1
καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
The formula καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων is the recurrent LXX heading for a new block of divine legislation in Leviticus (cf. 4:1; 6:1; 18:1); it renders the Hebrew וַיְדַבֵּר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. Here it opens the central chapter of the Holiness Code.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: the paratactic narrative connector rendering Hebrew waw-consecutive; standard at the head of a fresh Levitical speech-unit.
ἐλάλησενspokeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (speech-introducing formula)→ constative aorist (single completed speech-act)λαλέω: 'speak'; renders דִּבֶּר (Piel of דבר); the aorist ἐλάλησεν introduces an authoritative divine pronouncement; in Leviticus the verb regularly heads a new legislative section.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject→ participant prominenceκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the nominative subject of the speech-formula marks this as unmediated YHWH-speech, the divine source of the whole Holiness Code.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΜωυσῆνMosesAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (recipient of speech)→ object specificationΜωυσῆς: transliteration of Hebrew מֹשֶׁה; declined as a first/third-declension hybrid in Rahlfs' LXX (acc. Μωυσῆν); the mediator through whom the law reaches the congregation.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Part Nom Masc Sg · λέγωcircumstantial participle (introducing direct speech)→ present participle (attendant circumstance, equivalent to a colon before quotation)λέγω (pres. part.): the participle λέγων renders the Hebrew infinitive לֵאמֹר ('saying'), a frozen quotation-marker introducing direct discourse; its formulaic use makes it function almost as punctuation.
2
λάλησον τῇ συναγωγῇ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
Speak to the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, 'You shall be holy, because I, the LORD your God, am holy.'
The command is addressed not to priests alone but to the whole συναγωγή ('congregation/assembly') — the holiness demanded is congregational, not merely sacerdotal. The clause ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος is the programmatic header of Lev 17–26 and is taken up verbatim at 1 Pet 1:16.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
λάλησονspeakAor Act Impv 2 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (divine imperative to Moses)→ ingressive aorist imperative (commissioned speech-act)λαλέω: 'speak'; the aorist imperative λάλησον frames Moses' proclamation as a single decisive commissioned act, rendering Hebrew דַּבֵּר (Piel imperative).
τῇtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
συναγωγῇcongregationDativedative indirect object (addressee of λάλησον)→ sphere or referenceσυναγωγή: 'gathering / congregation / assembly'; renders עֵדָה; the whole covenant community, not a priestly elite, is the addressee — the demand for holiness is democratized across all Israel.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive (partitive/appositional: 'congregation of the sons')→ relational specificationυἱός: 'son'; the idiom οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ('the sons of Israel') renders בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, the standard designation of the covenant people.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliteration of Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable in the LXX; here functioning as a genitive defining the υἱοί.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐρεῖςyou shall sayFut Act Indic 2 Sg · λέγωmain verb (volitive future continuing the command)→ volitive/imperatival future (continuing the force of λάλησον)λέγω (fut. ἐρῶ): 'say'; the future ἐρεῖς here has imperatival force (a Hebraism for the waw + perfect), continuing the directive of λάλησον and introducing the words to be spoken.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
αὐτούςthemAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (the congregation)→ participant referenceαὐτός: personal pronoun; here the accusative plural refers to the assembled sons of Israel as the recipients of the proclamation.
ἅγιοιholyNominativepredicate nominative (with ἔσεσθε)→ participant prominenceἅγιος: 'holy / set apart'; renders קָדוֹשׁ; the predicate adjective fronted for emphasis — holiness is the defining vocation of the covenant people, mirroring the holiness of God himself.
ἔσεσθεyou shall beFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · εἰμίmain verb (programmatic copula)→ imperatival future (covenant demand stated as certain destiny)εἰμί (fut. ἔσομαι): 'be'; the future ἔσεσθε renders Hebrew תִּהְיוּ; it is both prescriptive ('you must be holy') and promissory ('you shall be holy'), the keynote of the Holiness Code.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (grounds the imperative)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because / for'; introduces the theological ground of the command — Israel's holiness derives from and images God's own holiness (imitatio Dei).
ἐγὼINominativesubject (emphatic first-person pronoun: YHWH)→ participant referenceἐγώ: the emphatic personal pronoun; the divine 'I' grounds the whole code — holiness is required because of who God is, not on the basis of social utility.
ἅγιοςholyNominativepredicate nominative (of the implied copula: 'I am holy')→ participant prominenceἅγιος: the same word applied to God himself; the divine holiness is the archetype of which Israel's holiness is to be the image.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject in apposition to ἐγώ (the self-identification formula)→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the appositional κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν is the recurrent self-identification refrain that punctuates the chapter, anchoring every command in YHWH's covenant lordship.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; renders אֱלֹהִים; the phrase ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν ('your God') foregrounds the covenant bond — he is not God in the abstract but their God.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl. ὑμῶν): possessive pronoun; the covenant possessive 'your God' recurs throughout the chapter as part of the self-identification refrain.
3
ἕκαστος πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ μητέρα αὐτοῦ φοβείσθω καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου φυλάξεσθε ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
Let each one fear his father and his mother, and you shall keep my Sabbaths; I am the LORD your God.
The chapter opens its concrete legislation by re-presenting the Decalogue, but with parents and Sabbath joined and the verb φοβέομαι ('fear/revere') substituted for the τιμάω ('honor') of Exod 20:12 — reverence for parents is set on the same plane as reverence for God. Note the striking order: mother is named alongside father, and in the parallel at Lev 19, reverence and Sabbath stand together.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
ἕκαστοςeach oneNominativesubject (distributive: 'each man')→ participant prominenceἕκαστος: 'each / every one'; distributive pronoun rendering אִישׁ in its distributive sense; the command is individualized — every member of the congregation is personally bound.
πατέραfatherAccusativedirect object of φοβείσθω→ object specificationπατήρ: 'father'; renders אָב; the object of reverence; the Decalogue command (Exod 20:12) here uses φοβέομαι rather than τιμάω, raising parental reverence toward the level of fear of God.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with πατέρα)→ relational specificationαὐτός: personal/possessive pronoun; 'his (own) father'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
μητέραmotherAccusativedirect object of φοβείσθω (coordinate with πατέρα)→ object specificationμήτηρ: 'mother'; renders אֵם; notably the LXX (following the MT here) names the mother — in Lev 19:3 the mother is even placed first in the Hebrew, an elevation of the maternal role within the reverence-command.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with μητέρα)→ relational specificationαὐτός: possessive pronoun; 'his (own) mother'.
φοβείσθωlet him fear / reverePres Mid Impv 3 Sg · φοβέομαιmain verb (third-person distributive imperative)→ durative present imperative (ongoing habitual reverence)φοβέομαι: 'fear / reverence / hold in awe'; renders יָרֵא; the present imperative expresses a continuous disposition; the choice of 'fear' rather than 'honor' (τιμάω, Exod 20:12) aligns reverence for parents with the fear of God demanded throughout the chapter.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining parents-command to Sabbath-command)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὰtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σάββατάSabbathsAccusativedirect object of φυλάξεσθε→ object specificationσάββατον (pl. σάββατα): 'sabbath / rest'; loanword from Hebrew שַׁבָּת; the plural τὰ σάββατά μου ('my Sabbaths') covers the whole sacred-rest system; the possessive μου marks the Sabbath as God's own institution.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with σάββατα)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive pronoun; 'my Sabbaths' — the rest belongs to God and is kept as an act of reverence toward him.
φυλάξεσθεyou shall keepFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · φυλάσσωmain verb (imperatival future, 2nd plural)→ imperatival future (covenant obligation)φυλάσσω: 'guard / keep / observe'; renders שָׁמַר; the middle φυλάξεσθε ('keep for yourselves') with imperatival future force; the shift from 3rd singular (φοβείσθω) to 2nd plural addresses the whole congregation at once.
ἐγὼINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν; the implied copula ('I am') makes this a divine self-attestation sealing the command.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification: 'I am the LORD')→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν grounds the command in the divine identity and recurs as the chapter's structural drumbeat.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God' binds the legislation to the relationship established at Sinai.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl. ὑμῶν): possessive pronoun; part of the recurrent refrain.
4
οὐκ ἐπακολουθήσετε εἰδώλοις καὶ θεοὺς χωνευτοὺς οὐ ποιήσετε ὑμῖν ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
You shall not follow after idols, and you shall not make for yourselves molten gods; I am the LORD your God.
The first-table commands continue: no following after εἴδωλα ('idols', a contemptuous LXX term) and no making of θεοὶ χωνευτοί ('molten/cast gods'), echoing Exod 20:4 and the golden-calf catastrophe (Exod 32:4, where χωνευτός also appears). The refrain ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν again seals the clause.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
οὐκnotnegation (with ἐπακολουθήσετε)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation with the future indicative, forming a prohibition with the force of an absolute decree.
ἐπακολουθήσετεyou shall follow afterFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ἐπακολουθέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ἐπακολουθέω: 'follow after / go after / pursue'; renders פָּנָה אֶל ('turn to') or the idiom of going after other gods; the compound ἐπ- intensifies the sense of devoted pursuit; the future with οὐ functions as a categorical prohibition (cf. the Decalogue's οὐ + future).
εἰδώλοιςidolsDativedative object of ἐπακολουθέω (the thing followed)→ sphere or referenceεἴδωλον: 'idol / image / phantom'; the LXX's characteristic, polemically loaded rendering of אֱלִילִים ('worthless things') and other terms — the very word implies the unreality of the false gods; the dative follows the verb of 'going after'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
θεοὺςgodsAccusativedirect object of ποιήσετε→ object specificationθεός: here in the plural and pejorative sense, 'gods'; renders אֱלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה ('molten gods'); the fronting of θεοὺς χωνευτούς before the verb gives emphasis to the prohibited object.
χωνευτοὺςmolten / castAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying θεούς)→ object specificationχωνευτός: 'molten / cast (metal)'; renders מַסֵּכָה; the same word describes the golden calf at Exod 32:4 (μόσχον χωνευτόν), making this prohibition resonate with Israel's archetypal apostasy.
οὐnotnegation (with ποιήσετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition with the future.
ποιήσετεyou shall makeFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ποιέω: 'make / do / fashion'; renders עָשָׂה; the prohibition of 'making' molten gods directly echoes the second commandment (Exod 20:4, οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ εἴδωλον).
ὑμῖνfor yourselvesDativedative of advantage (reflexive: 'for yourselves')→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. pl. ὑμῖν): here a dative of (dis)advantage with reflexive sense, 'for yourselves', rendering Hebrew לָכֶם; the making of idols is self-directed and self-destructive.
ἐγὼINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain; the implied copula seals the prohibition with divine authority.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain recurs, anchoring the idol-prohibition in the exclusive lordship of YHWH.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God' — the very God who forbids rival gods.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl. ὑμῶν): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
5
καὶ ἐὰν θύσητε θυσίαν σωτηρίου τῷ κυρίῳ δεκτὴν ὑμῶν θύσετε
And if you sacrifice a peace-offering to the LORD, you shall offer it so as to be acceptable for you.
The legislation turns from the Decalogue-summary to the σωτήριον ('peace/well-being offering'), the one sacrifice partly eaten by the worshipper. The conditional ἐὰν + subjunctive opens a case-law; the concern is that the offering be δεκτή ('acceptable'), i.e. eaten within the prescribed time-frame spelled out in vv. 6–8.
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (sectional transition)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (+ subjunctive, introducing case-law)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; with the aorist subjunctive forms a prospective condition; standard opening of casuistic legislation in Leviticus.
θύσητεyou sacrificeAor Act Subj 2 Pl · θύωverb of the protasis (conditional)→ aorist subjunctive (prospective condition: 'if/whenever you offer')θύω: 'sacrifice / slaughter (for offering)'; renders זָבַח; the aorist subjunctive views the act of offering as a single contemplated event in the conditional.
θυσίανa sacrificeAccusativedirect object of θύσητε (cognate accusative)→ object specificationθυσία: 'sacrifice / offering'; renders זֶבַח; cognate with θύω; the phrase θυσίαν σωτηρίου designates the well-being or peace offering of Lev 3.
σωτηρίουof well-being / peace-offeringGenitivegenitive of definition (defining the type of θυσία)→ relational specificationσωτήριον: 'deliverance / well-being / peace-offering'; the LXX renders the šĕlāmîm (שְׁלָמִים) by σωτήριον; this is the communion sacrifice shared between altar, priest, and offerer, hence the rules on its timely consumption.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳto the LORDDativedative indirect object (recipient of the sacrifice)→ sphere or referenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the dative marks YHWH as the one to whom the offering is presented.
δεκτὴνacceptableAccusativepredicate-attributive adjective (modifying the implied offering)→ object specificationδεκτός: 'acceptable / accepted'; verbal adjective from δέχομαι; renders רָצוֹן / לְרָצֹן ('for acceptance'); the offering must be presented so as to win divine acceptance — improperly delayed eating renders it rejected (v. 7, οὐ δεχθήσεται).
ὑμῶνfor you / yourGenitivegenitive (of advantage/reference: 'acceptable on your behalf')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl. ὑμῶν): 'your'; the acceptance accrues to the offerers' benefit; the awkward Greek reflects a fairly literal rendering of the Hebrew לִרְצֹנְכֶם ('for your acceptance').
θύσετεyou shall sacrificeFut Act Indic 2 Pl · θύωmain verb of the apodosis (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (prescription)θύω (fut.): 'sacrifice'; the apodosis prescribes the manner of offering — it must be done with a view to acceptance, i.e. observing the consumption-rules that follow.
6
ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ θύσητε βρωθήσεται καὶ τῇ αὔριον καὶ ἐὰν καταλειφθῇ ἕως ἡμέρας τρίτης ἐν πυρὶ κατακαυθήσεται
On whatever day you sacrifice it, it shall be eaten, and on the next day; and if anything is left over until the third day, it shall be burned up with fire.
The acceptability of v. 5 is now defined temporally: the σωτήριον may be eaten on the day of sacrifice and the following day, but any remainder on the third day must be incinerated. The two-day limit (here) versus the one-day limit of the thank-offering (Lev 7:15) reflects different sub-types of the well-being sacrifice.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
ᾗon whichDativerelative pronoun (dative of time, with ἡμέρᾳ)→ participant reference or interestὅς (rel. pron., dat. fem. sg.): 'which'; with ἄν and the subjunctive forms an indefinite temporal relative ('on whatever day'); agrees with ἡμέρᾳ.
ἂνevermodal particle (with subjunctive, generalizing the relative)→ discourse linkage or contrastἄν: modal particle marking the relative clause as indefinite/generalizing — 'on whatever day at all you offer'.
ἡμέρᾳdayDativedative of time (when the act occurs)→ sphere or referenceἡμέρα: 'day'; renders יוֹם; dative of time; the day of sacrifice is day one of the permitted eating-window.
θύσητεyou sacrificeAor Act Subj 2 Pl · θύωverb of indefinite temporal relative clause→ aorist subjunctive (indefinite temporal: 'whenever you offer')θύω: 'sacrifice'; the subjunctive with ᾗ ἄν marks the day of offering as variable — the rule applies regardless of which day the sacrifice occurs.
βρωθήσεταιit shall be eatenFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb (permissive future)→ permissive/prescriptive future (it is to be eaten within the window)ἐσθίω (fut. pass. βρωθήσεται, from the root βρω-): 'be eaten'; renders the Niphal of אָכַל; the passive focuses on the offering as the thing consumed; the future expresses what is permitted/prescribed.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (extending the window)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῇtheDativearticle (dative of time with αὔριον)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
αὔριονnext day / morrowadverb used substantivally (with τῇ: 'on the morrow')→ clausal contributionαὔριον: 'tomorrow / next day'; an indeclinable adverb here substantivized by the article τῇ (with ἡμέρᾳ understood), 'on the following day'; renders מִמָּחֳרָת — the second day of the eating-window.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the contrary case)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (+ subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; introduces the prospective case of leftover meat.
καταλειφθῇit be left overAor Pass Subj 3 Sg · καταλείπωverb of the protasis→ aorist subjunctive (contingent condition)καταλείπω: 'leave behind / leave over'; renders יָתַר (Niphal); the passive καταλειφθῇ refers to any portion remaining uneaten past the permitted window.
ἕωςuntilpreposition + genitive (temporal terminus)→ spatial or relational framingἕως: 'until / as far as'; with the genitive of time marks the limiting boundary — meat surviving to the third day is forbidden.
ἡμέραςdayGenitivegenitive of time (object of ἕως)→ relational specificationἡμέρα: 'day'; the genitive with ἕως marks the temporal terminus, the third day.
τρίτηςthirdGenitiveattributive ordinal adjective (modifying ἡμέρας)→ relational specificationτρίτος: 'third'; ordinal renders שְׁלִישִׁי; the third day marks the deadline at which the offering becomes profaned (cf. v. 7, ἄθυτον).
ἐνin / withpreposition + dative (instrumental/locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: here instrumental, 'with fire'; a Hebraism (בְּאֵשׁ) for the means of disposal.
πυρὶfireDativedative of means (instrument of burning)→ sphere or referenceπῦρ: 'fire'; renders אֵשׁ; the leftover must be destroyed by fire, removing the profaned holy food from common use.
κατακαυθήσεταιit shall be burned upFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · κατακαίωmain verb of the apodosis (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (mandatory disposal)κατακαίω: 'burn up / burn completely'; the perfective compound κατα- ('burn down/up') renders שָׂרַף; the leftover is not merely discarded but wholly incinerated, since it has become holy refuse.
