Genesis 15:13

KJV1611 – Modern English

And He said to Abram, Know certainly that your offspring shall be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאַבְרָ֗ם יָדֹ֨עַ תֵּדַ֜ע כִּי־גֵ֣ר ׀ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְעֲךָ֗ בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ לֹ֣א לָהֶ֔ם וַעֲבָד֖וּם וְעִנּ֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָֽה׃

Transliteration

And-yōʾmer to-ʾAḇrām yāḏōaʿ tēḏaʿ that-gēr yihyeh zarʿăḵā in-ʾereṣ not to-them and-ʿăḇāḏûm and-ʿinnû them four mēʾôṯ šānāh.

Grammar Details

• *yōʾmer*: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular with waw consecutive - and he said
• *ʾAḇrām*: proper name
• *yāḏōaʿ*: Qal infinitive absolute - to know
• *tēḏaʿ*: Qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you will know
• *gēr*: masculine singular noun - sojourner/alien
• *yihyeh*: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - will be
• *zarʿăḵā*: masculine singular noun with 2nd masculine singular suffix - your seed/offspring
• *ʾereṣ*: feminine singular noun - land
• *ʿăḇāḏûm*: Qal perfect 3rd common plural with waw consecutive and 3rd masculine plural suffix - and they will serve them
• *ʿinnû*: Piel perfect 3rd common plural with waw consecutive - and they will afflict/oppress
• *mēʾôṯ*: feminine plural construct noun - hundreds of
• *šānāh*: feminine singular noun - year

Word Meanings

• *yāḏōaʿ* *tēḏaʿ*: surely know/certainly know (emphatic construction)
• *gēr*: sojourner/alien/foreigner/stranger
• *zarʿăḵā*: your seed/your offspring/your descendants
• *ʾereṣ*: land/earth/territory/country
• *ʿăḇāḏûm*: serve them/be slaves to them/work for them
• *ʿinnû*: afflict/oppress/humble/mistreat

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  The LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be foreigners in a land not their own, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years."

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranr in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said{H559} unto Abram,{H87} Know{H3045} of a surety{H3045} that thy seed{H2233} shall be sojourners{H1616} in a land{H776} that is not theirs, and shall serve{H5647} them; and they shall afflict{H6031} them four{H702} hundred{H3967} years;{H8141}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Abram{H87}, Know{H3045}{(H8799)} of a surety{H3045}{(H8800)} that thy seed{H2233} shall be a stranger{H1616} in a land{H776} that is not theirs, and shall serve{H5647}{(H8804)} them; and they shall afflict{H6031}{(H8765)} them four{H702} hundred{H3967} years{H8141};

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And he sayde vnto Abram: knowe this of a suertie that thi seed shalbe a straunger in a lande that perteyneth not vnto the. And they shall make bondmen of them and entreate them evell iiij. hundred yeares.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And he sayde vnto Abram: knowe this of a suertye, that thy sede shalbe a strauger, in a londe that is not theirs. And they shall make bonde men of them, and intreate them euell foure hundreth yeares.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then he saide to Abram, Knowe for a suretie, that thy seede shalbe a stranger in a land, that is not theirs, foure hundreth yeeres, and shall serue them: & they shall intreate them euill.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he sayde vnto Abram: Knowe this of a suertie, that thy seede shalbe a straunger in a lande that is not theirs, and shall serue them, and they shall entreate them euyll foure hundreth yeres.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land [that is] not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He said to Abram, "Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and He saith to Abram, `knowing -- know that thy seed is a sojourner in a land not theirs, and they have served them, and they have afflicted them four hundred years,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he said to Abram, Truly, your seed will be living in a land which is not theirs, as servants to a people who will be cruel to them for four hundred years;

• World English Bible (2000)

  He said to Abram, "Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Then the LORD said to Abram,“Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country. They will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.

Referenced Verses

• Acts 7:6-7 : 6 And God spoke in this way, that his descendants would dwell in a strange land, and that they would bring them into bondage, and treat them poorly for four hundred years. 7 And the nation to whom they will be in bondage, I will judge, said God; and after that they shall come out, and serve me in this place.
• Gal 3:17 : 17 And this I say, that the covenant, which was confirmed before by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul, that it should make the promise of no effect.
• Ps 105:23-25 : 23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies. 25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal deceitfully with his servants.
• Acts 7:17 : 17 But when the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
• Exod 1:11 : 11 Therefore they set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
• Exod 5:1-9 : 1 Afterward, Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, This is what the Lord God of Israel says, Let my people go, so they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go. 3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray you, a three-day journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God; lest he strike us with pestilence or with the sword. 4 And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people away from their work? Go back to your burdens. 5 And Pharaoh said, Look, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens. 6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, 7 You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks as before: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And the quota of bricks, which they made before, you shall lay upon them; you shall not diminish anything from it: for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let more work be laid upon the men, so they may labor in it; and let them not regard lying words. 10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, This is what Pharaoh says, I will not give you straw. 11 Go, get straw where you can find it: yet nothing of your work shall be diminished. 12 So the people scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfill your work, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. 14 And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and questioned, Why have you not fulfilled your task in making bricks both yesterday and today, as before? 15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Why do you deal this way with your servants? 16 There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, Make bricks: and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people. 17 But he said, You are idle, you are idle: therefore you say, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. 18 Go therefore now, and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks. 19 And the officers of the children of Israel realized they were in trouble when it was said, You shall not diminish anything from your bricks of your daily task. 20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way as they came out from Pharaoh: 21 And they said to them, The Lord look upon you and judge; because you have made our odor to be loathed in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us. 22 And Moses returned to the Lord and said, Lord, why have you mistreated this people? Why is it that you have sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have you delivered your people at all.
• Exod 12:40-41 : 40 Now the time that the children of Israel lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, on the very same day, it came to pass that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
• Exod 22:21 : 21 You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
• Exod 23:9 : 9 Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
• Lev 19:34 : 34 But the stranger that dwells with you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
• Deut 10:19 : 19 Therefore love the stranger: for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
• Ps 105:11-12 : 11 Saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: 12 When they were but a few men in number; yes, very few, and strangers in it.
• Gen 17:8 : 8 And I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
• Exod 1:1-2 : 1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob. 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
• Heb 11:8-9 : 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out to a place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 Through faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.