פֶּן־יִרְדֹּף֩ גֹּאֵ֨ל הַדָּ֜ם אַחֲרֵ֣י הָרֹצֵ֗חַ כִּי־יֵחַם֮ לְבָבֹו֒ וְהִשִּׂיגֹ֛ו כִּֽי־יִרְבֶּ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ וְהִכָּ֣הוּ נָ֑פֶשׁ וְלֹו֙ אֵ֣ין מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֔וֶת כִּ֠י לֹ֣א שֹׂנֵ֥א ה֛וּא לֹ֖ו מִתְּמֹ֥ול שִׁלְשֹֽׁום׃
lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer while his heart is hot, and overtake him because the way is long, and strike him mortally, though he has no sentence of death, for he did not hate him in time past.
Morphology
- פֶּן־יִרְדֹּף֩ (pen-yirdof) – Root: רדף (radaf); Form: Conjunction with Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “lest he pursue”; Notes: Expresses a concern or warning.
- גֹּאֵ֨ל (go’el) – Root: גאל (ga’al); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “the avenger”; Notes: Refers to the kinsman-redeemer responsible for avenging blood.
- הַדָּ֜ם (ha-dam) – Root: דם (dam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “of blood”; Notes: Indicates the role of avenging a blood-related killing.
- אַחֲרֵ֣י (acharei) – Root: אחר (achar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates pursuit.
- הָרֹצֵ֗חַ (ha-rotseach) – Root: רצח (ratzach); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the manslayer”; Notes: Refers to the unintentional killer.
- כִּי־יֵחַם֮ (ki-yecham) – Root: חם (cham); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “because his heart is hot”; Notes: Describes an emotional state of anger or vengeance.
- לְבָבֹו֒ (levavo) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his heart”; Notes: Refers to the seat of emotions.
- וְהִשִּׂיגֹ֛ו (ve-hisigo) – Root: נשג (nasag); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive and 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and overtake him”; Notes: Refers to catching up with the manslayer.
- כִּֽי־יִרְבֶּ֥ה (ki-yirbeh) – Root: רבה (rava); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “because it is long”; Notes: Refers to the distance of the way.
- הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ (ha-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the way”; Notes: Refers to the road to the city of refuge.
- וְהִכָּ֣הוּ (ve-hikkahu) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive and 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and strike him”; Notes: Refers to killing the manslayer.
- נָ֑פֶשׁ (nefesh) – Root: נפש (nefesh); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “mortally”; Notes: Refers to taking a life.
- וְלֹו֙ (velo) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and to him”; Notes: Refers to the manslayer.
- אֵ֣ין (ein) – Root: אין (ein); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “there is no”; Notes: Denotes absence.
- מִשְׁפַּט־מָ֔וֶת (mishpat-mavet) – Root: שפט (shafat), מות (mut); Form: Construct noun phrase; Translation: “sentence of death”; Notes: Indicates the absence of guilt warranting death.
- כִּ֠י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces an explanation.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denotes negation.
- שֹׂנֵ֥א (soneh) – Root: שנא (sane); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “hates”; Notes: Indicates enmity or animosity.
- ה֛וּא (hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to the manslayer.
- לֹ֖ו (lo) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to the victim.
- מִתְּמֹ֥ול (mi-temol) – Root: תמול (temol); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “from yesterday”; Notes: Refers to the recent past.
- שִׁלְשֹֽׁום׃ (shilshom) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “or the day before”; Notes: Refers to an earlier time frame.