Genesis 25:23

KJV1611 – Modern English

And the LORD said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples shall be separated from your body; and one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י *גיים **גוֹיִם֙ בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר׃

Transliteration

wə-yōʾmer yhwh lāh šənê gôyim bə-ḇiṭnēḵ û-šənê ləʾummîm mi-mēʿayiḵ yippārēḏû û-ləʾōm mi-ləʾōm yeʾĕmāṣ wə-raḇ yaʿăḇōḏ ṣāʿîr

Grammar Details

• *wə-yōʾmer*: waw consecutive + Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and said
• *yhwh*: divine name - YHWH
• *lāh*: preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix - to her
• *šənê*: numeral, masculine dual construct - two of
• *gôyim*: noun, masculine plural - nations
• *bə-ḇiṭnēḵ*: preposition + noun, feminine singular + 2nd feminine singular suffix - in your womb
• *û-šənê*: waw conjunction + numeral, masculine dual construct - and two of
• *ləʾummîm*: noun, masculine plural - peoples
• *mi-mēʿayiḵ*: preposition + noun, masculine plural + 2nd feminine singular suffix - from your bowels
• *yippārēḏû*: Niphal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural - will be separated
• *û-ləʾōm*: waw conjunction + noun, masculine singular - and people
• *mi-ləʾōm*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - than people
• *yeʾĕmāṣ*: Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - will be stronger
• *wə-raḇ*: waw conjunction + adjective, masculine singular - and greater
• *yaʿăḇōḏ*: Qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - will serve
• *ṣāʿîr*: adjective, masculine singular - younger

Word Meanings

• *gôyim*: nations/peoples/gentiles
• *ləʾummîm*: peoples/nations/tribes
• *yippārēḏû*: will be separated/will be divided/will part
• *yeʾĕmāṣ*: will be stronger/will prevail/will overpower
• *wə-raḇ* *yaʿăḇōḏ* *ṣāʿîr*: and the older will serve the younger/and the greater will serve the lesser

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  The LORD said to her, 'Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronr than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younr.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Jehovah{H3068} said{H559} unto her, Two{H8147} nations{H1471} are in thy womb,{H990} And two{H8147} peoples{H3816} shall be separated{H6504} from thy bowels:{H4578} And the one people{H3816} shall be stronger{H553} than the other people;{H3816} And the elder{H7227} shall serve{H5647} the younger.{H6810}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And the LORD{H3068} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto her, Two{H8147} nations{H1471} are in thy womb{H990}, and two manner{H8147} of people{H3816} shall be separated{H6504}{(H8735)} from thy bowels{H4578}; and the one people{H3816} shall be stronger{H553}{(H8799)} than the other people{H3816}; and the elder{H7227} shall serve{H5647}{(H8799)} the younger{H6810}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And ye LORde sayde vnto her there are.ij. maner of people in the wombe and ij. nations shall springe out of thy bowels and the one nation shalbe myghtier than the other and the eldest shalbe servaunte vnto the yonger.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And the LORDE sayde vnto her: Two maner of folke are in thy wombe, and two maner of people shall be deuyded out of thy body, and the one nacion shall ouercome the other, and the greater shall serue the lesse.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And the Lord sayd to her, Two nations are in thy wombe, and two maner of people shalbe diuided out of thy bowels, and the one people shall be mightier then the other, and the elder shall serue the yonger.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And the Lorde sayde vnto her: there are two maner of people in thy wombe, and two nations shalbe deuided out of thy bowelles, and the one nation shalbe mightier then the other, and the elder shalbe seruaunt vnto the younger.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations [are] in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Yahweh said to her, Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And Jehovah saith to her, `Two nations `are' in thy womb, and two peoples from thy bowels are parted; and the `one' people than the `other' people is stronger; and the elder doth serve the younger.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Jehovah said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, And two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels. And the one people shall be stronger than the other people. And the elder shall serve the younger.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Jehovah said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, And two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels: And the one people shall be stronger than the other people; And the elder shall serve the younger.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And the Lord said to her, Two nations are in your body, and two peoples will come to birth from you: the one will be stronger than the other, and the older will be the servant of the younger.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Yahweh said to her, "Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  and the LORD said to her,“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be separated from within you. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

