Genesis 37:20

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.

📖 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 And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy 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 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his body was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it; the lion also stood by the body.
• 2 Kgs 2:24 : 24 And he looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two lads of them.
• Ps 64:5 : 5 They encourage themselves in an evil purpose; They commune of laying snares privily; They say, Who will see them?
• Prov 1:11-12 : 11 If they say, Come with us, Let us lay wait for blood; Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause; 12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, And whole, as those that 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 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood;
• Prov 10:18 : 18 He that hideth hatred is of lying lips; And he that uttereth 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 that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy.
• Matt 2:2-9 : 2 Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come forth a governor, who shall be shepherd of my people Israel. 7 Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found [him], bring me word, that I also may come and worship him. 9 And they, having heard the king, went their way; 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 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned [of God] in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 13 Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 And 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 did I call my son. 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men.
• Matt 27:40-42 : 40 and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 In like manner also the chief priests mocking [him], with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. He is the King of Israel; let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe on him.
• Mark 15:29-32 : 29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ha! Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30 save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31 In like manner also the chief priests mocking [him] among themselves with the scribes said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reproached him.
• John 3:12 : 12 If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?
• John 12:10-11 : 10 But the chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus also to death; 11 because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
• Acts 4:16-18 : 16 saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been wrought through them, is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. 17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. 18 And they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
• Titus 3:3 : 3 For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.