1 Samuel 8:12

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

He will appoint them as commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties. Some will plow his fields, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְלָשׂ֣וּם ל֔וֹ שָׂרֵ֥י אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשָׂרֵ֣י חֲמִשִּׁ֑ים וְלַחֲרֹ֤שׁ חֲרִישׁוֹ֙ וְלִקְצֹ֣ר קְצִיר֔וֹ וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת כְּלֵֽי־מִלְחַמְתּ֖וֹ וּכְלֵ֥י רִכְבּֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

And wəlāśûm to-him śārê ʾălāp̄îm and wəśārê ḥămiššîm; and wəlaḥărōš ḥărîšô and wəliqṣōr qəṣîrô, and wəlaʿăśôṯ kəlê-milḥamtô and ḵəlê riḵbô.

Grammar Details

• *wəlāśûm*: conjunction + preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct - and to appoint
• *śārê*: noun, masculine plural construct - commanders of
• *ʾălāp̄îm*: noun, masculine plural - thousands
• *wəśārê*: conjunction + noun, masculine plural construct - and commanders of
• *ḥămiššîm*: number, masculine plural - fifties
• *wəlaḥărōš*: conjunction + preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct - and to plow
• *ḥărîšô*: noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his plowing
• *wəliqṣōr*: conjunction + preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct - and to reap
• *qəṣîrô*: noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his harvest
• *wəlaʿăśôṯ*: conjunction + preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct - and to make
• *kəlê*: noun, masculine plural construct - instruments of
• *milḥamtô*: noun, feminine singular construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his war
• *ḵəlê*: noun, masculine plural construct - instruments of
• *riḵbô*: noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his chariot

Word Meanings

• *wəlāśûm*: to appoint/to make/to set
• *śārê*: captains/commanders/chiefs
• *ʾălāp̄îm*: thousands/military units
• *ḥămiššîm*: fifties/fifty-man units
• *wəlaḥărōš*: to plow/to till
• *wəliqṣōr*: to reap/to harvest
• *wəlaʿăśôṯ*: to make/to manufacture
• *kəlê-milḥamtô*: his weapons of war/implements of battle
• *ḵəlê riḵbô*: equipment for his chariots

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he will appoint captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war, and equipment for his chariots.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  and to be rulers & captaynes, to be plowemen to tyll his londe and to be reapers in his haruest, and to make his harnesse, and soch thinges as belonge to his charettes.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Also he will make them his captaines ouer thousands, and captaines ouer fifties, and to eare his ground, and to reape his haruest, and to make instruments of warre, and the thinges that serue for his charets.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And will make him of the captaines ouer thousandes and ouer fifties, and will set them to eare his grounde, and to gather in his haruest, & to make instrumentes of warre, and thinges that serue for his charets.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and [will set them] to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  also to appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; also to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make instruments of his war, and instruments of his charioteer.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and `he will set some' to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he will make them captains of thousands and of fifties; some he will put to work ploughing and cutting his grain and making his instruments of war and building his war-carriages.

• World English Bible (2000)

  and he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and [he will set some] to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment.

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 22:7 : 7 Saul said to his servants who stood around him, 'Listen now, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?'
• 1 Kgs 4:7 : 7 Solomon had twelve officials over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and his household, each one responsible for providing throughout one month of the year.
• 1 Chr 27:1-9 : 1 The sons of Israel were counted by their numbers, the heads of families, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and their officers who served the king in all matters of the divisions, those who came in and went out month by month for all the months of the year. Each division had twenty-four thousand men. 2 Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam son of Zabdiel, and in his division were twenty-four thousand. 3 He was from the sons of Perez, and he was the chief of all the commanders of the army in the first month. 4 Over the division for the second month was Dodai the Ahohite, with Mikloth as second in command. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 5 The commander for the third month was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest, who was chief. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 6 This Benaiah was a mighty warrior among the thirty and was over the thirty. His division was led by his son Ammizabad. 7 The fourth commander for the fourth month was Asahel, the brother of Joab, followed by his son Zebadiah. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 8 The fifth commander for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 9 The sixth commander for the sixth month was Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 10 The seventh commander for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, from the descendants of Ephraim. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 11 The eighth commander for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, a descendant of Zerah. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 12 The ninth commander for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anethothite, from the tribe of Benjamin. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 13 The tenth commander for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, a descendant of Zerah. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 14 The eleventh commander for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, from the descendants of Ephraim. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 15 The twelfth commander for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, from the family of Othniel. In his division were twenty-four thousand. 16 The leaders of the tribes of Israel were: for the Reubenites, Eliezer son of Zichri; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah son of Maachah; 17 for Levi, Hashabiah son of Kemuel; for Aaron, Zadok; 18 Over Judah was Elihu, one of David's brothers; over Issachar was Omri son of Michael. 19 Over Zebulun was Ishmaiah son of Obadiah; over Naphtali was Jerimoth son of Azriel. 20 Over the descendants of Ephraim was Hoshea son of Azaziah; over the half-tribe of Manasseh was Joel son of Pedaiah. 21 Over the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead was Iddo son of Zechariah; over Benjamin was Jaasiel son of Abner. 22 Over Dan was Azarel son of Jeroham. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.
• 2 Chr 32:28-29 : 28 He built storehouses for grain, new wine, and olive oil, as well as stalls for all kinds of livestock and pens for the flocks. 29 He also built cities and acquired vast numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him abundant possessions.