Genesis 15:5

KJV1611 – Modern English

And he brought him outside, and said, Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if you are able to number them: and he said to him, So shall your offspring be.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ׃

Transliteration

And-yôṣēʾ him the-ḥûṣāh and-yōʾmer habbeṭ-nāʾ the-šāmaymāh and-səp̄ōr the-kôḵāḇîm if-tûḵal to-lispōr them and-yōʾmer to-him thus yihyeh zarʿeḵā.

Grammar Details

• *yôṣēʾ*: Hiphil imperfect 3rd masculine singular with waw consecutive - and he brought out
• *ḥûṣāh*: noun with directional suffix - outside/outward
• *yōʾmer*: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular with waw consecutive - and he said
• *habbeṭ*: Hiphil imperative masculine singular - look/gaze
• *nāʾ*: particle of entreaty - please/now
• *šāmaymāh*: masculine dual noun with directional suffix - toward the heavens
• *səp̄ōr*: Qal imperative masculine singular - count
• *kôḵāḇîm*: masculine plural noun - stars
• *tûḵal*: Qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular - you are able
• *lispōr*: Qal infinitive construct with prefix - to count
• *yihyeh*: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - will be
• *zarʿeḵā*: masculine singular noun with 2nd masculine singular suffix - your seed/offspring

Word Meanings

• *yôṣēʾ*: brought out/led out/caused to go out
• *ḥûṣāh*: outside/outdoors/abroad
• *habbeṭ*: look/gaze/observe/pay attention
• *šāmaymāh*: heavens/sky/celestial realm
• *səp̄ōr*: count/number/recount
• *kôḵāḇîm*: stars/celestial bodies
• *zarʿeḵā*: seed/offspring/descendants/posterity

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  He took him outside and said, "Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then He added, "So will your descendants be."

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he brought him forth{H3318} abroad,{H2351} and said,{H559} Look{H5027} now toward heaven,{H8064} and number{H5608} the stars,{H3556} if thou be able{H3201} to number{H5608} them: and he said{H559} unto him, So{H3541} shall thy seed{H2233} be.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he brought him forth{H3318}{(H8686)} abroad{H2351}, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, Look{H5027}{(H8685)} now toward heaven{H8064}, and tell{H5608}{(H8798)} the stars{H3556}, if thou be able{H3201}{(H8799)} to number{H5608}{(H8800)} them: and he said{H559}{(H8799)} unto him, So{H3541} shall thy seed{H2233} be.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And he brought him out at the doores ad sayde. Loke vpp vnto heaven and tell the starres yf thou be able to nobre them. And sayde vnto him Even so shall thy seed be.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And he bad him go forth, and sayde: Loke vp vnto heauen, and tell ye starres: Canst thou nombre them? And he sayde vnto him: Euen so shal thy sede be.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Moreouer he brought him forth and said, Looke vp nowe vnto heauen, and tell ye starres, if thou be able to number them: and he said vnto him, So shall thy seede be.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he brought hym out, and sayde: loke vp vnto heauen, and tell the starres, if thou be able to number them. And he sayde vnto hym: euen so shall thy seede be.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Yahweh brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He said to Abram, "So shall your seed be."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and He bringeth him out without, and saith, `Look attentively, I pray thee, towards the heavens, and count the stars, if thou art able to count them;' and He saith to him, `Thus is thy seed.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he took him out into the open air, and said to him, Let your eyes be lifted to heaven, and see if the stars may be numbered; even so will your seed be.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Yahweh brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He said to Abram, "So shall your seed be."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The LORD took him outside and said,“Gaze into the sky and count the stars– if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him,“So will your descendants be.”

Referenced Verses

• Deut 1:10 : 10 The LORD your God has multiplied you, and, behold, you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude.
• Rom 4:18 : 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, So shall your descendants be.
• Heb 11:12 : 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.
• Exod 32:13 : 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
• Gen 22:17 : 17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies;
• Ps 147:4 : 4 He counts the number of the stars; he calls them all by their names.
• Jer 33:22 : 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the descendants of David my servant, and the Levites that minister to me.
• Deut 10:22 : 22 Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now the LORD your God has made you as the stars of heaven for multitude.
• 1 Chr 27:23 : 23 But David did not count those twenty years old and under, because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the heavens.
• Gen 12:2 : 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing:
• Gen 13:16 : 16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also shall be numbered.
• Gen 16:10 : 10 And the angel of the LORD said to her, I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.
• Gen 26:4 : 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give to your descendants all these countries; and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
• Gen 28:14 : 14 And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
• Rom 9:7-8 : 7 Neither, because they are Abraham's descendants, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall your descendants be called. 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted as descendants.