1
ἐὰν δὲ εὑρεθῇ τραυματίας ἐν τῇ γῇ ᾗ κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι κληρονομῆσαι πεπτωκὼς ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ οὐκ οἴδασιν τὸν πατάξαντα
Now if a slain man be found in the land which the LORD your God gives you to inherit, fallen in the field, and they do not know the one who struck him,
The chapter opens with the standard casuistic protasis ἐὰν δέ + aorist subjunctive (εὑρεθῇ), the formula introducing a fresh legal case after chapter 20's war-laws; δέ marks the transition to a new subject. The whole of vv. 1–2 is protasis; the apodosis (the rite of expiation) unfolds in vv. 3–9. The unsolved murder — a corpse in the open field with no known killer — raises the problem of unatoned blood-guilt resting on the land.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (introducing protasis + subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; introduces a future-more-vivid / casuistic condition taking the subjunctive (εὑρεθῇ); the standard LXX rendering of Hebrew כִּי / אִם at the head of a legal case; ἐὰν δέ marks the opening of a new statute.
δὲnownarrative continuative (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: post-positive particle marking the transition to a new legal topic after the war-regulations of ch. 20.
εὑρεθῇbe foundAor Pass Subj 3 Sg · εὑρίσκωverb of protasis (subjunctive with ἐάν)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (the case of a discovered corpse)εὑρίσκω (aor. pass.): 'be found / be discovered'; renders יִמָּצֵא (Niphal of מצא); the passive presents the corpse as discovered by chance, with no witness to the killing — the legal premise of the whole ordinance.
τραυματίαςa slain manNominativesubject of εὑρεθῇ→ participant prominenceτραυματίας: 'one wounded to death / a slain man'; renders חָלָל ('pierced, slain'); in the LXX τραυματίας regularly denotes the violently killed (cf. Num 19:18; Ezek 9:7); the term governs the whole pericope, recurring at vv. 2, 3, 6.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative).
τῇtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῇlandDativedative of place (locative: 'in the land')→ sphere or referenceγῆ: 'land / earth / ground'; renders אֲדָמָה / אֶרֶץ; here the covenant land given as inheritance, which can be polluted by unatoned blood (cf. Num 35:33–34); the land's purity is the theological stake of the ordinance.
ᾗwhichDativerelative pronoun (dative, antecedent γῇ)→ participant reference or interestὅς, ἥ, ὅ: relative pronoun; the dative ᾗ is attracted to the case of its antecedent γῇ (an instance of relative attraction common in the LXX), although the relative functions as object of δίδωσιν.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of δίδωσιν→ participant prominenceκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; here the giver of the land, whose gift establishes both Israel's tenure and Israel's responsibility to keep the land undefiled.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativeapposition to κύριος→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; the phrase κύριος ὁ θεός σου ('the LORD your God') is the characteristic Deuteronomic covenant designation, binding the gift of the land to the personal relationship between YHWH and the addressee.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): the singular 'your' addresses Israel corporately as a single covenant partner, the typical Deuteronomic 'thou.'
δίδωσίνgivesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιverb of relative clause (the LORD's gift of the land)→ futuristic / customary present (the standing gift of the land)δίδωμι: 'give'; renders נֹתֵן (participle of נתן); the present tense presents the land-gift as YHWH's continuing, characteristic act; the formula κύριος … δίδωσίν σοι (κληρονομῆσαι) recurs throughout Deuteronomy as the ground of every land-law.
σοιto youDativedative indirect object (recipient of the gift)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): the recipient of the land; the singular continues the corporate address.
κληρονομῆσαιto inheritAor Act Infin · κληρονομέωinfinitive of purpose / result (with δίδωσιν)→ telic aorist infinitive (purpose of the gift: to possess as inheritance)κληρονομέω: 'inherit / take possession of'; renders יָרַשׁ; the epexegetic infinitive expresses the purpose of the gift — the land is given 'to inherit / possess'; the inheritance language (κληρονομία) is foundational to Deuteronomy's land-theology and reappears at v. 23 (ἐν κλήρῳ).
πεπτωκὼςfallenPerf Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · πίπτωpredicate participle (modifying τραυματίας: 'fallen in the field')→ resultative perfect participle (the slain man lying dead)πίπτω (perf. ptcp.): 'fall'; the perfect πεπτωκώς denotes the settled state of one fallen and lying dead; renders נֹפֵל; the participle pictures the corpse lying exposed in the open country where no witness saw the deed.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative).
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πεδίῳfield / plainDativedative of place (locative: 'in the plain')→ sphere or referenceπεδίον: 'open field / plain'; renders שָׂדֶה ('field'); the open country signals the absence of witnesses — the killing took place away from the city, so that responsibility cannot be fixed on any individual, only on the community.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegative particle (negating οἴδασιν)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ (οὐκ before vowel): objective negation; the ignorance of the killer's identity is the precise condition that triggers the communal rite.
οἴδασινthey knowPerf Act Indic 3 Pl · οἶδαverb of second protasis-clause (ignorance of the killer)→ stative perfect with present sense (the community does not know)οἶδα: 'know'; the perfect οἴδασιν has present meaning ('they know'); renders יִוָּדַע / לֹא נוֹדַע; the unknown identity of the killer is the legal crux — no human court can assign guilt, so the land's blood-pollution must be removed by ritual.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with πατάξαντα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατάξανταthe one who struckAor Act Ptcp Acc Sg Masc · πατάσσωsubstantival participle (object of οἴδασιν: 'the striker')→ constative aorist participle (the one who did the killing-blow)πατάσσω (aor. ptcp.): 'strike / smite (fatally)'; renders הִכָּה (Hiphil of נכה); the substantival participle τὸν πατάξαντα ('the one who struck him') denotes the unknown murderer; the same verb is the standard LXX term for a death-dealing blow (cf. Exod 2:12; 21:12).
2
ἐξελεύσεται ἡ γερουσία σου καὶ οἱ κριταί σου καὶ ἐκμετρήσουσιν ἐπὶ τὰς πόλεις τὰς κύκλῳ τοῦ τραυματίου
your council of elders and your judges shall go out and measure to the cities round about the slain man,
The apodosis of the law opens: the communal authorities (ἡ γερουσία, οἱ κριταί) go out and measure the distance to the surrounding cities to determine which is nearest. The future indicatives (ἐξελεύσεται, ἐκμετρήσουσιν) carry legal-prescriptive force ('they shall'), the standard LXX rendering of the Hebrew imperfect of legislation.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
ἐξελεύσεταιshall go outFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (prescriptive future; singular with compound subject)→ prescriptive future (legal 'shall')ἐξέρχομαι: 'go out / come forth'; renders יָצְאוּ (from יצא); the singular verb agrees with the nearer subject ἡ γερουσία though the compound subject includes οἱ κριταί — a common Greek (and Hebrew) concord with the first member; the prescriptive future has the force of command.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with γερουσία)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γερουσίαcouncil of eldersNominativesubject of ἐξελεύσεται→ participant prominenceγερουσία: 'council of elders / senate'; renders זְקֵנִים ('elders'); the LXX uses the collective abstract γερουσία (lit. 'body of old men') for the assembled elders; it is the leading actor of the whole expiation rite (vv. 2, 3, 4, 6) and the bearer of communal responsibility for the land.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying γερουσία)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): the singular 'your' keeps Israel addressed as one covenant body whose elders act on its behalf.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining second subject)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with κριταί)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κριταίjudgesNominativesecond subject of ἐξελεύσεται (with γερουσία)→ participant prominenceκριτής (pl. κριταί): 'judge'; renders שֹׁפְטִים; the judges join the elders, pairing judicial and elder authority; the same pairing of elders and judges governs Deuteronomy's local jurisprudence (cf. Deut 16:18; 19:12).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying κριταί)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying κριταί).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκμετρήσουσινshall measure outFut Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐκμετρέωmain verb (prescriptive future, plural with compound subject)→ prescriptive future (legal 'shall')ἐκμετρέω: 'measure out / measure off'; renders מָדְדוּ (from מדד); the compound ἐκ- intensifies ('measure out fully'); the elders physically measure the distance from the corpse to each surrounding city to establish which bears ritual responsibility; the plural verb now agrees with the full compound subject.
ἐπὶto / towardpreposition + accusative (direction of measuring)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: here 'to / as far as'; the measuring extends toward each of the surrounding cities.
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with πόλεις)→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλειςcitiesAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the cities measured to)→ object specificationπόλις (pl. πόλεις): 'city'; renders עָרִים; the surrounding cities are the candidate-communities, one of which — the nearest — will bear the responsibility for the expiation.
τὰςthe (ones)Accusativearticle (substantizing the adverbial phrase κύκλῳ τοῦ τραυματίου)→ noun-phrase markingὁ, ἡ, τό: the article τὰς converts the following adverbial phrase 'round about the slain man' into an attributive modifier of πόλεις ('the cities that are round about').
κύκλῳround aboutadverb (with τοῦ τραυματίου: 'around the slain man')→ clausal contributionκύκλῳ: 'round about / in a circle'; an adverbial dative used as an indeclinable adverb / improper preposition with the genitive; renders סְבִיבֹת ('surrounding'); it marks the cities encircling the place where the body lies.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with τραυματίου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τραυματίουslain manGenitivegenitive with κύκλῳ (the center of the encircling cities)→ relational specificationτραυματίας (gen. τραυματίου): 'slain man'; the corpse is the geographical reference-point from which all distances are measured; its recurrence keeps the unatoned death at the center of the legal scene.
3
καὶ ἔσται ἡ πόλις ἡ ἐγγίζουσα τῷ τραυματίᾳ καὶ λήμψεται ἡ γερουσία τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης δάμαλιν ἐκ βοῶν ἥτις οὐκ εἴργασται καὶ ἥτις οὐχ εἵλκυσεν ζυγόν
and it shall be that the city nearest to the slain man — the council of elders of that city shall take a heifer from the herd which has not been worked and which has not drawn a yoke,
καὶ ἔσται (a Hebraism rendering וְהָיָה) introduces the consequence: the city found nearest must take an unworked heifer. The two relative clauses (ἥτις οὐκ εἴργασται … ἥτις οὐχ εἵλκυσεν ζυγόν) specify a heifer never put to ordinary labor — set apart, like the corpse, from the cycle of human use; the requirement parallels the unblemished, never-yoked red heifer of Num 19.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔσταιit shall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (Hebraizing 'and it shall be' formula)→ prescriptive future (legal apodosis-marker)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; καὶ ἔσται renders the Hebrew apodosis-marker וְהָיָה ('and it shall come to pass'); it introduces the legal consequence and is left grammatically loose, resumed by the action of λήμψεται.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with πόλις)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλιςcityNominativenominative (hanging / casus pendens: 'the nearest city')→ participant prominenceπόλις: 'city'; ἡ πόλις ἡ ἐγγίζουσα stands as a casus pendens (the nearest city), resumed logically by ἡ γερουσία τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης ('the elders of that city'); this anacoluthon reflects the underlying Hebrew syntax.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with the participle ἐγγίζουσα)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐγγίζουσαdrawing near / nearestPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Fem · ἐγγίζωattributive participle (modifying πόλις: 'the nearest city')→ customary present participle (the city standing nearest)ἐγγίζω (pres. ptcp.): 'draw near / be near'; renders הַקְּרֹבָה ('the nearest'); the attributive participle identifies the city closest to the corpse as the one on which the ritual responsibility falls — proximity, not proven guilt, determines liability.
τῷtheDativearticle (with τραυματίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τραυματίᾳslain manDativedative complement of ἐγγίζουσα (the city near to the slain man)→ sphere or referenceτραυματίας (dat. τραυματίᾳ): the verb ἐγγίζω takes the dative of the thing approached; the city is 'near to the slain man' — the corpse remains the fixed point determining responsibility.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (resuming the apodosis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
λήμψεταιshall takeFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'shall take')λαμβάνω (fut. mid. λήμψεται): 'take / receive'; renders וְלָקְחוּ (from לקח); the elders 'shall take' the heifer; the middle-deponent future is the standard LXX form; the action initiates the central ritual of the pericope.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with γερουσία)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γερουσίαcouncil of eldersNominativesubject of λήμψεται→ participant prominenceγερουσία: 'council of elders'; the elders of the nearest city now act as the responsible agents of expiation, taking the heifer on the community's behalf.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive of relationship (the elders of the city)→ relational specificationπόλις (gen. πόλεως): the genitive specifies that these are the elders belonging to the implicated nearest city.
ἐκείνηςthatGenitivedemonstrative adjective (modifying πόλεως)→ relational specificationἐκεῖνος: 'that'; the demonstrative ἐκείνης ('that city') points back to ἡ πόλις ἡ ἐγγίζουσα — the specific nearest city just identified.
δάμαλινheiferAccusativedirect object of λήμψεται→ object specificationδάμαλις: 'heifer / young cow'; renders עֶגְלָה ('heifer'); the heifer is the sacrificial-substitute animal whose death stands in for the unpunished killer; cf. the never-yoked παράλληλος requirement of the red heifer (Num 19:2), marking it as set apart from common use.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source / partitive)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (source / partitive).
βοῶνthe herd / oxenGenitivepartitive genitive (with ἐκ: 'from the cattle')→ relational specificationβοῦς (gen. pl. βοῶν): 'ox / head of cattle'; renders בָּקָר ('herd / cattle'); the heifer is taken 'from the herd' — domestic livestock — but specifically one not yet drawn into the labor of the herd.
ἥτιςwhichNominativerelative pronoun (indefinite, subject of εἴργασται)→ participant referenceὅστις, ἥτις, ὅ τι: indefinite-qualitative relative 'which (is of such a kind that)'; ἥτις characterizes the heifer by quality — one belonging to the class of never-worked animals; the qualitative relative is appropriate to a legal specification.
οὐκnotnegative particle (negating εἴργασται)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἴργασταιhas been workedPerf Mid/Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐργάζομαιverb of relative clause (the heifer's condition)→ resultative perfect (settled state: never put to work)ἐργάζομαι (perf.): 'work / labor / be worked'; renders עֻבַּד (Pual of עבד); the perfect denotes an abiding condition — the heifer has never been put to agricultural labor; this purity from common use qualifies it for the sacral rite.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second relative clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἥτιςwhichNominativerelative pronoun (subject of εἵλκυσεν)→ participant referenceὅστις: the second qualitative relative restates the specification negatively from another angle — never having borne a yoke.
οὐχnotnegative particle (negating εἵλκυσεν; aspirated before rough breathing)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐχ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἵλκυσενhas drawnAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἕλκωverb of second relative clause (the heifer never bore a yoke)→ constative aorist (summary: it never drew a yoke)ἕλκω (aor. εἵλκυσεν): 'draw / drag / pull'; renders מָשְׁכָה ('drawn'); the heifer 'has not drawn a yoke' — i.e., has never plowed or hauled; the double specification (unworked, unyoked) underscores that the substitute animal is wholly outside the economy of human use, fit to bear away the land's blood-guilt.
ζυγόνyokeAccusativedirect object of εἵλκυσεν→ object specificationζυγός / ζυγόν: 'yoke'; renders עֹל; the yoke symbolizes domestication and labor; a heifer that has never drawn the yoke is virgin to toil, the fitting victim for an extraordinary rite of de-pollution.
4
καὶ καταβιβάσουσιν ἡ γερουσία τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης τὴν δάμαλιν εἰς φάραγγα τραχεῖαν ἥτις οὐκ εἴργασται οὐδὲ σπείρεται καὶ νευροκοπήσουσιν τὴν δάμαλιν ἐν τῇ φάραγγι
and the council of elders of that city shall bring the heifer down into a rough ravine which is not worked nor sown, and they shall break the heifer's neck in the ravine.
