וְשֶׂ֣רֶט לָנֶ֗פֶשׁ לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֔ם וּכְתֹ֣בֶת קַֽעֲקַ֔ע לֹ֥א תִתְּנ֖וּ בָּכֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
And you shall not make a cutting for the soul in your flesh, nor shall you place tattoo markings upon yourselves. I am YHWH.
Morphology
- וְשֶׂ֣רֶט (ve-seret) – Root: שרט (sh-r-t); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “And a cutting”; Notes: Refers to an incision or slash, often made as a mourning ritual.
- לָנֶ֗פֶשׁ (la-nefesh) – Root: נפש (n-p-sh); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “For the soul”; Notes: Refers to the act being associated with mourning or honor for the deceased.
- לֹ֤א (lo) – Root: לא (l-ʾ); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- תִתְּנוּ֙ (titnu) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “You shall place”; Notes: Refers to the act of making or inscribing.
- בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֔ם (bi-besarchem) – Root: בשר (b-s-r); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “In your flesh”; Notes: Indicates the physical location of the act.
- וּכְתֹ֣בֶת (u-ktovet) – Root: כתב (k-t-v); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “And a tattoo”; Notes: Refers to a permanent marking or inscription.
- קַֽעֲקַ֔ע (qaʿaqaʿ) – Root: קעע (q-ʿ-ʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Marking”; Notes: Describes an engraving or etched design.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא (l-ʾ); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- תִתְּנ֖וּ (titnu) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “You shall place”; Notes: Refers to the prohibition against applying these markings.
- בָּכֶ֑ם (bachem) – Root: ב (b); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Upon yourselves”; Notes: Indicates the target of the prohibition.
- אֲנִ֖י (ani) – Root: אנ (ʾ-n); Form: Pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, the speaker.
- יְהוָֽה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, the divine name of God.