# Bible translation question - "to live"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 15, 2001, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521 "2001-11-15T13:04:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/1 "2001-11-15T13:04:08Z")
So, there’s this rather sprawling discussion going on in the Pit, and in the course of it **DocCathode** tells us all that the well-known phrase “thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” should really have “amongst us” tacked on the end of it. ([Here’s a link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1821921#post1821921).)
“Hmm,” thinks I, “I haven’t heard this one before.” And I fly to my online Bible references, and find that Exodus 22:18 is exactly as I remember it, in three different translations at that, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live”, full stop, new verse about executing people who fornicate with livestock.
So my question is: is **DocCathode** wrong about this one? Or is there a translation issue here? There are languages which draw a distinction between “to live” in the sense of “inhabit” and “to live” in the sense of “breathe and have a pulse” - German’s one of them, with _wohnen_ and _leben_. Is Hebrew also one? I don’t know Hebrew, but I know some of you clever people do. Can you resolve my perplexity?
(I’m sticking this into GQ, because I don’t want to hijack the Pit thread, and the question on translation has - I hope - a factual answer.)
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### Author:  [@royjwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/royjwood)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/2 "2001-11-15T13:24:40Z")
Strong’s Number: 02421
Original Word
hyx
Transliterated Word
Chayah - 644
khaw-yaw’ Verb
Definition
to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
(Qal)
to live
to have life
to continue in life, remain alive
to sustain life, to live on or upon
to live (prosperously)
to revive, be quickened
from sickness
from discouragement
from faintness
from death
(Piel)
to preserve alive, let live
to give life
to quicken, revive, refresh
to restore to life
to cause to grow
to restore
to revive
(Hiphil)
to preserve alive, let live
to quicken, revive
to restore (to health)
to revive
to restore to life
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### Author:  [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/3 "2001-11-15T13:56:45Z")
SW-You could have asked me this in an e-mail.
I’ll check my Talmud an get back to you.
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### Author:  [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/4 "2001-11-15T14:06:00Z")
Is true what you say, **Doc** , I just thought the question might interest some more of the Giant Throbbing Brains who hang out in GQ.
And now I’ve got another question. **Royjwood** - could you give us, maybe, a quickie explanation of how Strong’s entries are organized?
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### Author:  [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/5 "2001-11-15T14:13:11Z")
To clarify.
> [@](#):
>
> _originally posted by DocCathode:_
> **The Biblical verse is NOT “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” It is "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live among you."**
King James Version:
> [@](#):
>
> Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Revised Standard Version, the much-respected “new” translation from many years ago.
> [@](#):
>
> Exodus 22:18 You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
New International Version, the much-respected “new” translation from more recent years.
> [@](#):
>
> Exodus 22:18 Do not allow a sorceress to live.
**However,** there is another verse in Deuteronomy 18:10-11 that says something very similar. In the King James version:
> [@](#):
>
> There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
> 11
> Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Revised Standard Version:
> [@](#):
>
> There shall not be found among you any one who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, any one who practices divination, a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer,
> 11
> or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
New International Version:
> [@](#):
>
> Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in[1] the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,
> 11
> or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
The Exodus verse says, “You shall not permit a witch to live.” Period.
The Deuteronomy verse says, “You shall not allow a witch to be found among you.” It doesn’t say “ **live** among you” in any of the translations–it says “ **be found** among you”, which is different. It doesn’t matter whether the witch is resident or transient–no witches allowed.
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### Author:  [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/6 "2001-11-15T14:17:04Z")
I appear to have confused Exodus 22-18 with another verse. It does indeed come to a full stop after live.
```
Now I just have to search the rest of the Pentateuch for the verse I'm thinking of.
```
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### Author:  [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/7 "2001-11-15T14:22:42Z")
And when thou doth post, you will be always mindful and make goodly use of the preview button. Thus, shall you be spared much embarrasment.
Thanks, Duck. I admit freely **I was wrong**. I conflated the two verses.
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### Author:  [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/8 "2001-11-15T14:28:49Z")
**Steve Wright-I apologise completely and unreservedly.**
```
I just checked my mail again and SW DID e-mail me that he had started this thread. He has thus acted with impeccable courtesy. I sincerely regret any offense my original post to this thread may have caused.
Coming soon-A new Biblical thread-DocCathode covers himself with sackcloth and ashes!
```
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### Author:  [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/9 "2001-11-15T14:39:46Z")
Well, it’s my fault really, **Doc** - I saw your post, thought “I don’t remember that - HEY! Textual crux! Translation issue! Lots and lots of yummy hairsplitting!” and away I went…
But it seems the verse is not in doubt… and **royjwood** ’s contribution seems to show there’s no ambiguity about the verb’s translation… so, no yummy hairsplitting for Steve today. Bother!
Thanks anyway, guys.
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### Author:  [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/10 "2001-11-15T18:35:02Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I just checked my mail again and SW DID e-mail me that he had started this thread. He has thus acted with impeccable courtesy. I sincerely regret any offense my original post to this thread may have caused.
> Coming soon-A new Biblical thread-DocCathode covers himself with sackcloth and ashes!
II Cecil 3:14,15, “And he that doth prematurely post churlishly and without foreknowledge of e-mails shall hereinafter be reckoned as a bit of a doofus. **15** Yet, should he hasten to apologize and set the matter right on the Board, then shall he be reconciled with his fellow posters. Yea, thou shalt welcome him in as a straight shooter and an OK guy after all.”
Thus endeth the reading.
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### Author:  [@royjwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/royjwood)
#### Post date: [November 15, 2001, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bible-translation-question-to-live/93521/11 "2001-11-15T21:35:26Z")
Sorry,
But sure.
Strong’s assigned each word in the Bible with it’s own number.
Whenever you want to look up a certain word used in the Bible, all you have to do is look up the number and not try to look up the actual word, which could be confusing for people not familiar with Biblical languages. It makes it a whole lot easier, when doing any kind of research.
Even better…
Although Young’s, concordance uses the Strong’s numbering system, it categorizes the Enlgish word into it’s separate ancient language words. Meaning you can look for words based on their meaning, and not just tghe translation.
It really is quite simple, but again, I apologise for not 'splaining it the first time. I was busy and did not have the time to elaborate.