The ritual reaches its central act: the heifer is led down into an untilled, unsown wadi (φάραγγα τραχεῖαν) — a place itself outside human cultivation, matching the never-worked heifer — and there its neck is broken (νευροκοπήσουσιν). The killing is non-sacrificial (no altar, no blood manipulation in the ordinary sense): the rough, unsown ground receives the blood so that no cultivated land is polluted.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
καταβιβάσουσινshall bring downFut Act Indic 3 Pl · καταβιβάζωmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'shall bring down')καταβιβάζω: 'bring / lead down'; renders וְהוֹרִדוּ (Hiphil of ירד); the causative compound κατα- ('down') matches the topography — the heifer is led down into the ravine; the verb governs the descent of the animal to the place of its death.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with γερουσία)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γερουσίαcouncil of eldersNominativesubject of καταβιβάσουσιν (singular subject, plural verb by sense)→ participant prominenceγερουσία: the collective elders again act as one body; the plural verb καταβιβάσουσιν treats the collective noun as a plurality of persons (constructio ad sensum).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive of relationship (elders of the city)→ relational specificationπόλεως: meaning 'city'; it serves as genitive of relationship (elders of the city).
ἐκείνηςthatGenitivedemonstrative adjective (modifying πόλεως)→ relational specificationἐκεῖνος: 'that'; continues to point to the nearest implicated city.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with δάμαλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δάμαλινheiferAccusativedirect object of καταβιβάσουσιν→ object specificationδάμαλις: the heifer (now with the article, the same heifer taken in v. 3) is led down to its death.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction / destination)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction / destination).
φάραγγαravine / wadiAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (the destination)→ object specificationφάραγξ (acc. φάραγγα): 'ravine / gully / wadi'; renders נַחַל ('wadi, torrent-valley'); a rugged, untilled watercourse — the fitting place for a rite of removal, far from cultivated and inhabited ground; the wadi's flowing water (when present) and uncultivated soil keep the blood off productive land.
τραχεῖανroughAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying φάραγγα)→ object specificationτραχύς, -εῖα, -ύ: 'rough / rugged'; renders אֵיתָן ('ever-flowing / hard, enduring') — the LXX understood the Hebrew as a 'rough / rugged' valley; the roughness marks it as untouched by the plow, intensifying the theme of a place set apart from human cultivation.
ἥτιςwhichNominativerelative pronoun (subject of εἴργασται / σπείρεται)→ participant referenceὅστις: the qualitative relative again specifies by class — a ravine of the never-worked, never-sown kind; the parallel to the heifer's own description (ἥτις οὐκ εἴργασται, v. 3) binds animal and place together as both withdrawn from common use.
οὐκnotnegative particle (negating εἴργασται)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἴργασταιhas been workedPerf Mid/Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐργάζομαιverb of relative clause (the ravine's condition)→ resultative perfect (settled state: never tilled)ἐργάζομαι (perf.): 'work / cultivate'; renders יֵעָבֵד; the perfect marks the ravine as land that has never been tilled — agriculturally untouched, like the never-worked heifer of v. 3.
οὐδὲnornegative coordinating conjunction (joining σπείρεται)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐδέ: 'and not / nor'; links the two negations — neither worked nor sown — completing the description of wholly uncultivated ground.
σπείρεταιis sownPres Pass Indic 3 Sg · σπείρωverb of relative clause (the ravine is not sown)→ customary / gnomic present (it is never sown)σπείρω (pres. pass.): 'sow / be sown'; renders יִזָּרֵעַ (Niphal of זרע); the present passive gives the standing fact — this ground is never sown; the shift from perfect (εἴργασται) to present (σπείρεται) varies the aspect while keeping the same point: the place lies permanently outside cultivation.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
νευροκοπήσουσινshall break the neck / hamstringFut Act Indic 3 Pl · νευροκοπέωmain verb (the central ritual act)→ prescriptive future (legal 'shall break the neck')νευροκοπέω: lit. 'cut the sinew / hamstring'; here renders עָרַף ('break the neck' of the heifer); the LXX's νευροκοπέω (sever the neck-tendon) is its standard rendering of the breaking of the heifer's neck — a violent, non-altar killing that lets the blood out onto the untilled wadi-ground; the verb (and the rite) recurs only here in the Pentateuch's expiation-law.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with δάμαλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δάμαλινheiferAccusativedirect object of νευροκοπήσουσιν→ object specificationδάμαλις: the heifer's neck is broken — the animal dies in place of the unknown murderer, its death standing as the community's disavowal of the blood.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative).
τῇtheDativearticle (with φάραγγι)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φάραγγιravineDativedative of place (locative: 'in the ravine')→ sphere or referenceφάραγξ (dat. φάραγγι): the wadi (now articular, the same valley) is the precise locus of the killing; the uncultivated ground absorbs the blood and removes it from any land of human use or habitation.
5
καὶ προσελεύσονται οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ Λευῖται ὅτι αὐτοὺς ἐπέλεξεν κύριος ὁ θεός σου παρεστηκέναι αὐτῷ καὶ εὐλογεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν ἔσται πᾶσα ἀντιλογία καὶ πᾶσα ἁφή
And the priests, the Levites, shall come near — for the LORD your God chose them to stand by him and to bless in his name, and by their mouth shall every dispute and every assault be settled —
The Levitical priests are brought into the ceremony as the authorized arbiters; the ὅτι-clause grounds their presence in their election to attend YHWH (παρεστηκέναι αὐτῷ) and to bless in his name. The closing clause — by their mouth every dispute (ἀντιλογία) and every assault/plague (ἁφή) is decided — gives priestly judgment the final word in cases of bloodshed and bodily affliction (cf. Deut 17:8–9; Lev 13–14 for ἁφή of leprosy).
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσελεύσονταιshall come nearFut Mid Indic 3 Pl · προσέρχομαιmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'shall draw near')προσέρχομαι: 'come / draw near'; renders וְנִגְּשׁוּ (from נגשׁ); the cultic 'drawing near' of the priests; the verb has liturgical overtones — the priests approach to lend the rite priestly authority and to pronounce the judgment that follows.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἱερεῖς)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερεῖςpriestsNominativesubject of προσελεύσονται→ participant prominenceἱερεύς (pl. ἱερεῖς): 'priest'; renders כֹּהֲנִים; the phrase οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ Λευῖται ('the priests, the Levites') is the characteristic Deuteronomic designation of the priesthood (cf. Deut 17:9; 18:1), identifying the priests as drawn from the tribe of Levi.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with Λευῖται, in apposition)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΛευῖταιLevitesNominativenominative in apposition to ἱερεῖς→ participant prominenceΛευίτης (pl. Λευῖται): 'Levite'; renders הַלְוִיִּם; the appositional 'the Levites' identifies the priests with the priestly tribe; Deuteronomy characteristically merges priest and Levite, unlike the sharper Aaronic/Levitical distinction of P.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (grounding the priests' role)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because / for'; introduces the ground for the priests' participation — their divine election to minister and to bless.
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object of ἐπέλεξεν (fronted for emphasis)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. pl. αὐτούς): the fronted pronoun emphasizes that it is these — the priests — whom YHWH chose for the privileged ministry.
ἐπέλεξενchoseAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐπιλέγωverb of causal clause (the LORD's election of the priests)→ constative aorist (the settled act of election)ἐπιλέγω: 'choose / select / pick out'; renders בָּחַר ('choose'); the aorist points to the foundational act of priestly election (cf. Deut 18:5); the priests' authority rests not on themselves but on YHWH's choosing them to attend him.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἐπέλεξεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; YHWH is the one who chose the priests; the divine election grounds their authority in the rite.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativeapposition to κύριος→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula κύριος ὁ θεός σου recurs, binding the priests' election to Israel's covenant God.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying θεός)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying θεός).
παρεστηκέναιto stand by / attendPerf Act Infin · παρίστημιinfinitive of purpose (with ἐπέλεξεν: chosen 'to stand by him')→ resultative perfect infinitive (to be in attendance before him)παρίστημι (perf. infin. παρεστηκέναι): 'stand beside / attend / serve'; renders לַעֲמֹד ('to stand'); the perfect infinitive denotes the standing posture of cultic service — to be in continual attendance before YHWH; the technical sense is to minister as a servant 'standing before' the king/God (cf. Deut 10:8).
αὐτῷhimDativedative complement of παρεστηκέναι (the one attended)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): YHWH is the one before whom the priests stand in service.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second infinitive)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εὐλογεῖνto blessPres Act Infin · εὐλογέωinfinitive of purpose (chosen 'to bless in his name')→ customary present infinitive (the ongoing ministry of blessing)εὐλογέω: 'bless / speak well of'; renders לְבָרֵךְ ('to bless'); the present infinitive marks the priests' continuing office of pronouncing the LORD's blessing in his name (cf. the Aaronic blessing, Num 6:23–27); blessing 'in his name' (ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ) makes them the channel of YHWH's own benediction.
ἐπὶin / uponpreposition + dative (with ὀνόματι: 'in the name')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dat.: here 'in / upon the basis of'; ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ renders בְּשֵׁם יהוה ('in the name of the LORD').
τῷtheDativearticle (with ὀνόματι)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὀνόματιnameDativedative object of ἐπί (the name in which they bless)→ sphere or referenceὄνομα (dat. ὀνόματι): 'name'; renders שֵׁם; to bless 'in the name' of YHWH is to invoke his power and presence; the priests do not bless on their own authority but as ministers of the divine Name.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying ὀνόματι)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. αὐτοῦ): refers to YHWH — it is his name in which they bless.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the judgment-clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπὶby / uponpreposition + dative (with στόματι: 'by their mouth')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dat.: 'on the basis of / by'; ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν ('by their mouth') marks the priests' verdict as the deciding authority — every dispute is settled at their word (cf. Deut 17:8–11).
τῷtheDativearticle (with στόματι)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
στόματιmouthDativedative object of ἐπί (the priestly verdict)→ sphere or referenceστόμα (dat. στόματι): 'mouth'; renders פֶּה; 'by their mouth' is a Hebraism for 'by their authoritative pronouncement' — the priests' spoken verdict resolves the case.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying στόματι)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): refers to the priests, whose mouth pronounces the binding judgment.
ἔσταιshall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (the priestly resolution of disputes)→ prescriptive future (legal 'shall be decided')εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; here with the sense 'shall be settled / determined' — every dispute and assault is to be resolved by the priestly word; the singular agrees with the nearer subject πᾶσα ἀντιλογία.
πᾶσαeveryNominativeadjective (modifying ἀντιλογία)→ participant prominenceπᾶς (fem. πᾶσα): 'every / all'; the universal scope — every dispute, every assault — places all such cases under priestly adjudication.
ἀντιλογίαdispute / controversyNominativesubject of ἔσται (with πᾶσα)→ participant prominenceἀντιλογία: 'dispute / contradiction / legal controversy'; renders רִיב ('lawsuit, quarrel'); a legal-judicial term for contested cases; here the priests' verdict resolves all such litigation (cf. Deut 17:8, 19:17).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πᾶσαeveryNominativeadjective (modifying ἁφή)→ participant prominenceπᾶς (fem. πᾶσα): 'every'; extends the priestly competence to every case of bodily affliction as well as legal dispute.
ἁφήassault / plague-spotNominativesubject of ἔσται (with second πᾶσα)→ participant prominenceἁφή: 'touch / stroke / plague-spot'; renders נֶגַע ('stroke, plague, assault'); the word covers both violent assault (a blow) and the 'plague-spot' of leprosy (the technical sense of ἁφή in Lev 13–14); the priests judge both — fitting in a chapter whose first concern is a fatal blow (τραυματίας).
6
καὶ πᾶσα ἡ γερουσία τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης οἱ ἐγγίζοντες τῷ τραυματίᾳ νίψονται τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τῆς δαμάλεως τῆς νενευροκοπημένης ἐν τῇ φάραγγι
and all the council of elders of that city, those nearest to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the head of the heifer whose neck was broken in the ravine,
The elders wash their hands over the broken-necked heifer — a gesture of disavowal of guilt (cf. Ps 26:6; 73:13; and famously echoed at Matt 27:24). The perfect participle νενευροκοπημένης points back to the killing of v. 4; the washing prepares the verbal disclaimer of vv. 7–8, the heart of the expiation.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πᾶσαallNominativeadjective (modifying γερουσία)→ participant prominenceπᾶς (fem. πᾶσα): 'all / the whole'; emphasizes that the entire body of elders, not a delegate, performs the disavowal — the corporate responsibility is shared by all.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with γερουσία)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γερουσίαcouncil of eldersNominativesubject of νίψονται→ participant prominenceγερουσία: 'council of elders'; the whole eldership of the nearest city performs the rite of washing as the community's representatives.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive of relationship (elders of the city)→ relational specificationπόλεως: meaning 'city'; it serves as genitive of relationship (elders of the city).
ἐκείνηςthatGenitivedemonstrative adjective (modifying πόλεως)→ relational specificationἐκεῖνος: 'that'; the nearest implicated city.
οἱthe (ones)Nominativearticle (substantizing ἐγγίζοντες, in apposition to γερουσία)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐγγίζοντεςthose drawing near / nearestPres Act Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · ἐγγίζωsubstantival participle (apposition: 'those nearest to the slain man')→ customary present participle (those standing nearest)ἐγγίζω (pres. ptcp.): 'draw near / be near'; the participle picks up ἡ πόλις ἡ ἐγγίζουσα of v. 3 — the elders of the nearest city are 'those nearest to the slain man,' and so the ones charged with removing the blood-guilt.
τῷtheDativearticle (with τραυματίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τραυματίᾳslain manDativedative complement of ἐγγίζοντες (near to the slain man)→ sphere or referenceτραυματίας (dat. τραυματίᾳ): the corpse remains the reference-point; proximity to it defines the responsible elders.
νίψονταιshall washFut Mid Indic 3 Pl · νίπτωmain verb (prescriptive future, middle: wash their own hands)→ prescriptive future (legal 'shall wash')νίπτω (fut. mid. νίψονται): 'wash'; renders יִרְחֲצוּ (from רחץ); the middle voice ('wash for themselves / their own hands') marks the reflexive ritual; washing the hands over the slain heifer is a public gesture of innocence — a visible disclaiming of the bloodshed (cf. Ps 26:6; Matt 27:24).
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with χεῖρας)→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χεῖραςhandsAccusativedirect object of νίψονται→ object specificationχείρ (pl. χεῖρας): 'hand'; renders יָדַיִם; the hands are the organ of action and thus of guilt; washing them declares them clean of the blood — picked up verbally in v. 7 (αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐξέχεαν τὸ αἷμα).
ἐπὶover / uponpreposition + accusative (over the heifer's head)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'over / upon'; the hands are washed 'over the head' of the slain heifer, symbolically transferring / disclaiming the blood-guilt upon the substitute animal.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with κεφαλὴν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κεφαλὴνheadAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the heifer's head)→ object specificationκεφαλή: 'head'; renders רֹאשׁ; washing the hands over the head recalls the laying-on of hands in sacrificial ritual (Lev 1:4; 16:21), where guilt is symbolically placed upon the victim's head.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with δαμάλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δαμάλεωςheiferGenitivegenitive of relationship (the head of the heifer)→ relational specificationδάμαλις (gen. δαμάλεως): 'heifer'; the same slain heifer of vv. 3–4, now the object over whose head the disavowal-rite is enacted.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with the participle νενευροκοπημένης)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νενευροκοπημένηςwhose neck was brokenPerf Pass Ptcp Gen Sg Fem · νευροκοπέωattributive participle (modifying δαμάλεως: 'the heifer whose neck was broken')→ resultative perfect participle (the slain, neck-broken heifer)νευροκοπέω (perf. pass. ptcp.): 'have the neck-sinew severed / be neck-broken'; the perfect passive participle denotes the heifer in its completed state — already killed in v. 4; the attributive participle binds the hand-washing directly to the slain substitute.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative).
τῇtheDativearticle (with φάραγγι)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φάραγγιravineDativedative of place (locative: 'in the ravine')→ sphere or referenceφάραγξ (dat. φάραγγι): the wadi where the heifer was killed (v. 4); the rite is performed at the same uncultivated spot, keeping the blood off all inhabited and tilled land.
