אִם־שֹׁ֨וב תְּשֻׁב֜וּן אַתֶּ֤ם וּבְנֵיכֶם֙ מֵֽאַחֲרַ֔י וְלֹ֤א תִשְׁמְרוּ֙ מִצְוֹתַ֣י חֻקֹּתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִפְנֵיכֶ֑ם וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֗ם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם לָהֶֽם׃
If you indeed turn away, you and your children, from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and you go and serve other gods and bow down to them,
Morphology
- אִם־שֹׁוב (im-shov) – Root: שוב; Form: Conditional particle + Qal infinitive absolute; Translation: “if indeed turning away”; Notes: Emphatic construction indicating strong condition.
- תְּשֻׁב֜וּן (teshuvun) – Root: שוב; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you turn away”; Notes: Main verb of the conditional clause.
- אַתֶּם (atem) – Root: אתם; Form: Independent pronoun, masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Emphasizes the subject.
- וּבְנֵיכֶם (u-venekhem) – Root: בן; Form: Conjunction + plural noun with 2nd person plural suffix; Translation: “and your children”; Notes: Includes descendants in the condition.
- מֵאַחֲרַי (meʾaḥarai) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “from following Me”; Notes: Expresses turning away from YHWH.
- וְלֹא תִשְׁמְרוּ (ve-lo tishmeru) – Root: שמר; Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and do not keep”; Notes: Negative outcome in the condition.
- מִצְוֹתַי (mitsvotai) – Root: צוה; Form: Feminine plural noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My commandments”; Notes: Obligatory instructions from YHWH.
- חֻקֹּתַי (ḥuqqotai) – Root: חקק; Form: Feminine plural noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My statutes”; Notes: Prescribed laws or decrees.
- אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי (asher natatti) – Root: נתן; Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “which I have given”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s provision of Torah.
- לִפְנֵיכֶם (lifneikhem) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Emphasizes public revelation and responsibility.
- וַהֲלַכְתֶּם (va-halakhtem) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and you go”; Notes: Expresses result of disobedience.
- וַעֲבַדְתֶּם (va-avadtem) – Root: עבד; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and you serve”; Notes: Refers to idolatry.
- אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים (elohim aḥerim) – Root: אל / אחר; Form: Masculine plural noun + adjective; Translation: “other gods”; Notes: Condemned objects of worship, foreign to YHWH’s covenant.
- וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם (ve-hishtakhaʾvitem) – Root: חוה; Form: Hishtaphel perfect 2nd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and bow down”; Notes: Gesture of submission in idolatrous worship.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: הם; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the foreign gods mentioned above.