אַל־תֹּאמַ֣ר בִּלְבָבְךָ֗ בַּהֲדֹ֣ף יְהוָה֩ אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ אֹתָ֥ם מִלְּפָנֶיךָ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ בְּצִדְקָתִי֙ הֱבִיאַ֣נִי יְהוָ֔ה לָרֶ֖שֶׁת אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את וּבְרִשְׁעַת֙ הַגֹּויִ֣ם הָאֵ֔לֶּה יְהוָ֖ה מֹורִישָׁ֥ם מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃
Do not say in your heart, when YHWH your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness, YHWH has brought me to possess this land,’ but because of the wickedness of these nations, YHWH is driving them out before you.
Morphology
- אַל־תֹּאמַ֣ר (al-to’mar) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Do not say”; Notes: Prohibition directed at internal thoughts.
- בִּלְבָבְךָ֗ (bilvavekha) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Preposition + noun (masculine singular construct) + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your heart”; Notes: Refers to inner thoughts or intentions.
- בַּהֲדֹ֣ף (bahadof) – Root: הדף (hadaf); Form: Preposition + Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “when driving out”; Notes: Describes an action initiated by YHWH.
- יְהוָה֩ (YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of God.
- אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ (Elohekha) – Root: אלה (eloh); Form: Noun (masculine singular construct) + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Indicates personal relationship.
- אֹתָ֥ם (otam) – Root: את (et); Form: Direct object marker + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the nations being driven out.
- מִלְּפָנֶיךָ֮ (milfanekha) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition + noun (masculine plural construct) + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from before you”; Notes: Indicates divine action on behalf of Israel.
- לֵאמֹר֒ (le’emor) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- בְּצִדְקָתִי֙ (b’tsidqati) – Root: צדק (tsedeq); Form: Preposition + noun (feminine singular construct) + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “because of my righteousness”; Notes: Implies self-attribution of merit.
- הֱבִיאַ֣נִי (hevi’ani) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “He has brought me”; Notes: Causative action attributed to YHWH.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Emphasizes divine initiative.
- לָרֶ֖שֶׁת (lareshet) – Root: ירש (yarash); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to possess”; Notes: Describes the purpose of the action.
- אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ (et-ha’aretz) – Root: ארץ (eretz); Form: Direct object marker + noun (feminine singular); Translation: “the land”; Notes: Refers to the promised land.
- הַזֹּ֑את (hazot) – Root: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the land in question.
- וּבְרִשְׁעַת֙ (u’virish’at) – Root: רשע (rasha); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun (feminine singular construct); Translation: “but because of the wickedness”; Notes: Highlights the reason for the nations’ displacement.
- הַגֹּויִ֣ם (ha-goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Definite article + noun (masculine plural); Translation: “the nations”; Notes: Refers to the inhabitants of the land.
- הָאֵ֔לֶּה (ha’eleh) – Root: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Masculine plural; Translation: “these”; Notes: Specifies the nations mentioned.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Reiterates the divine actor.
- מֹורִישָׁ֥ם (morisham) – Root: ירש (yarash); Form: Hifil participle masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “is driving them out”; Notes: Causative and ongoing action.
- מִפָּנֶֽיךָ (mipaneikha) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition + noun (masculine plural construct) + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from before you”; Notes: Indicates displacement by divine power.