וְאִם֩ רַ֨ע בְּֽעֵינֵיכֶ֜ם לַעֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה בַּחֲר֨וּ לָכֶ֣ם הַיֹּום֮ אֶת־מִ֣י תַעֲבֹדוּן֒ אִ֣ם אֶת־אֱלֹהִ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֣וּ אֲבֹותֵיכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָ֔ר וְאִם֙ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֖ם יֹשְׁבִ֣ים בְּאַרְצָ֑ם וְאָנֹכִ֣י וּבֵיתִ֔י נַעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ פ
But if it is evil in your eyes to serve YHWH, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve—whether the gods that your fathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Emori, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve YHWH.
Morphology
- וְאִם֩ (ve-im) – Root: אם (ʾim); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “But if”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- רַ֨ע (ra) – Root: רע (raʿ); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Describes an unfavorable judgment.
- בְּֽעֵינֵיכֶ֜ם (be-ʿeineikhem) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, dual construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: A Hebrew idiom for perception or judgment.
- לַעֲבֹ֣ד (laʿavod) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to serve”; Notes: Refers to worship.
- אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun with direct object marker; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The object of service.
- בַּחֲר֨וּ (baḥaru) – Root: בחר (baḥar); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “choose”; Notes: A command directed at the people.
- לָכֶ֣ם (lakhem) – Root: לכם (lakhem); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for yourselves”; Notes: Emphasizes personal decision.
- הַיֹּום֮ (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “today”; Notes: Indicates immediacy.
- אֶת־מִ֣י (et-mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun with direct object marker; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Question about allegiance.
- תַעֲבֹדוּן֒ (taʿavodun) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you will serve”; Notes: Future decision.
- אִ֣ם (im) – Root: אם (ʾim); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “whether”; Notes: Introduces alternatives.
- אֶת־אֱלֹהִ֞ים (et-elohim) – Root: אלה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the gods”; Notes: False deities.
- אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֣וּ (ʾasher-ʿavdu) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “that they served”; Notes: Past idolatry.
- אֲבֹותֵיכֶ֗ם (avotekhem) – Root: אב (av); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your fathers”; Notes: Refers to ancestors.
- אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָ֔ר (ʾasher be-ʿever ha-nahar) – Root: עבר (ʿavar), נהר (nahar); Form: Relative pronoun with locative phrase; Translation: “who were beyond the River”; Notes: Refers to Mesopotamia.
- וְאִם֙ (ve-im) – Root: אם (ʾim); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Another alternative.
- אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָאֱמֹרִ֔י (et-elohei ha-Emori) – Root: אלה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the gods of the Emori”; Notes: Refers to the Canaanite deities.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Connects the clause.
- אַתֶּ֖ם (atem) – Root: אתם (atem); Form: Independent pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Emphasizes the subject.
- יֹשְׁבִ֣ים (yoshvim) – Root: ישב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “dwelling”; Notes: Ongoing action.
- בְּאַרְצָ֑ם (be-artsam) – Root: ארץ (eretz); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in their land”; Notes: Refers to the land of the Emori.
- וְאָנֹכִ֣י (ve-anokhi) – Root: אנכי (ʾanokhi); Form: Independent pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “But as for me”; Notes: Contrast between the speaker and others.
- וּבֵיתִ֔י (u-veiti) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and my house”; Notes: Refers to the speaker’s household.
- נַעֲבֹ֖ד (naʿavod) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we will serve”; Notes: A declaration of loyalty.
- אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun with direct object marker; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The object of service.