וְעַתָּ֞ה יְר֧אוּ אֶת־יְהוָ֛ה וְעִבְד֥וּ אֹתֹ֖ו בְּתָמִ֣ים וּבֶֽאֱמֶ֑ת וְהָסִ֣ירוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר֩ עָבְד֨וּ אֲבֹותֵיכֶ֜ם בְּעֵ֤בֶר הַנָּהָר֙ וּבְמִצְרַ֔יִם וְעִבְד֖וּ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
And now, fear YHWH and serve Him in integrity and in truth, and remove the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Mitsrayim, and serve YHWH.
Morphology
- וְעַתָּ֞ה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿattah); Form: Adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces a call to action.
- יְר֧אוּ (yirʾu) – Root: ירא (yareʾ); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “fear”; Notes: Command directed at the people.
- אֶת־יְהוָ֛ה (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun with direct object marker; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The object of reverence.
- וְעִבְד֥וּ (ve-ʿivdu) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and serve”; Notes: Another command.
- אֹתֹ֖ו (oto) – Root: את (et); Form: Direct object pronoun, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Him”; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
- בְּתָמִ֣ים (be-tamim) – Root: תם (tam); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “in integrity”; Notes: Refers to wholehearted devotion.
- וּבֶֽאֱמֶ֑ת (u-veʾemet) – Root: אמת (ʾemet); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “and in truth”; Notes: Denotes sincerity.
- וְהָסִ֣ירוּ (ve-hasiru) – Root: סור (sur); Form: Hifil imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and remove”; Notes: A command to abandon foreign gods.
- אֶת־אֱלֹהִ֗ים (et-elohim) – Root: אלה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the gods”; Notes: Idols served by their ancestors.
- אֲשֶׁר֩ (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause.
- עָבְד֨וּ (ʿavdu) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they served”; Notes: Describes past idolatry.
- אֲבֹותֵיכֶ֜ם (avotekhem) – Root: אב (av); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your fathers”; Notes: Refers to their ancestors.
- בְּעֵ֤בֶר הַנָּהָר֙ (be-ʿever ha-nahar) – Root: עבר (ʿavar), נהר (nahar); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “beyond the River”; Notes: Refers to the Euphrates.
- וּבְמִצְרַ֔יִם (u-ve-Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Proper noun, locative; Translation: “and in Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt.
- וְעִבְד֖וּ (ve-ʿivdu) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and serve”; Notes: Final command emphasizing exclusive worship of YHWH.
- אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun with direct object marker; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The true object of worship.