Deuteronomy 5:30 — Word Study
WLCלֵ֖ךְ אֱמֹ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם שׁ֥וּבוּ לָכֶ֖ם לְאָהֳלֵיכֶֽם׃
BSAand tellʼâmar [say, speak, command] Returnshûwb [to turn back, come back] tentsʼôhel [nomadic homes, tabernacles]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לֵ֖ךְ | go | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| אֱמֹ֣ר | say | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine singular |
| לָהֶ֑ם | to them | Preposition, suffix |
| שׁ֥וּבוּ | return | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine plural |
| לָכֶ֖ם | yourselves | Preposition, suffix |
| לְאָהֳלֵיכֶֽם׃ | to tents your | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Go and tell them: ‘Return to your tents.’ |
| KJV | Go say to them, Get you into your tents again. |
| ASV | Go say to them, Return ye to your tents. |
| YLT | 'Go, say to them, Turn back for yourselves, to your tents; |
| WEB | “Go tell them, ‘Return to your tents.’ |
| BBE | Now say to them, Go back to your tents. |
Where they part company is in the nuances of the commands — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a command followed by a specific instruction, emphasizing the actions Moses is directing the people to take.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Ellicott, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
verbהלך
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Deuteronomy 5:30
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Moses' Instructions to the Israelitesgenerated
Deuteronomy 5:30 is part of a larger discourse where Moses reminds the Israelites of their covenant with God. He urges them to return to their tents, symbolizing a call to rest and reflection after receiving God's commandments. This moment highlights the balance between divine instruction and personal space, as emphasized throughout the book of Deuteronomy.
Cross References
The Key Word — שׁ֥וּבוּ, Shu.vugenerated
The verb שׁוּב (shuwb) means 'to return' or 'to turn back.' It is a Qal imperative, indicating a command directed to the second person masculine plural, which in this context is the Israelites. This word can denote a physical return to a place, as well as a spiritual return, such as repentance.
In this verse, the command to return is not just about going back to a physical location; it implies a deeper call for the people to reflect on their relationship with God and their covenant responsibilities. The usage of this term throughout the Hebrew Bible often carries significant theological weight, especially in contexts of repentance and restoration.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse is structured around three main verbs: לֵ֖ךְ (lekh), אֱמֹ֣ר ('e.Mor), and שׁ֥וּבוּ (Shu.vu). Each verb is an imperative, giving commands to the people.
The first verb לֵ֖ךְ indicates movement, while אֱמֹ֣ר instructs to speak, and שׁ֥וּבוּ directs them to return. This structure emphasizes the action-oriented nature of the commands, with the main focus on returning.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates לֵ֖ךְ as βάδισον, meaning 'to walk' or 'to go,' which aligns with the Hebrew meaning of moving from one place to another. This choice reflects a straightforward rendering of the command.
For שׁ֥וּבוּ, the Greek word used is ἀποστράφητε, which means 'to turn back' or 'to return.' This shows a direct correspondence to the Hebrew, maintaining the imperative nature of the command.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Deuteronomy 5:30 records Moses telling the Israelites to go and tell them to return to their tents. This instruction follows a reminder of their covenant with God, emphasizing the importance of rest and reflection.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a call for the Israelites to go back to their personal spaces after receiving God's commandments, allowing them time to reflect and rest.
Returning to their tents symbolizes a personal space for the Israelites to contemplate their relationship with God and their responsibilities under the covenant.
This verse encapsulates the balance between divine instruction and personal reflection, a recurring theme in Deuteronomy as Moses prepares the Israelites for life in the Promised Land.
The command to return to tents reminds us of the importance of taking time to reflect on our commitments and rest in our personal spaces.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does returning to my 'tent' look like in my life today?
- How can I create space for reflection and rest after receiving guidance or instruction?
- In what ways can I remind myself of my commitments to God and others?
- How do I balance action and reflection in my spiritual journey?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 5:30 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleGo say to them, get you into your tents again. Which they had left, being brought by Moses, at the direction of God, to the foot of Mount Sinai, to receive the law from his mouth; this being done,
Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(28-31) And the Lord heard the voice of your words . . .—The Divine comment on the words of the people is recorded only in Deuteronomy; but in order to obtain a complete record of it, we must refer to Deuteronomy 18:18-19. It will appear by comparison of the two passages that the promise of the prophet like unto Moses was given at this very time: “They have well said all that they have spoken. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in His mouth.” It is not a little remarkable that He who gave the Law from Sinai “in blackness and darkness and tempest” should, on that very day, acknowledge the need of a different form of teaching for…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Deuteronomy 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges28–30. Jehovah approves the people’s request and dismisses them to their tents. E simply, the people stood afar off (Exodus 20:21).
Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 5 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible23-33. The Lord… hath showed us his glory — The entire passage gives a more detailed account of the events related in Exodus 20:18-21.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Deuteronomy 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Go and tell them: ‘Return to your tents.’
“Go tell them, ‘Return to your tents.’
Go and tell them: ‘Return to your tents.’
Go and tell them, ‘Return to your tents!’
Tyndale line
Go say to them, Get you into your tents again.
Go say to them, Return ye to your tents.
Go say to them, Return ye to your tents.
Go, say to them, Return to your tents again.
Go, say vnto them, Returne you into your tentes.
Strictly literal
Go, say unto them, Get you into your tents again.
'Go, say to them, Turn back for yourselves, to your tents;
Go, say to them, Return for yourselves, to your tents;
(5:27) Go, say to them, Return you unto your tents.
Go say to them, “Return to your tents.”
From the Latin
Go and say to them: Return into your tents.
Simplified
Go and tell them: ‘You need to return to your tents.’
Now say to them, Go back to your tents.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agree word for word. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some variations, with some words supplied by editors, but the core message remains consistent across these witnesses.
לֵ֖ךְ אֱמֹ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם שׁ֥וּבוּ לָכֶ֖ם לְאָהֳלֵיכֶֽם׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
לך אמר להם שׁובו לכם לאהליכם
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
[לך] ואמור ל׳הם שובו לשוב ל׳כם לאהלילי׳כם
6 words on the leather — 1 supplied entire by an editor.
[לך] [אמור] [ל׳הם] שובו ל׳כם לאהלי׳כם
3 words on the leather — 3 supplied entire by an editor.
לך אמור ל׳הם שובו [ל׳כם] [לאהלי׳כם]
3 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
[לך] [אמר] [ל׳הם] [שובו] [ל׳כם] [לאהלי׳כם]
nothing on the leather here — 6 supplied entire by an editor.
[לכ׳ה] אמור ל׳המה שובו [ל׳כמה] [לאוהלי׳כמה]
3 words on the leather — 3 supplied entire by an editor.
[לך] [אמר] [ל׳הם] [שובו] [ל׳כם] [לאהלי׳כם]
nothing on the leather here — 6 supplied entire by an editor.
לך אמור ל׳המה שובו ל׳כמה [לאוהלי׳כמה]
4 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 1 supplied entire by an editor.
[לך] [אמר] [ל׳הם] [שובו] [ל׳כם] [לאהלי׳כם]
nothing on the leather here — 6 supplied entire by an editor.
לך אמר ל׳הם שובו ל׳כם לאהלי׳כם
6 words on the leather.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Deuteronomy 5:30
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.
הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk
Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך
lit.
of persons
Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations
in like manner of inanimate things
The inf. abs. is often used
as in other vbs., quite independently
to intensify meaning of finite form
most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.
with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance
with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)
in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance
twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion
quite by itself
13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.
akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.
In combination with other verbal forms
Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:
pass away, die
H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons
. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations
. in like manner of inanimate things
. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently
. to intensify meaning of finite form
. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance
. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)
. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance
. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion
. quite by itself
. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.
. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.
. In combination with other verbal forms
1980 halak haw-lak'
akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety
of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,
apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,
depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,
forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,
out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,
march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),
be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,
still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,
on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,
(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.
see HEBREW for 03212
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.
: went/go[away]
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
1c2) to walk about
1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.
: come[nearer]
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
1c2) to walk about
1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.
: walk/move
1) to go, walk, come
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to walk
1b2) to walk (fig.)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to traverse
HVqv2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
(halakh, yalakh, bo', yatsa'; ago, hupago, anabaino, erchomi, aperchomai, poreuomai): "Go" ("went," etc.) occurs very frequently in the English Bible, and is the translation of a great many different Hebrew and Greek terms. As the word implies movement of all kinds, physical and mental, it has naturally many applications.