7
καὶ ἀποκριθέντες ἐροῦσιν αἱ χεῖρες ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐξέχεαν τὸ αἷμα τοῦτο καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν οὐχ ἑωράκασιν
and answering they shall say, 'Our hands did not shed this blood, and our eyes have not seen it.'
The verbal heart of the rite: the elders solemnly disclaim both deed ('our hands did not shed this blood') and knowledge ('our eyes have not seen'). The denial is comprehensive — neither active guilt nor culpable witness. This oath of innocence (cf. the formula of Ps 26:6) accompanies the hand-washing and opens directly into the prayer for expiation in v. 8.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀποκριθέντεςansweringAor Pass Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · ἀποκρίνομαιcircumstantial participle (attendant: 'answering, they shall say')→ coincident aorist participle (Hebraizing 'answered and said')ἀποκρίνομαι (aor. pass. ptcp.): 'answer / respond'; renders וְעָנוּ (from ענה); the pleonastic ἀποκριθέντες ἐροῦσιν ('answering they shall say') is a Hebraism rendering וְעָנוּ וְאָמְרוּ; here 'answering' has the solemn sense of responding to the situation with a formal declaration.
ἐροῦσινthey shall sayFut Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγω (ἐρῶ)main verb (introducing the disavowal-oath)→ prescriptive future (the prescribed declaration)λέγω / ἐρῶ (fut. ἐροῦσιν): 'say / speak'; renders וְאָמְרוּ; the prescribed words follow — a fixed liturgical formula of disavowal which the elders must recite.
αἱtheNominativearticle (with χεῖρες)→ noun-phrase markingαἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χεῖρεςhandsNominativesubject of ἐξέχεαν→ participant prominenceχείρ (pl. χεῖρες): 'hand'; the hands, just washed (v. 6), are now the subject of the disclaimer — they did not shed the blood; hands stand for agency and guilt.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying χεῖρες)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν): 'our'; the first-person plural of the elders, speaking for the whole community.
οὐκnotnegative particle (negating ἐξέχεαν)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξέχεανshed / poured outAor Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐκχέωmain verb of the disavowal (denial of the deed)→ constative aorist (flat denial of the act)ἐκχέω (aor. ἐξέχεαν): 'pour out / shed'; renders שָׁפְכוּ (from שׁפך); 'shed blood' (ἐκχέω αἷμα) is the standard idiom for murder (Gen 9:6; Num 35:33); the elders deny having shed this blood — the formal core of the expiation.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with αἷμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
αἷμαbloodAccusativedirect object of ἐξέχεαν→ object specificationαἷμα: 'blood'; renders דָּם; the shed blood of the slain man cries out for atonement (cf. Gen 4:10); the disavowal concerns precisely 'this blood' — the blood-guilt that must not rest on the land.
τοῦτοthisAccusativedemonstrative adjective (modifying αἷμα)→ participant referenceοὗτος (acc. n. τοῦτο): 'this'; the deictic 'this blood' points to the specific bloodshed of the discovered corpse.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second disclaimer)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ὀφθαλμοὶ)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὀφθαλμοὶeyesNominativesubject of ἑωράκασιν→ participant prominenceὀφθαλμός (pl. ὀφθαλμοί): 'eye'; renders עֵינַיִם; the eyes stand for knowledge and culpable witness — the elders disclaim not only the deed but any guilty knowledge of it.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying ὀφθαλμοὶ)→ relational specificationἡμῶν: meaning 'our'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying ὀφθαλμοὶ).
οὐχnotnegative particle (negating ἑωράκασιν; aspirated before rough breathing)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐχ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἑωράκασινhave seenPerf Act Indic 3 Pl · ὁράωmain verb of the second disclaimer (denial of knowledge)→ resultative perfect (no abiding knowledge of the deed)ὁράω (perf. ἑωράκασιν): 'see / perceive'; renders רָאוּ (from ראה); the perfect 'have not seen' denies any standing eyewitness knowledge of the murder — neither hand nor eye implicates them; the comprehensive denial completes the disavowal and grounds the appeal for expiation.
8
ἵλεως γενοῦ τῷ λαῷ σου Ισραηλ οὓς ἐλυτρώσω κύριε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ἵνα μὴ γένηται αἷμα ἀναίτιον ἐν τῷ λαῷ σου Ισραηλ καὶ ἐξιλασθήσεται αὐτοῖς τὸ αἷμα
Be merciful to your people Israel, whom you redeemed, O LORD, out of the land of Egypt, that innocent blood may not be in the midst of your people Israel; and the blood shall be expiated for them.
The disavowal turns to direct petition: ἵλεως γενοῦ ('be propitious / merciful'). The prayer grounds the appeal in the Exodus-redemption (οὓς ἐλυτρώσω … ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου), invokes the divine name (κύριε, vocative), and asks that αἷμα ἀναίτιον ('innocent blood') not be charged to Israel. The closing clause — καὶ ἐξιλασθήσεται αὐτοῖς τὸ αἷμα — pronounces the expiation accomplished: the blood is atoned for them. αἷμα ἀναίτιον is the chapter's key phrase for un-avenged innocent blood that pollutes the land.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
ἵλεωςmerciful / propitiousNominativepredicate adjective (with γενοῦ: 'be propitious')→ participant prominenceἵλεως: 'gracious / propitious / merciful'; renders כַּפֵּר ('make atonement / forgive') in the imperatival sense 'be propitious'; a two-termination adjective; ἵλεως γενοῦ ('become / be propitious') is a standard LXX prayer-formula (cf. Num 14:19 sense; 2 Macc 2:22); it asks YHWH to look favorably and remove the blood-guilt.
γενοῦbe / becomeAor Mid Impv 2 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (imperative of petition addressed to YHWH)→ ingressive aorist imperative (entreaty: 'show yourself propitious')γίνομαι (aor. mid. impv. γενοῦ): 'become / be'; the aorist imperative directed to YHWH is a respectful petition, not a command in the ordinary sense; 'become propitious to your people' — the human party asks God to act in mercy toward the bloodguilt-bearing land.
τῷtheDativearticle (with λαῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαῷpeopleDativedative of advantage (be propitious 'to your people')→ sphere or referenceλαός: 'people'; renders עַם; Israel as the covenant people, the beneficiary of the requested mercy; the dative marks them as those for whom propitiation is sought.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying λαῷ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying λαῷ).
ΙσραηλIsraelindeclinable proper noun (apposition to λαῷ)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliteration of יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable in the LXX; in apposition to 'your people,' identifying the covenant nation for whom expiation is made.
οὓςwhomAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐλυτρώσω; constructio ad sensum, plural for collective λαός)→ participant referenceὅς (acc. pl. οὕς): relative pronoun; the plural 'whom' agrees by sense (κατὰ σύνεσιν) with the collective λαός/Ισραηλ, treating the people as the many redeemed individuals.
ἐλυτρώσωyou redeemedAor Mid Indic 2 Sg · λυτρόωverb of relative clause (the LORD's redemption of Israel)→ constative aorist (the accomplished redemption from Egypt)λυτρόω (aor. mid. ἐλυτρώσω): 'redeem / ransom / set free'; renders פָּדִיתָ (from פדה); the redemption from Egypt is the ground of the appeal — the God who ransomed Israel is asked to keep that people free of bloodguilt; λυτρόομαι is a key salvation-verb the NT applies to Christ's redeeming work (cf. Titus 2:14; 1 Pet 1:18).
κύριεO LORDVocativevocative (direct address to YHWH within the prayer)→ direct addressκύριος (voc. κύριε): rendering of יהוה; the vocative directly addresses the covenant God; the shift to direct address marks the heart of the petition — the elders speak to YHWH himself.
ἐκout ofpreposition + genitive (source of the redemption)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'out of'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (source of the redemption).
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive of source (with Αἰγύπτου: 'out of the land of Egypt')→ relational specificationγῆ (gen. γῆς): 'land'; ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου is the standard Exodus-formula for the place of redemption; the redemption 'out of Egypt' is the paradigm of YHWH's saving power.
ΑἰγύπτουEgyptGenitivegenitive (with γῆς: 'the land of Egypt')→ relational specificationΑἴγυπτος (gen. Αἰγύπτου): standard LXX form of מִצְרַיִם; the land of bondage from which YHWH redeemed his people.
ἵναthatpurpose conjunction (introducing negative purpose clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastἵνα: 'in order that'; with μή introduces a negative purpose clause — the goal of the propitiation is that innocent blood not remain charged against Israel.
μὴnotnegative particle (with subjunctive γένηται)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: the subjective negation used with the subjunctive in the purpose clause.
γένηταιmay be / come to beAor Mid Subj 3 Sg · γίνομαιverb of negative purpose clause (subjunctive with ἵνα μή)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (that bloodguilt not arise / be reckoned)γίνομαι (aor. mid. subj. γένηται): 'come to be / be reckoned'; the prayer asks that αἷμα ἀναίτιον not 'come to be' / be charged within Israel — i.e., that no guilt for innocent blood attach to the people.
αἷμαbloodNominativesubject of γένηται→ participant prominenceαἷμα: 'blood'; here 'bloodguilt' — the liability incurred by unavenged killing; αἷμα ἀναίτιον ('innocent blood') is the chapter's pivotal phrase (cf. v. 9; Deut 19:10, 13), the un-atoned blood that pollutes land and people.
ἀναίτιονinnocentNominativeattributive adjective (modifying αἷμα)→ participant prominenceἀναίτιος: 'guiltless / innocent' (lit. 'without cause / blame'; ἀ- privative + αἰτία); renders נָקִי ('innocent'); αἷμα ἀναίτιον = the blood of one killed without cause; to leave it unavenged is to let guilt rest on the community — hence the whole rite.
ἐνin / amongpreposition + dative (locative: 'in the midst of')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative: 'in the midst of').
τῷtheDativearticle (with λαῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαῷpeopleDativedative of place (among the people)→ sphere or referenceλαός: the bloodguilt is not to remain 'among / within' the covenant people; the location of the guilt is the people and their land.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying λαῷ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying λαῷ).
ΙσραηλIsraelindeclinable proper noun (apposition to λαῷ)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the covenant nation named again, framing the prayer (an inclusio with the opening τῷ λαῷ σου Ισραηλ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξιλασθήσεταιshall be expiated / atonedFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐξιλάσκομαιmain verb (declaring the expiation accomplished)→ predictive / declarative future (the blood is atoned for them)ἐξιλάσκομαι (fut. pass. ἐξιλασθήσεται): 'make atonement / expiate / propitiate'; renders וְנִכַּפֵּר (Nithpael of כפר); the LXX's principal atonement-verb (cf. Lev 16); the passive 'it shall be atoned for them' declares the rite effective — the bloodguilt is removed; the ἐξ-/ἱλασ- root underlies the NT ἱλασμός / ἱλαστήριον of Christ's atonement (Rom 3:25; 1 John 2:2).
αὐτοῖςfor themDativedative of advantage (the people for whom atonement is made)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. pl. αὐτοῖς): 'for them' — the people on whose behalf the expiation is effected.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with αἷμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
αἷμαbloodNominativesubject of ἐξιλασθήσεται (the bloodguilt that is expiated)→ participant prominenceαἷμα: 'blood / bloodguilt'; the subject of the passive — 'the blood shall be atoned'; the bloodguilt itself is the thing covered/removed by the rite, so that the land is no longer polluted.
9
σὺ δὲ ἐξαρεῖς τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἀναίτιον ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἐὰν ποιήσῃς τὸ καλὸν καὶ τὸ ἀρεστὸν ἔναντι κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου
And you shall purge the innocent blood from among yourselves, if you do what is good and pleasing before the LORD your God.
The pericope closes with the emphatic σύ ('you, for your part') and the purge-formula ἐξαρεῖς ('you shall remove') the innocent blood from among the people. The conditional ἐὰν ποιήσῃς τὸ καλὸν καὶ τὸ ἀρεστόν ('if you do what is good and pleasing') ties the removal of bloodguilt to covenant obedience — the ritual is effective only as part of a life lived rightly before YHWH. The purge-formula (ἐξαίρω … ἐξ) recurs at v. 21.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
σὺyouNominativesubject (emphatic pronoun)→ participant referenceσύ: the emphatic nominative pronoun ('you, for your part') stresses Israel's own responsibility to remove the bloodguilt — the rite alone does not suffice apart from righteous conduct.
δὲand / buttransitional particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the turn from the prayer (v. 8) to the concluding charge to Israel.
ἐξαρεῖςyou shall purge / removeFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐξαίρωmain verb (the purge-formula)→ prescriptive future (covenantal 'you shall remove')ἐξαίρω (fut. ἐξαρεῖς): 'remove / take away / purge'; renders וּבִעַרְתָּ ('you shall burn away / purge', from בער); the formula ἐξαρεῖς … ἐξ is Deuteronomy's characteristic purge-idiom for excising guilt or evil from the community (cf. v. 21; Deut 13:6; 17:7); here it is the innocent blood that must be purged from the land.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with αἷμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
αἷμαbloodAccusativedirect object of ἐξαρεῖς→ object specificationαἷμα: 'blood / bloodguilt'; the innocent blood is the object purged; its removal restores the land's purity (cf. Num 35:33).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ἀναίτιον, attributive)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀναίτιονinnocentAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying αἷμα: 'the innocent blood')→ object specificationἀναίτιος: 'guiltless / innocent'; the articular attributive τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἀναίτιον ('the innocent blood') restates the key phrase of v. 8, naming precisely what must be purged.
ἐξfrom / from amongpreposition + genitive (separation: 'from among')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ (ἐξ before vowel): the purge-preposition; with the purge-verb ἐξαίρω it marks separation — the bloodguilt is removed 'from among' the people.
ὑμῶνyou (pl.)Genitivegenitive of separation (object of ἐξ)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl. ὑμῶν): the shift to the plural 'you' addresses the whole community; the blood is purged from the midst of the people collectively.
αὐτῶνyourselvesGenitiveintensive pronoun (with ὑμῶν: 'from among your very selves')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): intensive, reinforcing ὑμῶν ('from among yourselves'); the doubling ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν renders the Hebrew מִקִּרְבְּךָ ('from your midst'), emphasizing that the guilt must be removed from within the community itself.
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (introducing condition of obedience)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; with the subjunctive ποιήσῃς; the condition makes the purging effective only where Israel does what is right — ritual without obedience does not cleanse.
ποιήσῃςyou doAor Act Subj 2 Sg · ποιέωverb of conditional clause (subjunctive with ἐάν)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (if you do / carry out)ποιέω (aor. subj. ποιήσῃς): 'do / make / perform'; renders תַעֲשֶׂה; the condition of right-doing — the purging of bloodguilt is bound to covenant obedience, 'doing the good and the pleasing.'
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with καλὸν, substantival)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καλὸνgoodAccusativesubstantival adjective (object of ποιήσῃς: 'the good')→ object specificationκαλός: 'good / noble / right'; renders הַטּוֹב; the articular neuter τὸ καλόν ('the good thing') is the morally right action; paired with τὸ ἀρεστόν as a Deuteronomic formula for covenant fidelity (cf. Deut 6:18; 12:25, 28).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ἀρεστὸν, substantival)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀρεστὸνpleasingAccusativesubstantival adjective (object of ποιήσῃς: 'the pleasing thing')→ object specificationἀρεστός: 'pleasing / acceptable'; renders הַיָּשָׁר ('the right / upright') here understood as what is pleasing in YHWH's sight; τὸ καλὸν καὶ τὸ ἀρεστόν = 'what is good and pleasing before the LORD,' the standard of covenant conduct.
ἔναντιbefore / in the sight ofpreposition + genitive (evaluative: 'in the sight of')→ spatial or relational framingἔναντι: 'before / in the presence of / in the sight of'; renders לִפְנֵי / בְּעֵינֵי; the evaluative 'before the LORD' makes YHWH's judgment the measure of the good and pleasing.
