1
πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς ἃς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν σήμερον φυλάξεσθε ποιεῖν ἵνα ζῆτε καὶ πολυπλασιασθῆτε καὶ εἰσέλθητε καὶ κληρονομήσητε τὴν γῆν ἣν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν ὤμοσεν τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν
All the commandments that I command you today you shall keep and do, that you may live and be multiplied and enter and inherit the land that the LORD your God swore to your fathers.
The chapter opens with the object fronted for emphasis (πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς, 'all the commandments') before the verb φυλάξεσθε, stressing the totality of the obedience demanded. A relative clause (ἃς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι … σήμερον) and a fourfold purpose-chain (ζῆτε … πολυπλασιασθῆτε … εἰσέλθητε … κληρονομήσητε) link obedience to life and to inheritance of the sworn land, setting the agenda for the whole discourse.
Word-by-word analysis· 29 words
πάσαςallAccusativeattributive adjective (fronted, modifying ἐντολάς)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all / every'; the fronted feminine accusative plural πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς ('all the commandments') stresses the totality and indivisibility of the obedience required — not selective compliance but the whole law.
τὰςtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐντολάςcommandmentsAccusativedirect object of φυλάξεσθε (fronted)→ object specificationἐντολή: 'commandment / precept'; renders מִצְוָה; the cognate noun anticipates the verb ἐντέλλομαι in the same clause, a figura etymologica ('the commandments I command') characteristic of Deuteronomic style.
ἃςwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐντέλλομαι, antecedent ἐντολάς)→ participant referenceὅς, ἥ, ὅ: relative pronoun; the feminine accusative plural ἃς agrees with ἐντολάς and introduces the defining clause that grounds the commandments in Moses' present-day proclamation.
ἐγὼINominativesubject (emphatic first-person pronoun: Moses)→ participant referenceἐγώ: the emphatic pronoun foregrounds Moses as the mediating speaker of the divine commandments; throughout the chapter ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι σήμερον frames the law as a word delivered 'today' (cf. vv. 1, 11).
ἐντέλλομαιI commandPres Mid Indic 1 Sg · ἐντέλλομαιverb of relative clause (defining the commandments)→ performative present (the act of commanding accomplished in the speaking)ἐντέλλομαι: 'command / enjoin'; renders צִוָּה (Piel); the deponent middle present is performative — the commanding is effected in the very act of speech; the recurring ἐντέλλομαι … σήμερον stamps the law with a renewed, present-tense authority for the Moab generation.
ὑμῖνto youDativeindirect object (plural addressee)→ participant reference or interestσύ (pl. ὑμῖν): the plural addressee opens the chapter; Deuteronomy oscillates between plural (vv. 1, 19–20) and the more intimate singular 'thou' (vv. 2–18), a stylistic feature (Numeruswechsel) of the book.
σήμερονtodaytemporal adverb→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; renders הַיּוֹם; the Deuteronomic 'today' actualizes Sinai for the new generation, making the covenant a present, binding reality rather than a past event (cf. 5:3).
φυλάξεσθεyou shall keepFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · φυλάσσωmain verb (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (binding command expressed as prediction)φυλάσσω: 'guard / keep / observe'; renders שָׁמַר; the future middle here functions as a command (imperatival future), the LXX's frequent rendering of the Hebrew imperfect of obligation; 'keeping' the commandments is the governing verb of the whole chapter.
ποιεῖνto doPres Act Inf · ποιέωcomplementary infinitive (φυλάξεσθε ποιεῖν: 'keep to do')→ present infinitive (ongoing performance)ποιέω: 'do / perform'; renders עָשָׂה; the pairing φυλάξεσθε ποιεῖν ('keep so as to do') renders the Hebrew שָׁמַר לַעֲשׂוֹת, insisting that observance is not merely intellectual assent but practical performance.
ἵναthatconjunction introducing purpose clause (with subjunctive chain)→ discourse linkage or contrastἵνα: 'in order that'; introduces the fourfold purpose-chain (ζῆτε … κληρονομήσητε) that links obedience to life, increase, entry, and inheritance.
ζῆτεyou may livePres Act Subj 2 Pl · ζάωfirst verb of purpose-chain→ present subjunctive (durative life as ongoing state)ζάω: 'live'; renders חָיָה; 'life' in Deuteronomy is covenant-life in the land, the comprehensive blessing contingent on obedience (cf. 30:15–20); it anticipates the manna-lesson of v. 3, ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πολυπλασιασθῆτεyou may be multipliedAor Pass Subj 2 Pl · πολυπλασιάζωsecond verb of purpose-chain→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (entry into a state of increase)πολυπλασιάζω: 'multiply / increase greatly'; renders רָבָה; the passive (with God as implicit agent) presents national increase as a divine gift, echoing the patriarchal promise of innumerable seed (Gen 22:17).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἰσέλθητεyou may enterAor Act Subj 2 Pl · εἰσέρχομαιthird verb of purpose-chain→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (the act of entering the land)εἰσέρχομαι: 'enter / go in'; renders בּוֹא; 'entering' the land is the central Deuteronomic hope, repeatedly held just over the horizon for the Moab generation poised east of the Jordan.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κληρονομήσητεyou may inheritAor Act Subj 2 Pl · κληρονομέωfourth verb of purpose-chain (climax)→ effective aorist subjunctive (taking secure possession)κληρονομέω: 'inherit / take possession of'; renders יָרַשׁ; the climactic verb of the chain — the land is an inheritance (κληρονομία), a possession received by gift and oath, not earned by conquest alone.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativedirect object of κληρονομήσητε→ object specificationγῆ: 'land / earth'; renders אֶרֶץ; 'the land' is the keyword of the chapter (γῆ recurs in vv. 7, 8, 9, 10), denoting the concrete object of promise and the arena of both blessing and temptation.
ἣνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ὤμοσεν, antecedent γῆν)→ participant referenceὅς, ἥ, ὅ: the relative ἣν binds the land to the patriarchal oath, grounding present possession in past promise.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ὤμοσεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; here the divine oath-giver who swore the land to the patriarchs.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativeappositional subject (κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; the formula κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν/σου ('the LORD your God') is the dominant divine designation of the chapter, binding the covenant Lord to Israel by the relational pronoun.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεός)→ relational specificationὑμῶν: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεός).
ὤμοσενsworeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὄμνυμιverb of relative clause (the oath to the fathers)→ constative aorist (the completed act of swearing)ὄμνυμι: 'swear / take an oath'; renders נִשְׁבַּע; the patriarchal land-oath (cf. Gen 15:18; 26:3; 50:24) is the legal-theological foundation for Israel's claim; the same verb recurs at v. 18 of the covenant sworn to the fathers.
τοῖςto theDativearticle (with πατράσιν)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατράσινfathersDativeindirect object of ὤμοσεν (recipients of the oath)→ sphere or referenceπατήρ (dat. pl. πατράσιν): 'father'; renders אָבוֹת; 'the fathers' are the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom the land was sworn; the term anchors the Moab generation in the continuity of covenant history (cf. v. 18).
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with πατράσιν)→ relational specificationὑμῶν: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with πατράσιν).
2
καὶ μνησθήσῃ πᾶσαν τὴν ὁδόν ἣν ἤγαγέν σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ὅπως ἂν κακώσῃ σε καὶ ἐκπειράσῃ σε καὶ διαγνωσθῇ τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου εἰ φυλάξῃ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ἢ οὔ
And you shall remember all the way that the LORD your God led you in the wilderness, that he might afflict you and test you and that the things in your heart might be known, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
The first of the chapter's two 'remember' commands (cf. v. 18); the imperatival future μνησθήσῃ turns the wilderness past into present moral resource. The purpose clause ὅπως ἂν … (with three subjunctives: κακώσῃ, ἐκπειράσῃ, διαγνωσθῇ) interprets the wilderness as divine testing, and the indirect question εἰ φυλάξῃ … ἢ οὔ exposes its diagnostic aim: to lay bare the heart.
Word-by-word analysis· 36 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (coordinating with v. 1)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
μνησθήσῃyou shall rememberFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · μιμνῄσκομαιmain verb (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (command to keep in active memory)μιμνῄσκομαι: 'remember / call to mind'; renders זָכַר; the future passive (deponent) functions as a command; Deuteronomic 'remembering' is not nostalgia but covenantal re-actualization — the wilderness past becomes a present interpretive lens (cf. the antonym ἐπιλανθάνομαι, 'forget', vv. 11, 14, 19).
πᾶσανallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying ὁδόν)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all / whole'; πᾶσαν τὴν ὁδόν ('the whole way') embraces the entire forty-year journey as a single divinely-guided itinerary to be remembered in full.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁδόνwayAccusativedirect object of μνησθήσῃ→ object specificationὁδός: 'way / road / journey'; renders דֶּרֶךְ; here the literal wilderness route, but with overtones of the 'way' of life and obedience (cf. v. 6, πορεύεσθαι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ).
ἣνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἤγαγέν, antecedent ὁδόν)→ participant referenceὅς, ἥ, ὅ: the relative clause makes the LORD himself the subject of the leading — the way was not aimless wandering but divine guidance.
ἤγαγένledAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἄγωverb of relative clause (divine leading)→ constative aorist (the completed forty-year leading viewed as a whole)ἄγω: 'lead / bring'; renders הוֹלִיךְ (Hiphil of הָלַךְ); the LORD as the agent of the wilderness journey turns apparent wandering into purposeful pedagogy (cf. the participle ἀγαγόντος at v. 15).
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἤγαγέν→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἤγαγέν.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἤγαγέν→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the divine subject of every main verb in vv. 2–3 — leading, afflicting, testing, feeding — concentrating all agency in the covenant Lord.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativeappositional subject (κύριος ὁ θεός σου)→ participant prominenceθεός: the relational formula now shifts to the singular σου ('your God'), beginning the intimate second-person-singular address that runs through vv. 2–18.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεός)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεός).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative).
τῇtheDativearticle (with ἐρήμῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐρήμῳwildernessDativedative of place (locative: 'in the wilderness')→ sphere or referenceἔρημος: 'wilderness / desert'; renders מִדְבָּר; the wilderness is the chapter's great pedagogical space — place of humbling, hunger, and provision (cf. vv. 15–16); the locus where Israel learned dependence.
ὅπωςso thatconjunction introducing purpose clause (with ἂν + subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅπως: 'in order that'; with ἄν and the subjunctive it introduces the threefold divine purpose of the wilderness — to afflict, to test, and to lay the heart bare.
ἂν(modal particle)modal particle (with ὅπως + subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἄν: modal particle marking the contingency of the purpose clause; ὅπως ἄν + subjunctive is a common LXX construction for purpose.
κακώσῃhe might afflictAor Act Subj 3 Sg · κακόωfirst verb of purpose clause→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (purpose of the wilderness leading)κακόω: 'afflict / humble / mistreat'; renders עִנָּה (Piel, 'humble'); the 'affliction' is disciplinary, not punitive — a deliberate humbling that exposes pride and teaches dependence; the cognate aorist ἐκάκωσέν opens v. 3.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of κακώσῃ→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of κακώσῃ.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκπειράσῃhe might testAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἐκπειράζωsecond verb of purpose clause→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (purpose: testing)ἐκπειράζω: 'test thoroughly / put to the proof'; renders נִסָּה (Piel); the intensive compound ἐκ- marks a searching trial; the same root underlies the Septuagintism Jesus quotes at Matt 4:7 (οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον, Deut 6:16) — divine testing of Israel here is the counterpart to Israel's forbidden testing of God there.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐκπειράσῃ→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐκπειράσῃ.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διαγνωσθῇmight be knownAor Pass Subj 3 Sg · διαγινώσκωthird verb of purpose clause (passive: diagnostic aim)→ effective aorist subjunctive (the heart fully brought to light)διαγινώσκω: 'discern / know thoroughly / ascertain'; renders יָדַע; the intensive δια- gives a forensic, diagnostic sense — the wilderness 'diagnoses' the heart, bringing its hidden contents (τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου) to light; the passive leaves the heart as that which is exposed, not God as one who learns.
τὰthe thingsNominativesubject of διαγνωσθῇ (substantized neuter plural article)→ participant prominenceὁ, ἡ, τό: the neuter plural article substantized with the following prepositional phrase, τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ('the things in your heart'), i.e. the heart's true dispositions and intentions.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative, with substantized τά)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative, with substantized τά).
τῇtheDativearticle (with καρδίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίᾳheartDativedative of place (locative: 'in your heart')→ sphere or referenceκαρδία: 'heart'; renders לֵבָב; in Hebrew anthropology the heart is the seat of will, thought, and loyalty, not mere emotion; the chapter pivots on the heart — tested here (v. 2), instructed (v. 5), and warned against pride (v. 14) and the boast 'in your heart' (v. 17).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with καρδίᾳ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with καρδίᾳ).
εἰwhetherconjunction introducing indirect question→ discourse linkage or contrastεἰ: 'whether / if'; here introduces an indirect question (εἰ … ἢ οὔ, 'whether … or not') specifying the content the testing was to reveal — the disjunction making the moral stakes explicit.
φυλάξῃyou would keepAor Act Subj 2 Sg · φυλάσσωverb of indirect question (deliberative subjunctive)→ deliberative aorist subjunctive (the open question of obedience)φυλάσσω: 'keep / guard / observe'; the same verb as the governing imperative of v. 1, now retrospective — the wilderness tested whether Israel would in fact 'keep' the commandments it was commanded to keep.
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with ἐντολὰς)→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐντολὰςcommandmentsAccusativedirect object of φυλάξῃ→ object specificationἐντολή: 'commandment'; the testing-question concerns the very ἐντολαί of v. 1, binding the wilderness retrospect to the opening charge.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἐντολὰς)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with ἐντολὰς).
ἢordisjunctive conjunction (in indirect question)→ discourse linkage or contrastἤ: 'or'; the disjunctive completes the indirect question εἰ … ἢ οὔ ('whether … or not'), sharpening the binary moral test.
