וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת כִּ֛י קֹ֥דֶשׁ הִ֖וא לָכֶ֑ם מְחַֽלְלֶ֨יהָ֙ מֹ֣ות יוּמָ֔ת כִּ֗י כָּל־הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה בָהּ֙ מְלָאכָ֔ה וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמֶּֽיהָ׃
You shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it shall surely be put to death, for whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among its people.
Morphology
- וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ (ushmartem) – Root: שמר (sh-m-r); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 2mp; Translation: “And you shall keep”; Notes: Refers to the command to observe the Sabbath.
- אֶת־ (et) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: “—”; Notes: Marks the direct object of the verb.
- הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת (hashabbat) – Root: שבת (sh-b-t); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “The Sabbath”; Notes: Refers to the day of rest commanded by YHWH.
- כִּ֛י (ki) – Root: כי (k-y); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the reason for observing the Sabbath.
- קֹ֥דֶשׁ (kodesh) – Root: קדש (q-d-sh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Holy”; Notes: Refers to the sacred nature of the Sabbath.
- הִ֖וא (hi) – Root: הוא (h-w-ʾ); Form: Pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “It is”; Notes: Refers to the Sabbath.
- לָכֶ֑ם (lakhem) – Root: ל (l) + כֶם (k-m); Form: Preposition + Pronoun, 2mp; Translation: “To you”; Notes: Indicates the Sabbath’s sanctity as a gift to Israel.
- מְחַֽלְלֶ֨יהָ֙ (meḥallehah) – Root: חלל (ḥ-l-l); Form: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural construct + 3fs suffix; Translation: “Whoever profanes it”; Notes: Refers to those who violate the sanctity of the Sabbath.
- מֹ֣ות יוּמָ֔ת (mot yumat) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Noun, infinitive absolute + Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Shall surely be put to death”; Notes: Expresses the certainty of the penalty for profaning the Sabbath.
- כִּ֗י (ki) – Root: כי (k-y); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the explanation for the punishment.
- כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “Whoever”; Notes: Refers to anyone who commits the prohibited action.
- הָעֹשֶׂ֥ה (haʿoseh) – Root: עשׂה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “Does”; Notes: Refers to performing work.
- בָהּ֙ (vah) – Root: ב (b) + ה (h); Form: Preposition + Pronoun, 3fs; Translation: “On it”; Notes: Refers to the Sabbath day.
- מְלָאכָ֔ה (melakhah) – Root: מלאך (m-l-ʾ-k); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Work”; Notes: Refers to labor prohibited on the Sabbath.
- וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה (venikhretah) – Root: כרת (k-r-t); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Niphal, Perfect, 3fs; Translation: “Shall be cut off”; Notes: Refers to divine punishment, often exclusion from the community.
- הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ (hanefesh) – Root: נפש (n-p-sh); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “The soul”; Notes: Refers to the person who violates the command.
- הַהִ֖וא (hahivah) – Root: הוא (h-w-ʾ); Form: Pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “That”; Notes: Refers back to the violator.
- מִקֶּ֥רֶב (miqqerev) – Root: קרב (q-r-v); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “From among”; Notes: Indicates exclusion from the community.
- עַמֶּֽיהָ׃ (ammeha) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + 3fs suffix; Translation: “Its people”; Notes: Refers to the community of Israel.