κυρίουLORDGenitivegenitive object of ἔναντι→ relational specificationκύριος (gen. κυρίου): rendering of יהוה; the standard before whom Israel's conduct is measured.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitiveapposition to κυρίου→ relational specificationθεός (gen. θεοῦ): 'God'; the covenant formula κύριος ὁ θεός σου closes the murder-law, grounding the whole rite in Israel's relationship to its God.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying θεοῦ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying θεοῦ).
10
ἐὰν δὲ ἐξελθὼν εἰς πόλεμον ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου καὶ παραδῷ σοι κύριος ὁ θεός σου εἰς τὰς χεῖράς σου καὶ προνομεύσεις τὴν προνομὴν αὐτῶν
Now if you go out to war against your enemies, and the LORD your God delivers them into your hands, and you take their spoil,
A fresh statute opens with ἐὰν δέ and a participial protasis (ἐξελθὼν … παραδῷ … προνομεύσεις). The case: war, victory granted by YHWH, and the taking of spoil — the setting for the law of the captive woman (vv. 11–14). The note that YHWH delivers the enemy 'into your hands' frames even the spoils of war as a divine gift, governed by covenant law.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (introducing new protasis)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; opens a new casuistic case taking the subjunctive (παραδῷ); ἐὰν δέ marks the transition to the law of the captive bride.
δὲnowtransitional particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the move to a new legal topic after the murder-expiation.
ἐξελθὼνhaving gone outAor Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · ἐξέρχομαιcircumstantial participle (temporal: 'when you go out')→ antecedent aorist participle (the going-out to war)ἐξέρχομαι (aor. ptcp. ἐξελθών): 'go out / go forth'; renders תֵצֵא ('you go out'); the participle sets the temporal frame — going out to war; 'going out to war' (ἐξέρχομαι εἰς πόλεμον) is the standard idiom for a military campaign (cf. Deut 20:1).
εἰςto / forpreposition + accusative (purpose / goal: 'to war')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (purpose / goal: 'to war').
πόλεμονwarAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (the purpose of going out)→ object specificationπόλεμος: 'war / battle'; renders מִלְחָמָה; the military campaign that may yield captives; the law presupposes the holy-war setting of ch. 20.
ἐπὶagainstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction: 'against')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'against'; the hostile sense — war directed against the enemies.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with ἐχθρούς)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐχθρούςenemiesAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the enemy)→ object specificationἐχθρός: 'enemy / hostile'; renders אֹיְבֶיךָ ('your enemies'); the substantival adjective denotes the opposing nations against whom Israel campaigns.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying ἐχθρούς)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying ἐχθρούς).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second protasis-verb)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παραδῷdeliverAor Act Subj 3 Sg · παραδίδωμιverb of protasis (subjunctive: the LORD's giving of victory)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (the decisive handing-over)παραδίδωμι (aor. subj. παραδῷ): 'hand over / deliver'; renders וּנְתָנוֹ ('and he gives him', from נתן); the victory is YHWH's gift — he 'delivers' the enemy into Israel's hands; the verb is the standard LXX term for God giving an enemy over in holy war (cf. Deut 20:13).
σοιto youDativedative indirect object (the recipient of the delivered enemy)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): 'to you'; Israel is the recipient of the divinely-granted victory.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of παραδῷ→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; YHWH is the giver of victory; even in war the captives come into Israel's hands as a divine gift, hence subject to covenant regulation.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativeapposition to κύριος→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula again grounds the victory in Israel's God.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying θεός)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying θεός).
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (idiomatic: 'into your hands')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: 'into'; εἰς τὰς χεῖράς σου ('into your hands') is the standard idiom of military surrender — the enemy given over to Israel's power.
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with χεῖράς)→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χεῖράςhandsAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (the hands into which the enemy is given)→ object specificationχείρ (pl. χεῖρας): 'hand'; 'into your hands' = into your power; the idiom marks total victory and the consequent right of spoil.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying χεῖράς)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying χεῖράς).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the third protasis-verb)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προνομεύσειςyou take as spoilFut Act Indic 2 Sg · προνομεύωverb of protasis (future with conditional force: 'and you plunder')→ prescriptive / conditional future (the taking of spoil)προνομεύω: 'take as plunder / carry off as spoil'; renders וְשָׁבִיתָ ('you take captive', from שׁבה); the future continues the protasis ('if … and you take their spoil'); the cognate construction προνομεύσεις τὴν προνομήν ('you shall spoil the spoil') is a Hebraizing cognate-accusative.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with προνομὴν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
προνομὴνspoil / bootyAccusativecognate accusative (with προνομεύσεις: 'take their spoil')→ object specificationπρονομή: 'plunder / spoil / booty'; renders שִׁבְיוֹ ('his captives / spoil'); the cognate accusative προνομεύσεις τὴν προνομήν echoes the Hebrew figura etymologica and includes the human captives among whom is the woman of v. 11.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying προνομὴν: 'their spoil')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): 'their' — the spoil belonging to / taken from the defeated enemies.
11
καὶ ἴδῃς ἐν τῇ προνομῇ γυναῖκα καλὴν τῷ εἴδει καὶ ἐνθυμηθῇς αὐτῆς καὶ λάβῃς αὐτὴν σαυτῷ γυναῖκα
and you see among the captives a woman beautiful in appearance, and you desire her and take her to yourself as a wife,
The protasis narrows to the specific case: among the captives the man sees a beautiful woman, desires her (ἐνθυμηθῇς), and takes her as a wife. The chain of subjunctives (ἴδῃς … ἐνθυμηθῇς … λάβῃς) presents the typical sequence of seeing, desiring, and taking; the apodosis — the humane regulation of this marriage — follows in vv. 12–14.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (continuing the protasis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἴδῃςyou seeAor Act Subj 2 Sg · ὁράωverb of protasis (subjunctive: the seeing)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (catch sight of)ὁράω (aor. subj. ἴδῃς, from εἶδον): 'see / catch sight of'; renders וְרָאִיתָ; the seeing initiates the sequence seeing–desiring–taking; the verb is morally neutral here, but the chain it begins is the one the tenth commandment warns against when it leads to coveting.
ἐνamong / inpreposition + dative (locative: 'among the captives')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'among'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative: 'among the captives').
τῇtheDativearticle (with προνομῇ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
προνομῇspoil / captivesDativedative of place (locative: 'among the spoil')→ sphere or referenceπρονομή (dat. προνομῇ): 'spoil / body of captives'; here the captured persons; the woman is seen 'among the spoil,' i.e., among the prisoners of war taken in v. 10.
γυναῖκαwomanAccusativedirect object of ἴδῃς→ object specificationγυνή (acc. γυναῖκα): 'woman / wife'; renders אִשָּׁה; the captive woman, the subject of the whole statute; her treatment is regulated with notable humanity for the ancient world.
καλὴνbeautifulAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying γυναῖκα)→ object specificationκαλός (fem. καλήν): 'beautiful / fair'; renders יְפַת ('beautiful of'); her beauty is the occasion of the man's desire; καλὴ τῷ εἴδει ('beautiful in form') is a stock LXX description of physical beauty (cf. Gen 29:17; 2 Sam 14:27).
τῷthe / inDativearticle (with εἴδει)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εἴδειappearance / formDativedative of respect (beautiful 'in appearance')→ sphere or referenceεἶδος (dat. εἴδει): 'form / appearance / look'; renders תֹּאַר ('form'); the dative of respect specifies the sphere of her beauty — 'beautiful in respect of appearance.'
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνθυμηθῇςyou desire / set your heart onAor Pass Subj 2 Sg · ἐνθυμέομαιverb of protasis (subjunctive: the desiring)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (conceive a desire for)ἐνθυμέομαι (aor. pass. subj. ἐνθυμηθῇς): 'ponder / set one's heart on / desire'; renders וְחָשַׁקְתָּ ('and you desire / are attached to', from חשׁק); takes the genitive (αὐτῆς) of the object of desire; the verb denotes the inward kindling of desire that moves from sight to action.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive object of ἐνθυμηθῇς (the object of desire)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. fem. αὐτῆς): 'her'; the genitive complement of ἐνθυμέομαι — the woman is the object of the man's desire.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the third subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
λάβῃςyou takeAor Act Subj 2 Sg · λαμβάνωverb of protasis (subjunctive: the taking in marriage)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (take to wife)λαμβάνω (aor. subj. λάβῃς): 'take / receive'; renders וְלָקַחְתָּ; 'take a woman to oneself as wife' (λαμβάνω … γυναῖκα) is the standard marriage idiom; the taking completes the sequence and triggers the obligations of vv. 12–14.
αὐτὴνherAccusativedirect object of λάβῃς→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. fem. αὐτήν): 'her'; the captive woman taken in marriage.
σαυτῷfor yourselfDativedative of advantage (reflexive: 'to yourself')→ sphere or referenceσεαυτοῦ (dat. σαυτῷ): reflexive pronoun 'for yourself'; the dative of advantage marks the taking as for the man's own household — 'take her for yourself as a wife.'
γυναῖκαas a wifeAccusativepredicate accusative (the capacity in which she is taken: 'as wife')→ object specificationγυνή (acc. γυναῖκα): 'wife'; the predicate accusative defines the relationship — she is taken not as a slave or concubine but 'as a wife,' which grounds the protective regulations that follow.
12
καὶ εἰσάξεις αὐτὴν ἔνδον εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν σου καὶ ξυρήσεις τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῆς καὶ περιονυχιεῖς αὐτὴν
then you shall bring her inside into your house, and you shall shave her head and trim her nails,
The apodosis prescribes a transition-period before consummation: she is brought into the house, her head shaved and her nails trimmed (or pared/manicured) — rites marking the laying-aside of her former life as a captive and her entry into a new status. These acts, with the month of mourning (v. 13), humanize the captive and impose a deliberate delay on the man's desire.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶand / thennarrative conjunction (apodosis-marker)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἰσάξειςyou shall bring inFut Act Indic 2 Sg · εἰσάγωmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'you shall bring in')εἰσάγω (fut. εἰσάξεις): 'bring in / lead in'; renders וַהֲבֵאתָהּ (Hiphil of בוא); the captive is brought into the household — the first act of incorporation into the man's family and home.
αὐτὴνherAccusativedirect object of εἰσάξεις→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. fem. αὐτήν): 'her'; the captive woman, brought into the house.
ἔνδονinside / withinadverb of place (reinforcing εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν)→ clausal contributionἔνδον: 'within / indoors'; an indeclinable adverb reinforcing the directional phrase — she is brought 'inside, into your house'; the redundancy stresses full domestic incorporation.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with οἰκίαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἰκίανhouseAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (the destination)→ object specificationοἰκία: 'house / household'; renders בֵּית ('house'); the man's house is the place of the woman's new life; the household setting frames the whole transition from captive to wife.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying οἰκίαν)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying οἰκίαν).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ξυρήσειςyou shall shaveFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ξυράωmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'you shall shave')ξυράω (fut. ξυρήσεις): 'shave / cut the hair'; renders וְגִלְּחָה ('she shall shave', here causative); the shaving of the head is a rite of transition and mourning (cf. shaving in purification, Lev 14:8; Num 8:7); it marks the severing of the captive's former life.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with κεφαλὴν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κεφαλὴνheadAccusativedirect object of ξυρήσεις→ object specificationκεφαλή: 'head'; renders רֹאשׁ; the shaved head visibly marks her changed status and her mourning for her old life and family.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying κεφαλὴν)→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying κεφαλὴν).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
περιονυχιεῖςyou shall trim her nailsFut Act Indic 2 Sg · περιονυχίζωmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'you shall pare the nails')περιονυχίζω (fut. περιονυχιεῖς): 'trim / pare the nails around' (περί + ὄνυξ, 'nail'); renders וְעָשְׂתָה אֶת־צִפָּרְנֶיהָ ('she shall do / dress her nails'); the paring of the nails accompanies the shaving as a second grooming-rite of transition; together the two acts strip the captive of her former appearance and prepare her for incorporation as a wife.
αὐτὴνherAccusativedirect object of περιονυχιεῖς→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. fem. αὐτήν): 'her'; the captive woman, whose nails are trimmed as part of the transition-rite.
13
καὶ περιελεῖς τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας αὐτῆς ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς καὶ καθίεται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ σου καὶ κλαύσεται τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα μηνὸς ἡμέρας καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰσελεύσῃ πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ συνοικισθήσῃ αὐτῇ καὶ ἔσται σου γυνή
and you shall remove the garments of her captivity from her, and she shall dwell in your house and mourn her father and mother a full month; and after that you shall go in to her and live with her, and she shall be your wife.
The captive removes the clothing of her captivity (τὰ ἱμάτια τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας), dwells in the house, and mourns her parents a full month (μηνὸς ἡμέρας) — a humane provision granting her grief and a clear break from her past before the marriage is consummated. Only after this (μετὰ ταῦτα) may the man go in to her; she becomes fully his wife (ἔσται σου γυνή), not a mere captive concubine.
Word-by-word analysis· 37 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
περιελεῖςyou shall remove / take offFut Act Indic 2 Sg · περιαιρέωmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'you shall take off')περιαιρέω (fut. περιελεῖς): 'take away / strip off / remove'; renders וְהֵסִירָה ('she shall put off', Hiphil of סור); the removal of the captive's garments is the third transition-act (with shaving and nail-trimming), symbolizing the putting-off of her former identity as a prisoner of war.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with ἱμάτια)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱμάτιαgarmentsAccusativedirect object of περιελεῖς→ object specificationἱμάτιον (pl. ἱμάτια): 'garment / clothing'; renders שִׂמְלָה ('garment'); 'the garments of her captivity' are the clothes she wore when taken; putting them off marks the end of her captive status.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with αἰχμαλωσίας)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
αἰχμαλωσίαςcaptivityGenitivegenitive of description (the garments 'of captivity')→ relational specificationαἰχμαλωσία: 'captivity / state of being a prisoner of war'; renders שִׁבְיָהּ ('her captivity'); the genitive of description marks the garments as belonging to her former captive condition — laid aside as she enters the household.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying αἰχμαλωσίας)→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying αἰχμαλωσίας).
ἀπ᾿frompreposition + genitive (separation; elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό (ἀπ᾿ before vowel): 'from / off'; marks the removal of the garments 'from her' — the separation from her captive state.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of separation (object of ἀπ᾿)→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of separation (object of ἀπ᾿).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
καθίεταιshe shall dwell / remainFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · καθίζωmain verb (prescriptive future; the woman as subject)→ prescriptive future (legal 'she shall dwell')καθίζω (fut. mid. καθιεῖται, here spelled καθίεται): 'sit / settle / dwell'; renders וְיָשְׁבָה ('she shall remain / dwell', from ישׁב); the form represents the Attic-type future middle καθιεῖται; the woman remains / dwells in the house for the month of mourning before the marriage is consummated.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative).
τῇtheDativearticle (with οἰκίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἰκίᾳhouseDativedative of place (locative: 'in your house')→ sphere or referenceοἰκία (dat. οἰκίᾳ): 'house'; the household where she dwells during the month of mourning.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying οἰκίᾳ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying οἰκίᾳ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κλαύσεταιshe shall weep / mournFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · κλαίωmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'she shall mourn')κλαίω (fut. mid. κλαύσεται): 'weep / cry / mourn'; renders וּבָכְתָה ('she shall weep', from בכה); the captive is granted a full month to grieve her parents — a remarkably humane provision; here κλαίω takes a direct accusative object ('mourn her father').