οὔnotnegative completing the disjunction (ἢ οὔ: 'or not')→ participant referenceοὐ: 'not'; the bare negative closes the disjunction, leaving the test's outcome as a genuinely open question on which Israel's future hangs.
3
καὶ ἐκάκωσέν σε καὶ ἐλιμαγχόνησέν σε καὶ ἐψώμισέν σε τὸ μαννα ὃ οὐκ εἴδησαν οἱ πατέρες σου ἵνα ἀναγγείλῃ σοι ὅτι οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀλλ᾿ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι τῷ ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος
And he afflicted you and made you hunger and fed you with the manna, which your fathers did not know, that he might make known to you that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God shall man live.
The three coordinated aorists ἐκάκωσέν … ἐλιμαγχόνησέν … ἐψώμισέν make divine affliction, induced hunger, and manna-provision a single pedagogical sequence whose revelatory purpose (ἵνα ἀναγγείλῃ σοι) is stated in the central maxim of the chapter. The ὅτι-clause carries an antithetical proverb (οὐκ … ἀλλά) with chiastic repetition of ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος framing the contrast bread / word-of-God. This is the verse Jesus cites verbatim in LXX wording against the tempter (Matt 4:4; Luke 4:4).
Word-by-word analysis· 40 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (continuing from v. 2)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκάκωσένhe afflictedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · κακόωfirst of three coordinated main verbs (divine action)→ constative aorist (the completed wilderness humbling)κακόω: 'afflict / humble'; renders עִנָּה; the indicative now reports as accomplished fact what v. 2 stated as purpose (κακώσῃ); the 'affliction' is the controlled hardship of the wilderness, designed to break self-sufficiency.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐκάκωσέν→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐκάκωσέν.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐλιμαγχόνησένhe made you hungerAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λιμαγχονέωsecond coordinated main verb→ causative constative aorist (deliberately induced hunger)λιμαγχονέω: 'cause to hunger / starve' (a rare causative built on λιμός, 'famine'); renders הִרְעִיב (Hiphil of רָעֵב, 'make hungry'); the LXX's choice of this uncommon verb stresses that the hunger was divinely induced and purposeful — the precondition for the manna-revelation that follows.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐλιμαγχόνησέν→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐλιμαγχόνησέν.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐψώμισένhe fedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ψωμίζωthird coordinated main verb (with double accusative)→ constative aorist (the completed feeding with manna)ψωμίζω: 'feed (by morsels) / give to eat'; renders הֶאֱכִיל (Hiphil of אָכַל); the verb governs a double accusative (σε … τὸ μαννα, 'fed you the manna'); the same verb returns as the participle ψωμίσαντός at v. 16, framing the wilderness retrospect; the rhythm afflict–starve–feed presents hunger and bread together as a single lesson.
σεyouAccusativefirst object of double accusative (person fed)→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as first object of double accusative (person fed).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with μαννα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μανναmannaAccusativesecond object of double accusative (thing given)→ object specificationμαννα: 'manna'; an indeclinable transliteration of Hebrew מָן (the case here is fixed only by the article τὸ, accusative); the bread of the wilderness (Exod 16), here interpreted theologically as a sign that life depends on God's word, not on ordinary provision; cf. John 6:31–35 where Jesus reinterprets the manna christologically.
ὃwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of εἴδησαν, antecedent μαννα)→ participant referenceὅς, ἥ, ὅ: the neuter ὃ agrees with the indeclinable μαννα; the relative clause stresses the manna's unprecedented novelty — it was outside all ancestral experience.
οὐκnotnegative (with εἴδησαν)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐκ: meaning 'not'; it negates or qualifies the assertion of the clause.
εἴδησανknewAor Act Indic 3 Pl · οἶδαverb of relative clause→ constative aorist (ancestral non-acquaintance with the manna)οἶδα: 'know'; εἴδησαν is a late/Hellenistic sigmatic aorist form (for classical ᾔδεισαν) rendering יָדַע; 'which your fathers did not know' underscores the manna as wholly new divine provision; the same clause recurs verbatim at v. 16.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with πατέρες)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατέρεςfathersNominativesubject of εἴδησαν→ participant prominenceπατήρ (pl. πατέρες): 'fathers'; here the wilderness ancestors / forebears in general, contrasted with the unprecedented gift of manna (distinct from the patriarchs of v. 1, who are the oath-recipients).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with πατέρες)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with πατέρες).
ἵναthatconjunction introducing purpose clause→ discourse linkage or contrastἵνα: 'in order that'; introduces the revelatory purpose of the whole affliction–hunger–manna sequence — the lesson is the goal of the experience.
ἀναγγείλῃhe might make knownAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἀναγγέλλωverb of purpose clause→ effective aorist subjunctive (the decisive disclosure of the lesson)ἀναγγέλλω: 'announce / declare / make known'; renders הוֹדִיעַ (Hiphil of יָדַע); the manna is itself a divine announcement — a teaching event; God 'makes known' through the lived experience of dependence, not merely through propositions.
σοιto youDativeindirect object of ἀναγγείλῃ→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'to you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as indirect object of ἀναγγείλῃ.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content clause (the maxim)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that'; introduces the content of the revelation — the proverbial maxim that follows, the theological heart of the chapter.
οὐκnotnegative (first member of antithesis οὐκ … ἀλλά)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: 'not'; opens the antithetical maxim οὐκ … ἀλλά ('not … but'); in Matt 4:4 Jesus answers the tempter's 'command these stones to become bread' with this very negation, refusing to make bread the basis of life.
ἐπ᾿by / onpreposition + dative (basis / means of life; elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dative: 'on / upon / by means of'; here the ground or basis on which life rests; the parallel ἐπ᾽ ἄρτῳ … ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι sets bread and word side by side as competing foundations of life.
ἄρτῳbreadDativedative object of ἐπί (means/basis of living)→ sphere or referenceἄρτος: 'bread / food'; renders לֶחֶם; 'bread' here stands by synecdoche for all material sustenance; the maxim denies that physical food alone sustains true life.
μόνῳaloneDativeattributive adjective (modifying ἄρτῳ: 'bread alone')→ sphere or referenceμόνος: 'only / alone'; renders לְבַדּוֹ; the crucial qualifier — bread is not denied as sustenance, but its exclusivity (ἄρτῳ μόνῳ) is; life rests on more than bread, namely on God's word.
ζήσεταιshall liveFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ζάωmain verb of the maxim (first member)→ gnomic future (timeless general truth)ζάω: 'live'; the future ζήσεται is gnomic — a timeless general truth ('man lives …'); rendering the Hebrew imperfect יִחְיֶה; the verb frames both halves of the antithesis (chiastic repetition ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος … ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος).
ὁtheNominativearticle (with ἄνθρωπος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνθρωποςmanNominativesubject of ζήσεται (generic: 'man / humankind')→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: 'man / human being'; renders אָדָם; the generic article (ὁ ἄνθρωπος) gives the statement universal, proverbial scope — true of humanity as such, the basis of Jesus' application of it to himself as representative man (Matt 4:4).
ἀλλ᾿butstrong adversative (second member of antithesis; elided)→ clausal contributionἀλλά: 'but'; the strong adversative pivots from the denied basis (bread alone) to the true basis (every word of God); οὐκ … ἀλλά is the classic structure of corrective antithesis.
ἐπὶby / onpreposition + dative (true basis of life)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dative: parallel to ἐπ᾽ ἄρτῳ above; now the positive ground of life — 'by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'
παντὶeveryDativeattributive adjective (modifying ῥήματι)→ sphere or referenceπᾶς: 'every / all'; παντὶ ῥήματι ('every word') totalizes — life rests on the entirety of what God speaks, not a selection; the manna itself was an enacted 'word' of provision.
ῥήματιwordDativedative object of ἐπί (true basis of life)→ sphere or referenceῥῆμα: 'word / utterance / thing spoken'; renders מוֹצָא ('that which goes out') / by extension the spoken word of God; ῥῆμα stresses the concrete spoken word rather than the abstract λόγος; the word of God — command, promise, and provision — is the real sustainer of life.
τῷthatDativearticle (with attributive participle ἐκπορευομένῳ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ, ἡ, τό: the article binds the participle ἐκπορευομένῳ attributively to ῥήματι ('the word that proceeds').
ἐκπορευομένῳproceedingPres Mid Part Dat Sg Neut · ἐκπορεύομαιattributive participle (modifying ῥήματι)→ present participle (the word as continually issuing from God)ἐκπορεύομαι: 'go out / proceed'; renders יֹצֵא (the participle of יָצָא); the present aspect depicts the word as continually issuing 'out of the mouth of God' — a living, ongoing utterance; the same verb describes the springs 'issuing' through the plains at v. 7 (ἐκπορευόμεναι).
διὰthroughpreposition + genitive (channel: 'through the mouth')→ spatial or relational framingδιά + genitive: 'through / by means of'; marks the mouth of God as the channel from which the life-giving word issues.
στόματοςmouthGenitivegenitive object of διά (source of the word)→ relational specificationστόμα: 'mouth'; renders פֶּה; the anthropomorphism 'the mouth of God' personalizes revelation — the word is no impersonal force but the living speech of the personal God.
θεοῦof GodGenitivegenitive of possession (with στόματος: 'mouth of God')→ relational specificationθεός: 'God'; renders יְהוָה in the MT (διὰ στόματος θεοῦ = עַל כָּל מוֹצָא פִי יְהוָה); the LXX's θεοῦ is the reading Jesus' citation follows (Matt 4:4, ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ).
ζήσεταιshall liveFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ζάωmain verb of the maxim (second member; chiastic repetition)→ gnomic future (timeless general truth, repeated for emphasis)ζάω: the repeated ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος closes the antithesis with rhetorical symmetry; the doubling (ζήσεται … ζήσεται) frames the contrast bread / word and hammers the positive claim home — by God's word man truly lives.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with ἄνθρωπος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνθρωποςmanNominativesubject of the second ζήσεται (generic)→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: the repeated generic subject rounds off the proverb; the maxim's universal scope is what makes it apt for Jesus' self-application as the obedient representative Man who lives by God's word (Matt 4:4; Luke 4:4).
4
τὰ ἱμάτιά σου οὐ κατετρίβη ἀπὸ σοῦ οἱ πόδες σου οὐκ ἐτυλώθησαν ἰδοὺ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη
Your garments did not wear out from you, your feet were not callused, behold, forty years.
Two parallel negated clauses (garments not worn, feet not callused) furnish concrete proof of sustaining grace through the wilderness, capped by the exclamatory ἰδοὺ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ('behold, forty years!'). The verse documents that the same wilderness that humbled also preserved — discipline and provision together.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
τὰtheNominativearticle (with ἱμάτιά)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱμάτιάgarmentsNominativesubject of κατετρίβη→ participant prominenceἱμάτιον: 'garment / cloak'; renders שִׂמְלָה; the preservation of clothing over forty years is a standing wilderness-miracle (cf. Deut 29:5), evidence of God's sustaining care amid the hardship.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἱμάτιά)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with ἱμάτιά).
οὐnotnegative (with κατετρίβη)→ participant referenceοὐ: meaning 'not'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as negative (with κατετρίβη).
κατετρίβηwore outAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · κατατρίβωmain verb (negated)→ constative aorist (the non-occurrence of wearing-out over forty years)κατατρίβω: 'wear out / wear down completely'; renders בָּלָה; the intensive κατα- ('thoroughly wear away') makes the negation emphatic — the garments did not so much as wear thin; the passive presents the (non-)wearing as something that simply did not happen to them.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation: 'off you')→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: 'from / off'; ἀπὸ σοῦ ('from off you') renders the Hebrew מֵעָלֶיךָ, idiomatic for the clothes worn on the body — they did not wear off the wearer.
σοῦyouGenitivegenitive object of ἀπό (the wearer)→ relational specificationσοῦ: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of ἀπό (the wearer).
οἱtheNominativearticle (with πόδες)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόδεςfeetNominativesubject of ἐτυλώθησαν→ participant prominenceπούς (pl. πόδες): 'foot'; the second token of preservation; though Israel walked forty years, their feet bore no damage — a sign of sustaining care over the whole journey.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with πόδες)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with πόδες).
οὐκnotnegative (with ἐτυλώθησαν)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐκ: meaning 'not'; it negates or qualifies the assertion of the clause.
ἐτυλώθησανwere callused / became hardenedAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · τυλόωmain verb (negated, second clause)→ constative aorist (the non-occurrence of callusing/swelling over forty years)τυλόω: 'make callous / harden into a knot' (from τύλος, 'callus / knot'); a rare verb rendering Hebrew בָּצֵק ('swell'); the LXX pictures the feet as not even hardening into calluses despite forty years of walking — the wilderness wear that should have come simply did not.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'behold / look'; renders הִנֵּה; the demonstrative particle calls attention to the sheer span of the miracle — 'forty years!' — inviting wonder at the preservation just described.
τεσσαράκονταfortynumeral (indeclinable, modifying ἔτη)→ measure or countτεσσαράκοντα: 'forty'; an indeclinable cardinal numeral; renders אַרְבָּעִים; 'forty years' is the canonical span of the wilderness generation (Num 14:33–34), here marvelled at as the duration of unbroken provision.
ἔτηyearsNominativenominative of exclamation (with ἰδού: 'behold, forty years')→ participant prominenceἔτος (pl. ἔτη): 'year'; the exclamatory nominative completes ἰδοὺ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη; the forty-year frame ties this verse to the manna (Exod 16:35) and to the whole wilderness pedagogy of the chapter.
5
καὶ γνώσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι ὡς εἴ τις παιδεύσαι ἄνθρωπος τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ οὕτως κύριος ὁ θεός σου παιδεύσει σε
And you shall know in your heart that, as if a man should discipline his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.
