וְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֹת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיֹּ֑ום לָלֶ֗כֶת אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃ ס
And the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of YHWH your God and turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.
Morphology
- וְהַקְּלָלָ֗ה (ve-ha-qelalah) – Root: קלל (qalal); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article and conjunction; Translation: “And the curse”; Notes: Refers to divine punishment or disfavor.
- אִם־ (im) – Root: אם (ʾim); Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “if”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- לֹ֤א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denotes negation.
- תִשְׁמְעוּ֙ (tishmeʿu) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you obey”; Notes: Refers to hearing and responding to YHWH’s commands.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates direction toward the commandments.
- מִצְוֹת֙ (mitzvot) – Root: מצוה (mitzvah); Form: Noun, feminine plural construct; Translation: “the commandments of”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s laws.
- יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the covenant name of God.
- אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם (ʾeloheikhem) – Root: אלה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Refers to the deity of Israel.
- וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם (ve-sartem) – Root: סור (sur); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with conjunction; Translation: “and you turn aside”; Notes: Refers to deviating from the prescribed way.
- מִן־ (min) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition; Translation: “from”; Notes: Indicates separation or departure.
- הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ (ha-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the way”; Notes: Refers to the path or conduct commanded by YHWH.
- אֲשֶׁ֧ר (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a descriptive clause.
- אָנֹכִ֛י (anokhi) – Root: אנכ (ʾanokh); Form: Pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the speaker.
- מְצַוֶּ֥ה (metzaveh) – Root: צוה (tzavah); Form: Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “commanding”; Notes: Indicates active instruction.
- אֶתְכֶ֖ם (etkhem) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- הַיֹּ֑ום (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “today”; Notes: Refers to the time of commandment delivery.
- לָלֶ֗כֶת (la-lekhet) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to go”; Notes: Refers to walking in a specific way.
- אַחֲרֵ֛י (acharei) – Root: אחר (achar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Refers to pursuing or following.
- אֱלֹהִ֥ים (elohim) – Root: אלה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “gods”; Notes: Refers to false or foreign deities.
- אֲחֵרִ֖ים (acherim) – Root: אחר (achar); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “other”; Notes: Describes the foreign gods.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- לֹֽא־יְדַעְתֶּֽם׃ (lo-yedatem) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you have not known”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites’ lack of familiarity with these gods.