אִם־תִּֽירְא֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֤ם אֹתֹו֙ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם בְּקֹלֹ֔ו וְלֹ֥א תַמְר֖וּ אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וִהְיִתֶ֣ם גַּם־אַתֶּ֗ם וְגַם־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָלַ֣ךְ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אַחַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
If you fear YHWH and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the mouth of YHWH, then both you and the king who reigns over you shall follow YHWH your God.
Morphology
- אִם־תִּֽירְא֣וּ (ʾim-tirʾu) – Root: ירא (yareʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “If you fear”; Notes: Conditional clause.
- אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Direct object of the verb.
- וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֤ם (va-ʿavadtem) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and serve”; Notes: Parallel to fearing YHWH.
- אֹתֹו֙ (oto) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Definite direct object marker + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Him”; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
- וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם (u-shemaʿtem) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and obey”; Notes: Listening implies obedience.
- בְּקֹלֹ֔ו (be-qolo) – Root: קול (qol); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His voice”; Notes: Refers to divine commands.
- וְלֹ֥א תַמְר֖וּ (ve-lo tamru) – Root: מרה (marah); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and do not rebel”; Notes: Negative command.
- אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה (et-pi YHWH) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “against the mouth of YHWH”; Notes: A Hebrew idiom for disobeying YHWH’s command.
- וִהְיִתֶ֣ם (vi-hyitem) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “then you shall be”; Notes: Result of obedience.
- גַּם־אַתֶּ֗ם (gam-atem) – Root: גם (gam), אתם (atem); Form: Adverb + pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “both you”; Notes: Emphasizes inclusivity.
- וְגַם־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ (ve-gam-ha-melekh) – Root: גם (gam), מלך (melekh); Form: Adverb + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and also the king”; Notes: Includes the ruler.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָלַ֣ךְ (asher malakh) – Root: מלך (malakh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “who reigns”; Notes: Refers to the newly appointed king.
- עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם (ʿaleikhem) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “over you”; Notes: Indicates rulership.
- אַחַ֖ר (aḥar) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates following YHWH.
- יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (YHWH Eloheikhem) – Root: יהוה (YHWH), אלהים (Elohim); Form: Proper noun + noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “YHWH your God”; Notes: The divine authority they are to obey.