כֹּ֣ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה עֲשׂ֤וּ מִשְׁפָּט֙ וּצְדָקָ֔ה וְהַצִּ֥ילוּ גָז֖וּל מִיַּ֣ד עָשֹׁ֑וק וְגֵר֩ יָתֹ֨ום וְאַלְמָנָ֤ה אַל־תֹּנוּ֙ אַל־תַּחְמֹ֔סוּ וְדָ֣ם נָקִ֔י אַֽל־תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ בַּמָּקֹ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃
Thus said YHWH: “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who is robbed from the hand of the oppressor. And the sojourner, the orphan, and the widow—do not oppress, do not mistreat, and innocent blood do not shed in this place.
Morphology
- כֹּ֣ה (koh) – Root: כה; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces the divine utterance.
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Common prophetic introduction formula.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- עֲשׂ֤וּ (ʿasu) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Do”; Notes: Command form addressed to the people.
- מִשְׁפָּט֙ (mishpat) – Root: שפט; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “justice”; Notes: Refers to legal and moral rightness.
- וּצְדָקָ֔ה (u-tsedaqah) – Root: צדק; Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and righteousness”; Notes: Often paired with mishpat, stressing ethical conduct.
- וְהַצִּ֥ילוּ (ve-hatsilu) – Root: נצל; Form: Hiphil imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and deliver”; Notes: Hiphil gives causative force—cause to escape.
- גָז֖וּל (gazul) – Root: גזל; Form: Passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “the one who is robbed”; Notes: Victim of injustice or violence.
- מִיַּ֣ד (mi-yad) – Root: יד; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the hand”; Notes: Indicates agency or source.
- עָשֹׁ֑וק (ʿashoq) – Root: עשק; Form: Qal passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “oppressor”; Notes: One who acts unjustly or violently.
- וְגֵר֩ (ve-ger) – Root: גור; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the sojourner”; Notes: A resident alien or non-native dependent on community justice.
- יָתֹ֨ום (yatom) – Root: יתם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “orphan”; Notes: Symbol of the vulnerable and unprotected.
- וְאַלְמָנָ֤ה (ve-almanah) – Root: אלמן; Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the widow”; Notes: Often paired with orphan and sojourner as needing protection.
- אַל־תֹּנוּ֙ (ʾal-tonu) – Root: ונה; Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural jussive; Translation: “do not oppress”; Notes: Jussive form in negative command.
- אַל־תַּחְמֹ֔סוּ (ʾal-taḥmosu) – Root: חמס; Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural jussive; Translation: “do not mistreat”; Notes: Verb implies violent injustice or cruelty.
- וְדָ֣ם (ve-dam) – Root: דם; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and blood”; Notes: Introduces the theme of innocent life.
- נָקִ֔י (naqi) – Root: נקה; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “innocent”; Notes: Free from guilt or wrongdoing.
- אַל־תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ (ʾal-tishpeku) – Root: שפך; Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural jussive; Translation: “do not shed”; Notes: Used especially for unjust killing.
- בַּמָּקֹ֥ום (ba-maqom) – Root: קום; Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the place”; Notes: Refers to a specific location of judgment or worship (likely the temple precincts).
- הַזֶּֽה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the place previously referenced.