The imperatival future γνώσῃ ('you shall know') draws the lesson of vv. 2–4 into the heart. A comparative clause (ὡς εἴ τις παιδεύσαι … οὕτως … παιδεύσει) frames the whole wilderness experience under the metaphor of paternal παιδεία, the discipline of a father for his son — the lexical and theological seedbed of Heb 12:5–11.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
γνώσῃyou shall knowFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · γινώσκωmain verb (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (the lesson is to be inwardly grasped)γινώσκω: 'know / recognize / come to understand'; renders יָדַע; the future as command — 'you shall know in your heart' — calls for experiential, not merely notional, recognition; the verb pairs with διαγνωσθῇ (v. 2) and the boast 'you may say in your heart' (v. 17), all turning on the heart.
τῇin theDativearticle (with καρδίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίᾳheartDativedative of place (sphere of knowing: 'in your heart')→ sphere or referenceκαρδία: 'heart'; the knowing is to be internalized in the heart — the same heart tested in v. 2 is now to be the seat of understood discipline.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with καρδίᾳ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with καρδίᾳ).
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content clause (object of γνώσῃ)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that'; introduces the content to be known — the comparison of YHWH's wilderness dealings to a father's discipline.
ὡςascomparative particle (ὡς εἴ: 'as if')→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / like'; with εἴ forms the comparative-hypothetical ὡς εἴ ('as if / just as when'), introducing the simile that interprets divine discipline by human fatherhood.
εἴifconditional particle (with optative παιδεύσαι)→ discourse linkage or contrastεἰ: 'if'; with the optative παιδεύσαι it casts the human comparison as a hypothetical case ('as if a man should discipline'), a refined Greek construction rendering the simpler Hebrew כַּאֲשֶׁר.
τιςsomeoneNominativeindefinite pronoun (subject of παιδεύσαι, in apposition to ἄνθρωπος)→ participant referenceτις: 'someone / anyone'; the indefinite pronoun generalizes the comparison — any father whatever disciplining any son; it pairs with ἄνθρωπος to make the case typical of human fatherhood as such.
παιδεύσαιshould disciplineAor Act Opt 3 Sg · παιδεύωverb of the comparative-conditional clause (optative)→ potential optative (hypothetical human act of disciplining)παιδεύω: 'instruct / train / discipline (with correction)'; renders יִסַּר (Piel of יָסַר); the optative in the ὡς εἰ clause presents the human father's correction as a representative supposition; παιδεύω embraces both teaching and chastening — the formative discipline of a child, which Heb 12:5–11 develops directly from this verse.
ἄνθρωποςa manNominativesubject of παιδεύσαι (in apposition to τις)→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: 'man / human being'; here a human father, set in analogy to God; the comparison dignifies divine discipline by likening it to the most tender of human relationships, father and son.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with υἱὸν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱὸνsonAccusativedirect object of παιδεύσαι→ object specificationυἱός: 'son'; renders בֵּן; the son-image presupposes Israel's sonship (cf. Exod 4:22; Deut 14:1; 32:6); discipline is the mark of true sonship, not of rejection — the precise logic Hebrews draws out (Heb 12:7–8).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with υἱὸν)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with υἱὸν).
οὕτωςsoadverb (apodosis of comparison: 'so')→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'thus / so'; the correlative answering ὡς εἴ, completing the simile: as a father disciplines, so does the LORD; renders כֵּן.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of παιδεύσει→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the divine disciplinarian, set in analogy to the human father — the comparison's whole weight is to interpret YHWH's afflicting (v. 3) as fatherly love.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativeappositional subject (κύριος ὁ θεός σου)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'the LORD your God' again binds the disciplining God to Israel by the intimate σου.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεός)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεός).
παιδεύσειdisciplines / will disciplineFut Act Indic 3 Sg · παιδεύωmain verb of apodosis→ gnomic/customary future (God's characteristic dealing with Israel)παιδεύω: the repetition (παιδεύσαι … παιδεύσει) seals the analogy; the future expresses God's settled, characteristic mode of relating to his son Israel — formative correction in love; this verse is the OT taproot of the NT theology of divine παιδεία (Heb 12:5–11; cf. Prov 3:11–12).
σεyouAccusativedirect object of παιδεύσει→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of παιδεύσει.
6
καὶ φυλάξῃ τὰς ἐντολὰς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου πορεύεσθαι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ φοβεῖσθαι αὐτόν
And you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways and to fear him.
The lesson of discipline (v. 5) issues in a renewed call to keep the commandments (resuming φυλάσσω from v. 1), unfolded by two epexegetical infinitives — πορεύεσθαι ('to walk in his ways') and φοβεῖσθαι ('to fear him') — that define covenant obedience as a way of life and a posture of reverence.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φυλάξῃyou shall keepAor Act Subj 2 Sg · φυλάσσωmain verb (jussive/imperatival)→ jussive aorist subjunctive (binding exhortation to obey)φυλάσσω: 'keep / observe'; the governing verb of v. 1 returns, now as the practical response to recognizing God's fatherly discipline — knowing the LORD as Father (v. 5) leads to keeping his commandments.
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with ἐντολὰς)→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐντολὰςcommandmentsAccusativedirect object of φυλάξῃ→ object specificationἐντολή: 'commandment'; the third occurrence of ἐντολαί in the chapter (vv. 1, 2, 6), keeping obedience to the concrete commandments as the constant refrain.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source/possession (whose commandments)→ relational specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the commandments are the LORD's own — their authority rests in him, not in Moses.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitiveappositional genitive (κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου)→ relational specificationθεός: the covenant formula in the genitive — 'the commandments of the LORD your God.'
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεοῦ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεοῦ).
πορεύεσθαιto walkPres Mid Inf · πορεύομαιepexegetical infinitive (defining how to keep the commandments)→ present infinitive (ongoing manner of life)πορεύομαι: 'go / walk / conduct oneself'; renders הָלַךְ; 'walking in his ways' is the classic Deuteronomic metaphor for a whole manner of life ordered by the covenant (cf. v. 2, 'the way the LORD led you'); the present infinitive marks it as continuous conduct.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (sphere).
ταῖςtheDativearticle (with ὁδοῖς)→ noun-phrase markingταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁδοῖςwaysDativedative of place (sphere of walking)→ sphere or referenceὁδός: 'way / road'; 'his ways' (ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ) are God's prescribed paths of conduct; the word echoes the literal 'way' of v. 2, now moralized into the way of obedience.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with ὁδοῖς)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with ὁδοῖς).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking the two infinitives)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φοβεῖσθαιto fearPres Mid Inf · φοβέομαιepexegetical infinitive (second: defining obedience)→ present infinitive (abiding reverence)φοβέομαι: 'fear / reverence'; renders יָרֵא; the 'fear of the LORD' is reverent awe and covenant loyalty, not terror; with 'walking in his ways' it forms the Deuteronomic summary of true religion (cf. 10:12), the antidote to the prosperity-pride warned of in vv. 11–17.
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object of φοβεῖσθαι→ participant referenceαὐτόν: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of φοβεῖσθαι.
7
ὁ γὰρ κύριος ὁ θεός σου εἰσάγει σε εἰς γῆν ἀγαθὴν καὶ πολλήν οὗ χείμαρροι ὑδάτων καὶ πηγαὶ ἀβύσσων ἐκπορευόμεναι διὰ τῶν πεδίων καὶ διὰ τῶν ὀρέων
For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good and broad land, where there are torrents of waters and springs of deeps issuing through the plains and through the mountains.
The explanatory γάρ grounds the call to obey (v. 6) in the gift of the land. The futuristic present εἰσάγει presents the entry as imminent and certain. A relative-locative clause (οὗ … ) opens the lyrical land-description of vv. 7–9, beginning with abundant water — torrents and springs welling up through plains and hills.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
ὁtheNominativearticle (with κύριος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γὰρforexplanatory/causal conjunction (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastγάρ: 'for'; the post-positive grounds the exhortation of v. 6 — obedience is fitting because the LORD is giving so good a land; γάρ marks the motivational logic typical of Deuteronomic paraenesis.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of εἰσάγει→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the LORD himself is the active giver of the land — εἰσάγει makes him the agent of Israel's entry, a point the chapter will press against the boast 'my own hand' (v. 17).
ὁtheNominativearticle (with θεός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόςGodNominativeappositional subject (κύριος ὁ θεός σου)→ participant prominenceθεός: the covenant formula again — the God who brings into the land is the same who disciplined in the wilderness.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεός)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεός).
εἰσάγειis bringing inPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰσάγωmain verb (futuristic present)→ futuristic present (imminent entry presented as already underway)εἰσάγω: 'bring in / lead into'; renders מֵבִיא (Hiphil of בּוֹא); the present tense conveys the certainty and nearness of the entry — the LORD is, in effect, already bringing Israel in; the verb is the positive counterpart to ἐξαγαγόντος ('brought out of Egypt', vv. 14–15).
σεyouAccusativedirect object of εἰσάγει→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of εἰσάγει.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction of entry)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of entry).
γῆνlandAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (destination)→ object specificationγῆ: 'land'; the keyword of the chapter; here it begins the rapturous catalogue of the land's goodness (vv. 7–9), the abundance that will become the very ground of the temptation to pride.
ἀγαθὴνgoodAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying γῆν)→ object specificationἀγαθός: 'good'; renders טוֹב; γῆ ἀγαθή ('a good land') is a Deuteronomic refrain (cf. vv. 7, 10; 1:25; 6:18); the land's goodness magnifies both the gift and the danger of forgetting the giver.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πολλήνbroad / muchAccusativeattributive adjective (coordinate with ἀγαθήν)→ object specificationπολύς: 'much / great / broad'; here of a land 'large/abundant' (rendering the sense of a spacious, well-watered territory); paired with ἀγαθήν it stresses both quality and extent of the gift.
οὗwhererelative adverb of place (introducing locative clause)→ participant referenceοὗ: 'where'; the relative adverb of place introduces the description of the land's waters; it recurs in v. 9 (γῆ ἧς) and v. 15 (οὗ ὄφις … οὗ οὐκ ἦν ὕδωρ), structuring both land and wilderness by locative relatives.
χείμαρροιtorrentsNominativesubject of implied 'there are' (nominal clause)→ participant prominenceχείμαρρος: 'winter-torrent / wadi / flowing stream'; renders נַחַל; the term denotes seasonal streams that rush after rain; their abundance marks the land as well-watered, in contrast to the waterless wilderness of v. 15.
ὑδάτωνof watersGenitivegenitive of content (with χείμαρροι)→ relational specificationὕδωρ (gen. pl. ὑδάτων): 'water'; the genitive of content fills out 'torrents of waters'; water is the first-named blessing of the good land, recalling the rock-water miracle of v. 15.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πηγαὶspringsNominativesubject (coordinate with χείμαρροι)→ participant prominenceπηγή: 'spring / fountain'; renders עַיִן / מַעְיָן; springs welling up from the deeps complement the surface torrents — the land is watered both from above and from below.
ἀβύσσωνof deepsGenitivegenitive of source (with πηγαὶ)→ relational specificationἄβυσσος: 'deep / abyss / subterranean waters'; renders תְּהוֹם; the 'springs of the deeps' draw on the ancient cosmology of subterranean waters (cf. Gen 7:11); their gift to the land signals primeval, inexhaustible supply.
ἐκπορευόμεναιissuing forthPres Mid Part Nom Pl Fem · ἐκπορεύομαιattributive participle (modifying πηγαὶ/χείμαρροι)→ present participle (continual flowing forth)ἐκπορεύομαι: 'go out / issue forth'; the feminine plural participle agrees with πηγαί (and χείμαρροι by sense); the present aspect pictures the waters as perpetually flowing through plains and hills; the same verb described the word 'proceeding' from God's mouth (v. 3) — water and word both 'go out' as gifts of life.
διὰthroughpreposition + genitive (path: 'through the plains')→ spatial or relational framingδιά + genitive: 'through'; marks the course of the waters across the terrain.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with πεδίων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πεδίωνplainsGenitivegenitive object of διά→ relational specificationπεδίον: 'plain / level field'; renders בִּקְעָה; the plains and the mountains together (next phrase) describe the whole varied landscape watered by the streams — lowland and highland alike.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διὰthroughpreposition + genitive (path: 'through the mountains')→ spatial or relational framingδιὰ: meaning 'through'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (path: 'through the mountains').
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with ὀρέων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὀρέωνmountainsGenitivegenitive object of διά→ relational specificationὄρος (gen. pl. ὀρέων): 'mountain / hill'; renders הַר; the same word returns in v. 9 ('from its mountains you will mine copper'), framing the land's hills as sources of both water and metal.
8
γῆ πυροῦ καὶ κριθῆς ἄμπελοι συκαῖ ῥόαι γῆ ἐλαίας ἐλαίου καὶ μέλιτος
a land of wheat and barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey;
An asyndetic, lyrical list — the famed 'seven species' of the land: wheat, barley, vine, fig, pomegranate, (olive-)oil, and honey. The repeated γῆ ('a land of …') frames the produce as the land's defining wealth, building the picture of abundance that vv. 11–17 will show to be spiritually perilous.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
γῆa landNominativenominative (heading the produce-list, in apposition to γῆν of v. 7)→ participant prominenceγῆ: 'land'; the anaphoric γῆ … γῆ (vv. 8a, 8b) structures the catalogue; the nominative is loosely appositional to the 'good land' of v. 7, now itemized by its crops.
πυροῦof wheatGenitivegenitive of content (defining the land's produce)→ relational specificationπυρός: 'wheat'; renders חִטָּה; the first of the seven species; wheat is the staple grain, basis of 'bread' (cf. v. 9) — fittingly heading the list given the bread-theme of v. 3.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κριθῆςof barleyGenitivegenitive of content (coordinate with πυροῦ)→ relational specificationκριθή: 'barley'; renders שְׂעֹרָה; the second grain, hardier and the food of the poor; wheat and barley together name the staple cereals of the land.
ἄμπελοιvinesNominativenominative (asyndetic continuation of the list)→ participant prominenceἄμπελος: 'vine / grapevine'; renders גֶּפֶן; the vine yields wine, the third species; vines, figs, and pomegranates form a triad of fruit-trees emblematic of settled, prosperous life (cf. Mic 4:4).
