וְאַל־יֹאמַ֣ר בֶּן־הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוָ֤ה אֶל־יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַבְדֵּ֧ל יַבְדִּילַ֛נִי יְהוָ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל עַמֹּ֑ו וְאַל־יֹאמַר֙ הַסָּרִ֔יס הֵ֥ן אֲנִ֖י עֵ֥ץ יָבֵֽשׁ׃ ס
And let not the son of the foreigner who joins himself to YHWH say, “YHWH will surely separate me from His people,” and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
Morphology
- וְאַל־יֹאמַ֣ר (veʾal-yomar) – Root: אמר; Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal imperfect jussive 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And let not say”; Notes: Introduces a prohibition or exhortation.
- בֶּן־הַנֵּכָ֗ר (ben-ha-nekhar) – Root: בן, נכר; Form: Construct noun + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the son of the foreigner”; Notes: Refers to a foreigner or outsider joining Yisraʾel.
- הַנִּלְוָ֤ה (ha-nilvah) – Root: לוה; Form: Definite article + Niphal participle masculine singular; Translation: “who joins himself”; Notes: Niphal passive-reflexive form, indicating association or attachment.
- אֶל־יְהוָה֙ (el-YHWH) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Denotes commitment to the God of Yisraʾel.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (lemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition לְ; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of speech.
- הַבְדֵּ֧ל (havdel) – Root: בדל; Form: Hifil infinitive absolute; Translation: “separating” or “surely separate”; Notes: Emphasizes the intensity of the following verb.
- יַבְדִּילַ֛נִי (yavdilani) – Root: בדל; Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “He will separate me”; Notes: Expresses the speaker’s fear of being excluded.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the verb “will separate.”
- מֵעַ֣ל (meʿal) – Root: על; Form: Preposition with מִן; Translation: “from upon”; Notes: Indicates separation from a group or status.
- עַמֹּ֑ו (ʿammo) – Root: עם; Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His people”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s covenant people.
- וְאַל־יֹאמַר֙ (veʾal-yomar) – Root: אמר; Form: Repeated jussive; Translation: “and let not say”; Notes: Parallel structure to the first clause.
- הַסָּרִ֔יס (ha-saris) – Root: סריס; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the eunuch”; Notes: Often excluded from full participation in temple life, per Deuteronomic law.
- הֵ֥ן (hen) – Root: הֵן; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Introduces a statement of perceived identity or condition.
- אֲנִ֖י (ʾani) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Subject of the following nominal clause.
- עֵ֥ץ (ʿets) – Root: עץ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “tree”; Notes: Figurative expression of lifelessness or sterility.
- יָבֵֽשׁ (yavesh) – Root: יבשׁ; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “dry”; Notes: Symbolizes hopelessness, lack of legacy or productivity.