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with πατέρα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατέραfatherAccusativedirect object of κλαύσεται (the object of mourning)→ object specificationπατήρ (acc. πατέρα): 'father'; renders אָבִיהָ; the captive mourns her father — she is given dignity as one with kin and grief, not merely as spoil.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with μητέρα)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μητέραmotherAccusativedirect object of κλαύσεται (coordinate with πατέρα)→ object specificationμήτηρ (acc. μητέρα): 'mother'; renders אִמָּהּ; together 'father and mother' represent the whole family the captive has lost; her mourning is for her severed kinship.
μηνὸςof a monthGenitivegenitive of time (the period of mourning)→ relational specificationμήν (gen. μηνός): 'month'; the genitive of time within which; μηνὸς ἡμέρας ('a month of days') is a Hebraism rendering יֶרַח יָמִים, an idiom for a full calendar month.
ἡμέραςof daysAccusativeaccusative of extent (with μηνὸς: 'a month of days' = a full month)→ object specificationἡμέρα (ἡμέρας): 'day'; in the idiom μηνὸς ἡμέρας ('a month of days') the word reinforces that a complete month — a full reckoning of days — is intended; the phrase renders the Hebrew יֶרַח יָמִים, 'a full month.'
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
μετὰafterpreposition + accusative (temporal: 'after')→ spatial or relational framingμετά + acc.: 'after'; μετὰ ταῦτα ('after these things') marks the end of the mourning-month and the point at which the marriage may be consummated.
ταῦταthese thingsAccusativeaccusative object of μετά (temporal)→ object specificationοὗτος (acc. n. pl. ταῦτα): 'these things'; refers to the whole month of transition and mourning; only after it does the man go in to her.
εἰσελεύσῃyou shall go inFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'you shall go in to her')εἰσέρχομαι (fut. mid. εἰσελεύσῃ): 'go in / enter'; renders תָּבוֹא; 'go in to her' (εἰσέρχομαι πρός) is the standard Hebraistic euphemism for sexual union and the consummation of marriage (cf. Gen 16:2; 29:23 LXX); the delay until after the month underscores the law's restraint.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction; idiomatic for union)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + acc.: 'to / toward'; εἰσέρχομαι πρός is the marital-union idiom.
αὐτὴνherAccusativeaccusative object of πρός→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. fem. αὐτήν): 'her'; the woman now taken as wife in full union.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
συνοικισθήσῃyou shall live with / be married toFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · συνοικίζωmain verb (prescriptive future; passive with reciprocal sense)→ prescriptive future (legal 'you shall be joined in marriage')συνοικίζω (fut. pass. συνοικισθήσῃ): 'cause to dwell together / join in marriage'; the passive 'you shall be joined / settled together with her' renders the Hebrew sense of establishing a marriage-household; the συν-/οἰκ- root (dwell-together) makes marriage a shared dwelling, not mere possession.
αὐτῇwith herDativedative of association (the partner in marriage)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. fem. αὐτῇ): 'with her'; the dative of association marks the woman as the marriage-partner with whom the man now shares a household.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔσταιshe shall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (the resulting status: 'she shall be your wife')→ predictive future (the established marriage)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; the result-clause declares her settled status — she 'shall be your wife,' a full member of the household with a wife's standing and the protection of v. 14.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (predicate: 'your wife')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): 'your'; the possessive marks the established marriage-bond.
γυνήwifeNominativepredicate nominative (with ἔσται: 'shall be your wife')→ participant prominenceγυνή: 'wife'; the predicate nominative names her final status — a true wife, which grounds the protections of the following verse should the man later reject her.
14
καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν μὴ θέλῃς αὐτήν ἐξαποστελεῖς αὐτὴν ἐλευθέραν καὶ πράσει οὐ πραθήσεται ἀργυρίου οὐκ ἀθετήσεις αὐτήν διότι ἐταπείνωσας αὐτήν
And it shall be, if you do not want her, you shall send her away free, and she shall not at all be sold for silver; you shall not deal treacherously with her, because you humbled her.
The statute closes with the captive's protection: if the man no longer wants her, he must release her free (ἐλευθέραν) — he may not sell her for silver (the emphatic πράσει οὐ πραθήσεται, a Hebraizing cognate construction) nor treat her treacherously (οὐκ ἀθετήσεις). The ground is moral: διότι ἐταπείνωσας αὐτήν ('because you humbled her') — having taken her dignity, he owes her her freedom, not commerce.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔσταιit shall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (Hebraizing 'and it shall be' apodosis-marker)→ prescriptive future (legal apodosis-marker)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; καὶ ἔσται renders וְהָיָה, the apodosis-formula introducing the contingent provision that follows.
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (introducing the contingency)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; with the subjunctive θέλῃς introduces the case of the man's later rejection of the woman.
μὴnotnegative particle (with subjunctive θέλῃς)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: the negation used with the subjunctive in the conditional clause.
θέλῃςyou want / desirePres Act Subj 2 Sg · θέλωverb of conditional clause (subjunctive with ἐάν)→ durative present subjunctive (if you no longer want her)θέλω (pres. subj. θέλῃς): 'wish / want / be willing'; renders חָפֵץ ('delight in / desire'); the present subjunctive expresses an ongoing lack of desire — 'if you no longer want her'; her fate turns on the man's continued willingness.
αὐτήνherAccusativedirect object of θέλῃς→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. fem. αὐτήν): 'her'; the woman whom the man may no longer desire.
ἐξαποστελεῖςyou shall send awayFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐξαποστέλλωmain verb (apodosis: prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'you shall send away')ἐξαποστέλλω (fut. ἐξαποστελεῖς): 'send away / dismiss / set free'; renders וְשִׁלַּחְתָּהּ ('you shall send her away', Piel of שׁלח); the man must release her — and as the next word specifies, release her as a free woman, not sell her.
αὐτὴνherAccusativedirect object of ἐξαποστελεῖς→ participant referenceαὐτὴν: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐξαποστελεῖς.
ἐλευθέρανfreeAccusativepredicate adjective (the condition in which she is sent away: 'free')→ object specificationἐλεύθερος (fem. ἐλευθέραν): 'free / freed'; renders לְנַפְשָׁהּ ('to herself / for her own self' = as a free person); the predicate adjective insists she be released as a free woman — full manumission, with no further claim on her.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πράσειby saleDativecognate dative (Hebraism: intensifying πραθήσεται)→ sphere or referenceπρᾶσις (dat. πράσει): 'sale / selling'; the cognate dative πράσει οὐ πραθήσεται ('by sale she shall not be sold') is a Hebraizing intensive construction rendering the infinitive absolute מָכֹר לֹא־תִמְכְּרֶנָּה ('you shall by no means sell her'); the dativus cognatus underlines the absolute prohibition.
οὐnotnegative particle (negating πραθήσεται)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: the emphatic negation, here reinforced by the cognate dative — 'she shall by no means be sold.'
πραθήσεταιshe shall be soldFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · πιπράσκωmain verb (emphatic prohibition: 'shall not be sold')→ prohibitive future passive (absolute prohibition of sale)πιπράσκω (fut. pass. πραθήσεται): 'sell'; renders תִמְכְּרֶנָּה (from מכר); the prohibition forbids treating the released wife as a commodity — she may not be sold for money; the future with οὐ has the force of a strong legal prohibition.
ἀργυρίουfor silverGenitivegenitive of price (the price for which she may not be sold)→ relational specificationἀργύριον (gen. ἀργυρίου): 'silver / money'; renders בַּכֶּסֶף ('for silver'); the genitive of price — she may not be sold 'for silver,' i.e., for money; to do so would treat the woman he humbled as mere merchandise.
οὐκnotnegative particle (negating ἀθετήσεις)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀθετήσειςyou shall deal treacherously with / rejectFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἀθετέωmain verb (prohibition: 'you shall not mistreat her')→ prohibitive future (legal 'you shall not deal treacherously')ἀθετέω (fut. ἀθετήσεις): 'set aside / reject / deal treacherously / break faith'; renders לֹא־תִתְעַמֵּר בָּהּ ('you shall not deal tyrannically / as a slave with her', from עמר); the verb forbids treating her with contempt or as a chattel — she retains her dignity even in dismissal.
αὐτήνherAccusativedirect object of ἀθετήσεις→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. fem. αὐτήν): 'her'; the released woman, who must not be mistreated.
διότιbecausecausal conjunction (grounding the protections)→ discourse linkage or contrastδιότι: 'because / for the reason that'; renders תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר ('inasmuch as'); introduces the moral ground for the woman's protection — the man has already humbled her.
ἐταπείνωσαςyou humbled / humiliatedAor Act Indic 2 Sg · ταπεινόωverb of causal clause (the ground of the prohibition)→ constative aorist (the completed act of humbling)ταπεινόω (aor. ἐταπείνωσας): 'humble / humiliate / afflict'; renders עִנִּיתָהּ ('you humbled / afflicted her', Piel of ענה); here a euphemism for sexual humbling — having taken her dignity, the man owes her her freedom; the same verb describes the violation of Dinah (Gen 34:2) and Tamar (2 Sam 13:14), marking the act's gravity.
αὐτήνherAccusativedirect object of ἐταπείνωσας→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. fem. αὐτήν): 'her'; the woman who has been humbled, and on whose behalf the law now insists upon freedom and dignity.
15
ἐὰν δὲ γένωνται ἀνθρώπῳ δύο γυναῖκες μία αὐτῶν ἠγαπημένη καὶ μία αὐτῶν μισουμένη καὶ τέκωσιν αὐτῷ ἡ ἠγαπημένη καὶ ἡ μισουμένη καὶ γένηται υἱὸς πρωτότοκος τῆς μισουμένης
Now if a man has two wives, one of them loved and one of them hated, and both the loved and the hated bear him children, and the firstborn son is the son of the hated wife,
A fresh statute (ἐὰν δέ + subjunctive) governs inheritance in a polygamous household. The case: two wives, one loved (ἠγαπημένη) and one hated (μισουμένη), with the firstborn belonging to the unloved wife. The terms 'loved' and 'hated' are relative (cf. Jacob's Leah and Rachel, Gen 29:30–31), not absolute hatred; the law protects the firstborn's right against parental favoritism.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (introducing new protasis)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; opens a new casuistic case with the subjunctive (γένωνται); ἐὰν δέ marks the transition to the law of the firstborn's right.
δὲnowtransitional particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the move to a new legal topic after the captive-bride law.
γένωνταιthere be / a man hasAor Mid Subj 3 Pl · γίνομαιverb of protasis (subjunctive: 'if there come to be to a man')→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (the existence of two wives)γίνομαι (aor. mid. subj. γένωνται): 'come to be / belong to'; renders תִהְיֶיןָ ('there be'); with the dative ἀνθρώπῳ ('to a man') it means 'if a man has' — the Hebrew possessive 'be to' idiom; the plural agrees with δύο γυναῖκες.
ἀνθρώπῳto a manDativedative of possession (the man who has the wives)→ sphere or referenceἄνθρωπος (dat. ἀνθρώπῳ): 'man / person'; renders אִישׁ; the dative of possession — 'to a man there be two wives' = a man has two wives; the generic 'man' frames the casuistic case.
δύοtwoNominativenumeral (modifying γυναῖκες)→ measure or countδύο: 'two'; the (largely indeclinable) numeral; the case presupposes the polygamy tolerated but regulated in Israelite law.
γυναῖκεςwivesNominativesubject of γένωνται→ participant prominenceγυνή (pl. γυναῖκες): 'woman / wife'; renders נָשִׁים; here the two wives of one man, the situation the inheritance-law addresses.
μίαoneNominativesubject (partitive: 'one of them')→ measure or countεἷς (fem. μία): 'one'; the numeral distributes the two wives — 'one … and one'; the first is the loved wife.
αὐτῶνof themGenitivepartitive genitive (with μία)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): 'of them'; the partitive genitive — 'one of them.'
ἠγαπημένηlovedPerf Pass Ptcp Nom Sg Fem · ἀγαπάωpredicate participle (the status of the first wife: 'loved')→ resultative perfect participle (the abidingly-loved wife)ἀγαπάω (perf. pass. ptcp. ἠγαπημένη): 'love'; renders הָאֲהוּבָה ('the loved one'); the perfect passive participle denotes settled, ongoing belovedness; 'loved' here is relative — preferred over the other (cf. Gen 29:30–31, Jacob's love of Rachel over Leah).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
μίαoneNominativesubject (partitive: 'and one of them')→ measure or countεἷς (fem. μία): 'one'; the second of the two wives — the hated one.
αὐτῶνof themGenitivepartitive genitive (with μία)→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'of them'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as partitive genitive (with μία).
μισουμένηhatedPres Pass Ptcp Nom Sg Fem · μισέωpredicate participle (the status of the second wife: 'hated')→ durative present participle (the ongoingly-unloved wife)μισέω (pres. pass. ptcp. μισουμένη): 'hate'; renders הַשְּׂנוּאָה ('the hated one'); in this idiom 'hated' means 'less loved / unloved' rather than actively detested (cf. Gen 29:31 LXX, where Leah is μισουμένη); the present participle marks her continuing lesser status.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the bearing-clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τέκωσινthey bear (children)Aor Act Subj 3 Pl · τίκτωverb of protasis (subjunctive: both wives bear children)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (the bearing of sons)τίκτω (aor. subj. τέκωσιν): 'bear / give birth'; renders וְיָלְדוּ (from ילד); both wives bear him children; the plural verb has the two wives (loved and hated) as its compound subject.
αὐτῷto himDativedative of advantage (the father for whom children are borne)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): 'to / for him'; the husband for whom both wives bear sons.
ἡtheNominativearticle (substantizing ἠγαπημένη)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἠγαπημένηthe loved (wife)Perf Pass Ptcp Nom Sg Fem · ἀγαπάωsubstantival participle (subject of τέκωσιν: 'the loved wife')→ resultative perfect participle (the loved wife)ἀγαπάω (perf. pass. ptcp.): 'love'; here substantival, 'the loved one' — one of the two who bear children.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἡtheNominativearticle (substantizing μισουμένη)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μισουμένηthe hated (wife)Pres Pass Ptcp Nom Sg Fem · μισέωsubstantival participle (subject of τέκωσιν: 'the hated wife')→ durative present participle (the unloved wife)μισέω (pres. pass. ptcp.): 'hate / love less'; substantival 'the hated / less-loved one'; her son, if firstborn, is the focus of the statute's protection.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the decisive condition)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
γένηταιbe / turn out to beAor Mid Subj 3 Sg · γίνομαιverb of protasis (subjunctive: the firstborn belongs to the hated wife)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (the firstborn proves to be hers)γίνομαι (aor. mid. subj. γένηται): 'come to be / prove to be'; the decisive condition — the firstborn son turns out to be the son of the hated wife; this is the crux the law addresses.
υἱὸςsonNominativesubject of γένηται (predicate: 'a firstborn son')→ participant prominenceυἱός: 'son'; renders בֵּן; the firstborn son whose inheritance-right is at stake.
πρωτότοκοςfirstbornNominativepredicate adjective (modifying υἱὸς: 'a firstborn son')→ participant prominenceπρωτότοκος: 'firstborn'; renders הַבְּכֹר; legal status of the first-born son, carrying the right of the double portion (v. 17); the theme-word of the pericope.
τῆςthe / of theGenitivearticle (substantizing μισουμένης)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μισουμένηςof the hated (wife)Pres Pass Ptcp Gen Sg Fem · μισέωsubstantival participle (genitive of relationship: 'son of the hated wife')→ durative present participle (the unloved wife)μισέω (pres. pass. ptcp. gen. μισουμένης): 'hate / love less'; the genitive 'of the hated wife' identifies the firstborn's mother as the unloved one — precisely the case where a father might be tempted to disinherit the rightful heir.