Referenced Verses

• Gen 27:29 : 29 Let people serve you, and nations bow down to you: be lord over your brothers, and let your mother's sons bow down to you: cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be he who blesses you.
• Gen 27:40 : 40 And by your sword you shall live, and shall serve your brother; and it shall come to pass, when you shall have the dominion, that you shall break his yoke from off your neck.
• 2 Sam 8:14 : 14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went.
• Gen 17:16 : 16 And I will bless her and give you a son also by her; yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall come from her.
• Gen 24:60 : 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them."
• Num 20:14 : 14 Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, "Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that has befallen us,
• Mal 1:2-5 : 2 I have loved you, says the LORD. Yet you say, How have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? says the LORD. Yet I loved Jacob, 3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the jackals of the wilderness. 4 Though Edom says, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus says the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD has indignation forever. 5 And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, The LORD will be magnified beyond the border of Israel.
• Rom 9:10-13 : 10 And not only this; but Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac; 11 For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him who calls; 12 It was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
• Gen 17:4 : 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.
• Gen 25:27 : 27 And the boys grew; and Esau was a skilled hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a simple man, dwelling in tents.
• Gen 32:6 : 6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men with him.
• Gen 33:3 : 3 And he passed over in front of them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
• Gen 36:31 : 31 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel.
• 1 Kgs 22:47 : 47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
• 1 Chr 18:13 : 13 And he put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David's servants. Thus the LORD preserved David wherever he went.
• 2 Chr 25:11-12 : 11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and killed ten thousand of the children of Seir. 12 And another ten thousand alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
• Ps 60:8-9 : 8 Moab is My washpot; over Edom I will cast My shoe; Philistia, triumph because of Me. 9 Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me into Edom?
• Ps 83:5-9 : 5 For they have conspired together with one accord: they are allied against you: 6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagrites; 7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 Assyria also has joined with them: they have helped the children of Lot. Selah. 9 Do to them as to the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kishon: 10 Who perished at Endor: they became as dung for the ground. 11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yes, all their princes as Zebah and as Zalmunna: 12 Who said, Let us take for ourselves the houses of God in possession. 13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. 14 As the fire burns a forest, and as the flame sets the mountains on fire; 15 So pursue them with your tempest, and make them afraid with your storm.
• Isa 34:1-9 : 1 Come near, O nations, to hear; and listen, O people: let the earth hear, and all that is in it; the world, and all things that come forth from it. 2 For the LORD's indignation is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He has utterly destroyed them, He has delivered them to the slaughter. 3 Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stench shall rise from their corpses, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. 4 And all the host of heaven shall dissolve, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falls off the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. 5 For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Edom, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. 6 The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. 7 And the wild oxen shall come down with them, and the young bulls with the mighty bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. 8 For it is the day of the LORD's vengeance, and the year of recompense for the controversy of Zion. 9 And its streams shall be turned into pitch, and its dust into brimstone, and its land shall become burning pitch. 10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; its smoke shall ascend forever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever. 11 But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl and the raven shall dwell in it: and He shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness. 12 They shall call its nobles to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all its princes shall be nothing. 13 And thorns shall come up in its palaces, nettles and brambles in its fortresses: and it shall be a habitation for dragons, and a court for owls. 14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest. 15 There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate. 16 Seek out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall lack her mate: for my mouth has commanded, and His Spirit has gathered them. 17 And He has cast the lot for them, and His hand has divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it forever, from generation to generation they shall dwell therein.
• Isa 63:1-6 : 1 Who is this that comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This one who is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? It is I, who speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Why are you red in your apparel, and your garments like one who treads in the winepress? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people, there was none with me: for I will tread them in my anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my clothing. 4 For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come. 5 And I looked, and there was no one to help; and I wondered that there was no one to uphold: therefore my own arm brought salvation for me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6 And I will tread down the people in my anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
