וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ עַֽל־הָ֨עַמּ֜וּד וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת אֶֽת־הַבְּרִ֣ית לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה לָלֶ֜כֶת אַחַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ וְלִשְׁמֹ֨ר מִצְוֹתָ֜יו וְאֶת־עֵדְוֹתָ֤יו וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָיו֙ בְּכָל־לֵ֣ב וּבְכָל־נֶ֔פֶשׁ לְהָקִ֗ים אֶת־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את הַכְּתֻבִ֖ים עַל־הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד כָּל־הָעָ֖ם בַּבְּרִֽית׃
And the king stood by the pillar and cut the covenant before YHWH, to walk after YHWH and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all the heart and with all the soul, to establish the words of this covenant that are written on this scroll. And all the people stood in the covenant.
Morphology
- וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד (va-yaʿamod) – Root: עמד; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he stood”; Notes: Refers to a formal, solemn posture at a public ceremony.
- הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Subject of the ceremony, likely Yoshiyahu.
- עַֽל־הָ֨עַמּ֜וּד (ʿal-ha-ʿammud) – Root: עמד; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “by the pillar”; Notes: Likely a ceremonial structure in the Temple.
- וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת (va-yikrot) – Root: כרת; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he cut”; Notes: Idiomatic expression for making a covenant.
- אֶת־הַבְּרִ֣ית (et-ha-berit) – Root: ברית; Form: Definite feminine singular noun with direct object marker; Translation: “the covenant”; Notes: Refers to a solemn agreement before YHWH.
- לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה (lifnei YHWH) – Root: פן; Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “before YHWH”; Notes: Indicates divine witness to the covenant.
- לָלֶ֜כֶת (lalekhet) – Root: הלך; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to walk”; Notes: Represents a metaphor for living in obedience.
- אַחַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ (aḥar YHWH) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “after YHWH”; Notes: Conveys devotion and faithfulness.
- וְלִשְׁמֹ֨ר (ve-lishmor) – Root: שמר; Form: Infinitive construct with conjunction; Translation: “and to keep”; Notes: Governs the covenant terms that follow.
- מִצְוֹתָ֜יו (mitsvotav) – Root: צוה; Form: Feminine plural noun + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His commandments”; Notes: Core obligations in the Torah.
- וְאֶת־עֵדְוֹתָ֤יו (ve-et-ʿedvotav) – Root: עדה; Form: Conjunction + direct object + plural noun + suffix; Translation: “and His testimonies”; Notes: Witnesses to YHWH’s covenant acts.
- וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתָיו֙ (ve-et-ḥuqqotav) – Root: חקק; Form: Conjunction + direct object + plural noun + suffix; Translation: “and His statutes”; Notes: Permanent legal decrees.
- בְּכָל־לֵ֣ב (be-khol-lev) – Root: לב; Form: Preposition + construct phrase; Translation: “with all the heart”; Notes: Symbol of full devotion.
- וּבְכָל־נֶ֔פֶשׁ (u-ve-khol-nefesh) – Root: נפש; Form: Conjunction + preposition + construct phrase; Translation: “and with all the soul”; Notes: Encompasses one’s whole being.
- לְהָקִ֗ים (le-haqim) – Root: קום; Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to establish”; Notes: Carrying out or enforcing covenant words.
- אֶת־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את (et-divrei ha-berit ha-zot) – Root: דבר; Form: Direct object + construct phrase; Translation: “the words of this covenant”; Notes: The content to be obeyed.
- הַכְּתֻבִ֖ים (ha-ketuvim) – Root: כתב; Form: Passive participle masculine plural; Translation: “that are written”; Notes: Refers to inscription in the scroll.
- עַל־הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה (ʿal ha-sefer ha-zeh) – Root: ספר; Form: Preposition + definite noun + demonstrative; Translation: “on this scroll”; Notes: Refers to the Torah scroll discovered earlier.
- וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד (va-yaʿamod) – Root: עמד; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he stood”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis, now referring to the people.
- כָּל־הָעָ֖ם (kol-ha-ʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “all the people”; Notes: National collective enters the covenant.
- בַּבְּרִֽית (ba-berit) – Root: ברית; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the covenant”; Notes: Denotes full participation in the oath.