אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּ֣יתִי אֶת־אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶ֡ם בְּיֹ֣ום הֹוצִיאִֽי־אֹותָ֣ם מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם֩ מִכּ֨וּר הַבַּרְזֶ֜ל לֵאמֹ֗ר שִׁמְע֤וּ בְקֹולִי֙ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם אֹותָ֔ם כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־אֲצַוֶּ֖ה אֶתְכֶ֑ם וִהְיִ֤יתֶם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
which I commanded your fathers on the day I brought them out from the land of Mitsrayim, from the iron furnace, saying: ‘Hear My voice and do them, according to all that I command you; and you shall be to Me for a people, and I will be to you for a God.’
Morphology
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause referring back to the covenant or command.
- צִוִּיתִי (tsivviti) – Root: צוה; Form: Piel perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I commanded”; Notes: Emphasizes authoritative instruction from YHWH.
- אֶת־אֲבֹותֵיכֶם (ʾet-avotekhem) – Root: אב; Form: Direct object marker + masculine plural noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your fathers”; Notes: Refers to the ancestors of Yisraʾel at the time of the Exodus.
- בְּיֹום (be-yom) – Root: יום; Form: Preposition + masculine singular noun; Translation: “on the day”; Notes: Introduces a temporal clause marking the time of the command.
- הֹוצִיאִי־אֹותָם (hotziʾi-ʾotam) – Root: יצא; Form: Hifil infinitive construct + 1st person singular suffix + direct object pronoun 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “I brought them out”; Notes: Describes the redemptive act of YHWH in the Exodus.
- מֵאֶרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם (meʾerets-Mitsrayim) – Root: ארץ, מצרים; Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “from the land of Mitsrayim”; Notes: Mitsrayim refers to Egypt; construct chain indicates location.
- מִכּוּר הַבַּרְזֶל (mi-kur ha-barzel) – Root: כור, ברזל; Form: Preposition + construct noun + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the iron furnace”; Notes: Metaphor for affliction and bondage in Mitsrayim.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾmor) – Root: אמר; Form: Infinitive construct with לְ; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- שִׁמְעוּ (shimʿu) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Hear”; Notes: Command to listen obediently.
- בְקֹולִי (be-qoli) – Root: קול; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to My voice”; Notes: Refers to divine instruction or command.
- וַעֲשִׂיתֶם (vaʿasitem) – Root: עשׂה; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and you shall do”; Notes: Call for obedient action following hearing.
- אֹותָם (ʾotam) – Root: –; Form: Direct object pronoun 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers back to the commandments or covenantal terms.
- כְּכֹל (ke-khol) – Root: כל; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “according to all”; Notes: Introduces extent or standard of obedience.
- אֲשֶׁר־אֲצַוֶּה (ʾasher-ʾatzaveh) – Root: צוה; Form: Relative pronoun + Piel imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “which I command”; Notes: Refers to present or ongoing instruction.
- אֶתְכֶם (ʾetkhem) – Root: –; Form: Direct object marker + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Object of the verb “I command.”
- וִהְיִיתֶם (vihyitem) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and you shall be”; Notes: Expresses resulting covenant relationship.
- לִי (li) – Root: –; Form: Preposition לְ + first person singular suffix; Translation: “to Me”; Notes: Indicates possession or belonging.
- לְעָם (leʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a people”; Notes: Expresses covenant identity of Yisraʾel as YHWH’s people.
- וְאָנֹכִי (veʾanokhi) – Root: –; Form: Conjunction + independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Emphatic form of “I,” often used in divine declarations.
- אֶהְיֶה (ʾehyeh) – Root: היה; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will be”; Notes: Expresses future covenantal role of YHWH.
- לָכֶם (lakhem) – Root: –; Form: Preposition לְ + second person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Expresses mutual relationship and benefit.
- לֵאלֹהִים (leʾelohim) – Root: אלה; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural; Translation: “for a God”; Notes: YHWH takes the role of divine protector and ruler.