Deuteronomy 21
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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וְהָיָ֣הand it will beהָעִ֔ירthe cityהַקְּרֹבָ֖הthe nearאֶל־toהֶחָלָ֑לthe one slainוְלָֽקְח֡וּand they will takeזִקְנֵי֩the elders ofהָעִ֨ירthe cityהַהִ֜ואthe thatעֶגְלַ֣תa heifer ofבָּקָ֗רthe herdאֲשֶׁ֤רwhichלֹֽא־notעֻבַּד֙it has been workedבָּ֔הּby the itאֲשֶׁ֥רwhichלֹא־notמָשְׁכָ֖הit has draggedבְּעֹֽל׃by a yoke
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וְהוֹרִ֡דוּand they will bring downזִקְנֵי֩the elders ofהָעִ֨ירthe cityהַהִ֤ואthe thatאֶת־obj.הָֽעֶגְלָה֙the heiferאֶל־toנַ֣חַלa wadiאֵיתָ֔ןever-flowingאֲשֶׁ֛רwhichלֹא־notיֵעָבֵ֥דit is tilledבּ֖וֹin the itוְלֹ֣אand notיִזָּרֵ֑עַit is sownוְעָֽרְפוּ־and they will break the neck ofשָׁ֥םthereאֶת־obj.הָעֶגְלָ֖הthe heiferבַּנָּֽחַל׃in the wadi
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וְנִגְּשׁ֣וּand they will draw nearהַכֹּהֲנִים֮the priestsבְּנֵ֣יthe sons ofלֵוִי֒Leviכִּ֣יforבָ֗םin the themבָּחַ֞רhe has chosenיְהוָ֤הYahwehאֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙God yourלְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹto serve himוּלְבָרֵ֖ךְand to blessבְּשֵׁ֣םin the name ofיְהוָ֑הYahwehוְעַל־and onפִּיהֶ֥םmouth theirיִהְיֶ֖הit will beכָּל־everyרִ֥יבdisputeוְכָל־and everyנָֽגַע׃wound
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כַּפֵּר֩make atonementלְעַמְּךָ֨for people yourיִשְׂרָאֵ֤לIsraelאֲשֶׁר־whichפָּדִ֙יתָ֙you ransomedיְהוָ֔הO Yahwehוְאַל־and may notתִּתֵּן֙you putדָּ֣םbloodנָקִ֔יinnocentבְּקֶ֖רֶבin the midst ofעַמְּךָ֣people yourיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsraelוְנִכַּפֵּ֥רand it will be atoned forלָהֶ֖םfor the themהַדָּֽם׃the blood
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וְהֵסִ֩ירָה֩and she will removeאֶת־obj.שִׂמְלַ֨תthe clothing ofשִׁבְיָ֜הּcaptivity herמֵעָלֶ֗יהָfrom on the herוְיָֽשְׁבָה֙and she will dwellבְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָin house yourוּבָֽכְתָ֛הand she will weep forאֶת־obj.אָבִ֥יהָfather herוְאֶת־and obj.אִמָּ֖הּmother herיֶ֣רַחa month ofיָמִ֑יםdaysוְאַ֨חַרand afterכֵּ֜ןthusתָּב֤וֹאyou will goאֵלֶ֙יהָ֙into herוּבְעַלְתָּ֔הּand you will be husband herוְהָיְתָ֥הand she will becomeלְךָ֖of youלְאִשָּֽׁה׃into a wife
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וְהָיָ֞הand it will beאִם־ifלֹ֧אnotחָפַ֣צְתָּyou delightבָּ֗הּin the herוְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּ֙and you will let go herלְנַפְשָׁ֔הּfor self herוּמָכֹ֥רand certainly sellלֹא־notתִמְכְּרֶ֖נָּהyou will sell herבַּכָּ֑סֶףfor the moneyלֹא־notתִתְעַמֵּ֣רyou will treat as a slaveבָּ֔הּin the herתַּ֖חַתbecauseאֲשֶׁ֥רthatעִנִּיתָֽהּ׃ סyou have humiliated her
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כִּֽי־ifתִהְיֶ֨יןָthey will belongלְאִ֜ישׁto a manשְׁתֵּ֣יtwoנָשִׁ֗יםwivesהָאַחַ֤תthe oneאֲהוּבָה֙is lovedוְהָאַחַ֣תand the oneשְׂנוּאָ֔הis hatedוְיָֽלְדוּ־and they will bearל֣וֹto the himבָנִ֔יםsonsהָאֲהוּבָ֖הthe loved oneוְהַשְּׂנוּאָ֑הand the hated oneוְהָיָ֛הand he will belongהַבֵּ֥ןthe sonהַבְּכ֖וֹרthe firstbornלַשְּׂנִיאָֽה׃to the hated wife
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וְהָיָ֗הand it will beבְּיוֹם֙on the dayהַנְחִיל֣וֹcauses to inherit heאֶת־obj.בָּנָ֔יוsons hisאֵ֥תobj.אֲשֶׁר־that whichיִהְיֶ֖הit will belongל֑וֹto the himלֹ֣אnotיוּכַ֗לhe will be ableלְבַכֵּר֙to treat as firstbornאֶת־obj.בֶּן־the sonהָ֣אֲהוּבָ֔הthe loved oneעַל־onפְּנֵ֥יthe face ofבֶן־the son ofהַשְּׂנוּאָ֖הthe hated oneהַבְּכֹֽר׃the firstborn
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כִּי֩thatאֶת־obj.הַבְּכֹ֨רthe firstbornבֶּן־the son ofהַשְּׂנוּאָ֜הthe hated oneיַכִּ֗ירhe will acknowledgeלָ֤תֶתby givingלוֹ֙to the himפִּ֣יa mouth ofשְׁנַ֔יִםtwoבְּכֹ֥לin allאֲשֶׁר־thatיִמָּצֵ֖אit will be foundל֑וֹto the himכִּי־forהוּא֙heרֵאשִׁ֣יתis the beginning ofאֹנ֔וֹmanly vigor hisל֖וֹbelongs to the himמִשְׁפַּ֥טthe claim ofהַבְּכֹרָֽה׃ סthe birthright
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כִּֽי־ifיִהְיֶ֣הhe will belongלְאִ֗ישׁto anyoneבֵּ֚ןa sonסוֹרֵ֣רstubbornוּמוֹרֶ֔הand rebelliousאֵינֶ֣נּוּnot heשֹׁמֵ֔עַis listeningבְּק֥וֹלto the voice ofאָבִ֖יוfather hisוּבְק֣וֹלand to the voice ofאִמּ֑וֹmother hisוְיסְּר֣וּand they will disciplineאֹת֔וֹobj. himוְלֹ֥אand notיִשְׁמַ֖עhe will listenאֲלֵיהֶֽם׃to them
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לֹא־notתָלִ֨יןit will remain overnightנִבְלָת֜וֹcorpse hisעַל־onהָעֵ֗ץthe treeכִּֽי־forקָב֤וֹרcertainly to buryתִּקְבְּרֶ֙נּוּ֙you will bury himבַּיּ֣וֹםon the dayהַה֔וּאthe thatכִּֽי־forקִלְלַ֥תis a curse ofאֱלֹהִ֖יםGodתָּל֑וּיone who is hangedוְלֹ֤אand notתְטַמֵּא֙you will make uncleanאֶת־obj.אַדְמָ֣תְךָ֔land yourאֲשֶׁר֙whichיְהוָ֣הYahwehאֱלֹהֶ֔יךָGod yourנֹתֵ֥ןis about to giveלְךָ֖to the youנַחֲלָֽה׃ סan inheritance
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