וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם מְאֹ֖ד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י לֹ֤א רְאִיתֶם֙ כָּל־תְּמוּנָ֔ה בְּיֹ֗ום דִּבֶּ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה אֲלֵיכֶ֛ם בְּחֹרֵ֖ב מִתֹּ֥וךְ הָאֵֽשׁ׃
And you shall be very careful for your souls, for you saw no form on the day YHWH spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire.
Morphology
- וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם (venishmartem) – Root: שמר (shamar); Form: Nifal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “And you shall be careful”; Notes: Indicates reflexive action of guarding oneself.
- מְאֹ֖ד (meʾod) – Root: מאד (meʾod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “very”; Notes: Emphasizes the intensity of the action.
- לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם (lenafshoteikhem) – Root: נפש (nefesh); Form: Preposition with noun, feminine plural construct and 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for your souls”; Notes: Refers to one’s life or inner being.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- לֹ֤א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “no”; Notes: Indicates negation.
- רְאִיתֶם֙ (reʾitem) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you saw”; Notes: Refers to visual perception.
- כָּל־תְּמוּנָ֔ה (kol-temunah) – Root: תמונה (temunah); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “any form”; Notes: Refers to a visible shape or image.
- בְּיֹ֗ום (be-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular; Translation: “on the day”; Notes: Refers to a specific time.
- דִּבֶּ֨ר (dibber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He spoke”; Notes: Indicates verbal communication.
- יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- אֲלֵיכֶ֛ם (ʾaleikhem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to the audience.
- בְּחֹרֵ֖ב (be-ḥorev) – Root: חרב (ḥorev); Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “at Horeb”; Notes: Refers to Mount Sinai.
- מִתֹּ֥וךְ (mitokh) – Root: תוך (tokh); Form: Preposition; Translation: “out of the midst of”; Notes: Indicates origin or source.
- הָאֵֽשׁ (ha-esh) – Root: אש (ʾesh); Form: Definite article with noun, feminine singular; Translation: “the fire”; Notes: Refers to the fire on the mountain.