מִקֵּ֣ץ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֡ים תְּֽשַׁלְּח֡וּ אִישׁ֩ אֶת־אָחִ֨יו הָעִבְרִ֜י אֲשֶֽׁר־יִמָּכֵ֣ר לְךָ֗ וַעֲבָֽדְךָ֙ שֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וְשִׁלַּחְתֹּ֥ו חָפְשִׁ֖י מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־שָׁמְע֤וּ אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶם֙ אֵלַ֔י וְלֹ֥א הִטּ֖וּ אֶת־אָזְנָֽם׃
At the end of seven years you shall release each man his ʿIvri brother who has been sold to you, and he shall serve you six years, and you shall release him free from you. But your fathers did not listen to Me, and did not incline their ear.
Morphology
- מִקֵּ֣ץ (miqqēts) – Root: קץ; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “at the end of”; Notes: Temporal phrase marking the endpoint of a time period.
- שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֡ים (shevaʿ shānīm) – Root: שבע / שנה; Form: Cardinal number + plural noun feminine; Translation: “seven years”; Notes: Duration of servitude before release.
- תְּֽשַׁלְּח֡וּ (təshalleḥū) – Root: שלח; Form: Piel imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you shall release”; Notes: Command directed to the people; intensive form indicates formal act of manumission.
- אִישׁ֩ (ʾīsh) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Subject of the command—each individual.
- אֶת־אָחִ֨יו (et-ʾāḥīv) – Root: אח; Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular with 3ms suffix; Translation: “his brother”; Notes: Emphasizes kinship among Yisraʾelites.
- הָעִבְרִ֜י (ha-ʿivrī) – Root: עבר; Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the Hebrew”; Notes: Ethnic or covenantal identity; highlights social obligation.
- אֲשֶֽׁר־יִמָּכֵ֣ר (ʾasher-yimmākhēr) – Root: מכר; Form: Relative pronoun + Nifal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “who has been sold”; Notes: Passive construction indicating involuntary servitude.
- לְךָ֗ (lekhā) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 2ms suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Indicates ownership or possession.
- וַעֲבָֽדְךָ֙ (va-ʿăvādəkhā) – Root: עבד; Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 3ms + 2ms suffix; Translation: “and he shall serve you”; Notes: Simple past or habitual action.
- שֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים (shēsh shānīm) – Root: ששׁ / שנה; Form: Cardinal number + plural noun feminine; Translation: “six years”; Notes: Prescribed duration of servitude before mandatory release.
- וְשִׁלַּחְתֹּ֥ו (ve-shillaḥtō) – Root: שלח; Form: Conjunction + Piel perfect 2ms + 3ms suffix; Translation: “and you shall release him”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis; Piel form denotes formal action.
- חָפְשִׁ֖י (ḥofshī) – Root: חפשׁ; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “free”; Notes: Legal and social status of liberty.
- מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ (me-ʿimmākh) – Root: עם; Form: Preposition + 2ms suffix; Translation: “from you”; Notes: Marks departure from the master’s service.
- וְלֹֽא־שָׁמְע֤וּ (ve-lōʾ-shāməʿū) – Root: שמע; Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal perfect 3mp; Translation: “but they did not listen”; Notes: Describes past disobedience.
- אֲבֹֽותֵיכֶם֙ (ʾavōteykhem) – Root: אב; Form: Noun masculine plural + 2mp suffix; Translation: “your fathers”; Notes: Refers to previous generations.
- אֵלַ֔י (ʾēlay) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 1cs suffix; Translation: “to Me”; Notes: Directs the disobedience toward YHWH Himself.
- וְלֹ֥א הִטּ֖וּ (ve-lōʾ hittū) – Root: נטה; Form: Conjunction + negative + Hiphil perfect 3mp; Translation: “and they did not incline”; Notes: Causative form indicating intentional resistance or refusal.
- אֶת־אָזְנָֽם (et-ʾoznām) – Root: אזן; Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular with 3mp suffix; Translation: “their ear”; Notes: Idiom meaning they refused to heed or pay attention.