• Jer 49:7-9 : 7 Concerning Edom, thus says the LORD of hosts: Is wisdom no longer in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom vanished? 8 Flee, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him. 9 If grape gatherers come to you, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves came by night, they would destroy until they had enough. 10 But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he will not be able to hide himself: his descendants are spoiled, along with his brothers and his neighbors, and he is no more. 11 Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let your widows trust in me. 12 For thus says the LORD: Behold, those whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunk; and are you the one who shall altogether go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you shall surely drink of it. 13 For I have sworn by myself, says the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all its cities shall be perpetual wastes. 14 I have heard a rumor from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent to the nations, saying, Gather and come against her, and rise up to battle. 15 For behold, I will make you small among the nations, and despised among men. 16 Your terribleness has deceived you, and the pride of your heart, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there, says the LORD. 17 Also Edom shall be a desolation: everyone who passes by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all its plagues. 18 As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities, says the LORD, no man shall dwell there, nor shall a son of man reside in it. 19 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swellings of Jordan against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him flee away from her; and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? For who is like me? And who will appoint me the time? And who is that shepherd who will stand before me? 20 Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he has taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he will make their habitation desolate with them. 21 The earth is shaken at the noise of their fall, at the cry their noise was heard in the Red Sea. 22 Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day the heart of the mighty men of Edom shall be like the heart of a woman in her pangs.
• Ezek 25:12-14 : 12 Thus says the Lord GOD; Because Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them; 13 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out my hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. 14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, says the Lord GOD.
• Ezek 35:1-9 : 1 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it, 3 And say to it, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against you, and I will stretch out My hand against you, and I will make you most desolate. 4 I will lay your cities waste, and you shall be desolate, and you shall know that I am the LORD. 5 Because you have had a perpetual hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: 6 Therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD, I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you: since you have not hated blood, even blood shall pursue you. 7 Thus I will make Mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him who passes out and him who returns. 8 And I will fill its mountains with its slain men: in your hills, and in your valleys, and in all your rivers, shall they fall who are slain with the sword. 9 I will make you perpetual desolations, and your cities shall not return: and you shall know that I am the LORD. 10 Because you have said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas the LORD was there: 11 Therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD, I will do according to your anger, and according to your envy which you have used out of your hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them, when I have judged you. 12 And you shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all your blasphemies which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given to us to consume. 13 Thus with your mouth you have boasted against Me, and have multiplied your words against Me: I have heard them. 14 Thus says the Lord GOD: When the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate. 15 As you rejoiced at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do to you: you shall be desolate, O Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
• Amos 1:11-12 : 11 Thus says the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment; because he pursued his brother with the sword, and cast off all pity, and his anger tore perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever: 12 But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.
• Obad 1:1-9 : 1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom: We have heard a report from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, Arise, and let us rise up against her in battle. 2 Behold, I have made you small among the nations; you are greatly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, whose dwelling is high; who says in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4 Though you exalt yourself like the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down, says the LORD. 5 If thieves came to you, if robbers by night—oh, how you are cut off!—would they not have stolen till they had enough? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave some grapes? 6 How Esau's things are searched out! How his hidden treasures are sought after! 7 All the men of your confederacy have driven you to the border; the men who were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you; those who eat your bread have laid a trap under you. There is no understanding in him. 8 Shall I not in that day, says the LORD, even destroy the wise men from Edom, and understanding from the mountain of Esau? 9 And your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, so that everyone from the mountain of Esau may be cut off by slaughter. 10 For your violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 11 In the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered his gates, and cast lots for Jerusalem, even you were as one of them. 12 But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his calamity; nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; nor should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress. 13 You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity; indeed, you should not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. 14 You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped; nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained in the day of distress. 15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations: as you have done, it shall be done to you; your recompense shall return upon your own head. 16 For as you have drunk on My holy mountain, so shall all the nations drink continually; yes, they shall drink, and swallow, and they shall be as though they had never been.