וּלְכֹ֣ל בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹ֤א יֶֽחֱרַץ־כֶּ֨לֶב֙ לְשֹׁנֹ֔ו לְמֵאִ֖ישׁ וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה לְמַ֨עַן֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן אֲשֶׁר֙ יַפְלֶ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה בֵּ֥ין מִצְרַ֖יִם וּבֵ֥ין יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
But against all the children of Yisra’el, not even a dog shall sharpen its tongue, against man or beast, so that you may know that YHWH makes a distinction between Mitsrayim and Yisra’el.
Morphology
- וּלְכֹ֣ל (ulekhol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Conjunction + Preposition + Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “But against all”; Notes: Refers to a comprehensive statement about the children of Yisra’el.
- בְּנֵ֣י (bene) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “The children of”; Notes: Refers to the descendants of Yisra’el.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (Yisra’el) – Root: שר (s-r) + אל (ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
- לֹ֤א (lo) – Root: N/A; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Negates the following action.
- יֶֽחֱרַץ־ (yekheratz) – Root: חרץ (ḥ-r-ts); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Shall sharpen”; Notes: Refers to the restraint of the dogs.
- כֶּ֨לֶב֙ (kelev) – Root: כלב (k-l-v); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “A dog”; Notes: Refers to the symbolic silence of the dogs.
- לְשֹׁנֹ֔ו (leshono) – Root: לשון (l-sh-n); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct + 3ms suffix; Translation: “Its tongue”; Notes: Indicates restraint in speech or barking.
- לְמֵאִ֖ישׁ (lemeʾish) – Root: איש (ʾ-y-sh); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Against man”; Notes: Includes human targets.
- וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה (veʿad-behemah) – Root: בהם (b-h-m); Form: Conjunction + Preposition + Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “And against beast”; Notes: Includes animals.
- לְמַ֨עַן֙ (lemaʿan) – Root: מען (m-ʿ-n); Form: Preposition; Translation: “So that”; Notes: Indicates purpose or intent.
- תֵּֽדְע֔וּן (tedʿun) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2mp; Translation: “You may know”; Notes: Refers to understanding YHWH’s action.
- אֲשֶׁר֙ (asher) – Root: N/A; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “That”; Notes: Introduces the clause about YHWH’s distinction.
- יַפְלֶ֣ה (yafleh) – Root: פלה (p-l-h); Form: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Makes a distinction”; Notes: Highlights YHWH’s separation of Egypt and Yisra’el.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- בֵּ֥ין (bein) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition; Translation: “Between”; Notes: Indicates separation.
- מִצְרַ֖יִם (mitsrayim) – Root: מצר (m-ts-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Egypt”; Notes: Refers to the Egyptians.
- וּבֵ֥ין (uvein) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction + Preposition; Translation: “And between”; Notes: Reiterates the distinction.
- יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Yisra’el) – Root: שר (s-r) + אל (ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.