כֹּ֣ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אֶל־דֶּ֤רֶךְ הַגֹּויִם֙ אַל־תִּלְמָ֔דוּ וּמֵאֹתֹ֥ות הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם אַל־תֵּחָ֑תּוּ כִּֽי־יֵחַ֥תּוּ הַגֹּויִ֖ם מֵהֵֽמָּה׃
Thus said YHWH: “To the way of the nations do not learn, and from the signs of the heavens do not be terrified, for the nations are terrified by them.
Morphology
- כֹּ֣ה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Used to introduce a prophetic declaration.
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Marks the beginning of divine speech.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- אֶל־דֶּ֤רֶךְ (ʾel-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine singular in construct; Translation: “to the way”; Notes: Refers to the manner or customs.
- הַגֹּויִם (ha-goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the nations”; Notes: Refers to non-Yisraʾelite peoples.
- אַל־תִּלְמָ֔דוּ (ʾal-tilmadhu) – Root: למד (lamad); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural, jussive; Translation: “do not learn”; Notes: Prohibition against adopting foreign customs.
- וּמֵאֹתֹ֥ות (u-meʾotot) – Root: אות (ʾot); Form: Conjunction ו + preposition מִן + noun feminine plural; Translation: “and from the signs”; Notes: Refers to omens or celestial phenomena.
- הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם (ha-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the heavens”; Notes: Refers to the sky or celestial realm.
- אַל־תֵּחָ֑תּוּ (ʾal-teḥatu) – Root: חתת (ḥatat); Form: Nifal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural, jussive; Translation: “do not be terrified”; Notes: Prohibition indicating internal fear or dismay.
- כִּֽי־יֵחַ֥תּוּ (ki-yeḥatu) – Root: חתת (ḥatat); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “for they are terrified”; Notes: Provides the reason for the prohibition.
- הַגֹּויִ֖ם (ha-goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the nations”; Notes: Repeats the reference to gentile peoples.
- מֵהֵֽמָּה (mehemmah) – Root: הֵם (hem); Form: Preposition מִן + third person masculine plural pronoun; Translation: “by them”; Notes: Refers to the signs previously mentioned.