וּנְתָֽנְךָ֨ יְהוָ֤ה לְרֹאשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א לְזָנָ֔ב וְהָיִ֨יתָ֙ רַ֣ק לְמַ֔עְלָה וְלֹ֥א תִהְיֶ֖ה לְמָ֑טָּה כִּֽי־תִשְׁמַ֞ע אֶל־מִצְוֹ֣ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיֹּ֖ום לִשְׁמֹ֥ר וְלַעֲשֹֽׂות׃
And YHWH will make you the head and not the tail, and you will be only above and you will not be beneath, if you listen to the commandments of YHWH your God, which I command you today, to observe and to do them.
Morphology
- וּנְתָֽנְךָ֨ (u-netankha) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with conjunction and 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And He will make you”; Notes: Refers to YHWH placing Israel in a position of prominence.
- יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- לְרֹאשׁ֙ (le-rosh) – Root: ראשׁ (rosh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “the head”; Notes: Symbolizes leadership and prominence.
- וְלֹ֣א (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction with negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces a contrast.
- לְזָנָ֔ב (le-zanav) – Root: זנב (zanav); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “the tail”; Notes: Represents a position of insignificance.
- וְהָיִ֨יתָ֙ (ve-hayita) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and you will be”; Notes: Indicates a continued state of prominence.
- רַ֣ק לְמַ֔עְלָה (rak le-maʿlah) – Root: מעל (maʿal); Form: Adverb with preposition; Translation: “only above”; Notes: Emphasizes exclusivity of being in an elevated position.
- וְלֹ֥א תִהְיֶ֖ה (ve-lo tihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular with conjunction and negative particle; Translation: “and you will not be”; Notes: Continues the contrast.
- לְמָ֑טָּה (le-mattah) – Root: מתה (mattah); Form: Adverb with preposition; Translation: “beneath”; Notes: Opposes the elevated position.
- כִּֽי־תִשְׁמַ֞ע (ki-tishma) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Conjunction with Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “if you listen”; Notes: Conditional clause introducing the requirement.
- אֶל־מִצְוֹ֣ת (el-mitzvot) – Root: מצוה (mitzvah); Form: Preposition with noun, feminine plural construct; Translation: “to the commandments”; Notes: Refers to divine instructions.
- יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ (YHWH Elohekha) – Root: יהוה (YHWH), אל (El); Form: Proper noun with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “YHWH your God”; Notes: Specifies the divine authority.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ (asher anokhi metsavekha) – Root: צוה (tsavah); Form: Relative pronoun with Qal participle masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “which I command you”; Notes: Refers to Moses as the mediator of God’s commandments.
- הַיֹּ֖ום (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “today”; Notes: Emphasizes the immediacy of the command.
- לִשְׁמֹ֥ר וְלַעֲשֹֽׂות׃ (lishmor ve-laʿasot) – Root: שׁמר (shamar), עשה (ʿasah); Form: Infinitive constructs with prepositions and conjunction; Translation: “to observe and to do”; Notes: Highlights both the attentive and active aspects of obedience.