לֶ֚חֶם לֹ֣א אֲכַלְתֶּ֔ם וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שְׁתִיתֶ֑ם לְמַ֨עַן֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
Bread you did not eat, and wine and strong drink you did not drink, so that you may know that I am YHWH your God.
Morphology
- לֶ֚חֶם (leḥem) – Root: לחם (l-ḥ-m); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “bread”; Notes: Refers to the staple food, symbolizing basic sustenance.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: Negative particle; Form: Particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Indicates negation.
- אֲכַלְתֶּ֔ם (akhaltem) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you ate”; Notes: Refers to the collective action of the people.
- וְיַ֥יִן (veyayin) – Root: יין (y-y-n); Form: Conjunction + masculine singular noun; Translation: “and wine”; Notes: Wine often represents celebration and joy.
- וְשֵׁכָ֖ר (veshekar) – Root: שׁכר (sh-k-r); Form: Conjunction + masculine singular noun; Translation: “and strong drink”; Notes: Refers to alcoholic beverages other than wine.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: Negative particle; Form: Particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Continues the negation from the earlier clause.
- שְׁתִיתֶ֑ם (shetitem) – Root: שתה (sh-t-h); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you drank”; Notes: Indicates a collective abstention from drinking.
- לְמַ֨עַן֙ (lemaʿan) – Root: מען (m-ʿ-n); Form: Preposition; Translation: “so that”; Notes: Introduces the purpose clause.
- תֵּֽדְע֔וּ (tedʿu) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you may know”; Notes: Indicates the desired result of the abstention.
- כִּ֛י (ki) – Root: Causal conjunction; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the explanation.
- אֲנִ֥י (ani) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 1st person singular pronoun; Translation: “I”; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: The Tetragrammaton; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The sacred name of God in the Hebrew Bible.
- אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (Eloheikhem) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Masculine plural noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Affirms the covenantal relationship between YHWH and Yisra’el.