16
καὶ ἔσται ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ κατακληροδοτῇ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ οὐ δυνήσεται πρωτοτοκεῦσαι τῷ υἱῷ τῆς ἠγαπημένης ὑπεριδὼν τὸν υἱὸν τῆς μισουμένης τὸν πρωτότοκον
then it shall be, on whatever day he apportions his goods as inheritance to his sons, he shall not be able to give the right of the firstborn to the son of the loved wife, overlooking the son of the hated wife, the firstborn;
The apodosis (καὶ ἔσται + temporal clause) prohibits the father, on the day he divides his property, from conferring firstborn-status (πρωτοτοκεῦσαι) on the loved wife's son while passing over (ὑπεριδών) the actual firstborn of the hated wife. The law forbids partiality from overturning the order of birth — natural primogeniture, not paternal preference, governs the inheritance.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶand / thennarrative conjunction (apodosis-marker)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔσταιit shall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (Hebraizing 'and it shall be' apodosis-marker)→ prescriptive future (legal apodosis-marker)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; καὶ ἔσται renders וְהָיָה, introducing the legal provision governed by the temporal clause that follows.
ᾗon whichDativerelative pronoun (dative, with ἡμέρᾳ: 'on whatever day')→ participant reference or interestὅς (dat. fem. ᾗ): relative pronoun; ᾗ ἂν … ἡμέρᾳ ('on whatever day') is a temporal relative construction with ἄν + subjunctive — 'whenever he apportions.'
ἂνevermodal particle (with subjunctive in indefinite temporal clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastἄν: the modal particle marking the temporal clause as indefinite ('on whatever day'); with the subjunctive κατακληροδοτῇ.
ἡμέρᾳdayDativedative of time (with ᾗ ἄν: 'on whatever day')→ sphere or referenceἡμέρα (dat. ἡμέρᾳ): 'day'; the dative of time within which; 'on the day he apportions' = at the time of the inheritance-distribution.
κατακληροδοτῇhe apportions as inheritancePres Act Subj 3 Sg · κατακληροδοτέωverb of indefinite temporal clause (subjunctive with ᾗ ἄν)→ durative present subjunctive (the act of distributing the inheritance)κατακληροδοτέω: 'distribute / apportion by lot / assign as inheritance'; renders הַנְחִילוֹ ('cause to inherit', Hiphil of נחל); the compound verb (κατά + κλῆρος + δίδωμι) is a technical LXX term for the formal allotment of property among heirs.
τοῖςthe / to theDativearticle (with υἱοῖς)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοῖςsonsDativedative indirect object (the heirs)→ sphere or referenceυἱός (dat. pl. υἱοῖς): 'son'; the sons among whom the inheritance is divided; the dative of the recipients of the allotment.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying υἱοῖς)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying υἱοῖς).
τὰtheAccusativearticle (substantizing ὑπάρχοντα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὑπάρχονταgoods / possessionsPres Act Ptcp Acc Pl Neut · ὑπάρχωsubstantival participle (direct object of κατακληροδοτῇ: 'his possessions')→ durative present participle (the property in hand)ὑπάρχω (pres. ptcp. n. pl. τὰ ὑπάρχοντα): 'be / exist / belong'; the substantival neuter plural τὰ ὑπάρχοντα ('the things being / one's belongings') is the standard Greek idiom for 'property / goods / estate' (cf. Luke 12:15); renders אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶה לוֹ ('whatever he has').
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying ὑπάρχοντα)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying ὑπάρχοντα).
οὐnotnegative particle (negating δυνήσεται)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
δυνήσεταιhe shall be ableFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · δύναμαιmain verb (the prohibition: 'he shall not be able')→ prohibitive future (he is not permitted)δύναμαι (fut. δυνήσεται): 'be able / be permitted'; renders לֹא יוּכַל ('he shall not be able / allowed'); here 'be able' carries the sense of legal permission — the father is not entitled to override the firstborn's right.
πρωτοτοκεῦσαιto confer the firstborn's rightAor Act Infin · πρωτοτοκεύωcomplementary infinitive (with δυνήσεται)→ telic aorist infinitive (to treat as firstborn)πρωτοτοκεύω (aor. infin. πρωτοτοκεῦσαι): 'treat as / make the firstborn, confer firstborn-status'; a denominative verb from πρωτότοκος; renders לְבַכֵּר ('to make / treat as firstborn', from בכר); the father may not bestow the firstborn's privileges on the loved wife's son.
τῷthe / to theDativearticle (with υἱῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱῷsonDativedative indirect object (the son who may not be made firstborn)→ sphere or referenceυἱός (dat. υἱῷ): 'son'; the son of the loved wife, whom the father may not unlawfully prefer.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (substantizing ἠγαπημένης)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἠγαπημένηςof the loved (wife)Perf Pass Ptcp Gen Sg Fem · ἀγαπάωsubstantival participle (genitive of relationship: 'son of the loved wife')→ resultative perfect participle (the loved wife)ἀγαπάω (perf. pass. ptcp. gen. ἠγαπημένης): 'love'; the genitive identifies the favored son's mother as the loved wife — the very preference the law restrains.
ὑπεριδὼνoverlooking / disregardingAor Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · ὑπεροράωcircumstantial participle (modifying the father: 'overlooking the firstborn')→ coincident aorist participle (the act of passing over)ὑπεροράω (aor. ptcp. ὑπεριδών): 'overlook / disregard / despise'; the compound ὑπερ- ('over') + ὁράω ('see') = 'look past, pass over'; renders the sense of slighting the rightful heir; the participle describes the forbidden act of disregarding the true firstborn in favor of the loved wife's son.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with υἱὸν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱὸνsonAccusativedirect object of ὑπεριδὼν (the firstborn passed over)→ object specificationυἱός (acc. υἱόν): 'son'; the son of the hated wife — the true firstborn whom the father is forbidden to disregard.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (substantizing μισουμένης)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μισουμένηςof the hated (wife)Pres Pass Ptcp Gen Sg Fem · μισέωsubstantival participle (genitive of relationship: 'son of the hated wife')→ durative present participle (the unloved wife)μισέω (pres. pass. ptcp. gen. μισουμένης): 'hate / love less'; the genitive again marks the firstborn as the unloved wife's son — the heir the law shields.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with πρωτότοκον, in apposition to υἱὸν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρωτότοκονfirstbornAccusativeaccusative in apposition to υἱὸν ('the son ... the firstborn')→ object specificationπρωτότοκος (acc. πρωτότοκον): 'firstborn'; the appositive emphatically restates that this disregarded son is in fact the firstborn — his birthright cannot be transferred by paternal favoritism.
17
ἀλλὰ τὸν πρωτότοκον υἱὸν τῆς μισουμένης ἐπιγνώσεται δοῦναι αὐτῷ διπλᾶ ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἂν εὑρεθῇ αὐτῷ ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀρχὴ τέκνων αὐτοῦ καὶ τούτῳ καθήκει τὰ πρωτοτόκια
but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the hated wife, to give him a double portion of all that he has, for this one is the beginning of his children, and to him belong the rights of the firstborn.
The adversative ἀλλά ('but, rather') turns from prohibition to positive command: the father must acknowledge (ἐπιγνώσεται) the true firstborn and give him a double portion (διπλᾶ) of all his estate. The ground is the firstborn's nature as ἀρχὴ τέκνων ('the beginning / firstfruits of his children'), to whom the rights of the firstborn (τὰ πρωτοτόκια) belong by birth — a status echoed of Christ as πρωτότοκος (Col 1:15, 18; Heb 12:23).
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
ἀλλὰbut / ratheradversative conjunction (prohibition to positive command)→ discourse linkage or contrastἀλλά: 'but / rather'; the strong adversative turns from what the father may not do (v. 16) to what he must do — acknowledge the firstborn's right.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with πρωτότοκον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρωτότοκονfirstbornAccusativedirect object of ἐπιγνώσεται (fronted for emphasis)→ object specificationπρωτότοκος (acc. πρωτότοκον): 'firstborn'; the fronted object emphasizes that it is the firstborn — not the favorite — who must be recognized; the theme-word reaches its climax.
υἱὸνsonAccusativeaccusative in apposition to πρωτότοκον→ object specificationυἱός (acc. υἱόν): 'son'; in apposition — 'the firstborn, the son of the hated wife.'
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (substantizing μισουμένης)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μισουμένηςof the hated (wife)Pres Pass Ptcp Gen Sg Fem · μισέωsubstantival participle (genitive of relationship)→ durative present participle (the unloved wife)μισέω (pres. pass. ptcp. gen. μισουμένης): 'hate / love less'; the firstborn's mother once more named as the unloved wife — his right stands regardless of his mother's standing.
ἐπιγνώσεταιhe shall acknowledge / recognizeFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐπιγινώσκωmain verb (the positive command)→ prescriptive future (legal 'he shall acknowledge')ἐπιγινώσκω (fut. mid. ἐπιγνώσεται): 'recognize / acknowledge fully'; the compound ἐπι- intensifies ('know upon, acknowledge'); renders יַכִּיר ('he shall acknowledge / recognize', Hiphil of נכר); the father must formally and legally recognize the firstborn's status.
δοῦναιto giveAor Act Infin · δίδωμιcomplementary / epexegetic infinitive (the content of the acknowledgment)→ telic aorist infinitive (to grant him the double portion)δίδωμι (aor. infin. δοῦναι): 'give'; renders לָתֶת ('to give'); the infinitive explains the acknowledgment — to give the firstborn the double portion; recognition is concrete, expressed in the inheritance.
αὐτῷto himDativedative indirect object (the firstborn, recipient of the portion)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): 'to him'; the firstborn, to whom the double portion is given.
διπλᾶa double portionAccusativedirect object of δοῦναι (substantival neuter plural: 'double')→ object specificationδιπλοῦς (n. pl. διπλᾶ): 'double / twofold'; renders פִּי שְׁנַיִם ('a double portion', lit. 'a mouth of two'); the substantival neuter plural denotes the firstborn's double share of the estate — twice what each other son receives; the μερὶς διπλῆ ('double portion') is the central privilege of primogeniture.
ἀπὸof / frompreposition + genitive (partitive: 'of all')→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: here partitive 'of / out of' — the double portion is reckoned from the whole of the father's property.
πάντωνallGenitivepartitive genitive (object of ἀπό: 'of all that he has')→ relational specificationπᾶς (gen. pl. πάντων): 'all'; the double portion is computed from all the father's possessions, not a select part.
ὧνthat / whichGenitiverelative pronoun (genitive by attraction, antecedent πάντων)→ relational specificationὅς (gen. pl. ὧν): relative pronoun attracted into the genitive of its antecedent πάντων; 'of all that is found to him' = all that he has.
ἂνevermodal particle (with subjunctive in indefinite relative clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastἄν: the modal particle marking the relative clause indefinite ('whatever he has'); with the subjunctive εὑρεθῇ.
εὑρεθῇis found / he hasAor Pass Subj 3 Sg · εὑρίσκωverb of indefinite relative clause (subjunctive with ἄν)→ gnomic aorist subjunctive (whatever is found / belongs to him)εὑρίσκω (aor. pass. subj. εὑρεθῇ): 'be found'; the idiom ὧν ἂν εὑρεθῇ αὐτῷ ('whatever is found to him') is a Hebraism for 'all that he possesses' (cf. אֲשֶׁר־יִמָּצֵא לוֹ); the passive 'is found to him' = is in his possession.
αὐτῷto him / hisDativedative of possession (with εὑρεθῇ: 'found to him' = belonging to him)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): 'to / for him'; the dative of possession — the property that belongs to the father.
ὅτιbecause / forcausal conjunction (grounding the firstborn's right)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because / for'; introduces the reason the firstborn must receive the double portion — he is the beginning of the father's strength.
οὗτόςthis oneNominativesubject of ἐστιν (demonstrative pronoun)→ participant referenceοὗτος: 'this one'; the demonstrative points to the firstborn as the one who is 'the beginning of his children.'
ἐστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίlinking verb (predicating ἀρχή of the firstborn)→ stative present (the firstborn's enduring status)εἰμί (pres. ἐστιν): 'is'; the copula links the firstborn to his defining status — 'the beginning of his children.'
ἀρχὴbeginning / firstfruitsNominativepredicate nominative (the firstborn as 'beginning of his children')→ participant prominenceἀρχή: 'beginning / first / origin'; renders רֵאשִׁית ('beginning / firstfruits') and reflects the Hebrew רֵאשִׁית אוֹנוֹ ('the beginning of his strength', Gen 49:3); the firstborn is the first issue of the father's procreative strength, hence his special honor; the NT applies ἀρχή and πρωτότοκος together to Christ (Col 1:18, ἀρχή, πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν).
τέκνωνof childrenGenitivegenitive of relationship (with ἀρχή: 'beginning of his children')→ relational specificationτέκνον (gen. pl. τέκνων): 'child'; renders בָּנִים / אוֹן; the firstborn is the 'beginning of his children' — the first of the father's offspring and so the bearer of the birthright.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying τέκνων)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying τέκνων).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τούτῳto this oneDativedative of advantage (with καθήκει: 'to him belong')→ participant reference or interestοὗτος (dat. τούτῳ): 'to this one'; the firstborn, to whom the birthright is due; the fronted dative emphasizes that the rights belong to him and no other.
καθήκειbelongs / is duePres Act Indic 3 Sg · καθήκωmain verb (impersonal: 'it is fitting / belongs to him')→ stative present (the abiding legal right)καθήκω: 'be fitting / be due / pertain to'; renders מִשְׁפַּט ('the right / due of', from the legal sense of מִשְׁפָּט); the impersonal 'to him belongs / is due' marks the firstborn's right as a matter of law, not paternal discretion.
τὰtheNominativearticle (with πρωτοτόκια)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πρωτοτόκιαrights of the firstborn / birthrightNominativesubject of καθήκει ('the birthright belongs to him')→ participant prominenceπρωτοτόκια (n. pl.): 'rights of the firstborn / birthright'; renders בְּכֹרָה ('birthright'); the same word for the birthright Esau sold (Gen 25:31–34) and that Hebrews warns against despising (Heb 12:16, πρωτοτόκια); the neuter plural denotes the whole bundle of privileges belonging to the firstborn by right.
18
ἐὰν δέ τινι ᾖ υἱὸς ἀπειθὴς καὶ ἐρεθιστὴς οὐχ ὑπακούων φωνὴν πατρὸς καὶ φωνὴν μητρὸς καὶ παιδεύσωσιν αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ εἰσακούῃ αὐτῶν
Now if anyone has a son who is disobedient and contentious, not obeying the voice of his father and the voice of his mother, and they discipline him and he does not listen to them,
A new statute (ἐὰν δέ + subjunctive) addresses the incorrigibly rebellious son: ἀπειθὴς καὶ ἐρεθιστής ('disobedient and contentious'), refusing the voice of both parents even after discipline (παιδεύσωσιν). This is one of Scripture's severest laws; it is to be annotated soberly. Its presupposition — a son who will not be received by parents — is precisely what the gospel reverses in the father's welcome of the prodigal (Luke 15), who 'was dead and is alive again.'
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (introducing new protasis)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; opens a new casuistic case with the subjunctive (ᾖ); ἐὰν δέ marks the transition to the law of the rebellious son.
δέnowtransitional particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the move to a new legal topic after the firstborn-law.
τινιto anyone / someoneDativedative of possession (indefinite pronoun: 'if anyone has')→ participant reference or interestτις (dat. τινι): indefinite pronoun 'someone / anyone'; the dative of possession — 'if there be to anyone a son' = if anyone has a son; the indefinite generalizes the case.
ᾖthere be / he hasPres Act Subj 3 Sg · εἰμίverb of protasis (subjunctive with ἐάν)→ durative present subjunctive (the existing situation)εἰμί (pres. subj. ᾖ): 'be'; with the dative τινι ('to anyone') it expresses possession — 'if anyone has a son'; the Hebrew 'be to' possessive idiom (כִּי־יִהְיֶה לְאִישׁ).
υἱὸςsonNominativesubject of ᾖ→ participant prominenceυἱός: 'son'; renders בֵּן; the rebellious son who is the subject of the statute.
