2 Samuel 20
How to read this: this is a word-for-word rendering straight from the original Hebrew, not a copyrighted translation — the top of each chip is the original word, the bottom is its plain-English sense. Faded chips mark words the Hebrew implies but wouldn't literally be spoken in English. Click any word for its full Strong's dictionary entry.
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וְשָׁ֨םand thereנִקְרָ֜אhe was metאִ֣ישׁa man ofבְּלִיַּ֗עַלworthlessnessוּשְׁמ֛וֹand name hisשֶׁ֥בַעwas Shebaבֶּן־the son ofבִּכְרִ֖יBicriאִ֣ישׁa manיְמִינִ֑יa Jaminiteוַיִּתְקַ֣עand he gave a blastבַּשֹּׁפָ֗רon the trumpetוַ֠יֹּאמֶרand he saidאֵֽין־notלָ֨נוּbelongs to the usחֵ֜לֶקa portionבְּדָוִ֗דin Davidוְלֹ֤אand notנַֽחֲלָה־an inheritanceלָ֙נוּ֙belongs to the usבְּבֶן־in the son ofיִשַׁ֔יJesseאִ֥ישׁeveryoneלְאֹהָלָ֖יוto tents hisיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃O Israel
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וַיָּבֹ֨אand he cameדָוִ֣דDavidאֶל־toבֵּיתוֹ֮house hisיְרֽוּשָׁלִַם֒Jerusalemוַיִּקַּ֣חand he tookהַמֶּ֡לֶךְthe kingאֵ֣תobj.עֶֽשֶׂר־the tenנָשִׁ֣ים׀womenפִּלַגְשִׁ֡יםconcubinesאֲשֶׁ֣רwhomהִנִּיחַ֩he had leftלִשְׁמֹ֨רto keepהַבַּ֜יִתthe houseוַֽיִּתְּנֵ֤םand he put themבֵּית־a house ofמִשְׁמֶ֙רֶת֙confinementוַֽיְכַלְכְּלֵ֔םand he sustained themוַאֲלֵיהֶ֖םand into themלֹא־notבָ֑אhe wentוַתִּהְיֶ֧ינָהand they wereצְרֻר֛וֹתlocked upעַד־untilי֥וֹםthe dayמֻתָ֖ןdied theyאַלְמְנ֥וּתwidowhood ofחַיּֽוּת׃ סliving
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וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he saidדָּוִד֙Davidאֶל־toאֲבִישַׁ֔יAbishaiעַתָּ֗הnowיֵ֧רַֽעhe will be badלָ֛נוּfor the usשֶׁ֥בַעShebaבֶּן־the son ofבִּכְרִ֖יBicriמִן־more thanאַבְשָׁל֑וֹםAbsalomאַ֠תָּהyouקַ֞חtakeאֶת־obj.עַבְדֵ֤יthe servants ofאֲדֹנֶ֙יךָ֙masters yourוּרְדֹ֣ףand pursueאַחֲרָ֔יוafter himפֶּן־lestמָ֥צָאhe has foundל֛וֹfor the himselfעָרִ֥יםcitiesבְּצֻר֖וֹתfortifiedוְהִצִּ֥ילand he will tear outעֵינֵֽנוּ׃eye our
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וַיֵּצְא֤וּand they went outאַֽחֲרָיו֙after himאַנְשֵׁ֣יthe men ofיוֹאָ֔בJoabוְהַכְּרֵתִ֥יand the Kerethitesוְהַפְּלֵתִ֖יand the Pelethitesוְכָל־and allהַגִּבֹּרִ֑יםthe warriorsוַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙and they went outמִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םfrom Jerusalemלִרְדֹּ֕ףto pursueאַחֲרֵ֖יafterשֶׁ֥בַעShebaבֶּן־the son ofבִּכְרִֽי׃Bicri
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הֵ֗םtheyעִם־were nearהָאֶ֤בֶןthe stoneהַגְּדוֹלָה֙the greatאֲשֶׁ֣רwhichבְּגִבְע֔וֹןis in Gibeonוַעֲמָשָׂ֖אand Amasaבָּ֣אhe cameלִפְנֵיהֶ֑םto before themוְיוֹאָ֞בand Joabחָג֣וּר׀was girdedמִדּ֣וֹrobe hisלְבֻשׁ֗וּclothing hisוְעָלָ֞יוand over itחֲג֥וֹרa belt ofחֶ֙רֶב֙a swordמְצֻמֶּ֤דֶתwas fastenedעַל־onמָתְנָיו֙loins hisבְּתַעְרָ֔הּin sheath itsוְה֥וּאand heיָצָ֖אhe went forwardוַתִּפֹּֽל׃ סand it fell