συκαῖfig treesNominativenominative (asyndetic list-member)→ participant prominenceσυκῆ: 'fig tree'; renders תְּאֵנָה; the fourth species; the fig, with the vine, is a stock image of peace and security (1 Kgs 4:25).
ῥόαιpomegranatesNominativenominative (asyndetic list-member)→ participant prominenceῥόα (= ῥοιά): 'pomegranate'; renders רִמּוֹן; the fifth species; prized fruit, later figured on the temple and priestly garments (Exod 28:33–34), token of fruitfulness.
γῆa landNominativenominative (second anaphoric γῆ, heading oil and honey)→ participant prominenceγῆ: the second 'a land of …' resumes the framing formula, now for the products oil and honey, rounding the catalogue toward its climax in v. 9.
ἐλαίαςof oliveGenitivegenitive of content (qualifying ἐλαίου: 'olive oil')→ relational specificationἐλαία: 'olive / olive tree'; renders זַיִת; with ἐλαίου it forms 'oil of olive' (olive oil), the sixth species; the olive is the third great fruit-tree (vine, fig, olive) of the land.
ἐλαίουof oilGenitivegenitive of content (with γῆ)→ relational specificationἔλαιον: 'oil'; renders שֶׁמֶן; olive oil was food, light, medicine, and anointing — a comprehensive emblem of the land's richness.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
μέλιτοςof honeyGenitivegenitive of content (with γῆ)→ relational specificationμέλι: 'honey'; renders דְּבַשׁ; the seventh and climactic species; honey completes the sevenfold list and evokes the stock epithet of the land 'flowing with milk and honey' (cf. Exod 3:8).
9
γῆ ἐφ᾿ ἧς οὐ μετὰ πτωχείας φάγῃ τὸν ἄρτον σου καὶ οὐκ ἐνδεηθήσῃ οὐδὲν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς γῆ ἧς οἱ λίθοι σίδηρος καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὀρέων αὐτῆς μεταλλεύσεις χαλκόν
a land on which not with poverty shall you eat your bread, and you shall lack nothing on it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of its mountains you shall mine copper.
Two more γῆ-clauses crown the description: a land where bread is eaten without scarcity and nothing is lacking (the litotes οὐ μετὰ πτωχείας … οὐκ ἐνδεηθήσῃ οὐδέν), and a land of iron-bearing stone and minable copper. The catalogue of plenty (vv. 7–9) is deliberately maximal, setting up the sharp turn to the warning of vv. 11–17.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
γῆa landNominativenominative (third γῆ-clause heading)→ participant prominenceγῆ: the anaphoric γῆ continues the catalogue, now describing the land's sufficiency for its inhabitants.
ἐφ᾿onpreposition + genitive (location, with relative ἧς; elided)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + genitive: 'on / upon'; ἐφ᾽ ἧς ('on which') locates the eating of bread within the land — daily sustenance enjoyed in the place of gift.
ἧςwhichGenitiverelative pronoun (object of ἐφ᾿, antecedent γῆ)→ relational specificationὅς, ἥ, ὅ: the feminine genitive ἧς agrees with γῆ; relative clauses (ἐφ᾽ ἧς … ἧς) structure the description of the land's bounty.
οὐnotnegative (with the phrase μετὰ πτωχείας)→ participant referenceοὐ: 'not'; negates the prepositional phrase μετὰ πτωχείας, forming a litotes — 'not in poverty' = in plenty.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (attendant circumstance)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + genitive: 'with / amid'; μετὰ πτωχείας ('with poverty') describes the attendant circumstance that is here negated — eating not under conditions of want.
πτωχείαςpovertyGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ relational specificationπτωχεία: 'poverty / destitution'; renders מִסְכֵּנֻת; the negated 'poverty' underscores that in this land bread is eaten in abundance, not scarcity — the very plenty that becomes a spiritual test in vv. 12–14.
φάγῃyou shall eatFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb of the relative clause→ predictive future (assured provision in the land)ἐσθίω: 'eat'; the suppletive future φάγομαι (here φάγῃ, 2 sg.) renders אָכַל; 'you shall eat your bread' anticipates v. 10 (φάγῃ καὶ ἐμπλησθήσῃ); eating is the recurring sign of the land's blessing — and the occasion of forgetting (v. 12, φαγών).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with ἄρτον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρτονbreadAccusativedirect object of φάγῃ→ object specificationἄρτος: 'bread'; the same word as the manna-maxim of v. 3 (ἐπ᾽ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ); here the abundant bread of the settled land — a pointed echo: the very bread that man must not live by 'alone' is now given in plenty, intensifying the warning not to forget its giver.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἄρτον)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with ἄρτον).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegative (with ἐνδεηθήσῃ; double negative with οὐδέν)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: 'not'; with οὐδέν forms an emphatic double negative ('you shall not lack anything').
ἐνδεηθήσῃyou shall lackFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · ἐνδέομαιmain verb (negated)→ predictive future (assured freedom from want)ἐνδέομαι (pass. of ἐνδέω): 'be in need / lack / want'; renders חָסֵר; 'you shall not lack anything' makes the land's sufficiency total; the same theme appears in Ps 22(23):1 (οὐδέν με ὑστερήσει) — the well-provided people lack nothing, which is precisely why forgetfulness threatens.
οὐδὲνnothingAccusativeaccusative of respect / direct object (emphatic: 'in nothing')→ object specificationοὐδείς: 'no one / nothing'; the neuter οὐδέν reinforces the negation — there will be an utter absence of want.
ἐπ᾿onpreposition + genitive (location; elided)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + genitive: 'on / in'; ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς ('on it') = in the land — the sphere of total sufficiency.
αὐτῆςitGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί (referring to γῆ)→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'it'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of ἐπί (referring to γῆ).
γῆa landNominativenominative (fourth γῆ-clause: mineral wealth)→ participant prominenceγῆ: the final 'a land …' turns from produce to mineral resources — iron and copper — rounding off the catalogue with the land's hidden as well as visible riches.
ἧςwhoseGenitiverelative pronoun (possessive genitive, antecedent γῆ)→ relational specificationὅς, ἥ, ὅ: 'whose'; the genitive of possession introduces the land's stones — 'a land whose stones are iron.'
οἱtheNominativearticle (with λίθοι)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λίθοιstonesNominativesubject of implied 'are' (nominal clause)→ participant prominenceλίθος: 'stone'; renders אֶבֶן; 'whose stones are iron' (i.e., iron-bearing rock); the mineral wealth complements the agricultural — the land supplies metal for tools and trade.
σίδηροςironNominativepredicate nominative (the stones 'are' iron)→ participant prominenceσίδηρος: 'iron'; renders בַּרְזֶל; iron was the hardest worked metal of the age; its presence marks the land as advanced and self-sufficient even in its geology.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκout ofpreposition + genitive (source: 'from the mountains')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: 'out of / from'; marks the hills as the source from which copper is extracted.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with ὀρέων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὀρέωνmountainsGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ→ relational specificationὄρος (gen. pl. ὀρέων): 'mountain'; the same hills that channel the waters of v. 7 now yield copper ore — the land's heights are doubly bountiful.
αὐτῆςitsGenitivegenitive of possession (with ὀρέων)→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'its'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with ὀρέων).
μεταλλεύσειςyou shall mineFut Act Indic 2 Sg · μεταλλεύωmain verb (predictive)→ predictive future (the land's resources to be exploited)μεταλλεύω: 'mine / quarry / dig out (metal)'; a technical term (from μέταλλον, 'mine'); renders חָצַב ('hew / dig'); the future envisages settled industry — the people will dig copper from the hills, a vivid mark of the land's developed wealth.
χαλκόνcopper / bronzeAccusativedirect object of μεταλλεύσεις→ object specificationχαλκός: 'copper / bronze'; renders נְחֹשֶׁת; copper (and its alloy bronze) completes the pair of metals; with iron it signals a land equipped for craft, weaponry, and commerce — total material provision, the backdrop to the prosperity-warning.
10
καὶ φάγῃ καὶ ἐμπλησθήσῃ καὶ εὐλογήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τῆς ἀγαθῆς ἧς ἔδωκέν σοι
And you shall eat and be filled, and you shall bless the LORD your God upon the good land that he has given you.
The catalogue of plenty culminates in a three-verb sequence φάγῃ … ἐμπλησθήσῃ … εὐλογήσεις ('eat … be filled … bless'), the proper response to abundance: satisfied eating answered by blessing the giver. This verse (φάγῃ καὶ ἐμπλησθήσῃ καὶ εὐλογήσεις) is the scriptural basis of the Jewish grace-after-meals (Birkat ha-Mazon), and forms the positive hinge before the warning of vv. 11–12, which begins with the very same words (φαγὼν καὶ ἐμπλησθείς).
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φάγῃyou shall eatFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · ἐσθίωfirst of three coordinated main verbs→ predictive future (assured eating in the land)ἐσθίω: 'eat'; (fut. φάγομαι); the same verb as v. 9, now in the climactic triad eat–be filled–bless; the verbatim φάγῃ καὶ ἐμπλησθήσῃ recurs in the warning of v. 12 (as participles), binding blessing and danger together.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐμπλησθήσῃyou shall be filledFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · ἐμπίμπλημιsecond coordinated main verb→ predictive future (satiety as gift)ἐμπίμπλημι (fut. pass. ἐμπλησθήσῃ): 'fill / satisfy fully'; renders שָׂבַע; 'being filled / satisfied' is the climax of the land's bounty — but the same satiety (ἐμπλησθείς, v. 12) is the precondition of pride; the verb thus stands at the hinge between gratitude and forgetfulness.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εὐλογήσειςyou shall blessFut Act Indic 2 Sg · εὐλογέωthird coordinated main verb (the proper response)→ imperatival future (the obligation of thanksgiving)εὐλογέω: 'bless / speak well of / give thanks to'; renders בֵּרַךְ; here the human blessing of God = praise and grateful acknowledgment; the verse grounds the Jewish Birkat ha-Mazon (grace after meals); blessing the giver is the antithesis of the boast 'my own hand made this wealth' (v. 17).
κύριονthe LORDAccusativedirect object of εὐλογήσεις→ object specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the object of blessing — Israel is to direct its gratitude precisely to the LORD, the true source of all the land's good.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with θεόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόνGodAccusativeappositional accusative (κύριον τὸν θεόν σου)→ object specificationθεός: the covenant formula in the accusative — the blessed one is 'the LORD your God,' the giver named relationally.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεόν)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεόν).
ἐπὶuponpreposition + genitive (location: 'on the land')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + genitive: 'on / upon'; ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς locates the blessing in the enjoyment of the land — gratitude offered in the place of gift.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with γῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive object of ἐπί→ relational specificationγῆ: 'land'; the land that prompts blessing is the same 'good land' (γῆ ἀγαθή) of v. 7, framing vv. 7–10 as a single movement from gift to gratitude.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with ἀγαθῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγαθῆςgoodGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying γῆς)→ relational specificationἀγαθός: 'good'; the recurring epithet 'the good land' (cf. v. 7) closes the catalogue as it opened — the land's goodness is the constant note, calling forth blessing rather than self-congratulation.
ἧςwhichGenitiverelative pronoun (object of ἔδωκέν, antecedent γῆς)→ relational specificationὅς, ἥ, ὅ: the relative ἧς (genitive by attraction to γῆς) introduces the decisive clause — the land is given, not earned; gift-language undercuts the boast of v. 17.
ἔδωκένhe has givenAor Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιverb of relative clause (the divine gift)→ constative aorist (the settled fact of the land-gift)δίδωμι: 'give'; renders נָתַן; 'which he has given you' is the theological keynote — the land is sheer gift; this verb returns at v. 18 (αὐτός σοι δίδωσιν ἰσχύν), where even the power to gain wealth is God's gift, demolishing every claim of self-made prosperity.
σοιto youDativeindirect object of ἔδωκέν→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'to you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as indirect object of ἔδωκέν.
11
πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου τοῦ μὴ φυλάξαι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ κρίματα καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον
Take heed to yourself, lest you forget the LORD your God, so as not to keep his commandments and his judgments and his ordinances that I command you today;
The chapter's hinge: the imperative πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ ('take heed to yourself') introduces the negative counterpart to all that precedes. A μή-clause (μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ, 'lest you forget') names the central danger — forgetting God — and an articular-infinitive clause (τοῦ μὴ φυλάξαι) spells out its consequence: failure to keep the commandments. The verb ἐπιλανθάνομαι ('forget') is the antonym of μνησθήσῃ (vv. 2, 18) and dominates vv. 11–19.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
πρόσεχεtake heedPres Act Impv 2 Sg · προσέχωmain verb (imperative)→ present imperative (continuous vigilance)προσέχω: 'attend to / take heed / beware'; renders הִשָּׁמֶר; the reflexive πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ ('watch yourself') is a standing Deuteronomic warning-formula (cf. 4:9; 6:12; 11:16); the present imperative calls for sustained self-scrutiny, especially in prosperity.
σεαυτῷto yourselfDativereflexive pronoun (dative with πρόσεχε)→ participant reference or interestσεαυτοῦ: reflexive pronoun, 'yourself'; the dative completes the idiom 'pay heed to yourself' — the danger lies within, in the heart prone to forget.
μὴlestconjunction introducing negative purpose/fear clause (with subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: 'lest / that not'; introduces the apprehensive clause (μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ) naming the feared outcome — forgetting God; the construction warns against a real possibility.
ἐπιλάθῃyou forgetAor Mid Subj 2 Sg · ἐπιλανθάνομαιverb of negative purpose/fear clause→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (lest you fall into forgetting)ἐπιλανθάνομαι: 'forget / neglect'; renders שָׁכַח; the antonym of μιμνῄσκομαι ('remember', vv. 2, 18); 'forgetting' God in Deuteronomy is not mere lapse of memory but practical apostasy — ceasing to acknowledge and obey; the verb recurs at vv. 14, 19, the keynote of the warning-section.