1. In the Old Testament:
In the Old Testament halakh and yalakh are among the commonest words, meaning "to go" in its original sense of "to walk," but also in the most varied senses, according to the verbal conjugations, etc., the preposition attached, and the words in connection with which the terms stand; halakh and yalakh are often used figuratively (translated "to walk," etc.) for to live, to pursue a way of life, e.g. "to walk ever in his ways" (De 19:9; compare
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
V-Qal-Impv-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine singularHVqv2ms
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3mp
The Hebrew word שׁוּב (shuwb) means to turn back or return, covering a wide range of contexts including physical, spiritual, and relational. It can denote returning to a previous state, repenting, or even apostatizing. The entries describe various forms and uses, including bringing back, restoring, and refreshing. Notably, it can also imply a change in course of action.
שׁוּב 1056 vb. turn back, return
Qal 683;—turn back, return:
turn back
return, come or go back
esp. return unto
of dying
of revival from death
fig. of human relations:
return to leader, king
= change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)
turn, i.e. resort to
return to a physical condition
abs. = change course of action
fig., specif. of spiritual relations:
turn back from God = apostatize
of י׳, turn away
turn back to God (= seek penitently)
abs. repent
turn back from evil
of י׳
of י׳, return (to shew favour)
of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):
denoting repetition, etc.
trans.
Pō‛l.
bring back
fig. restore, refresh
restore, repair
lead away (enticingly)
shew turning = apostatize
Hiph. 353 cause to return, bring back
bring back into bondage
put back
= draw back
= give back, restore
= relinguish
= give in payment, requital
bring one back (from dead)
bring back heart
= refresh
H7725 שׁוּב turn back, return .—turn back, return: . turn back
. return, come or go back
. esp. return unto
. . of dying
. of revival from death
. fig. of human relations: . return to leader, king
. = change so as to appoach (in purpose, desire)
. turn, i.e. resort to
. return to a physical condition
. abs. = change course of action
. fig., specif. of spiritual relations: . turn back from God = apostatize
. of י׳, turn away
. turn back to God (= seek penitently)
. abs. repent
. turn back from evil
. of י׳
. of י׳, return (to shew favour)
. of inanimate things (sts. personified, or treated as things of life):
. denoting repetition, etc.
. trans.
. . bring back
. . fig. restore, refresh
. restore, repair
. lead away (enticingly)
. shew turning = apostatize
. cause to return, bring back . . bring back into bondage
. put back
. = draw back
. = give back, restore
. = relinguish
. = give in payment, requital
7725 shuwb shoob
a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or
intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily
with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to
retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise,
dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge,
make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer
(+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring
(again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back),
cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, +
continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back,
fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give
(again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see)
more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put
(again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh,
relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve,
שׁוּב (shuv) — to return: return.
: return
1) to return, turn back
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to turn back, return
1a1a) to turn back
1a1b) to return, come or go back
1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back
1a1d) of dying
1a1e) of human relations (fig)
1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig)
1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise
1a1f2) to turn away (of God)
1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent
1a1f4) turn back (from evil)
1a1g) of inanimate things
1a1h) in repetition
1b) (Polel)
1b1) to bring back
1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig)
1b3) to lead away (enticingly)
1b4) to show turning, apostatise
1c) (Pual) restored (participle)
1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back
1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment
1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore
1d3) to bring back, report to, answer
1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine pluralHVqv2mp
כֶם (khem) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine plural
HR/Sp2mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2mp
The Hebrew word אֹ֫הֶל (*ohel*) means 'tent' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be conspicuous.' It encompasses various meanings, including a nomad's tent, a dwelling or home, and specifically refers to the sacred tent used for worship, known as the tabernacle. The entries consistently highlight its association with transience and habitation.
אֹ֫הֶל 343 n.m. tent
tent of nomad
dwelling, habitation
the sacred tent used in worship of God
base
H168 אֹ֫הֶל tent
168 'ohel o'-hel
from 166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a
distance):--covering, (dwelling)(place), home, tabernacle,
tent.
see HEBREW for 0166
אֹ֫הֶל (o.hel) — tent.
: tent
1) tent
1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience
1b) dwelling, home, habitation
1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle)
Also means: o.hel (אֹ֫הֶל ": home" H0168H)
אֹ֫הֶל (o.hel) — tent: home.
: home
1) tent
1a) nomad's tent, and thus symbolic of wilderness life, transience
1b) dwelling, home, habitation
1c) the sacred tent of Jehovah (the tabernacle)
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp