הִשָּֽׁמְר֣וּ לָכֶ֔ם פֶּ֥ן יִפְתֶּ֖ה לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְסַרְתֶּ֗ם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם לָהֶֽם׃
Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and bow down to them.
Morphology
- הִשָּֽׁמְר֣וּ (hishameru) – Root: שמר (shamar); Form: Nifal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Take heed”; Notes: A warning to remain cautious and vigilant.
- לָכֶ֔ם (lakhem) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to yourselves”; Notes: Emphasizes personal responsibility.
- פֶּ֥ן (pen) – Root: פן (pen); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “lest”; Notes: Introduces a cautionary clause.
- יִפְתֶּ֖ה (yifteh) – Root: פתה (patah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “be deceived”; Notes: Refers to the danger of a wandering heart.
- לְבַבְכֶ֑ם (levavkhem) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: Symbolizes inner thoughts and intentions.
- וְסַרְתֶּ֗ם (ve-sartem) – Root: סור (sur); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with conjunction; Translation: “and you turn aside”; Notes: Refers to deviating from YHWH’s path.
- וַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙ (va-avadtem) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with conjunction; Translation: “and serve”; Notes: Refers to worship or service to false gods.
- אֱלֹהִ֣ים (elohim) – Root: אלה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “gods”; Notes: Refers to foreign or false deities.
- אֲחֵרִ֔ים (acherim) – Root: אחר (ʾachar); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “other”; Notes: Qualifies the foreign gods.
- וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם (ve-hishtachavitem) – Root: חוה (shachah); Form: Hithpael perfect 2nd person masculine plural with conjunction; Translation: “and bow down”; Notes: Refers to the act of worshiping false gods.
- לָהֶֽם׃ (lahem) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the false gods mentioned earlier.