κυρίουthe LORDGenitivegenitive object of ἐπιλάθῃ (verb of forgetting takes genitive)→ relational specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the object of the feared forgetting; ἐπιλανθάνομαι governs the genitive — to forget the LORD is to lose hold of him as covenant Lord.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitiveappositional genitive (κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου)→ relational specificationθεός: the covenant formula; the one to be not-forgotten is precisely 'your God' — the relationship makes the forgetting the more grievous.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεοῦ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεοῦ).
τοῦso asarticle introducing genitive articular infinitive (negative result/purpose)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: the genitive article + infinitive (τοῦ μὴ φυλάξαι) expresses negative result or purpose — forgetting God issues in 'not keeping' his commandments; a frequent LXX construction.
μὴnotnegative (with the articular infinitive φυλάξαι)→ clausal qualification or emphasisμή: the negative proper to the infinitive; τοῦ μὴ φυλάξαι = 'so as not to keep.'
φυλάξαιto keepAor Act Inf · φυλάσσωarticular infinitive (negative result of forgetting)→ aorist infinitive (the act of keeping, here negated)φυλάσσω: 'keep / observe'; the governing verb of vv. 1, 6 now appears in the negative — to forget God is to fail to keep his commandments; forgetting and disobedience are inseparable in Deuteronomic logic.
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with ἐντολὰς)→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐντολὰςcommandmentsAccusativedirect object of φυλάξαι→ object specificationἐντολή: 'commandment'; first of a triad (commandments, judgments, ordinances) covering the full range of covenant law.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἐντολὰς)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with ἐντολὰς).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with κρίματα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κρίματαjudgmentsAccusativedirect object (second member of legal triad)→ object specificationκρίμα: 'judgment / legal decision / ordinance'; renders מִשְׁפָּט; the 'judgments' are case-law and judicial statutes; the triad ἐντολαί / κρίματα / δικαιώματα together denotes the whole of the revealed law.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with δικαιώματα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δικαιώματαordinancesAccusativedirect object (third member of legal triad)→ object specificationδικαίωμα: 'ordinance / statute / righteous requirement'; renders חֻקָּה / חֹק; the 'ordinances' are the decreed statutes; the same word Paul uses of the law's 'righteous requirement' (Rom 8:4) — the third term completing the comprehensive legal triad.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with δικαιώματα)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with δικαιώματα).
ὅσαwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐντέλλομαι, antecedent the triad)→ participant referenceὅσος: 'as many as / all which'; the quantitative relative gathers up the whole body of law just enumerated as the content of Moses' present command.
ἐγὼINominativesubject of ἐντέλλομαι (emphatic)→ participant referenceἐγώ: the emphatic pronoun again marks Moses as the present mediator of the law (cf. v. 1); the phrase ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον repeats v. 1, forming an inclusio around the chapter's first half.
ἐντέλλομαίcommandPres Mid Indic 1 Sg · ἐντέλλομαιverb of relative clause→ performative present (commanding effected in the speaking)ἐντέλλομαι: 'command'; the verbal echo of v. 1 (πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς ἃς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι) frames vv. 1–11 with the same commanding formula, keeping the present-tense authority of the law in view.
σοιto youDativeindirect object of ἐντέλλομαί→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'to you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as indirect object of ἐντέλλομαί.
σήμερονtodaytemporal adverb→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; the Deuteronomic 'today' (cf. vv. 1, 18, 19) actualizes the command for the present generation, making obedience an urgent, present obligation.
12
μὴ φαγὼν καὶ ἐμπλησθεὶς καὶ οἰκίας καλὰς οἰκοδομήσας καὶ κατοικήσας ἐν αὐταῖς
lest, when you have eaten and been filled, and built fine houses and dwelt in them,
A chain of four aorist participles (φαγών, ἐμπλησθείς, οἰκοδομήσας, κατοικήσας) builds the circumstantial protasis — the conditions of prosperity (satiety, fine houses) under which the heart is tempted to forget. Strikingly, the first two participles repeat verbatim the blessing-verbs of v. 10 (φάγῃ … ἐμπλησθήσῃ): the very satisfaction that should evoke blessing can instead breed pride. The apodosis arrives only at v. 14 (ὑψωθῇς … ἐπιλάθῃ).
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
μὴlestconjunction continuing the negative warning (from v. 11, governing ὑψωθῇς in v. 14)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: 'lest'; the apprehensive μή carries over from v. 11, now governing the participial protasis (vv. 12–13) and its eventual apodosis ὑψωθῇς … ἐπιλάθῃ (v. 14).
φαγὼνhaving eatenAor Act Part Nom Sg Masc · ἐσθίωcircumstantial participle (temporal: 'when you have eaten')→ antecedent aorist participle (completed action prior to the main verb)ἐσθίω (aor. part. φαγών): 'eat'; the participle deliberately echoes φάγῃ of v. 10 — the same eating that should lead to blessing here heads the chain of prosperity that tempts to forgetfulness; the aorist marks the eating as accomplished circumstance.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking participles)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐμπλησθεὶςhaving been filledAor Pass Part Nom Sg Masc · ἐμπίμπλημιcircumstantial participle (temporal, coordinate with φαγών)→ antecedent aorist participle (completed satiety)ἐμπίμπλημι (aor. pass. part. ἐμπλησθείς): 'be filled / satisfied'; the verbatim echo of ἐμπλησθήσῃ (v. 10) is the rhetorical heart of the warning — satiety itself is the danger-point; cf. Deut 32:15, 'Jeshurun grew fat and kicked,' the classic biblical link between fullness and apostasy.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οἰκίαςhousesAccusativedirect object of οἰκοδομήσας→ object specificationοἰκία: 'house / dwelling'; renders בַּיִת; building fine houses marks the transition from nomadic tents to settled affluence — a concrete token of the prosperity that endangers memory of God.
καλὰςfine / goodAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying οἰκίας)→ object specificationκαλός: 'good / fine / beautiful'; renders טוֹב; 'fine houses' (οἰκίας καλάς) evoke the comfort and pride of settled wealth — the antithesis of the wilderness tent.
οἰκοδομήσαςhaving builtAor Act Part Nom Sg Masc · οἰκοδομέωcircumstantial participle (temporal, third in chain)→ antecedent aorist participle (completed building)οἰκοδομέω: 'build / construct'; renders בָּנָה; the building of houses one did not have before (cf. v. 17, the temptation to credit one's own hand) furthers the picture of self-made affluence — the seedbed of the boast in v. 17.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κατοικήσαςhaving dweltAor Act Part Nom Sg Masc · κατοικέωcircumstantial participle (temporal, fourth in chain)→ antecedent aorist participle (settled dwelling)κατοικέω: 'dwell / settle / inhabit'; renders יָשַׁב; 'dwelt in them' completes the picture of established, comfortable life in the land — the very security that lulls into forgetting the God who gave it.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location).
αὐταῖςthemDativedative object of ἐν (referring to οἰκίας)→ sphere or referenceαὐταῖς: meaning 'them'; it serves as dative object of ἐν (referring to οἰκίας).
13
καὶ τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τῶν προβάτων σου πληθυνθέντων σοι ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου πληθυνθέντος σοι καὶ πάντων ὅσων σοι ἔσται πληθυνθέντων σοι
and when your oxen and your sheep have multiplied for you, and silver and gold have been multiplied for you, and all that you have has been multiplied for you,
Three genitive-absolute constructions (πληθυνθέντων … πληθυνθέντος … πληθυνθέντων) extend the protasis of v. 12 with the multiplication of herds, precious metals, and all possessions. The threefold repetition of πληθύνω hammers the theme of increase — the more Israel has, the greater the temptation to pride; the apodosis still waits for v. 14.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (continuing the protasis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with βοῶν; in genitive absolute)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βοῶνoxen / cattleGenitivegenitive absolute subject (with πληθυνθέντων)→ relational specificationβοῦς (gen. pl. βοῶν): 'ox / head of cattle'; renders בָּקָר; cattle were primary movable wealth; their multiplication, with the flocks, signals pastoral prosperity in the settled land.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with βοῶν)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with βοῶν).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with προβάτων; in genitive absolute)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
προβάτωνsheep / flocksGenitivegenitive absolute subject (coordinate with βοῶν)→ relational specificationπρόβατον: 'sheep / small cattle'; renders צֹאן; flocks and herds (βόες καὶ πρόβατα) are the standard pairing for pastoral wealth (cf. Gen 13:2); their increase furthers the picture of abundance.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with προβάτων)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with προβάτων).
πληθυνθέντωνhaving been multipliedAor Pass Part Gen Pl · πληθύνωparticiple of genitive absolute (with βοῶν/προβάτων)→ antecedent aorist passive participle (completed increase, divinely given)πληθύνω (aor. pass. part. πληθυνθέντων): 'multiply / increase'; renders רָבָה; the passive implies God as the agent of increase — even multiplied wealth is gift, not achievement; the first of three πληθυν- forms in the verse, drumming the theme of abundance.
σοιfor youDativedative of advantage (with πληθυνθέντων)→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'for you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of advantage (with πληθυνθέντων).
ἀργυρίουsilverGenitivegenitive absolute subject (with πληθυνθέντος)→ relational specificationἀργύριον: 'silver / money'; renders כֶּסֶף; with gold, the emblem of liquid wealth; the multiplication of precious metals marks affluence beyond mere subsistence — and recalls the Egyptian silver of the Exodus (cf. Exod 11:2).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
χρυσίουgoldGenitivegenitive absolute subject (coordinate with ἀργυρίου)→ relational specificationχρυσίον: 'gold'; renders זָהָב; the silver-and-gold pairing is the stock biblical merism for portable riches; their accumulation epitomizes the prosperity that endangers covenant memory.
πληθυνθέντοςhaving been multipliedAor Pass Part Gen Sg · πληθύνωparticiple of genitive absolute (singular, agreeing with the silver-gold collective)→ antecedent aorist passive participle (completed increase of wealth)πληθύνω: the second πληθυν- form, here singular agreeing with the silver/gold treated as a single mass; the passive again leaves God as the implicit multiplier — the very point the boast of v. 17 will deny.
σοιfor youDativedative of advantage (with πληθυνθέντος)→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'for you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of advantage (with πληθυνθέντος).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πάντωνof allGenitivegenitive absolute subject (summarizing: 'all things')→ relational specificationπᾶς: 'all / everything'; the summarizing 'all that you have' gathers the whole of one's possessions into the picture of multiplied wealth — a totalizing climax to the catalogue of increase.
ὅσωνas much asGenitiverelative pronoun (genitive, antecedent πάντων)→ relational specificationὅσος: 'as much/many as'; the quantitative relative ('all that') sweeps in every remaining possession not specifically named.
σοιto youDativedative of possession (with ἔσται: 'that you have')→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'to you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of possession (with ἔσται: 'that you have').
ἔσταιshall be / you haveFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίverb of relative clause (dative of possession: 'all that is to you')→ predictive future (the possessions one will come to have)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; with the dative σοι it forms the possessive idiom 'all that you have / will have'; the future looks ahead to the full extent of Israel's coming wealth in the land.
πληθυνθέντωνhaving been multipliedAor Pass Part Gen Pl · πληθύνωparticiple of genitive absolute (third occurrence, with πάντων)→ antecedent aorist passive participle (completed total increase)πληθύνω: the third and climactic πληθυν- form; the triple repetition (πληθυνθέντων … πληθυνθέντος … πληθυνθέντων) rhetorically saturates the verse with 'multiplying,' so that the sheer abundance becomes the measure of the spiritual peril.
σοιfor youDativedative of advantage (with πληθυνθέντων)→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'for you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of advantage (with πληθυνθέντων).
14
ὑψωθῇς τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ ἐπιλάθῃ κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου τοῦ ἐξαγαγόντος σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ἐξ οἴκου δουλείας
you be lifted up in heart and forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,
Here at last the apodosis of the μή-clause (begun v. 11, extended through vv. 12–13) arrives: lest 'you be lifted up in heart and forget the LORD.' Pride (ὑψωθῇς τῇ καρδίᾳ) and forgetting (ἐπιλάθῃ, resuming v. 11) are named as the twin perils of prosperity. A relative-participle clause then recalls the great saving act — the Exodus — making forgetfulness inexcusable; vv. 14b–16 string further participles describing the redeeming, sustaining God.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
ὑψωθῇςyou be lifted upAor Pass Subj 2 Sg · ὑψόωverb of apodosis (governed by μή of v. 11)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (lest you become haughty)ὑψόω: 'lift up / exalt'; the passive 'be lifted up in heart' (ὑψωθῇς τῇ καρδίᾳ) renders רוּם לֵבָב — the idiom for pride/haughtiness; the heart 'raised high' is the opposite of the heart humbled by the wilderness (ἐκάκωσέν, v. 3); biblical exaltation of self precedes a fall (cf. Prov 16:18).
τῇin theDativearticle (with καρδίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίᾳheartDativedative of respect (lifted up 'in heart')→ sphere or referenceκαρδία: 'heart'; the heart, tested in the wilderness (v. 2) and meant to know God's discipline (v. 5), now risks being 'lifted up' in pride; the heart is the battleground of the chapter — humbled, instructed, or exalted.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking pride and forgetting)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπιλάθῃyou forgetAor Mid Subj 2 Sg · ἐπιλανθάνομαιsecond verb of apodosis (coordinate with ὑψωθῇς)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (lest you fall into forgetting)ἐπιλανθάνομαι: 'forget'; resumes the keyword of v. 11; pride and forgetting God are presented as cause and effect — the heart lifted up loses sight of the Lord; the genitive κυρίου follows the verb of forgetting.
κυρίουthe LORDGenitivegenitive object of ἐπιλάθῃ→ relational specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the one forgotten is the very God of the Exodus, as the following participle insists.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitiveappositional genitive (κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου)→ relational specificationθεός: the covenant formula; 'your God' — the relational bond makes forgetting the more culpable.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεοῦ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεοῦ).