ἀπειθὴςdisobedientNominativepredicate adjective (modifying υἱὸς)→ participant prominenceἀπειθής: 'disobedient / unpersuadable / rebellious'; renders סוֹרֵר ('stubborn / rebellious'); the ἀ-privative + πείθω ('persuade') — one who will not be persuaded or obey; the cognate verb ἀπειθέω recurs at v. 20.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐρεθιστὴςcontentious / a provokerNominativepredicate noun (modifying υἱὸς)→ participant prominenceἐρεθιστής: 'provoker / quarrelsome one'; renders מוֹרֶה ('rebellious / defiant'); from ἐρεθίζω ('provoke, irritate'); the son not only disobeys but actively provokes and contends; the cognate verb ἐρεθίζει recurs at v. 20.
οὐχnotnegative particle (negating ὑπακούων)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐχ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὑπακούωνobeying / heedingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · ὑπακούωcircumstantial participle (describing the son: 'not obeying')→ durative present participle (his continual disobedience)ὑπακούω (pres. ptcp. ὑπακούων): 'obey / heed / listen to'; the compound ὑπ- ('under') + ἀκούω ('hear') = 'hear submissively, obey'; renders שֹׁמֵעַ ('hearing / heeding'); the participle marks his settled refusal to obey his parents' voice.
φωνὴνvoiceAccusativedirect object of ὑπακούων (the voice he will not heed)→ object specificationφωνή: 'voice / sound'; renders קוֹל; 'to obey the voice of' (ὑπακούω φωνήν) is a Hebraism for heeding a person's authority; the son refuses both parents' authority.
πατρὸςof fatherGenitivegenitive of relationship (the father's voice)→ relational specificationπατήρ (gen. πατρός): 'father'; renders אָבִיו; the father's authority, refused by the rebellious son.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φωνὴνvoiceAccusativedirect object of ὑπακούων (the mother's voice)→ object specificationφωνή: 'voice'; the repetition 'voice of father and voice of mother' stresses that both parents — the whole authority of the household — are defied.
μητρὸςof motherGenitivegenitive of relationship (the mother's voice)→ relational specificationμήτηρ (gen. μητρός): 'mother'; renders אִמּוֹ; the mother's authority, equally defied; the law conspicuously gives the mother joint standing with the father.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παιδεύσωσινthey disciplineAor Act Subj 3 Pl · παιδεύωverb of protasis (subjunctive: the parents' correction)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (they administer discipline)παιδεύω (aor. subj. παιδεύσωσιν): 'instruct / discipline / chastise'; renders וְיִסְּרוּ ('they discipline / chasten', from יסר); the parents do their part — they discipline him; the verb covers both instruction and corrective punishment; the case turns on his incorrigibility despite correction.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of παιδεύσωσιν→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): 'him'; the son who is disciplined yet remains unrepentant.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
μὴnotnegative particle (with subjunctive εἰσακούῃ)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: the negation with the subjunctive in the conditional clause.
εἰσακούῃhe listens / heedsPres Act Subj 3 Sg · εἰσακούωverb of protasis (subjunctive: 'and he does not heed')→ durative present subjunctive (his persistent refusal to heed)εἰσακούω (pres. subj. εἰσακούῃ): 'hearken / heed / obey'; the compound εἰσ- intensifies ('hear so as to comply'); renders יִשְׁמַע ('he listen'); the present subjunctive marks his continuing refusal to listen even under discipline — the incorrigibility that triggers the grave penalty.
αὐτῶνthemGenitivegenitive object of εἰσακούῃ (the parents he will not heed)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): 'them'; εἰσακούω takes the genitive of the persons heeded — 'he does not heed them,' his parents.
19
καὶ συλλαβόντες αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξάξουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γερουσίαν τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν πύλην τοῦ τόπου αὐτοῦ
then his father and his mother shall seize him and bring him out to the council of elders of his city and to the gate of his place,
The apodosis: both parents together seize the son and bring him to the elders at the city gate — the place of public justice. Crucially, the matter is removed from private vengeance and placed before the communal court; the parents accuse but do not execute. The gate (πύλη) is the seat of legal judgment in the Israelite town (cf. Deut 22:15; Ruth 4:1).
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶand / thennarrative conjunction (apodosis-marker)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
συλλαβόντεςseizing / taking hold ofAor Act Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · συλλαμβάνωcircumstantial participle (attendant: 'having seized him')→ antecedent aorist participle (the act of taking him)συλλαμβάνω (aor. ptcp. συλλαβόντες): 'seize / take hold of / arrest'; the compound συν- + λαμβάνω = 'lay hold of together'; renders וְתָפְשׂוּ ('they seize', from תפשׂ); the masculine plural participle agrees with the compound subject 'father and mother'; the parents themselves apprehend the son.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of συλλαβόντες→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): 'him'; the rebellious son, seized by his parents.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with πατὴρ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατὴρfatherNominativesubject (with μήτηρ) of συλλαβόντες / ἐξάξουσιν→ participant prominenceπατήρ: 'father'; renders אָבִיו; the father, acting jointly with the mother to bring the son to judgment.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πατὴρ)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying πατὴρ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second subject)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with μήτηρ)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μήτηρmotherNominativesubject (with πατὴρ) of the verbs→ participant prominenceμήτηρ: 'mother'; renders אִמּוֹ; the mother stands as co-accuser with the father — both parents must agree, a safeguard against a single parent's vindictiveness.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying μήτηρ)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying μήτηρ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (resuming with the main verb)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξάξουσινthey shall bring outFut Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐξάγωmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (legal 'they shall bring out')ἐξάγω (fut. ἐξάξουσιν): 'lead / bring out'; renders וְהוֹצִיאוּ ('they shall bring out', Hiphil of יצא); the parents bring the son out from the home to the public court — the matter passes from the household to the community's judgment.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of ἐξάξουσιν→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): 'him'; the son brought before the elders.
ἐπὶto / beforepreposition + accusative (direction: 'to the elders')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'to / before'; the son is brought before the council of elders for judgment.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γερουσίαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γερουσίανcouncil of eldersAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the tribunal)→ object specificationγερουσία (acc. γερουσίαν): 'council of elders'; renders זִקְנֵי ('elders of'); the same elders who bore communal responsibility in vv. 2–6 now sit as the court before whom the son is accused — communal authority, not private parental power, decides his fate.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive of relationship (elders of the city)→ relational specificationπόλις (gen. πόλεως): 'city'; renders עִירוֹ; the local town whose elders judge the case.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πόλεως)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying πόλεως).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπὶtopreposition + accusative (direction: 'to the gate')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'to'; the gate is the place to which the son is brought — the locus of public justice.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πύλην)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πύληνgateAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (the place of judgment)→ object specificationπύλη: 'gate'; renders שַׁעַר; the city gate was the place of legal proceedings, where elders sat to judge (cf. Deut 22:15; 25:7; Ruth 4:1, 11); bringing the son 'to the gate' means submitting him to formal public trial.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with τόπου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τόπουplaceGenitivegenitive of relationship (the gate of his place)→ relational specificationτόπος (gen. τόπου): 'place / locality'; renders מְקֹמוֹ ('his place'); 'the gate of his place' = the gate of his own town — the local jurisdiction to which he is accountable.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying τόπου)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying τόπου).
20
καὶ ἐροῦσιν τοῖς ἀνδράσιν τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν ὁ υἱὸς ἡμῶν οὗτος ἀπειθεῖ καὶ ἐρεθίζει οὐχ ὑπακούει τῆς φωνῆς ἡμῶν συμβολοκοπῶν οἰνοφλυγεῖ
and they shall say to the men of their city, 'This our son is disobedient and contentious; he does not obey our voice; he carouses and is a drunkard.'
The parents lay the formal charge before the men of the city, echoing the language of v. 18 (ἀπειθεῖ … ἐρεθίζει … οὐχ ὑπακούει) and adding the specific vices συμβολοκοπῶν οἰνοφλυγεῖ ('carousing, he is a drunkard') — a glutton and a wastrel. The accusation must be public and explicit; the parents bear witness, but the community judges and acts.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐροῦσινthey shall sayFut Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγω (ἐρῶ)main verb (introducing the accusation)→ prescriptive future (the prescribed charge)λέγω / ἐρῶ (fut. ἐροῦσιν): 'say / speak'; renders וְאָמְרוּ; the parents pronounce the formal accusation; the prescribed words constitute the legal charge laid before the court.
τοῖςto theDativearticle (with ἀνδράσιν)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνδράσινmenDativedative indirect object (the men to whom they speak)→ sphere or referenceἀνήρ (dat. pl. ἀνδράσιν): 'man'; renders אַנְשֵׁי ('men of'); the men of the city — the assembled townsmen who, with the elders, hear the charge and carry out the sentence.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive of relationship (men of the city)→ relational specificationπόλις (gen. πόλεως): 'city'; the townsmen of their own city.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πόλεως)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): 'their'; the parents' own city, whose men judge their son.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with υἱὸς)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱὸςsonNominativesubject of ἀπειθεῖ (within the accusation)→ participant prominenceυἱός: 'son'; 'this our son' — the demonstrative ὁ υἱὸς ἡμῶν οὗτος gives the charge its painful poignancy: the parents must publicly disown their own child.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying υἱὸς)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν): 'our'; the parents speak as one — 'our son'; the possessive heightens the gravity, for they testify against their own offspring.
οὗτοςthisNominativedemonstrative (modifying υἱὸς: 'this our son')→ participant referenceοὗτος: 'this'; the deictic 'this son of ours' points to the accused standing before the court.
ἀπειθεῖis disobedientPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπειθέωmain verb of the accusation (first charge)→ durative present (his settled disobedience)ἀπειθέω (pres. ἀπειθεῖ): 'be disobedient / refuse to obey'; the verbal cognate of ἀπειθής (v. 18); renders the charge of stubborn rebellion; the present tense states his habitual, characteristic disobedience.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐρεθίζειis contentious / provokesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐρεθίζωmain verb of the accusation (second charge)→ durative present (his habitual provoking)ἐρεθίζω (pres. ἐρεθίζει): 'provoke / irritate / be quarrelsome'; the verbal cognate of ἐρεθιστής (v. 18); the present marks his ongoing defiance and contentiousness toward authority.
οὐχnotnegative particle (negating ὑπακούει)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐχ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὑπακούειhe obeysPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ὑπακούωmain verb of the accusation (third charge)→ durative present (his persistent refusal to obey)ὑπακούω (pres. ὑπακούει): 'obey / heed'; here takes the genitive τῆς φωνῆς ('he does not obey our voice'); the charge restates v. 18's οὐχ ὑπακούων, confirming the son's incorrigibility before the court.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with φωνῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φωνῆςvoiceGenitivegenitive object of ὑπακούει (the voice he disobeys)→ relational specificationφωνή (gen. φωνῆς): 'voice'; renders קֹלֵנוּ ('our voice'); 'he does not obey our voice' = he rejects the parents' authority; here ὑπακούω governs the genitive (rather than the accusative of v. 18).
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying φωνῆς)→ relational specificationἡμῶν: meaning 'our'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying φωνῆς).
συμβολοκοπῶνcarousing / feasting riotouslyPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · συμβολοκοπέωcircumstantial participle (describing the son: 'carousing')→ durative present participle (his habitual revelry)συμβολοκοπέω (pres. ptcp. συμβολοκοπῶν): 'feast riotously / squander in revelry' (lit. 'beat the reckoning / club together for a feast', from σύμβολον, a contribution to a common meal); the LXX's vivid rendering of the charge of gluttony (Heb. זוֹלֵל, 'glutton'); the participle pictures the son as a riotous spendthrift.
οἰνοφλυγεῖis a drunkardPres Act Indic 3 Sg · οἰνοφλυγέωmain verb of the accusation (final charge: drunkenness)→ durative present (his habitual drunkenness)οἰνοφλυγέω (pres. οἰνοφλυγεῖ): 'be a drunkard / be given to wine' (οἶνος, 'wine' + φλύω, 'overflow / bubble over'); renders סֹבֵא ('drunkard'); the present marks settled habit; the pairing συμβολοκοπῶν οἰνοφλυγεῖ ('glutton and drunkard') is exactly the slur later hurled at Jesus (Matt 11:19; Luke 7:34, φάγος καὶ οἰνοπότης), an ironic echo of this very statute.
21
καὶ λιθοβολήσουσιν αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ ἐν λίθοις καὶ ἀποθανεῖται καὶ ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι ἀκούσαντες φοβηθήσονται
And the men of his city shall stone him with stones, and he shall die; and you shall purge the evil from among yourselves, and the rest, hearing of it, shall fear.
The grave sentence: the men of the city stone the son; he dies. This is a severe text and must be read soberly — the penalty is the community's, executed publicly, and aimed at the deterrent purge of evil (ἐξαρεῖς τὸν πονηρόν) so that 'the rest, hearing, shall fear.' The same purge-formula closes the murder-law (v. 9). The NT's reversal — the prodigal son welcomed home alive (Luke 15:24) — measures the depth of grace against the just severity this statute represents.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
λιθοβολήσουσινthey shall stoneFut Act Indic 3 Pl · λιθοβολέωmain verb (prescriptive future: the sentence)→ prescriptive future (legal 'they shall stone')λιθοβολέω (fut. λιθοβολήσουσιν): 'stone / pelt with stones'; renders וּרְגָמֻהוּ ('they shall stone him', from רגם); stoning was the standard communal capital penalty (cf. Lev 20:2; Deut 13:10), executed by the whole community so that guilt for the death is corporately shared, not individually borne.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of λιθοβολήσουσιν→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): 'him'; the condemned son.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄνδρες)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνδρεςmenNominativesubject of λιθοβολήσουσιν→ participant prominenceἀνήρ (pl. ἄνδρες): 'man'; the men of the city — the whole community, not the parents — carry out the sentence; the execution is a public, communal act.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive of relationship (men of the city)→ relational specificationπόλις (gen. πόλεως): 'city'; the local townsmen who execute the communal penalty.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying πόλεως)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying πόλεως).
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrumental: 'with stones')→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: here instrumental ('with / by means of'), a Hebraism (בְּ of instrument); ἐν λίθοις = 'with stones.'
λίθοιςstonesDativedative of instrument (the means of execution)→ sphere or referenceλίθος (dat. pl. λίθοις): 'stone'; renders בָּאֲבָנִים ('with stones'); the instrument of the communal execution; the redundant 'stone him with stones' renders the Hebrew cognate emphasis.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀποθανεῖταιhe shall dieFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (the result of the stoning)→ predictive future (the certain outcome)ἀποθνῄσκω (fut. mid. ἀποθανεῖται): 'die'; renders וָמֵת ('and he shall die'); the blunt statement of the capital outcome; the deponent future is the standard LXX form.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the purge-formula)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξαρεῖςyou shall purge / removeFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐξαίρωmain verb (the purge-formula, addressed to Israel)→ prescriptive future (covenantal 'you shall purge')ἐξαίρω (fut. ἐξαρεῖς): 'remove / purge / put away'; renders וּבִעַרְתָּ ('you shall purge', from בער); the same purge-formula as v. 9 (ἐξαρεῖς … ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν); the shift to the second-person singular addresses Israel directly, framing the execution as the community's removal of evil from its midst.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with πονηρὸν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πονηρὸνevil one / the evilAccusativesubstantival adjective (direct object of ἐξαρεῖς)→ object specificationπονηρός (acc. πονηρόν): 'evil / wicked (one / thing)'; renders הָרָע ('the evil'); the substantival τὸν πονηρόν may be read as 'the evil person' or 'the evil thing' — the purge removes both the offender and the evil he embodies; the Deuteronomic purge-formula recurs through the book (Deut 13:5; 17:7; 19:19; 22:21, 24).
ἐξfrom / from amongpreposition + genitive (separation: 'from among')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ (ἐξ before vowel): the purge-preposition; with ἐξαίρω marks the removal of evil 'from among' the people.
ὑμῶνyou (pl.)Genitivegenitive of separation (object of ἐξ)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl. ὑμῶν): 'you'; the shift to plural addresses the whole community from whose midst the evil is purged.
