1 Samuel 3:2

KJV1611 – Modern English

And it happened at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow dim, that he could not see;

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ וְעֵינָיו֙ הֵחֵ֣לּוּ כֵה֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֽוֹת׃

Transliteration

And wayĕhî in the yôm that, and ʿĒlî šōkēb in bimqōmô; and ʿênāyw hēḥēllû kēhôt, not yûkal to lirʾôt.

Grammar Details

• *wayĕhî*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular with waw consecutive - and it came to pass/happened
• *yôm*: noun, masculine singular - day
• *ʿĒlî*: proper noun, masculine singular - Eli
• *šōkēb*: Qal participle, masculine singular - lying down
• *bimqōmô*: preposition (bi-) + noun, masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - in his place
• *ʿênāyw*: noun, feminine dual construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his eyes
• *hēḥēllû*: Hiphil perfect, 3rd person plural - had begun/started
• *kēhôt*: Qal infinitive construct - to grow dim/faint
• *yûkal*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - was able
• *lirʾôt*: Qal infinitive construct with preposition (li-) - to see

Word Meanings

• *šōkēb*: lying down/sleeping/resting
• *hēḥēllû*: had begun/started/commenced
• *kēhôt*: growing dim/failing/becoming weak
• *yûkal*: was able/could/had capacity

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  One day, Eli was lying in his usual place. His eyesight had begun to grow dim, so he could not see well.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And it fortuned at the same tyme, that Eli laye in his place, and his eyes beganne to be dymme, so that he coulde not se.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And at that time, as Eli lay in his place, his eyes began to waxe dimme that he could not see.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And as at that tyme Eli lay in his place, his eyes began to waxe dymme that he coulde not see.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli [was] laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, [that] he could not see;

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Eli is lying down in his place, and his eyes have begun to be dim -- he is not able to see.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he could not see),

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see,)

• World English Bible (2000)

  It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place,

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 4:15 : 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were dim so that he could not see.
• Gen 27:1 : 1 And it happened, when Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son and said to him, My son: and he said to him, Here I am.
• Gen 48:10 : 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
• Gen 48:19 : 19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.
• 1 Sam 2:22 : 22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did to all Israel; and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
• Ps 90:10 : 10 The days of our years are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their strength is labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
• Eccl 12:3 : 3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows are darkened,