בָּנִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לַֽיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם לֹ֣א תִתְגֹּֽדְד֗וּ וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֧ימוּ קָרְחָ֛ה בֵּ֥ין עֵינֵיכֶ֖ם לָמֵֽת׃
You are children of YHWH your God. You shall not cut yourselves nor make a bald spot between your eyes for the dead.
Morphology
- בָּנִ֣ים (banim) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “children”; Notes: Refers to descendants or offspring.
- אַתֶּ֔ם (atem) – Root: אתם (atem); Form: Pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Addresses the collective audience.
- לַֽיהוָ֖ה (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the covenantal name of God.
- אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם (Eloheikhem) – Root: אלה (Elohim); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Indicates the relationship between the people and God.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- תִתְגֹּֽדְד֗וּ (titgodedu) – Root: גדד (gadad); Form: Hitpael imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “cut yourselves”; Notes: Refers to self-inflicted wounds, often in mourning rituals.
- וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֧ימוּ (velo-tasimu) – Root: שים (sim); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural with negative particle; Translation: “nor shall you place”; Notes: Prohibits certain physical actions.
- קָרְחָ֛ה (qarḥah) – Root: קרח (qarach); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “a bald spot”; Notes: Refers to shaving a part of the head, often in mourning.
- בֵּ֥ין (bein) – Root: בין (bein); Form: Preposition; Translation: “between”; Notes: Indicates spatial placement.
- עֵינֵיכֶ֖ם (eineikhem) – Root: עין (ayin); Form: Noun, dual construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your eyes”; Notes: Refers to the physical eyes.
- לָמֵֽת׃ (lamet) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “for the dead”; Notes: Refers to mourning practices for deceased individuals.