מִדְּבַר־שֶׁ֖קֶר תִּרְחָ֑ק וְנָקִ֤י וְצַדִּיק֙ אַֽל־תַּהֲרֹ֔ג כִּ֥י לֹא־אַצְדִּ֖יק רָשָֽׁע׃
Keep yourself far from a false matter, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not justify the wicked.
Morphology
- מִדְּבַר־שֶׁ֖קֶר (midvar-sheqer) – Root: דבר (d-v-r) + שקר (sh-q-r); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “From a false matter”; Notes: Refers to avoiding involvement with lies or deceit.
- תִּרְחָ֑ק (tirchaq) – Root: רחק (r-ḥ-q); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “You shall keep far”; Notes: Indicates a command to distance oneself.
- וְנָקִ֤י (venaqi) – Root: נקי (n-q-y); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “And the innocent”; Notes: Refers to someone free of guilt or wrongdoing.
- וְצַדִּיק֙ (vetsadiq) – Root: צדיק (ts-d-q); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “And righteous”; Notes: Denotes someone who acts justly and rightly.
- אַל־תַּהֲרֹ֔ג (al-taharog) – Root: הרג (h-r-g); Form: Negative particle + Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “Do not kill”; Notes: Prohibition against killing the innocent.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the rationale for the command.
- לֹא־אַצְדִּ֖יק (lo-atzdiq) – Root: צדק (ts-d-q); Form: Negative particle + Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, 1cs; Translation: “I will not justify”; Notes: Indicates God’s refusal to declare the guilty as righteous.
- רָשָֽׁע׃ (rasha) – Root: רשע (r-sh-ʿ); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “The wicked”; Notes: Refers to one who is morally or legally culpable.