כֹּה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ כָּל־בֶּן־נֵכָ֗ר עֶ֤רֶל לֵב֙ וְעֶ֣רֶל בָּשָׂ֔ר לֹ֥א יָבֹ֖וא אֶל־מִקְדָּשִׁ֑י לְכָל־בֶּן־נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֕ר בְּתֹ֖וךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Thus says the Lord YHWH: “Every foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall not come into My sanctuary—no foreigner who is among the sons of Yisraʾel.
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Common introductory formula in prophetic speech meaning “so” or “in this manner.”
- אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has said”; Notes: Introduces divine speech in the prophetic oracle formula.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun plural of majesty; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: When paired with YHWH, it emphasizes God’s sovereign authority.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- כָּל־בֶּן־נֵכָר (kol-ben-nekar) – Root: בן (ben) / נכר (nakar); Form: Noun masculine singular construct chain preceded by כָּל (“every”); Translation: “every foreigner”; Notes: Refers to non-Israelites alien to the covenant community.
- עֶרֶל לֵב (ʿerel-lev) – Root: ערל (ʿaral) / לב (lev); Form: Adjective masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “uncircumcised in heart”; Notes: Figurative description of spiritual hardness or moral insensitivity.
- וְעֶרֶל בָּשָׂר (ve-ʿerel-basar) – Root: ערל (ʿaral) / בשר (basar); Form: Conjunction וְ + adjective masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and uncircumcised in flesh”; Notes: Refers to literal physical uncircumcision, symbolizing covenantal separation.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Used here to forbid entry into the sanctuary.
- יָבֹא (yavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall come” or “shall enter”; Notes: Expresses prohibition — no uncircumcised foreigner is to enter.
- אֶל־מִקְדָּשִׁי (el-miqdashi) – Root: קדשׁ (qadash); Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine singular + 1st person common singular suffix; Translation: “into My sanctuary”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s holy dwelling, emphasizing its sanctity and restricted access.
- לְכָל־בֶּן־נֵכָר (le-khol-ben-nekar) – Root: נכר (nakar); Form: Preposition לְ + construct phrase “every son of a foreigner”; Translation: “for every foreigner”; Notes: Repetition strengthens the universality of the restriction.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who” or “that”; Notes: Introduces a subordinate clause describing the foreigners being referenced.
- בְּתֹוךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך (tokh); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “among” or “in the midst of”; Notes: Denotes inclusion or presence within the people of Yisraʾel.
- בְּנֵי (benei) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the sons of”; Notes: Indicates descent or membership — “children” or “people of.”
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: שרי (sarah) + אל (ʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: The covenant nation, distinguished from the foreigners barred from entering the holy sanctuary.