitting on the brood or on the eggs, thou dost not take the mother with the young ones;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:

• American Standard Version (1901)

  If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young:

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  If by chance you see a place which a bird has made for itself in a tree or on the earth, with young ones or eggs, and the mother bird seated on the young ones or on the eggs, do not take the mother bird with the young:

• World English Bible (2000)

  If a bird's nest chance to be before you in the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the hen sitting on the young, or on the eggs, you shall not take the hen with the young:

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  If you happen to notice a bird’s nest along the road, whether in a tree or on the ground, and there are chicks or eggs with the mother bird sitting on them, you must not take the mother from the young.

Referenced Verses

• Lev 22:28 : 28 And whether it be cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and her young both in one day.
• Prov 12:10 : 10 A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
• Hos 10:14 : 14 Therefore a tumult shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be plundered, as Shalman plundered Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces on her children.
• Luke 12:6 : 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
• Gen 8:17 : 17 Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you, of all flesh, birds, cattle, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, so that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth.
• Gen 32:11 : 11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and attack me, and the mother with the children.