Isaiah 6:11

KJV1611 – Modern English

Then I said, Lord, how long? And He answered, Until the cities are laid waste without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land is utterly desolate,

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וָאֹמַ֕ר עַד־מָתַ֖י אֲדֹנָ֑י וַיֹּ֡אמֶר עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר֩ אִם־שָׁא֨וּ עָרִ֜ים מֵאֵ֣ין יוֹשֵׁ֗ב וּבָתִּים֙ מֵאֵ֣ין אָדָ֔ם וְהָאֲדָמָ֖ה תִּשָּׁאֶ֥ה שְׁמָמָֽה׃

Transliteration

Wāʾōmar until-when ʾădōnāy wayyōʾmer until that if-shāʾû ʿārîm from ʾêyn yôshēb and bāttîm from ʾêyn ʾādām and the ʾădāmāh tishshāʾeh shəmāmāh.

Grammar Details

• *Wāʾōmar*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 1st person singular - and I said
• *ʿad-mātay*: preposition + interrogative - until when/how long
• *ʾădōnāy*: noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix - my Lord
• *wayyōʾmer*: waw consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - and he said
• *ʿad*: preposition - until
• *ʾăsher*: relative particle - that/which
• *ʾim*: conditional particle - if
• *shāʾû*: qal perfect, 3rd person plural - they are desolate/ruined
• *ʿārîm*: noun, feminine plural - cities
• *ʾêyn*: particle of negation construct - without
• *yôshēb*: qal participle, masculine singular - inhabitant/dweller
• *bāttîm*: noun, masculine plural - houses
• *ʾādām*: noun, masculine singular - man/person
• *ʾădāmāh*: noun, feminine singular with definite article - the land/ground
• *tishshāʾeh*: niphal imperfect, 3rd person feminine singular - is laid waste
• *shəmāmāh*: noun, feminine singular - desolation

Word Meanings

• *ʿad-mātay*: until when/how long/until what time
• *ʾădōnāy*: Lord/Master/my Lord (divine title)
• *shāʾāh*: be desolate/laid waste
• *ʿîr*: city/town
• *yôshēb*: inhabitant/dweller/resident
• *bayit*: house/home/household
• *ʾādām*: man/mankind/person
• *ʾădāmāh*: ground/land/earth/soil
• *shəmāmāh*: desolation/wasteland/ruin

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Then I said, "For how long, Lord?" And He replied, "Until cities lie ruined without inhabitants, houses are unoccupied, and the land is desolate and devastated.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until cities be waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land become utterly waste,

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Then spake I: LORDE, how longe? he answered: vntil the cities be vtterly without inhabitours, and ye houses without men, till the lode be also desolate, and lye vnbuylded.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then sayd I, Lorde, howe long? And he answered, Vntill the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be vtterly desolate,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Then spake I, Lord, howe long? He aunswered, vntill the cities be vtterly wasted without inhabiters, and the houses without men, and tyll the lande be also vtterly desolate.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Then I said, "Lord, how long?" He answered, "Until cities are waste without inhabitant, And houses without man, And the land becomes utterly waste,

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And I say, `Till when, O Lord?' And He saith, `Surely till cities have been wasted without inhabitant, And houses without man, And the ground be wasted -- a desolation,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until cities be waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land become utterly waste,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until cities be waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land become utterly waste,

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then I said, Lord, how long? And he said in answer, Till the towns are waste and unpeopled, and the houses have no men, and the land becomes completely waste,

• World English Bible (2000)

  Then I said, "Lord, how long?" He answered, "Until cities are waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land becomes utterly waste,

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  I replied,“How long, Lord?” He said,“Until cities are in ruins and unpopulated, and houses are uninhabited, and the land is ruined and devastated,

Referenced Verses

• Isa 1:7 : 7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
• Isa 3:26 : 26 And her gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate shall sit on the ground.
• Isa 24:1-9 : 1 Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters abroad its inhabitants. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest to him. 3 The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away, the proud people of the earth do languish. 5 The earth also is defiled under its inhabitants because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. 7 The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted do sigh. 8 The mirth of tambourines ceases, the noise of those who rejoice ends, the joy of the harp ceases. 9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to those who drink it. 10 The city of confusion is broken down; every house is shut up, that no one may come in. 11 There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.
• Lev 26:31 : 31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet aromas.
• Ps 79:5 : 5 How long, LORD? Will You be angry forever? Shall Your jealousy burn like fire?
• Ps 90:13 : 13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent you concerning your servants.
• Ps 94:3 : 3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
• Ps 74:10 : 10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?