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וַעֲמָשָׂ֨אand Amasaלֹֽא־notנִשְׁמַ֜רhe took heedבַּחֶ֣רֶב׀to the swordאֲשֶׁ֣רwhichבְּיַד־was in the hand ofיוֹאָ֗בJoabוַיַּכֵּהוּ֩and he struck himבָ֨הּwith the itאֶל־intoהַחֹ֜מֶשׁthe bellyוַיִּשְׁפֹּ֨ךְand he poured outמֵעָ֥יוbowels hisאַ֛רְצָהthe ground towardsוְלֹא־and notשָׁ֥נָהhe repeatedל֖וֹto the himוַיָּמֹ֑ת סand he diedוְיוֹאָב֙and Joabוַאֲבִישַׁ֣יand Abishaiאָחִ֔יוbrother hisרָדַ֕ףhe pursuedאַחֲרֵ֖יafterשֶׁ֥בַעShebaבֶּן־the son ofבִּכְרִֽי׃Bicri
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וַעֲמָשָׂ֛אand Amasaמִתְגֹּלֵ֥לwas wallowingבַּדָּ֖םin the bloodבְּת֣וֹךְin the middle ofהַֽמְסִלָּ֑הthe highwayוַיַּ֨רְאand he sawהָאִ֜ישׁthe manכִּֽי־thatעָמַ֣דit stoppedכָּל־allהָעָ֗םthe peopleוַיַּסֵּב֩and he brought roundאֶת־obj.עֲמָשָׂ֨אAmasaמִן־fromהַֽמְסִלָּ֤הthe highwayהַשָּׂדֶה֙the fieldוַיַּשְׁלֵ֤ךְand he threwעָלָיו֙over himבֶּ֔גֶדa garmentכַּאֲשֶׁ֣רjust whenרָאָ֔הhe sawכָּל־allהַבָּ֥אwho cameעָלָ֖יוon himוְעָמָֽד׃and he stopped
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וַיָּבֹ֜אוּand they cameוַיָּצֻ֣רוּand they laid siegeעָלָ֗יוon himבְּאָבֵ֙לָה֙in Abel towardsבֵּ֣יתBethהַֽמַּעֲכָ֔הthe Maacahוַיִּשְׁפְּכ֤וּand they poured outסֹֽלְלָה֙a moundאֶל־againstהָעִ֔ירthe cityוַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖דand it stoodבַּחֵ֑לby the rampartוְכָל־and allהָעָם֙the peopleאֲשֶׁ֣רwhichאֶת־was withיוֹאָ֔בJoabמַשְׁחִיתִ֖םwere about to destroyלְהַפִּ֥ילto make fallהַחוֹמָֽה׃the wall
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לֹא־is notכֵ֣ןsoהַדָּבָ֗רthe matterכִּ֡יforאִישׁ֩a manמֵהַ֨רfrom the hill country ofאֶפְרַ֜יִםEphraimשֶׁ֧בַעwho is Shebaבֶּן־the son ofבִּכְרִ֣יBicriשְׁמ֗וֹname hisנָשָׂ֤אhe has lifted upיָדוֹ֙hand hisבַּמֶּ֣לֶךְagainst the kingבְּדָוִ֔דagainst Davidתְּנֽוּ־giveאֹת֣וֹobj. himלְבַדּ֔וֹto only himוְאֵלְכָ֖הso let me goמֵעַ֣לfrom onהָעִ֑ירthe cityוַתֹּ֤אמֶרand she saidהָֽאִשָּׁה֙the womanאֶל־toיוֹאָ֔בJoabהִנֵּ֥הhere!רֹאשׁ֛וֹhead hisמֻשְׁלָ֥ךְis about to be thrownאֵלֶ֖יךָto youבְּעַ֥דbehindהַחוֹמָֽה׃the wall
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וַתָּבוֹא֩and she wentהָאִשָּׁ֨הthe womanאֶל־toכָּל־allהָעָ֜םthe peopleבְּחָכְמָתָ֗הּwith wisdom herוַֽיִּכְרְת֞וּand they cut offאֶת־obj.רֹ֨אשׁthe head ofשֶׁ֤בַעShebaבֶּן־the son ofבִּכְרִי֙Bicriוַיַּשְׁלִ֣כוּand they threw itאֶל־toיוֹאָ֔בJoabוַיִּתְקַע֙and he gave a blastבַּשּׁוֹפָ֔רon the trumpetוַיָּפֻ֥צוּand they were scatteredמֵֽעַל־from onהָעִ֖ירthe cityאִ֣ישׁeachלְאֹהָלָ֑יוto tents hisוְיוֹאָ֛בand Joabשָׁ֥בhe returnedיְרוּשָׁלִַ֖םJerusalemאֶל־toהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ סthe king
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