Genesis 37:20

KJV1611 – Modern English

Come now therefore, and let us kill him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast has devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ לְכ֣וּ וְנַֽהַרְגֵ֗הוּ וְנַשְׁלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַבֹּר֔וֹת וְאָמַ֕רְנוּ חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֖ה אֲכָלָ֑תְהוּ וְנִרְאֶ֕ה מַה־יִּהְי֖וּ חֲלֹמֹתָֽיו׃

Transliteration

And now ləḵû and wə-nahargēhû and wə-našliḵēhû in one of the ha-bbōrôṯ; and wə-ʾāmarnû ḥayyâ rāʿâ ʾăḵālāṯhû; and wə-nirʾê what-yihyû his ḥălōmōṯāyw

Grammar Details

• *ləḵû*: imperative 2nd masculine plural - 'go/come'
• *wə-nahargēhû*: waw-conjunctive with imperfect 1st common plural with 3rd masculine singular suffix - 'and let us kill him'
• *wə-našliḵēhû*: waw-conjunctive with hiphil imperfect 1st common plural with 3rd masculine singular suffix - 'and let us throw him'
• *ha-bbōrôṯ*: definite article with noun, masculine plural - 'the pits/cisterns'
• *wə-ʾāmarnû*: waw-conjunctive with perfect 1st common plural - 'and we will say'
• *ḥayyâ*: noun, feminine singular - 'beast/animal'
• *rāʿâ*: adjective, feminine singular - 'evil/harmful'
• *ʾăḵālāṯhû*: verb, perfect 3rd feminine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - 'has devoured him'
• *wə-nirʾê*: waw-conjunctive with imperfect 1st common plural - 'and we will see'
• *yihyû*: imperfect 3rd masculine plural - 'will be'
• *ḥălōmōṯāyw*: noun, masculine plural with 3rd masculine singular suffix - 'his dreams'

Word Meanings

• *ḥayyâ* *rāʿâ*: evil beast/wild animal/ferocious creature
• *bōrôṯ*: pits/cisterns/wells

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a wild animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams."

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Come{H3212} now therefore, and let us slay{H2026} him, and cast{H7993} him into one{H259} of the pits,{H953} and we will say,{H559} An evil{H7451} beast{H2416} hath devoured{H398} him: and we shall see{H7200} what will become of his dreams.{H2472}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Come{H3212}{(H8798)} now therefore, and let us slay{H2026}{(H8799)} him, and cast{H7993}{(H8686)} him into some{H259} pit{H953}, and we will say{H559}{(H8804)}, Some evil{H7451} beast{H2416} hath devoured{H398}{(H8804)} him: and we shall see{H7200}{(H8799)} what will become of his dreams{H2472}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  come now and let us sley him and cast him in to some pytt and let vs saye that sonne wiked beast hath deuoured him and let us see what his dreames wyll come to.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  come on, and let vs sley him, & cast him in a pytt, and saye: a wicked beast hath deuoured him: the shal it be sene, what his dreames are.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Come now therefore, and let vs slay him, and cast him into some pitte, and wee will say, A wicked beast hath deuoured him: then wee shall see, what will come of his dreames.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Come nowe therefore and let vs slaye hym, and cast hym into some pit, and we wyll say, some naughtie beast hath deuoured hym: and we shall see what wyll come of his dreames.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Come now therefore, and let's kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil animal has devoured him.' We will see what will become of his dreams."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and now, come, and we slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and have said, An evil beast hath devoured him; and we see what his dreams are.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, And evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, An evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Let us now put him to death and put his body into one of these holes, and we will say, An evil beast has put him to death: then we will see what becomes of his dreams.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Come now therefore, and let's kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil animal has devoured him.' We will see what will become of his dreams."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Come now, let’s kill him, throw him into one of the cisterns, and then say that a wild animal ate him. Then we’ll see how his dreams turn out!”

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 24:20 : 20 And now, behold, I know well that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
• 1 Sam 26:2 : 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, taking three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
• 1 Kgs 13:24 : 24 And when he was gone, a lion met him on the way, and killed him: and his corpse was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it, the lion also stood by the corpse.
• 2 Kgs 2:24 : 24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tore forty-two children of them.
• Ps 64:5 : 5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter; they talk of laying snares secretly; they say, Who shall see them?
• Prov 1:11-12 : 11 If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; 12 Let us swallow them alive like the grave, and whole, like those who go down into the pit;
• Prov 1:16 : 16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
• Prov 6:17 : 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
• Prov 10:18 : 18 He who hides hatred with lying lips, and he who utters slander, is a fool.
• Prov 27:4 : 4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous, but who can stand before envy?
• Prov 28:13 : 13 He who covers his sins shall not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
• Matt 2:2-9 : 2 Saying, Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. 3 When King Herod heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a Governor who shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned by God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 13 And when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt I have called my son. 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent forth and killed all the children that were in Bethlehem and in all its coasts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
• Matt 27:40-42 : 40 And saying, You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself. If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
• Mark 15:29-32 : 29 And those who passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, you who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, 30 Save yourself, and come down from the cross. 31 Likewise also the chief priests, mocking, said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And those crucified with him reviled him.
• John 3:12 : 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
• John 12:10-11 : 10 But the chief priests resolved that they might also put Lazarus to death, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
• Acts 4:16-18 : 16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? For indeed a notable miracle has been done by them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name. 18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
• Titus 3:3 : 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.