לֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֤ה לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א תָֽעָבְדֵ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תַעֲשֶׂ֖ה כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כִּ֤י הָרֵס֙ תְּהָ֣רְסֵ֔ם וְשַׁבֵּ֥ר תְּשַׁבֵּ֖ר מַצֵּבֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds; but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their sacred pillars in pieces.
Morphology
- לֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֤ה (lo-tishtachaveh) – Root: שׁחה (sh-ḥ-h); Form: Negative particle + Verb, Hishtaphel, Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “You shall not bow down”; Notes: Refers to an act of worship or submission.
- לֵאלֹֽהֵיהֶם֙ (leʾelohaihem) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine plural construct with 3mp suffix; Translation: “To their gods”; Notes: Indicates the pagan deities of the Canaanites.
- וְלֹ֣א תָֽעָבְדֵ֔ם (velo taʿovdem) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Conjunction + Negative particle + Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2ms with 3mp suffix; Translation: “Nor serve them”; Notes: Prohibits engaging in worship or servitude to foreign gods.
- וְלֹ֥א תַעֲשֶׂ֖ה (velo taʿaseh) – Root: עשה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Conjunction + Negative particle + Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “Nor do”; Notes: Forbids mimicking their practices.
- כְּמַֽעֲשֵׂיהֶ֑ם (kemaʿaseihem) – Root: מעשה (m-ʿ-s-h); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine plural construct with 3mp suffix; Translation: “According to their deeds”; Notes: Refers to the idolatrous practices of the nations.
- כִּ֤י (ki) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “But”; Notes: Introduces the contrasting command.
- הָרֵס֙ תְּהָ֣רְסֵ֔ם (hares teharsem) – Root: הרס (h-r-s); Form: Verb, Qal, Infinitive Absolute + Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “You shall utterly overthrow them”; Notes: Emphasizes the complete destruction of idols and altars.
- וְשַׁבֵּ֥ר תְּשַׁבֵּ֖ר (veshaber teshaber) – Root: שׁבר (sh-b-r); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Piel, Infinitive Absolute + Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “And break in pieces”; Notes: Reiterates the command for total dismantling.
- מַצֵּבֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ (matsevoteihem) – Root: מצבה (m-ts-v-h); Form: Noun, feminine plural construct with 3mp suffix; Translation: “Their sacred pillars”; Notes: Refers to objects of idol worship.