αὐτῶνyourselvesGenitiveintensive pronoun (with ὑμῶν: 'from among your very selves')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): intensive, reinforcing ὑμῶν ('from your own midst'); ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν renders the Hebrew מִקִּרְבֶּךָ ('from your midst'), as in v. 9 — the evil must be removed from within the community itself.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the deterrent purpose)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἐπίλοιποι)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐπίλοιποιthe rest / those remainingNominativesubstantival adjective (subject of φοβηθήσονται)→ participant prominenceἐπίλοιπος (pl. ἐπίλοιποι): 'remaining / the rest'; renders וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל ('and all Israel') by sense — 'the rest' who hear of the judgment; the substantival 'those who remain' are the wider community deterred by the example.
ἀκούσαντεςhearing / having heardAor Act Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · ἀκούωcircumstantial participle (temporal/causal: 'when/because they hear')→ antecedent aorist participle (on hearing of the judgment)ἀκούω (aor. ptcp. ἀκούσαντες): 'hear'; renders וְיִשְׁמְעוּ ('and they shall hear'); the participle expresses the means of the deterrent — hearing of the execution; the formula 'shall hear and fear' (ἀκούσαντες φοβηθήσονται) recurs in Deuteronomy's penal laws (Deut 13:11; 17:13; 19:20).
φοβηθήσονταιthey shall fearFut Pass Indic 3 Pl · φοβέομαιmain verb (the deterrent result)→ predictive future (the intended deterrent effect)φοβέομαι (fut. pass. φοβηθήσονται): 'fear / be afraid'; renders וְיִרָאוּ ('and they shall fear'); the deponent passive future; the penalty's purpose is deterrent — the wider community, hearing, will fear to commit like rebellion; the 'hear and fear' formula seals the public, pedagogical function of the law.
22
ἐὰν δὲ γένηται ἔν τινι ἁμαρτία κρίμα θανάτου καὶ ἀποθάνῃ καὶ κρεμάσητε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ ξύλου
Now if there be in anyone a sin deserving a sentence of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree,
The chapter's final and most far-reaching statute opens with ἐὰν δέ: the case of a capital offender (ἁμαρτία κρίμα θανάτου, 'a sin bearing a death-sentence') who is executed and then hung on a tree (κρεμάσητε … ἐπὶ ξύλου). The hanging is post-mortem exposure, a public sign of the curse. This protasis sets up the regulation of v. 23 — and the verse Paul will read of the crucified Christ (Gal 3:13).
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (introducing new protasis)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; opens the final casuistic case with the subjunctive (γένηται); ἐὰν δέ marks the transition to the law of the hanged man.
δὲnowtransitional particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the move to the chapter's last legal topic — the executed criminal's body.
γένηταιthere be / ariseAor Mid Subj 3 Sg · γίνομαιverb of protasis (subjunctive with ἐάν)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (a capital offense arises)γίνομαι (aor. mid. subj. γένηται): 'come to be / arise'; renders יִהְיֶה ('there be'); 'if there be in anyone a sin' = if a person commits a capital offense; the verb introduces the hypothetical capital case.
ἔνinpreposition + dative (locative: 'in anyone')→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: 'in'; 'in anyone there be a sin' = if anyone is guilty of a sin; the construction locates the guilt in the person.
τινιanyoneDativeindefinite pronoun (object of ἔν: 'in someone')→ participant reference or interestτις (dat. τινι): indefinite pronoun 'someone / anyone'; the generalizing 'in anyone' frames the case impersonally — whoever commits such a sin.
ἁμαρτίαsinNominativesubject of γένηται→ participant prominenceἁμαρτία: 'sin / offense'; renders חֵטְא ('sin'); here a sin grave enough to incur the death-sentence; ἁμαρτία is the standard LXX (and NT) term for sin, including the sins Christ bore on the tree (cf. 1 Pet 2:24, τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν … ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον).
κρίμαjudgment / sentenceNominativeapposition to ἁμαρτία ('a sin — a judgment of death')→ participant prominenceκρίμα: 'judgment / verdict / sentence'; renders מִשְׁפַּט ('judgment'); in apposition — 'a sin, a death-verdict' = a sin carrying the legal sentence of death; κρίμα θανάτου ('a death-sentence') is a fixed legal phrase (cf. Deut 19:6; 22:26).
θανάτουof deathGenitivegenitive of penalty (with κρίμα: 'a sentence of death')→ relational specificationθάνατος (gen. θανάτου): 'death'; renders מָוֶת; the genitive specifies the penalty — a capital sentence; the sin is one for which the law prescribes death.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀποθάνῃhe is put to deathAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἀποθνῄσκωverb of protasis (subjunctive: the execution)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (the carrying-out of the death-penalty)ἀποθνῄσκω (aor. subj. ἀποθάνῃ): 'die / be put to death'; renders וְהוּמָת ('and he be put to death'); the offender is executed — note that the death precedes the hanging; the hanging of v. 22b is the post-mortem exposure of an already-dead body.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κρεμάσητεyou hangAor Act Subj 2 Pl · κρεμάννυμιverb of protasis (subjunctive: the hanging on the tree)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (the act of hanging the corpse)κρεμάννυμι (aor. subj. κρεμάσητε): 'hang / suspend'; renders וְתָלִיתָ ('and you hang', from תלה); the body of the executed is hung on a tree as a public display of the curse; the verb (and its participle κρεμάμενος in v. 23) is precisely the word Paul takes up at Gal 3:13 of Christ ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of κρεμάσητε→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): 'him'; the executed offender, whose body is hung on the tree.
ἐπὶon / uponpreposition + genitive (position: 'on a tree')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + gen.: 'on / upon'; ἐπὶ ξύλου ('on a tree / wood') — the standard phrase taken up verbatim by Paul (Gal 3:13), Peter (1 Pet 2:24, ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον), and the apostolic preaching (Acts 5:30; 10:39, κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου).
ξύλουtree / woodGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί (the tree of hanging)→ relational specificationξύλον (gen. ξύλου): 'wood / tree / stake'; renders עֵץ ('tree / wood'); the 'tree' on which the cursed body hangs; in the NT ξύλον becomes a charged term for the cross (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Gal 3:13; 1 Pet 2:24), reading the crucifixion through this very statute.
23
οὐκ ἐπικοιμηθήσεται τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου ἀλλὰ ταφῇ θάψετε αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ὅτι κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου καὶ οὐ μιανεῖτε τὴν γῆν ἣν κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι ἐν κλήρῳ
his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on that same day, for cursed by God is everyone who hangs on a tree; and you shall not defile the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance.
The apodosis and the chapter's theological climax: the hanged body must not remain overnight (οὐκ ἐπικοιμηθήσεται) but be buried the same day, ὅτι κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου ('for cursed by God is everyone who hangs on a tree'). The curse on the hanged body would defile the land if left exposed. Paul cites this at Gal 3:13 (ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου), reading Christ's crucifixion as his bearing the covenant curse in our place; cf. Acts 5:30; 1 Pet 2:24. The chapter that began with unatoned blood ends with the cursed body on the tree — the very image into which the gospel pours its deepest meaning.
Word-by-word analysis· 38 words
οὐκnotnegative particle (negating ἐπικοιμηθήσεται)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐκ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπικοιμηθήσεταιshall remain overnight / sleep uponFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐπικοιμάομαιmain verb (prohibition: the body shall not remain overnight)→ prohibitive future (legal 'it shall not remain through the night')ἐπικοιμάομαι (fut. ἐπικοιμηθήσεται): 'sleep / lie / remain through the night upon'; the compound ἐπι- ('upon') + κοιμάομαι ('sleep / lie down'); renders לֹא־תָלִין ('shall not lodge overnight', from לין); the prohibition forbids leaving the corpse 'to spend the night' on the tree — it must be taken down and buried before nightfall.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with σῶμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σῶμαbodyNominativesubject of ἐπικοιμηθήσεται→ participant prominenceσῶμα: 'body'; renders נְבֵלָה / the corpse; the LXX uses σῶμα for the dead body; the same word figures in the NT accounts of taking down Jesus' body (cf. σῶμα, Matt 27:58–59; the burial 'the same day' fulfills this very statute, John 19:31).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying σῶμα)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying σῶμα).
ἐπὶonpreposition + genitive (position: 'on the tree')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + gen.: 'on / upon'; ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου ('on the tree') — the body must not remain on it overnight.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with ξύλου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ξύλουtree / woodGenitivegenitive object of ἐπὶ (the tree of hanging)→ relational specificationξύλον (gen. ξύλου): 'wood / tree'; the articular τοῦ ξύλου refers to the tree of v. 22; its NT resonance (the cross) makes the same-day burial command directly relevant to the Gospel passion-narratives (John 19:31).
ἀλλὰbutadversative conjunction (prohibition to positive command)→ discourse linkage or contrastἀλλά: 'but / rather'; turns from the prohibition (not overnight) to the positive command (bury the same day).
ταφῇwith burial / surelyDativecognate dative (Hebraism: intensifying θάψετε)→ sphere or referenceταφή (dat. ταφῇ): 'burial / burying'; the cognate dative ταφῇ θάψετε ('with burial you shall bury') renders the Hebrew infinitive absolute קָבוֹר תִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ ('you shall surely bury him'); the dativus cognatus intensifies the command — burial is absolutely required, and that very day.
θάψετεyou shall buryFut Act Indic 2 Pl · θάπτωmain verb (emphatic command: 'you shall surely bury')→ prescriptive future (legal 'you shall bury')θάπτω (fut. θάψετε): 'bury'; renders תִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ (from קבר); the same-day burial removes the cursed body from public view and from the land; this command stands behind Joseph of Arimathea's haste to bury Jesus before sundown (John 19:31, 'that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the sabbath').
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of θάψετε→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): 'him'; the executed and hanged man, to be buried the same day.
ἐνonpreposition + dative (temporal: 'on that day')→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: temporal 'on / within'; ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ('on that same day') stresses the urgency of same-day burial.
τῇtheDativearticle (with ἡμέρᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέρᾳdayDativedative of time (when burial must occur)→ sphere or referenceἡμέρα (dat. ἡμέρᾳ): 'day'; renders בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא ('on that day'); the burial must take place 'on that same day' — before the night, lest the curse pollute the land.
ἐκείνῃthatDativedemonstrative adjective (modifying ἡμέρᾳ)→ sphere or referenceἐκεῖνος (dat. ἐκείνῃ): 'that'; 'that same day' — the day of the execution and hanging; the demonstrative underscores the immediacy of the required burial.
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (grounding the burial-command)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; introduces the reason for the same-day burial — the curse on the hanged body; Paul quotes the clause it governs at Gal 3:13.
κεκατηραμένοςcursedPerf Pass Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · καταράομαιpredicate participle (periphrastic with implied ἐστιν: 'is cursed')→ resultative perfect participle (standing under a curse)καταράομαι (perf. pass. ptcp. κεκατηραμένος): 'curse'; renders קִלְלַת ('a curse of'); the perfect passive participle denotes a settled state of being accursed — 'one who stands cursed'; the LXX's κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ θεοῦ ('cursed by God') is rendered by Paul with the verbal adjective ἐπικατάρατος (Gal 3:13, ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου), where Christ becomes a κατάρα ('curse') for us by hanging on the tree.
ὑπὸbypreposition + genitive (agent of the passive participle)→ spatial or relational framingὑπό + gen.: 'by'; marks the agent — 'cursed by God'; ὑπὸ θεοῦ specifies that the curse on the hanged body is a divine, not merely human, malediction.
θεοῦGodGenitivegenitive of agent (with ὑπὸ: 'by God')→ relational specificationθεός (gen. θεοῦ): 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; the curse is 'of God / by God' — the hanged man is under the divine curse; Paul's argument in Gal 3 turns on this: the crucified Christ, bearing this God-pronounced curse, redeems those under the law's curse.
πᾶςeveryoneNominativesubject (substantival: 'everyone who hangs')→ participant prominenceπᾶς: 'everyone / all'; the universal πᾶς κρεμάμενος ('everyone who hangs') is reproduced verbatim by Paul (πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος, Gal 3:13); the 'everyone' makes the curse a category, into which Christ deliberately enters.
κρεμάμενοςwho hangs / hangingPres Mid Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · κρέμαμαιsubstantival participle (subject: 'the one hanging on a tree')→ durative present participle (the state of hanging)κρέμαμαι (pres. mid. ptcp. κρεμάμενος): 'hang / be suspended' (middle/intransitive of κρεμάννυμι); renders תָּלוּי ('hanged'); the present participle pictures the body as it hangs; πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου is quoted exactly by Paul (Gal 3:13) — the single most consequential phrase of the chapter for NT theology.
ἐπὶonpreposition + genitive (position: 'on a tree')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + gen.: 'on / upon'; ἐπὶ ξύλου ('on a tree') — the phrase taken up verbatim in Gal 3:13 and (with the article) 1 Pet 2:24, Acts 5:30; 10:39.
ξύλουtree / woodGenitivegenitive object of ἐπὶ→ relational specificationξύλον (gen. ξύλου): 'wood / tree'; the tree of the curse; its appropriation as a name for the cross (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Gal 3:13; 1 Pet 2:24) makes Deut 21:23 a foundational text for the theology of the atonement — Christ the curse-bearer on the tree.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the land-clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegative particle (negating μιανεῖτε)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: meaning 'not'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
μιανεῖτεyou shall defileFut Act Indic 2 Pl · μιαίνωmain verb (prohibition: 'you shall not defile the land')→ prohibitive future (legal 'you shall not pollute')μιαίνω (fut. μιανεῖτε): 'defile / pollute / stain'; renders וְלֹא תְטַמֵּא ('and you shall not defile', from טמא); leaving the cursed body exposed would pollute the land; the land-defilement theme frames the whole chapter — it opened with unatoned blood polluting the land (vv. 1–9) and closes with the cursed corpse threatening the same.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of μιανεῖτε→ object specificationγῆ (acc. γῆν): 'land'; renders אַדְמָה / אֶרֶץ; the covenant land, which must be kept undefiled; the inclusio with v. 1 (ἐν τῇ γῇ ᾗ κύριος … δίδωσίν σοι) frames the whole chapter around the purity of the gift-land.
ἣνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of δίδωσίν, antecedent γῆν)→ participant referenceὅς (acc. fem. ἥν): relative pronoun; introduces the relative clause describing the land as YHWH's gift — the same clause that opened the chapter.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of δίδωσίν→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of יהוה; the giver of the land, whose gift must be kept pure; the divine name closes the chapter as it opened it (v. 1).
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativeapposition to κύριος→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula κύριος ὁ θεός σου closes the chapter, sealing the land-theology that frames it.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (modifying θεός)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (modifying θεός).
δίδωσίνgivesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιverb of relative clause (the LORD's gift of the land)→ futuristic / customary present (the standing gift of the land)δίδωμι (pres. δίδωσίν): 'give'; renders נֹתֵן; the same present of the standing land-gift as v. 1; the chapter ends, as it began, with the LORD's gift of the land to be kept undefiled.
σοιto youDativedative indirect object (recipient of the gift)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): 'to you'; Israel, the recipient of the land.
ἐνas / bypreposition + dative (with κλήρῳ: 'as an inheritance')→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: here 'as / by way of'; ἐν κλήρῳ ('as an inheritance / by lot') renders בְּנַחֲלָה ('as an inheritance').
κλήρῳinheritance / lotDativedative (with ἐν: 'as an inheritance')→ sphere or referenceκλῆρος (dat. κλήρῳ): 'lot / portion / inheritance'; renders נַחֲלָה ('inheritance'); the land given 'as an inheritance' (ἐν κλήρῳ) closes the chapter on the same inheritance-note (κληρονομῆσαι) that opened it (v. 1) — the gift-land, kept pure of innocent blood and of the curse, is Israel's enduring possession.