τοῦwhoGenitivearticle governing the substantival participle ἐξαγαγόντος→ noun-phrase markingὁ, ἡ, τό: the article + participle (τοῦ ἐξαγαγόντος) functions as a relative clause ('the one who brought out'); a string of such articular participles (vv. 14–16) hymns God's saving deeds.
ἐξαγαγόντοςhaving brought outAor Act Part Gen Sg Masc · ἐξάγωsubstantival participle (in apposition to κυρίου: 'who brought you out')→ constative aorist participle (the decisive saving act)ἐξάγω: 'lead out / bring out'; renders הוֹצִיא (Hiphil of יָצָא); 'who brought you out of Egypt' is the foundational confession of Israel's faith (cf. the prologue to the Decalogue, Exod 20:2); the redeeming God is precisely the one in danger of being forgotten amid prosperity — the participle is the antidote to amnesia.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐξαγαγόντος→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐξαγαγόντος.
ἐκout ofpreposition + genitive (source)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: 'out of'; ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ('out of the land of Egypt') is the fixed formula of the Exodus deliverance.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ→ relational specificationγῆ: 'land'; here the land of bondage, pointedly contrasted with the 'good land' of vv. 7–10 — the God who gave the latter is the God who delivered from the former.
Αἰγύπτουof EgyptGenitivegenitive of location (with γῆς: 'land of Egypt')→ relational specificationΑἴγυπτος (gen. Αἰγύπτου): standard LXX form of מִצְרַיִם; Egypt = the 'house of slavery' (next phrase); recalling the bondage magnifies the deliverance and rebukes ingratitude.
ἐξout ofpreposition + genitive (source, in apposition; before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ (ἐξ before vowel): 'out of'; the appositional ἐξ οἴκου δουλείας restates 'out of Egypt' under the metaphor of a slave-house.
οἴκουhouseGenitivegenitive object of ἐξ→ relational specificationοἶκος: 'house / household'; 'house of slavery' (οἶκος δουλείας) renders בֵּית עֲבָדִים, the stock Deuteronomic epithet for Egypt (cf. 5:6; 6:12); it casts Egypt as a place of bondage — the contrast to the 'fine houses' Israel will build (v. 12).
δουλείαςof slaveryGenitivegenitive of description (with οἴκου: 'house of slavery')→ relational specificationδουλεία: 'slavery / bondage'; renders עֲבָדִים ('slaves'); the genitive of quality defines Egypt's house as one of servitude; remembering this bondage is meant to keep the prosperous people humble and grateful.
15
τοῦ ἀγαγόντος σε διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου τῆς μεγάλης καὶ τῆς φοβερᾶς ἐκείνης οὗ ὄφις δάκνων καὶ σκορπίος καὶ δίψα οὗ οὐκ ἦν ὕδωρ τοῦ ἐξαγαγόντος σοι ἐκ πέτρας ἀκροτόμου πηγὴν ὕδατος
who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, where there were biting serpent and scorpion and thirst, where there was no water; who brought forth for you out of the flinty rock a spring of water;
Two further articular participles (τοῦ ἀγαγόντος … τοῦ ἐξαγαγόντος) continue the catalogue of God's deeds: leading through the terrible wilderness of serpent, scorpion, and thirst, and bringing water from the flinty rock. The locative relatives (οὗ … οὗ) paint the wilderness as the antithesis of the well-watered good land (v. 7) — water there came only by miracle. The remembrance is meant to forestall the proud forgetting of v. 14.
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
τοῦwhoGenitivearticle governing the substantival participle ἀγαγόντος→ noun-phrase markingὁ, ἡ, τό: another articular participle continuing the relative-clause hymn to God's saving acts (cf. v. 14).
ἀγαγόντοςhaving ledAor Act Part Gen Sg Masc · ἄγωsubstantival participle (in apposition to κυρίου of v. 14)→ constative aorist participle (the completed wilderness leading)ἄγω: 'lead'; resumes ἤγαγέν of v. 2 ('the way the LORD led you'); the God who led through the wilderness is the same who now brings into the land — leading is his characteristic act, and the wilderness route was itself part of his care.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἀγαγόντος→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἀγαγόντος.
διὰthroughpreposition + genitive (path: 'through the wilderness')→ spatial or relational framingδιά + genitive: 'through'; marks the wilderness as the route traversed under divine guidance.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with ἐρήμου)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐρήμουwildernessGenitivegenitive object of διά→ relational specificationἔρημος: 'wilderness / desert'; the same wilderness of vv. 2, 16, now described in its terror — the place where Israel was humbled and where only God's provision sustained life.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with μεγάλης)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μεγάληςgreatGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying ἐρήμου)→ relational specificationμέγας: 'great / vast'; the 'great and terrible wilderness' (cf. 1:19) stresses the immensity of the danger from which God brought Israel through — magnifying his sustaining power.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with φοβερᾶς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φοβερᾶςterribleGenitiveattributive adjective (coordinate with μεγάλης)→ relational specificationφοβερός: 'fearful / terrible / dreadful'; renders נוֹרָא; the wilderness inspires fear — serpents, scorpions, drought; its terror underscores that survival there was wholly God's doing.
ἐκείνηςthatGenitivedemonstrative adjective (modifying ἐρήμου)→ relational specificationἐκεῖνος: 'that'; the remote demonstrative points back to the well-remembered wilderness of the forty years — 'that' fearful place now safely behind them, but not to be forgotten.
οὗwhererelative adverb of place (introducing description of the wilderness)→ participant referenceοὗ: 'where'; the locative relative (as in v. 7, of the good land) now describes the wilderness — pointed contrast: there springs of water, here serpent, scorpion, and no water.
ὄφιςserpentNominativesubject of implied 'was' (nominal clause)→ participant prominenceὄφις: 'serpent / snake'; renders נָחָשׁ; the 'biting serpent' recalls the fiery serpents of Num 21:6; one of the wilderness terrors from which God preserved Israel.
δάκνωνbitingPres Act Part Nom Sg Masc · δάκνωattributive participle (modifying ὄφις: 'biting serpent')→ present participle (characteristic, ongoing action)δάκνω: 'bite / sting'; the present participle gives the serpent its characteristic menace — 'the biting serpent'; the wilderness fauna embody the deadly environment God carried Israel through.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
σκορπίοςscorpionNominativesubject (coordinate with ὄφις)→ participant prominenceσκορπίος: 'scorpion'; renders עַקְרָב; with the serpent, a stock image of wilderness peril (cf. Luke 10:19); its venomous sting completes the picture of mortal danger.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
δίψαthirstNominativesubject (coordinate with ὄφις, σκορπίος)→ participant prominenceδίψα: 'thirst'; renders צִמָּאוֹן; the deadliest wilderness threat — drought; named here to set up the miracle of water from the rock that immediately follows.
οὗwhererelative adverb of place (second locative: 'where there was no water')→ participant referenceοὗ: the second locative relative intensifies the picture — a place 'where there was no water,' the absolute negation of the well-watered land of v. 7.
οὐκnotnegative (with ἦν)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐκ: meaning 'not'; it negates or qualifies the assertion of the clause.
ἦνthere wasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίverb of locative clause (negated existence)→ durative imperfect (continuing absence of water)εἰμί (impf. ἦν): 'be / exist'; the imperfect 'there was no water' depicts the enduring waterlessness of the wilderness — the standing condition that made the rock-miracle (next clause) a sheer act of grace.
ὕδωρwaterNominativesubject of ἦν (negated)→ participant prominenceὕδωρ: 'water'; its absence in the wilderness (here) is answered by its miraculous provision from the rock (next clause) and by the abundant waters of the good land (v. 7) — the word ties the chapter's geography together.
τοῦwhoGenitivearticle governing substantival participle ἐξαγαγόντος→ noun-phrase markingὁ, ἡ, τό: a further articular participle ('who brought forth') continuing the hymn of God's wilderness mercies.
ἐξαγαγόντοςhaving brought forthAor Act Part Gen Sg Masc · ἐξάγωsubstantival participle (in apposition to κυρίου of v. 14)→ constative aorist participle (the completed water-miracle)ἐξάγω: 'bring out / lead forth'; the same verb used of the Exodus (v. 14) now of bringing water out of rock — the God who led Israel out of Egypt also drew water out of stone (Exod 17:6; Num 20:11); deliverance and provision are one continuous mercy.
σοιfor youDativedative of advantage (with ἐξαγαγόντος)→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'for you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of advantage (with ἐξαγαγόντος).
ἐκout ofpreposition + genitive (source: 'out of the rock')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: 'out of'; marks the flinty rock as the unlikely source of the water-spring — provision from the most barren of materials.
πέτραςrockGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ→ relational specificationπέτρα: 'rock / crag'; renders צוּר / סֶלַע; the water-giving rock of the wilderness is read by Paul as a type of Christ (1 Cor 10:4, ἡ πέτρα δὲ ἦν ὁ Χριστός) — the sustaining provision prefiguring the gospel.
ἀκροτόμουflinty / hardGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying πέτρας)→ relational specificationἀκρότομος: 'sharp-edged / flinty / hard-cut' (lit. 'cut at the tip'); renders חַלָּמִישׁ ('flint'); the 'flinty rock' emphasizes the miracle — water drawn from the hardest, driest stone; the same epithet recurs at Ps 113(114):8.
πηγὴνspringAccusativedirect object of ἐξαγαγόντος→ object specificationπηγή: 'spring / fountain'; the same word as the land's springs in v. 7 (πηγαὶ ἀβύσσων) — God gave a 'spring' even in the desert, foreshadowing the springs of the good land.
ὕδατοςof waterGenitivegenitive of content (with πηγὴν: 'spring of water')→ relational specificationὕδωρ (gen. ὕδατος): 'water'; the genitive of content completes 'a spring of water'; the very thing absent (οὐκ ἦν ὕδωρ) God supplied — turning the waterless place into a place of water by sheer grace.
16
τοῦ ψωμίσαντός σε τὸ μαννα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ὃ οὐκ εἴδησαν οἱ πατέρες σου ἵνα κακώσῃ σε καὶ ἐκπειράσῃ σε καὶ εὖ σε ποιήσῃ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν σου
who fed you with the manna in the wilderness, which your fathers did not know, that he might afflict you and test you and do you good in your latter days;
The final articular participle (τοῦ ψωμίσαντός) recalls the manna of v. 3 (ἐψώμισέν … τὸ μαννα … ὃ οὐκ εἴδησαν), closing the hymn of saving acts. The triple purpose-clause (ἵνα κακώσῃ … ἐκπειράσῃ … εὖ … ποιήσῃ) recapitulates the testing of v. 2 but adds a redemptive goal — 'to do you good in your latter days' (ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν), interpreting all the wilderness discipline as ordered toward final blessing.
Word-by-word analysis· 29 words
τοῦwhoGenitivearticle governing substantival participle ψωμίσαντός→ noun-phrase markingὁ, ἡ, τό: the last articular participle of the hymn (vv. 14–16), bringing the catalogue of mercies to its climax in the manna.
ψωμίσαντόςhaving fedAor Act Part Gen Sg Masc · ψωμίζωsubstantival participle (in apposition to κυρίου of v. 14; double accusative)→ constative aorist participle (the completed manna-feeding)ψωμίζω: 'feed (with morsels)'; the participle deliberately echoes the finite ἐψώμισέν of v. 3, framing the chapter: the manna that taught 'man shall not live by bread alone' is recalled as the supreme token of dependence on God, lest prosperity erase the lesson.
σεyouAccusativefirst object of double accusative (person fed)→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as first object of double accusative (person fed).
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with μαννα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μανναmannaAccusativesecond object of double accusative (thing given)→ object specificationμαννα: 'manna'; indeclinable (case fixed by the article τὸ); the verbatim repetition of τὸ μαννα … ὃ οὐκ εἴδησαν οἱ πατέρες σου from v. 3 binds the warning-section back to the manna-lesson — remembering the bread of heaven is the cure for prosperity-pride.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative).
τῇtheDativearticle (with ἐρήμῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐρήμῳwildernessDativedative of place (locative: 'in the wilderness')→ sphere or referenceἔρημος: 'wilderness'; the manna was given precisely in the place of no bread (cf. v. 15, no water) — the wilderness as the school of dependence.
ὃwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of εἴδησαν, antecedent μαννα)→ participant referenceὅς, ἥ, ὅ: the neuter ὃ agrees with μαννα; the relative clause repeats v. 3 verbatim, stressing the manna's unprecedented character.
οὐκnotnegative (with εἴδησαν)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐκ: meaning 'not'; it negates or qualifies the assertion of the clause.
εἴδησανknewAor Act Indic 3 Pl · οἶδαverb of relative clause→ constative aorist (ancestral non-acquaintance with manna)οἶδα (εἴδησαν, late aor. form): 'know'; the verbatim repetition of v. 3 ('which your fathers did not know') underscores the manna as wholly new divine provision — a gift no human tradition could supply.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with πατέρες)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατέρεςfathersNominativesubject of εἴδησαν→ participant prominenceπατήρ (pl. πατέρες): 'fathers / forebears'; the wilderness ancestors who had never known such bread — the manna's novelty marks it as pure miracle.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with πατέρες)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with πατέρες).
ἵναthatconjunction introducing triple purpose clause→ discourse linkage or contrastἵνα: 'in order that'; introduces the threefold purpose of the manna-discipline (κακώσῃ, ἐκπειράσῃ, εὖ ποιήσῃ), recapitulating v. 2 but now climaxing in final blessing.
κακώσῃhe might afflictAor Act Subj 3 Sg · κακόωfirst verb of purpose clause→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (purpose: humbling)κακόω: 'afflict / humble'; resumes vv. 2–3; the affliction was disciplinary, aimed (as the third clause shows) at Israel's ultimate good.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of κακώσῃ→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of κακώσῃ.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκπειράσῃhe might testAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἐκπειράζωsecond verb of purpose clause→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (purpose: testing)ἐκπειράζω: 'test thoroughly'; resumes v. 2; the manna itself was a daily test of trust and obedience (cf. Exod 16:4) — gathering only enough for the day taught reliance on God's word.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐκπειράσῃ→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ἐκπειράσῃ.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εὖwell / goodadverb (with ποιήσῃ: 'do good to')→ clausal contributionεὖ: 'well / rightly'; with ποιέω forms the idiom εὖ ποιεῖν ('do good to / benefit'); the redemptive twist — the whole discipline aimed at doing Israel good in the end; affliction is penultimate, blessing ultimate.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ποιήσῃ→ participant referenceσε: meaning 'you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as direct object of ποιήσῃ.
ποιήσῃhe might doAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ποιέωthird verb of purpose clause (climactic)→ effective aorist subjunctive (purpose: final benefit)ποιέω: 'do / make'; with εὖ, 'do good to you'; the climactic purpose redeems the whole wilderness ordeal — God afflicted and tested in order ultimately to bless; the same theology of discipline-for-good as Heb 12:10–11 (πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον).
ἐπ᾿inpreposition + genitive (temporal: 'in the latter days'; elided)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + genitive: 'in / at (a time)'; ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ('in the latter/last days') marks the temporal horizon of the promised good — the discipline aims at a future, settled blessing.
ἐσχάτωνlast / latterGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying ἡμερῶν)→ relational specificationἔσχατος: 'last / final / latter'; renders אַחֲרִית; ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν renders בְּאַחֲרִיתֶךָ ('in your latter end'); the phrase later gathers eschatological weight ('the last days', cf. Heb 1:2), here meaning the future well-being toward which the discipline tends.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with ἡμερῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμερῶνdaysGenitivegenitive (temporal: 'of your days')→ relational specificationἡμέρα: 'day'; 'your latter days' = Israel's future; the temporal phrase casts the whole wilderness pedagogy as forward-looking, ordered to a good end.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἡμερῶν)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with ἡμερῶν).
17
μὴ εἴπῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἡ ἰσχύς μου καὶ τὸ κράτος τῆς χειρός μου ἐποίησέν μοι τὴν δύναμιν τὴν μεγάλην ταύτην
lest you say in your heart, 'My strength and the might of my hand has produced for me this great power.'
The climax of the warning: the prohibition μὴ εἴπῃς ('lest you say in your heart') introduces the proud boast in direct speech — ἡ ἰσχύς μου … ἐποίησέν μοι τὴν δύναμιν ('my strength … produced this power for me'). The piling of first-person possessives (μου … μου … μοι) exposes the self-deifying claim that prosperity is self-made; v. 18 will answer it head-on.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
μὴlestnegative (prohibitive, with aorist subjunctive εἴπῃς)→ clausal qualification or emphasisμή: 'lest / do not'; with the aorist subjunctive (μὴ εἴπῃς) forms a prohibition against the very thought — Israel must not so much as say it 'in the heart.'
εἴπῃςyou sayAor Act Subj 2 Sg · λέγωmain verb (prohibitive subjunctive)→ prohibitive aorist subjunctive (do not even entertain the thought)λέγω (aor. subj. εἴπῃς): 'say'; the prohibition targets inner speech ('say in your heart') — the secret self-congratulation of the prosperous; the heart that 'says' this is the heart 'lifted up' of v. 14.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative: inner speech)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (locative: inner speech).
τῇtheDativearticle (with καρδίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίᾳheartDativedative of place (sphere of inner speech)→ sphere or referenceκαρδία: 'heart'; the heart, the chapter's recurring focus (vv. 2, 5, 14), is here the seat of the proud boast — 'saying in the heart' is biblical idiom for secret conviction (cf. Ps 13(14):1).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with καρδίᾳ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with καρδίᾳ).
ἡtheNominativearticle (with ἰσχύς)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἰσχύςstrengthNominativesubject of ἐποίησέν (first member)→ participant prominenceἰσχύς: 'strength / might / power'; renders כֹּחַ; 'my strength' heads the boast; the same word recurs in v. 18 (αὐτός σοι δίδωσιν ἰσχύν) — the corrective: the very strength claimed as one's own is God's gift.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἰσχύς; emphatic)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): the first of three first-person forms (μου … μου … μοι) crowding the boast — the rhetorical mark of self-centered pride that erases God from the account of one's success.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the two subjects)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with κράτος)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κράτοςmight / powerNominativesubject of ἐποίησέν (second member)→ participant prominenceκράτος: 'might / strength / dominion'; renders עֹצֶם; 'the might of my hand' = one's own exertion and prowess; the doubling ἰσχύς … κράτος intensifies the claim of self-sufficiency.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with χειρός)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χειρόςhandGenitivegenitive of source/possession (with κράτος)→ relational specificationχείρ: 'hand'; renders יָד; 'the might of my hand' makes human effort the alleged cause of wealth; ironic, since it was God's 'mighty hand' that brought Israel out of Egypt (cf. Deut 5:15) — the people credit their own hand for what his hand gave.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with χειρός; emphatic)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): the second emphatic first-person form, reinforcing the self-referential boast.
ἐποίησένproduced / madeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ποιέωmain verb of the boast (singular, with compound subject)→ constative aorist (the alleged self-achievement)ποιέω: 'make / produce / accomplish'; the singular verb with the compound subject treats 'strength and might' as one self-sufficient cause; the boast attributes creative agency (ἐποίησεν) to self — precisely the divine prerogative the verse forbids usurping.
μοιfor meDativedative of advantage (with ἐποίησέν)→ participant reference or interestἐγώ (dat. μοι): the third first-person form; 'produced for me' completes the self-centered grammar of the boast — strength, hand, and benefit all referred to the self.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with δύναμιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δύναμινpower / wealthAccusativedirect object of ἐποίησέν→ object specificationδύναμις: 'power / might / (here) wealth, resources'; renders חַיִל (which spans 'strength' and 'wealth'); the 'great power/wealth' is the abundance of vv. 12–13; v. 18 picks up the same word (ἰσχὺν τοῦ ποιῆσαι δύναμιν) to relocate its true source in God.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with μεγάλην)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μεγάληνgreatAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying δύναμιν)→ object specificationμέγας: 'great'; 'this great power/wealth' magnifies the boast — the very greatness of the prosperity makes the self-attribution the more presumptuous.
ταύτηνthisAccusativedemonstrative adjective (modifying δύναμιν)→ participant referenceοὗτος: 'this'; the demonstrative points to the concrete wealth amassed in the land (vv. 12–13) — 'this great power' now before their eyes, falsely credited to themselves.
18
καὶ μνησθήσῃ κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου ὅτι αὐτός σοι δίδωσιν ἰσχὺν τοῦ ποιῆσαι δύναμιν καὶ ἵνα στήσῃ τὴν διαθήκην αὐτοῦ ἣν ὤμοσεν κύριος τοῖς πατράσιν σου ὡς σήμερον
But you shall remember the LORD your God, that it is he who gives you strength to produce wealth, and that he may establish his covenant which the LORD swore to your fathers, as at this day.
The decisive answer to the boast of v. 17: the second 'remember' command (μνησθήσῃ, framing the chapter with v. 2) directly contradicts the self-attribution — αὐτός σοι δίδωσιν ἰσχύν ('it is HE who gives you strength'). The emphatic αὐτός and the present δίδωσιν relocate the source of all 'power' in God, whose covenant-purpose (ἵνα στήσῃ τὴν διαθήκην … ἣν ὤμοσεν) the prosperity is meant to serve, binding wealth back to the patriarchal oath of v. 1.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶbut / andconjunction (adversative force against v. 17's boast)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: 'and / but'; here adversative in force — over against the boast 'my own hand,' Israel is commanded instead to 'remember the LORD.'
μνησθήσῃyou shall rememberFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · μιμνῄσκομαιmain verb (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (binding command to remember the giver)μιμνῄσκομαι: 'remember'; the second 'remember' command frames the chapter (cf. v. 2) and directly opposes the 'forgetting' of vv. 11, 14, 19; remembering the LORD as giver is the antidote to the boast of self-made wealth.
κυρίουthe LORDGenitivegenitive object of μνησθήσῃ (verb of remembering takes genitive)→ relational specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the one to be remembered as the true source of strength and wealth.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitiveappositional genitive (κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου)→ relational specificationθεός: the covenant formula; 'your God' — the giver is bound to Israel by covenant, which the verse will make explicit (διαθήκην).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεοῦ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεοῦ).
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing content clause (object of μνησθήσῃ)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that'; introduces the content to be remembered — the truth that directly refutes the boast: God is the giver of the power to gain wealth.
αὐτόςhe himselfNominativeemphatic subject pronoun (of δίδωσιν)→ participant referenceαὐτός: 'he (himself)'; the emphatic pronoun is the rhetorical hinge of the correction — not 'my hand' (v. 17) but HE; the contrast αὐτός / μου could not be sharper, relocating all causality in God.
σοιto youDativeindirect object of δίδωσιν→ participant reference or interestσοι: meaning 'to you'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as indirect object of δίδωσιν.
δίδωσινgivesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιverb of content clause (the divine giving)→ customary present (God's continual, characteristic giving)δίδωμι: 'give'; the same verb as ἔδωκέν (v. 10, 'the land which he gave'); the present tense makes the giving ongoing — God continually supplies the very capacity to gain wealth; what v. 17 credited to self is here confessed as gift.
ἰσχὺνstrengthAccusativedirect object of δίδωσιν→ object specificationἰσχύς: 'strength / power'; deliberately echoes ἡ ἰσχύς μου of v. 17 — the 'strength' the boaster claimed as his own is precisely what God 'gives'; the verbal repetition is the engine of the correction.
τοῦtoarticle introducing genitive articular infinitive (purpose)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: the genitive article + infinitive (τοῦ ποιῆσαι) expresses purpose — the strength is given 'in order to produce wealth.'
ποιῆσαιto produceAor Act Inf · ποιέωarticular infinitive of purpose (the end of the given strength)→ aorist infinitive (the act of producing wealth)ποιέω: 'make / produce'; the very verb of the boast (ἐποίησέν, v. 17) returns — but now the producing is enabled by God-given strength; God gives the ἰσχύς that makes the ποιεῖν of wealth possible, so the achievement is derivative, not autonomous.
δύναμινwealth / powerAccusativedirect object of ποιῆσαι→ object specificationδύναμις: 'power / wealth'; the same word as v. 17 (τὴν δύναμιν τὴν μεγάλην) — the 'wealth' the boaster claimed is the wealth God enables; the repetition seals the refutation of self-made prosperity.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing second purpose)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἵναthatconjunction introducing purpose clause (covenant-establishment)→ discourse linkage or contrastἵνα: 'in order that'; introduces the ultimate purpose of God's giving — not Israel's self-aggrandizement but the establishing of his covenant; wealth serves the covenant, not the ego.
στήσῃhe might establishAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἵστημιverb of purpose clause→ effective aorist subjunctive (the confirming of the covenant)ἵστημι: 'set up / establish / confirm'; renders הֵקִים (Hiphil of קוּם); 'establish the covenant' (στῆσαι διαθήκην) is covenant-language (cf. Gen 17:7); God's gift of prosperity serves the larger end of confirming his sworn covenant — the prosperity is covenantal, not merely material.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with διαθήκην)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
διαθήκηνcovenantAccusativedirect object of στήσῃ→ object specificationδιαθήκη: 'covenant / testament'; renders בְּרִית; the LXX's choice of διαθήκη (a unilateral disposition) over συνθήκη (a bilateral pact) shapes the NT 'new covenant/testament' vocabulary (cf. Luke 22:20; Heb 9:15); here the covenant sworn to the patriarchs, the framework within which wealth is given.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with διαθήκην)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with διαθήκην).
ἣνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ὤμοσεν, antecedent διαθήκην)→ participant referenceὅς, ἥ, ὅ: the relative binds the covenant to the patriarchal oath, echoing v. 1 (τὴν γῆν ἣν … ὤμοσεν).
ὤμοσενsworeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὄμνυμιverb of relative clause (the covenant-oath)→ constative aorist (the completed swearing of the covenant)ὄμνυμι: 'swear'; the same verb as v. 1 (ὤμοσεν τοῖς πατράσιν), framing the chapter with the patriarchal oath; the covenant rests on God's sworn word, not Israel's performance — the deepest ground against the boast of self-sufficiency.
κύριοςthe LORDNominativesubject of ὤμοσεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the divine swearer of the covenant — the same LORD who is to be remembered (v. 18a), giving the verse a unity: the giver of wealth is the keeper of the oath.
τοῖςto theDativearticle (with πατράσιν)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατράσινfathersDativeindirect object of ὤμοσεν (recipients of the oath)→ sphere or referenceπατήρ (dat. pl. πατράσιν): 'father'; the patriarchs (cf. v. 1) — the oath-recipients; the prosperity of the land is the outworking of the promise sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with πατράσιν)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with πατράσιν).
ὡςascomparative particle (with σήμερον)→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as'; ὡς σήμερον ('as at this day') renders כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה — a formula affirming that the covenant-promise is being fulfilled in the present moment, visibly realized 'as it is today.'
σήμερονtoday / this daytemporal adverb (with ὡς: 'as at this day')→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; the Deuteronomic 'today' (cf. vv. 1, 11, 19) here marks the covenant as a present, living reality — the oath of old confirmed in the experience of the present generation.
19
καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν λήθῃ ἐπιλάθῃ κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου καὶ πορευθῇς ὀπίσω θεῶν ἑτέρων καὶ λατρεύσῃς αὐτοῖς καὶ προσκυνήσῃς αὐτοῖς διαμαρτύρομαι ὑμῖν σήμερον τόν τε οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ὅτι ἀπωλείᾳ ἀπολεῖσθε
And it shall be, if by forgetting you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and bow down to them, I solemnly testify to you today, by both heaven and earth, that you shall surely perish.
The warning turns to a formal covenant-lawsuit. A conditional protasis (ἐὰν λήθῃ ἐπιλάθῃ — a cognate-dative Hebraism, 'if you indeed forget') unfolds the apostasy in four stages: forget, follow other gods, serve, bow down. Moses then invokes the cosmic witnesses (διαμαρτύρομαι … τόν τε οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν), and the apodosis pronounces sentence with another cognate-dative Hebraism: ἀπωλείᾳ ἀπολεῖσθε ('you shall surely perish').
Word-by-word analysis· 32 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 (impersonal: 'it shall come to pass')→ predictive future (introducing a conditional scenario)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; καὶ ἔσται ('and it shall be / come to pass') renders וְהָיָה, the standard Hebrew formula introducing a future conditional or apodosis-setting; it signals a solemn announcement of what will follow apostasy.
ἐὰνifconjunction introducing conditional protasis (with subjunctives)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; introduces the fourfold protasis of apostasy (ἐπιλάθῃ … πορευθῇς … λατρεύσῃς … προσκυνήσῃς), each verb a stage in the descent from forgetting to idolatry.
λήθῃby forgettingDativecognate dative (Hebraism, intensifying ἐπιλάθῃ)→ sphere or referenceλήθη: 'forgetfulness / oblivion'; the cognate dative λήθῃ ἐπιλάθῃ ('with forgetting you forget') renders the Hebrew emphatic infinitive absolute שָׁכֹחַ תִּשְׁכַּח ('you surely forget'); the dativus cognatus is the LXX's standard device for the infinitive absolute (cf. ἀπωλείᾳ ἀπολεῖσθε later in the verse), expressing certainty and intensity.
ἐπιλάθῃyou forgetAor Mid Subj 2 Sg · ἐπιλανθάνομαιfirst verb of protasis (with cognate dative λήθῃ)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (the act of forgetting, intensified)ἐπιλανθάνομαι: 'forget'; the keyword of the warning (vv. 11, 14) climaxes here; forgetting God is the root from which idolatry springs — the protasis traces the whole apostate sequence back to this first failure of memory.
κυρίουthe LORDGenitivegenitive object of ἐπιλάθῃ→ relational specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the one forgotten — the covenant Lord whose place the 'other gods' would usurp.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitiveappositional genitive (κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου)→ relational specificationθεός: the covenant formula; forgetting 'your God' for 'other gods' is the essence of covenant treachery.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεοῦ)→ relational specificationσου: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of relationship (with θεοῦ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking protasis verbs)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πορευθῇςyou goAor Pass Subj 2 Sg · πορεύομαιsecond verb of protasis→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (turning to follow other gods)πορεύομαι: 'go / walk'; ironic reversal of v. 6 (πορεύεσθαι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ, 'walk in his ways') — here 'going after other gods,' the apostate counter-walk; 'going after' (πορεύομαι ὀπίσω) renders הָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי, idiom for idolatrous allegiance.
ὀπίσωafterpreposition + genitive (following: 'after other gods')→ spatial or relational framingὀπίσω: 'behind / after'; with the genitive, 'after'; πορεύομαι ὀπίσω θεῶν ('go after gods') is the stock Deuteronomic idiom for idolatry (cf. 6:14; 11:28).
θεῶνgodsGenitivegenitive object of ὀπίσω→ relational specificationθεός (pl. θεῶν): 'gods'; here the false gods of the nations; the plural pointedly contrasts with the one κύριος ὁ θεός σου just forgotten.
ἑτέρωνotherGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying θεῶν)→ relational specificationἕτερος: 'other / another (of a different kind)'; renders אֲחֵרִים; 'other gods' is the first-commandment violation (Exod 20:3); ἕτερος may connote gods of an alien sort, underscoring the foreignness of the apostasy.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
λατρεύσῃςyou serveAor Act Subj 2 Sg · λατρεύωthird verb of protasis→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (rendering cultic service)λατρεύω: 'serve / worship (with religious service)'; renders עָבַד; λατρεία is cultic service rendered to a deity; serving other gods is the active enactment of idolatry — the very service owed to the LORD alone (cf. 6:13, quoted at Matt 4:10).
αὐτοῖςthemDativedative object of λατρεύσῃς (object of cultic service)→ participant reference or interestαὐτοῖς: meaning 'them'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative object of λατρεύσῃς (object of cultic service).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσκυνήσῃςyou bow downAor Act Subj 2 Sg · προσκυνέωfourth verb of protasis (climax of apostasy)→ ingressive aorist subjunctive (act of prostrate worship)προσκυνέω: 'bow down / do obeisance / worship'; renders הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה; the bodily gesture of prostrate worship; with λατρεύω it forms the standard pair for forbidden worship (cf. 5:9), the final and gravest stage of the apostate sequence.
αὐτοῖςthemDativedative object of προσκυνήσῃς→ participant reference or interestαὐτοῖς: meaning 'them'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative object of προσκυνήσῃς.
διαμαρτύρομαιI solemnly testifyPres Mid Indic 1 Sg · διαμαρτύρομαιmain verb of apodosis-frame (invoking witnesses)→ performative present (the act of solemn witnessing effected in speaking)διαμαρτύρομαι: 'testify solemnly / charge under oath / call to witness'; the intensive δια- gives a forensic, covenant-lawsuit force; Moses invokes heaven and earth as witnesses to the legal warning — the classic rib (lawsuit) form (cf. 4:26; 30:19; 31:28; Isa 1:2).
ὑμῖνto youDativeindirect object of διαμαρτύρομαι (plural addressee)→ participant reference or interestσύ (pl. ὑμῖν): the address shifts back to the plural (as in v. 1), broadening the warning to the whole people for the solemn legal testimony.
σήμερονtodaytemporal adverb→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; the Deuteronomic 'today' gives the testimony present, binding force — the witnesses are summoned now, the warning issued now.
τόνtheAccusativearticle (with οὐρανὸν)→ noun-phrase markingτόν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τεbothenclitic coordinating particle (τε … καί: 'both … and')→ discourse linkage or contrastτε: enclitic 'and / both'; the τε … καί construction ('both heaven and earth') joins the two cosmic witnesses tightly — the whole created order is summoned to testify against apostate Israel.
οὐρανὸνheavenAccusativeaccusative object of διαμαρτύρομαι (first witness)→ object specificationοὐρανός: 'heaven / sky'; renders שָׁמַיִם; with earth, the standing pair of cosmic witnesses in the covenant-lawsuit (cf. 4:26; 30:19; 31:28); heaven and earth outlast the generations and so are fit perpetual witnesses.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (completing τε … καί)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνearthAccusativeaccusative object of διαμαρτύρομαι (second witness)→ object specificationγῆ: 'earth / land'; the second cosmic witness; here γῆ means the whole earth (not specifically the promised land), paired with heaven as the totality of creation called to witness.
ὅτιthatconjunction introducing the content of the testimony (the sentence)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'that'; introduces the verdict to which heaven and earth bear witness — certain destruction for apostasy.
ἀπωλείᾳwith destructionDativecognate dative (Hebraism, intensifying ἀπολεῖσθε)→ sphere or referenceἀπώλεια: 'destruction / ruin / perdition'; the cognate dative ἀπωλείᾳ ἀπολεῖσθε ('with destruction you shall be destroyed') renders the Hebrew emphatic infinitive absolute אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן ('you shall surely perish'); the dativus cognatus expresses the certainty and totality of the doom; ἀπώλεια later becomes a key NT term for final perdition (cf. John 17:12; Phil 1:28).
ἀπολεῖσθεyou shall perishFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · ἀπόλλυμιmain verb of the verdict (with cognate dative ἀπωλείᾳ)→ predictive future (certain destruction for apostasy)ἀπόλλυμι: 'destroy / perish / be ruined'; the middle ἀπολεῖσθε ('you shall perish'); with the cognate dative it forms an emphatic, irrevocable sentence; the same verb describes the LORD's destroying of the nations in v. 20 (ἀπολλύει … ἀπολεῖσθε) — apostate Israel will share the fate of the nations it imitates.
20
καθὰ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη ὅσα κύριος ἀπολλύει πρὸ προσώπου ὑμῶν οὕτως ἀπολεῖσθε ἀνθ᾿ ὧν οὐκ ἠκούσατε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν
Just as the other nations also, which the LORD is destroying before your face, so you shall perish, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God.
The closing comparison drives the threat home: as the LORD destroys the Canaanite nations before Israel, so apostate Israel will perish (καθὰ … οὕτως ἀπολεῖσθε) — covenant election grants no immunity. The final clause states the ground (ἀνθ᾽ ὧν οὐκ ἠκούσατε τῆς φωνῆς, 'because you did not obey the voice'), making disobedience the cause of ruin and ending the chapter, as it began, on the call to heed the LORD your God.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
καθὰjust ascomparative conjunction (correlative with οὕτως)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαθά: 'just as / according as'; renders כַּאֲשֶׁר; with οὕτως ('so') it frames the comparison — Israel's fate will mirror the nations' destruction.
καὶalsoadverbial (ascensive: 'the nations also')→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here ascensive/adjunctive, 'also' — drawing Israel into the same category of judgment as the perishing nations.
τὰtheNominativearticle (with ἔθνη)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λοιπὰremaining / otherNominativeattributive adjective (modifying ἔθνη)→ participant prominenceλοιπός: 'remaining / rest / other'; 'the other/remaining nations' = the Canaanite peoples being dispossessed; the term subtly warns that Israel could become merely one more of these 'nations' under judgment if it apostatizes.
ἔθνηnationsNominativesubject of the comparative clause→ participant prominenceἔθνος (pl. ἔθνη): 'nation / gentile people'; renders גּוֹיִם; the nations whose idolatry brings their destruction; the comparison is stark — covenant Israel will fare no better than the gentiles if it abandons the LORD.
ὅσαwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἀπολλύει, antecedent ἔθνη)→ participant referenceὅσος: 'as many as / which'; the quantitative relative gathers all the nations the LORD is destroying into the comparison.
κύριοςthe LORDNominativesubject of ἀπολλύει→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the LORD himself is the agent of the nations' destruction — and would be the agent of Israel's, were it to apostatize; divine sovereignty governs the fate of all peoples alike.
ἀπολλύειis destroyingPres Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπόλλυμιverb of relative clause (the ongoing dispossession)→ progressive present (the destruction in process)ἀπόλλυμι: 'destroy / ruin'; the present tense depicts the dispossession of the nations as currently underway 'before your face' (cf. the conquest); the same verb as ἀπολεῖσθε (vv. 19, 20) — the LORD who destroys the nations would equally destroy a faithless Israel.
πρὸbeforepreposition + genitive (spatial: 'before your face')→ spatial or relational framingπρό: 'before / in front of'; πρὸ προσώπου ('before the face of') is a Hebraism rendering מִפְּנֵי ('from before'), idiom for dispossession/expulsion.
προσώπουfaceGenitivegenitive object of πρό→ relational specificationπρόσωπον: 'face / presence'; renders פָּנִים; 'before your face' = in your sight / from before you; the phrase pictures the nations driven out as Israel advances — a sight that should warn, not embolden.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with προσώπου; plural)→ relational specificationὑμῶν: meaning 'your'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with προσώπου; plural).
οὕτωςsoadverb (correlative apodosis of καθά: 'so')→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'thus / so'; the correlative answering καθά, sealing the comparison — 'so you too shall perish'; the same correlative structure as v. 5 (ὡς … οὕτως), but now of judgment rather than fatherly discipline.
ἀπολεῖσθεyou shall perishFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · ἀπόλλυμιmain verb of apodosis (the sealed verdict)→ predictive future (certain destruction, matching the nations')ἀπόλλυμι: 'perish / be destroyed'; the repetition of ἀπολεῖσθε from v. 19 frames the lawsuit's verdict; Israel's destruction would be identical in kind to the nations' — election is no talisman against judgment for apostasy.
ἀνθ᾿becausepreposition + genitive (causal: 'because'; elided)→ spatial or relational framingἀντί (ἀνθ᾽ before rough breathing): lit. 'in return for'; ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ('because / in return for which') is a causal idiom (cf. Luke 1:20; 19:44) — it states the ground of the judgment: disobedience to the LORD's voice.
ὧνwhichGenitiverelative pronoun (in causal phrase ἀνθ᾿ ὧν)→ relational specificationὅς, ἥ, ὅ: the relative in the fixed causal phrase ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ('because'); the antecedent is the whole disobedient circumstance named in the following clause.
οὐκnotnegative (with ἠκούσατε)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐκ: meaning 'not'; it negates or qualifies the assertion of the clause.
ἠκούσατεyou obeyed / heardAor Act Indic 2 Pl · ἀκούωverb of causal clause (the ground of judgment)→ constative aorist (the settled fact of disobedience)ἀκούω: 'hear / listen / obey'; renders שָׁמַע, which (as in the Shema, Deut 6:4) carries the sense of obedient hearing; 'not hearing the voice' = disobedience; the chapter that began with 'keep and do' (v. 1) ends by naming the failure to heed God's voice as the cause of ruin.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with φωνῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φωνῆςvoiceGenitivegenitive object of ἠκούσατε (ἀκούω + genitive of person/thing heard)→ relational specificationφωνή: 'voice / sound'; renders קוֹל; 'the voice of the LORD' is his revealed command; ἀκούω takes the genitive of the thing heard; obeying the divine voice is the sum of covenant fidelity — its refusal is the sum of apostasy.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of source/possession (whose voice)→ relational specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton; the chapter closes on the divine name, as the voice that must be obeyed — the final word is the LORD's claim on his people's obedience.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitiveappositional genitive (κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν)→ relational specificationθεός: the covenant formula 'the LORD your God' closes the chapter as it has punctuated it throughout (vv. 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 18) — the relational name that makes both blessing and judgment covenantal realities.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεοῦ; plural, closing the chapter)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl. ὑμῶν): the closing plural possessive returns to the corporate address of v. 1, framing the whole chapter as a word to all Israel — 'the LORD YOUR God,' whose voice they must obey to live.