וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁעֶ֔ה אֶל־הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹ֖ות מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֤וּ אֶצְבְּעֹתָיו֙ לֹ֣א יִרְאֶ֔ה וְהָאֲשֵׁרִ֖ים וְהָחַמָּנִֽים׃
And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and that which his fingers have made he shall not see—the Asherim and the sun-pillars.
Morphology
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “And not”; Notes: Negates the verb that follows.
- יִשְׁעֶה (yishʿeh) – Root: שׁעה (shaʿah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall look”; Notes: Expresses intent or attention.
- אֶל־הַמִּזְבְּחֹות (el-ha-mizbeḥot) – Root: זבח (zavach); Form: Preposition + definite plural noun masculine; Translation: “to the altars”; Notes: Refers to idolatrous or forbidden altars.
- מַעֲשֵׂה (maʿaseh) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “work of”; Notes: Introduces what the altars are.
- יָדָיו (yadaiv) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun feminine dual with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his hands”; Notes: Indicates human fabrication.
- וַאֲשֶׁר (va-asher) – Root: –; Form: Conjunction + relative pronoun; Translation: “and that which”; Notes: Links to the next clause.
- עָשׂוּ (ʿasu) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they made”; Notes: Refers to the subject “his fingers.”
- אֶצְבְּעֹתָיו (etsbeʿotav) – Root: אצבע (etsbaʿ); Form: Noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his fingers”; Notes: Further specifies the craftsman’s involvement.
- לֹא יִרְאֶה (lo yirʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall not see”; Notes: Parallels “he shall not look.”
- וְהָאֲשֵׁרִים (ve-ha-ʾasherim) – Root: אשרה (Asherah); Form: Conjunction + definite plural noun; Translation: “and the Asherim”; Notes: Canaanite cultic wooden symbols.
- וְהָחַמָּנִים (ve-ha-ḥammanim) – Root: חמן (ḥaman); Form: Conjunction + definite plural noun; Translation: “and the sun-pillars”; Notes: Pillars used in sun worship practices.