What Does Deuteronomy 27:14 Mean in the King James?
And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Levites do not merely speak: the Hebrew says they answer, making the public declaration a response within a relationship.
THE MEANING
The words that reach you here are voiced for everyone to hear, not kept in private counsel. The verb rendered “speak” means “answer,” so the declaration arrives as a response, and its raised voice places that response in public hearing.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The word that matters is meant only for private understanding or a few authorized ears; here it is declared in a raised voice to all Israel.
THE ROOT
וְעָנוּ
wəʿānū
GROWS FROM
ענה
ʿ-n-h
Answer, respond.
The KJV says “speak,” but this verb carries the sense “answer.” The words are framed as a response addressed to all Israel, so the voice is relational as well as public.
ALSO GROWS
wayyaʿan: Answered; responded.
וַיַּעַן
This form shows the same root plainly as “answer,” illuminating the responsive force beneath “speak.”
maʿaneh: An answer or response.
מַעֲנֶה
This noun makes the root’s response-centered meaning visible: the speech is an answer, not merely sound.
הַלְוִיִּם
halviyyim
GROWS FROM
לוה
l-w-h
Join, accompany, attach.
“Levites” in this verse is halviyyim. The name Levi is linked in Genesis to being joined. Here, the joined ones voice the declaration to the whole assembly, and the name carries an echo of attachment into the public address.
ALSO GROWS
lāwāh: To join or accompany.
לָוָה
Genesis 29:34 uses this root in Leah’s words about being joined to her husband, revealing the connection carried by the name Levi.
Lēwī: Levi, whose name is associated with being joined.
לֵוִי
The speakers’ name echoes joining as they address the whole assembly.
THE PATTERN
A word that addresses a whole people is voiced where the whole people can hear it.
Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.THE THREAD
And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.The Hebrew root behind “speak” in Deuteronomy is the same root translated “answered” here. That echo reveals the Levites’ words as a response within a speaking relationship, carried by a voice the people can hear.
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