Genesis 37:20

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."

📖 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

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 24:20 : 20 Now, behold, I know 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, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
• 1 Kgs 13:24 : 24 When he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and killed him: and his body was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it; the lion also stood by the body.
• 2 Kgs 2:24 : 24 He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. There came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and mauled forty-two lads of them.
• Ps 64:5 : 5 They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, "Who will see them?"
• Prov 1:11-12 : 11 If they say, "Come with us, Let's lay in wait for blood; Let's lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; 12 Let's swallow them up alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down into the pit.
• Prov 1:16 : 16 For their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
• Prov 6:17 : 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood;
• Prov 10:18 : 18 He who hides hatred has lying lips. He who utters a slander is a fool.
• Prov 27:4 : 4 Wrath is cruel, And anger is overwhelming; But who is able to stand before jealousy?
• Prov 28:13 : 13 He who conceals his sins doesn't prosper, But whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
• Matt 2:2-9 : 2 "Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him." 3 When Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. 5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet, 6 'You Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are in no way least among the princes of Judah: For out of you shall come forth a governor, Who shall shepherd my people, Israel.'" 7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him." 9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Being warned in a dream that they shouldn't return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." 14 He arose and 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 called my son." 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from 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 the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees,{TR omits "the Pharisees"} and the elders, said, 42 "He saved others, but he can't save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.
• Mark 15:29-32 : 29 Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! 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 among themselves with the scribes said, "He saved others. He can't save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.{TR omits "him"}" Those who were crucified with him insulted him.
• John 3:12 : 12 If I told you earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
• John 12:10-11 : 10 But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also, 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? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can't deny it. 17 But so that this spreads no further among the people, let's threaten them, that from now on they don't speak to anyone in this name." 18 They called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
• Titus 3:3 : 3 For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.