7
ἐὰν δὲ βρώσει βρωθῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ ἄθυτόν ἐστιν οὐ δεχθήσεται
But if it is actually eaten on the third day, it is unfit for sacrifice; it shall not be accepted.
The cognate construction βρώσει βρωθῇ ('by eating it be eaten') is a Hebraism rendering the infinitive absolute הֵאָכֹל יֵאָכֵל — 'if it really is eaten.' Eating past the permitted window renders the offering ἄθυτον ('unsacrificeable / profane') and so οὐ δεχθήσεται ('not accepted'), nullifying its cultic value.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (+ subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; introduces the prospective case of unlawful third-day eating.
δὲbutadversative particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: mild adversative contrasting unlawful eating with the lawful window of v. 6.
βρώσειby eatingDativecognate dative (Hebraism, intensifying βρωθῇ)→ sphere or referenceβρῶσις: 'eating / food'; the cognate dative βρώσει βρωθῇ renders the Hebrew infinitive absolute הֵאָכֹל ('really/at all'), expressing intensity — 'if it is in any way eaten on the third day.'
βρωθῇit be eatenAor Pass Subj 3 Sg · ἐσθίωverb of the protasis→ aorist subjunctive (contingent condition, intensified by cognate dative)ἐσθίω (aor. pass. βρωθῇ): 'be eaten'; with the cognate βρώσει it forms the LXX's standard rendering of the emphatic infinitive-absolute construction.
τῇtheDativearticle (dative of time)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέρᾳdayDativedative of time (when forbidden eating occurs)→ sphere or referenceἡμέρα: 'day'; dative of time, specifying the prohibited third day.
τῇtheDativearticle (second attributive position with τρίτῃ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τρίτῃthirdDativeattributive ordinal adjective (modifying ἡμέρᾳ)→ sphere or referenceτρίτος: 'third'; the third day is the threshold past which the offering is rendered invalid.
ἄθυτόνunfit for sacrificeNominativepredicate adjective (with ἐστιν)→ participant prominenceἄθυτος: 'not (rightly) sacrificed / unfit for sacrifice'; the alpha-privative on θύω; the LXX renders פִּגּוּל ('foul / refuse-offering meat'); the offering, kept too long, has become cultically abominable rather than holy food.
ἐστινit isPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopula (linking subject to predicate ἄθυτον)→ stative present (declared condition)εἰμί: 'be'; the copula declares the cultic status of the late-eaten offering — it simply is profane.
οὐnotnegation (with δεχθήσεται)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation; the offering will not be accepted.
δεχθήσεταιit shall be acceptedFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · δέχομαιmain verb (declarative future, negated)→ declarative future (divine non-acceptance)δέχομαι: 'receive / accept'; renders רָצָה (Niphal); the negated future declares that the offering, become profane, fails of its purpose — it secures no divine acceptance for the offerer (contrast δεκτήν, v. 5).
8
ὁ δὲ ἔσθων αὐτὸ ἁμαρτίαν λήμψεται ὅτι τὰ ἅγια κυρίου ἐβεβήλωσεν καὶ ἐξολεθρευθήσονται αἱ ψυχαὶ αἱ ἔσθουσαι ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῶν
But the one who eats it shall bear his sin, because he has profaned the holy things of the LORD; and the souls that eat it shall be utterly destroyed from among their people.
The penalty clause closes the peace-offering rules: the participial subject ὁ ἔσθων ('the one eating') bears guilt because he has profaned τὰ ἅγια κυρίου ('the holy things of the LORD'). The kāret penalty — ἐξολεθρευθήσονται ... ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ ('shall be cut off from the people') — is the gravest of Levitical sanctions, denoting removal from the covenant community.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
ὁtheNominativearticle (substantivizing the participle ἔσθων)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δὲbutadversative/continuative particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: introduces the consequence for the transgressor.
ἔσθωνthe one who eatsPres Act Part Nom Masc Sg · ἔσθωsubstantival participle (subject of λήμψεται)→ present participle (general/gnomic: anyone who eats)ἔσθω (= ἐσθίω): 'eat'; the articular present participle ὁ ἔσθων functions as a substantive ('the eater / whoever eats'); the present aspect generalizes — any such person at any time incurs the penalty.
αὐτὸitAccusativedirect object of ἔσθων (the profaned offering)→ participant referenceαὐτός: personal pronoun; the neuter αὐτό refers to the offering-meat eaten past its time.
ἁμαρτίανsin / guiltAccusativedirect object of λήμψεται→ object specificationἁμαρτία: 'sin / guilt / liability'; renders עָוֹן ('iniquity / guilt') in the idiom נָשָׂא עָוֹן ('bear one's guilt'); here ἁμαρτίαν λήμψεται means he will carry the consequence/liability of the offense.
λήμψεταιshall bearFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (declarative future)→ declarative future (incurred liability)λαμβάνω (fut. mid. λήμψεται): 'take / bear / receive'; in the idiom ἁμαρτίαν λαμβάνειν it renders נָשָׂא עָוֹן ('bear iniquity'), i.e. assume personal liability for guilt and its punishment.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (grounds the guilt)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because'; introduces the reason for the guilt — profanation of holy things.
τὰtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἅγιαholy thingsAccusativedirect object of ἐβεβήλωσεν (substantivized adjective)→ object specificationἅγιος (neut. pl. substantive τὰ ἅγια): 'holy things / sacred things'; renders קֹדֶשׁ; the offering-meat is sacred property of YHWH, and its misuse is a profanation of the holy.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of possession (the holy things belong to YHWH)→ relational specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the holy things are his property — the offense is against God directly, not merely a ritual irregularity.
ἐβεβήλωσενhe profanedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · βεβηλόωverb of the causal clause→ constative aorist (the completed act of profanation)βεβηλόω: 'profane / desecrate / treat as common'; renders חִלֵּל; the antonym of ἁγιάζω ('sanctify'); the late eating drags what is holy down into the common sphere — the central category-violation of the Holiness Code.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the kāret sanction)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξολεθρευθήσονταιthey shall be utterly destroyedFut Pass Indic 3 Pl · ἐξολεθρεύωmain verb (declarative future, kāret penalty)→ declarative future (covenant exccommunication / extirpation)ἐξολεθρεύω: 'destroy utterly / root out'; the LXX's standard rendering of the kāret formula כָּרַת ('cut off'); the intensive compound ἐξ- denotes complete removal from the covenant people, whether by death or excommunication — the gravest Levitical sanction.
αἱtheNominativearticle (with ψυχαί)→ noun-phrase markingαἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ψυχαὶsouls / personsNominativesubject of ἐξολεθρευθήσονται→ participant prominenceψυχή: 'soul / life / person'; renders נֶפֶשׁ; in legal contexts ψυχή denotes the individual person as a legal subject ('any person who...'); the plural generalizes to all offenders.
αἱtheNominativearticle (substantivizing the participle ἔσθουσαι)→ noun-phrase markingαἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔσθουσαιthat eatPres Act Part Nom Fem Pl · ἔσθωattributive participle (modifying ψυχαί: 'the souls that eat')→ present participle (characterizing/habitual)ἔσθω: 'eat'; the articular participle αἱ ἔσθουσαι defines the persons liable — precisely those who eat the profaned offering; agrees in gender (fem.) with ψυχαί.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: 'out of / from'; with the kāret formula marks separation/removal from the covenant body.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαοῦpeopleGenitivegenitive of separation (object of ἐκ)→ relational specificationλαός: 'people'; renders עַם; the covenant community from which the offender is cut off — exclusion from λαός is exclusion from the sphere of covenant life.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (with λαοῦ)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; 'their people' — the very community to which the offenders belonged now expels them.
9
καὶ ἐκθεριζόντων ὑμῶν τὸν θερισμὸν τῆς γῆς ὑμῶν οὐ συντελέσετε τὸν θερισμὸν ὑμῶν τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἐκθερίσαι καὶ τὰ ἀποπίπτοντα τοῦ θερισμοῦ σου οὐ συλλέξεις
And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not finish reaping your harvest to the very edge of your field, and you shall not gather what falls from your harvest.
The genitive-absolute ἐκθεριζόντων ὑμῶν ('while you reap') opens the famous gleaning law. The harvester is forbidden to reap the field to its edge or to retrieve the fallen ears; the surplus is reserved (v. 10) for the poor and the sojourner. This statute is the legal background of Ruth 2 and is invoked by Paul's harvest-charity language at 2 Cor 9.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (sectional transition)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκθεριζόντωνreapingPres Act Part Gen Masc Pl · ἐκθερίζωparticiple of genitive-absolute construction (temporal)→ present participle (durative: 'while/as you are reaping')ἐκθερίζω: 'reap / harvest thoroughly'; the compound ἐκ- intensifies the simple θερίζω; the genitive-absolute ἐκθεριζόντων ὑμῶν renders the Hebrew infinitive-construct temporal clause בְּקֻצְרְכֶם ('when you reap'); present aspect marks the harvest as an ongoing process.
ὑμῶνyouGenitivegenitive subject of the genitive-absolute participle→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): the subject of the absolute participle, 'while you (reap)'.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θερισμὸνharvestAccusativedirect object of ἐκθεριζόντων→ object specificationθερισμός: 'harvest / reaping / crop'; renders קָצִיר; the object of reaping, also taken up metaphorically in NT mission-language (Matt 9:37–38; John 4:35).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive of source (the harvest of the land)→ relational specificationγῆ: 'land / earth / ground'; renders אֶרֶץ; the productive land whose yield is to be shared.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with γῆς)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; 'your land' — the addressee owns the field but does not own its every last ear.
οὐnotnegation (with συντελέσετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
συντελέσετεyou shall finishFut Act Indic 2 Pl · συντελέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)συντελέω: 'complete / finish off / bring to an end'; renders כָּלָה (Piel); the prohibition is not against reaping but against reaping completely — the field is not to be stripped to its edge.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θερισμὸνharvestAccusativedirect object of ἐκθερίσαι (and of the prohibited completing)→ object specificationθερισμός: 'harvest'; the crop that is not to be wholly gathered in.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θερισμόν)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγροῦfieldGenitivegenitive of location/source (the harvest of the field)→ relational specificationἀγρός: 'field / countryside'; renders שָׂדֶה; the cultivated plot; the Hebrew specifies 'the corner (פֵּאָה) of your field' — the LXX renders the sense ('do not finish reaping to the edge') rather than the technical term.
ἐκθερίσαιto reapAor Act Inf · ἐκθερίζωcomplementary/epexegetic infinitive (with συντελέσετε)→ aorist infinitive (the completed act of reaping that is forbidden)ἐκθερίζω (aor. inf.): 'reap thoroughly'; the infinitive completes συντελέσετε — 'you shall not finish reaping (it) completely'; the construction underlines the prohibition against an exhaustive harvest.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (substantivizing ἀποπίπτοντα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀποπίπτονταwhat fallsPres Act Part Acc Neut Pl · ἀποπίπτωsubstantival participle (direct object of συλλέξεις)→ present participle (the things that drop in reaping — the gleanings)ἀποπίπτω: 'fall off / drop'; the articular neuter participle τὰ ἀποπίπτοντα ('the fallen [ears]') denotes the gleanings, renders לֶקֶט ('that which is dropped in reaping', cf. Ruth 2:2); these are reserved for the poor.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θερισμοῦharvestGenitivegenitive of source (the droppings from your harvest)→ relational specificationθερισμός: 'harvest'; the source of the gleanings.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θερισμοῦ)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg. σου): possessive pronoun; the shift from plural ὑμῶν to singular σου is a common Hebraistic alternation between addressing the community and the individual farmer.
οὐnotnegation (with συλλέξεις)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
συλλέξειςyou shall gatherFut Act Indic 2 Sg · συλλέγωmain verb (prohibitive future, 2nd singular)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)συλλέγω: 'gather up / collect'; renders לָקַט; the same verb describes Ruth's gleaning (Ruth 2:7 LXX); the owner may not collect the droppings — that right belongs to the poor.
10
καὶ τὸν ἀμπελῶνά σου οὐκ ἐπανατρυγήσεις οὐδὲ τοὺς ῥῶγας τοῦ ἀμπελῶνός σου συλλέξεις τῷ πτωχῷ καὶ τῷ προσηλύτῳ καταλείψεις αὐτά ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
And you shall not glean your vineyard again, nor gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner; I am the LORD your God.
The gleaning principle is extended from grain-field to vineyard: no second picking, no gathering of the dropped grapes. The positive command names the beneficiaries — τῷ πτωχῷ καὶ τῷ προσηλύτῳ ('for the poor and the sojourner') — and the refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν grounds this social charity in YHWH's own character. Cf. Ruth, a Moabite προσήλυτος gleaning in Israel's fields.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀμπελῶνάvineyardAccusativedirect object of ἐπανατρυγήσεις→ object specificationἀμπελών: 'vineyard'; renders כֶּרֶם; the vineyard is the second locus of the gleaning law; the imagery recurs in NT parables (Matt 20:1–16; 21:33–41).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἀμπελῶνα)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun.
οὐκnotnegation (with ἐπανατρυγήσεις)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
ἐπανατρυγήσειςyou shall glean againFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐπανατρυγάωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ἐπανατρυγάω: 'gather grapes a second time / glean over again'; the double compound ἐπ-ανα- ('over-again') captures the Hebrew עָלַל ('go over [the vineyard] a second time', Poel); the owner may not return for a second picking.
οὐδὲnorcoordinating negative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐδέ: 'and not / nor'; extends the prohibition to the dropped grapes.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῶγαςgrapes / berriesAccusativedirect object of συλλέξεις→ object specificationῥώξ (acc. pl. ῥῶγας): 'grape / berry of a cluster'; renders פֶּרֶט ('fallen grapes / single berries'); the individual grapes that drop in harvesting belong to the poor.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀμπελῶνόςvineyardGenitivegenitive of source (grapes of the vineyard)→ relational specificationἀμπελών: 'vineyard'; the source of the fallen grapes.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἀμπελῶνος)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun.
συλλέξειςyou shall gatherFut Act Indic 2 Sg · συλλέγωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)συλλέγω: 'gather up'; the same verb as in v. 9; the owner is forbidden to collect what has fallen.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πτωχῷpoorDativedative of advantage (beneficiary of the leftover)→ sphere or referenceπτωχός: 'poor / destitute / beggar'; renders עָנִי; substantivized adjective denoting the economically vulnerable; the gleanings are their entitlement, not the owner's charity-at-will.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
προσηλύτῳsojourner / resident alienDativedative of advantage (second beneficiary)→ sphere or referenceπροσήλυτος: 'newcomer / resident alien / sojourner'; the LXX's characteristic rendering of גֵּר; literally 'one who has come to' a place; the resident alien lacks ancestral land and so shares the gleaner's right (cf. Ruth the Moabite); later the word develops the religious sense 'proselyte'.
καταλείψειςyou shall leaveFut Act Indic 2 Sg · καταλείπωmain verb (prescriptive future, positive command)→ prescriptive future (positive obligation)καταλείπω: 'leave behind / leave remaining'; renders עָזַב; the positive counterpart of the foregoing prohibitions — what may not be gathered must be deliberately left for the needy.
αὐτάthemAccusativedirect object of καταλείψεις (the gleanings and grapes)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. neut. pl.): personal pronoun referring to the gleanings and fallen grapes collectively.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the fuller refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν (with explicit copula εἰμι).
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; the explicit ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה; the self-attestation grounds the charity-law in YHWH's own identity — the social ethic flows from the character of God.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the gleaning-law.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
11
οὐ κλέψετε οὐ ψεύσεσθε οὐ συκοφαντήσει ἕκαστος τὸν πλησίον
You shall not steal; you shall not lie; you shall not defraud, each his neighbor.
A staccato triad of negated futures — no stealing, no lying, no defrauding — re-presents the Decalogue commands against theft and false witness in the social-economic sphere. The shift to the distributive ἕκαστος ('each') in the third clause individualizes the prohibition against defrauding one's neighbor.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
οὐnotnegation (with κλέψετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a categorical prohibition.
κλέψετεyou shall stealFut Act Indic 2 Pl · κλέπτωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)κλέπτω: 'steal'; renders גָּנַב; the eighth commandment (Exod 20:15, οὐ κλέψεις) here in the plural; theft is the first of the social offenses listed.
οὐnotnegation (with ψεύσεσθε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
ψεύσεσθεyou shall lieFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · ψεύδομαιmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ψεύδομαι: 'lie / deceive / speak falsely'; renders כָּחַשׁ ('deal falsely / deny'); the deponent middle; lying is paired with theft as breaches of trust within the community (cf. the apostolic application at Col 3:9).
οὐnotnegation (with συκοφαντήσει)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
συκοφαντήσειhe shall defraud / oppressFut Act Indic 3 Sg · συκοφαντέωmain verb (prohibitive future, distributive 3rd singular)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)συκοφαντέω: 'extort / defraud / oppress by false accusation'; originally 'inform against (a fig-smuggler)', it comes to mean defraud or wrong by deceit; renders שָׁקַר / עָשַׁק; cf. its use by John the Baptist's hearers (Luke 3:14) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:8).
ἕκαστοςeach oneNominativesubject (distributive: 'each man')→ participant prominenceἕκαστος: 'each / every one'; the distributive subject individualizes the prohibition — no single member may wrong another.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πλησίονneighborAccusativedirect object of συκοφαντήσει (substantivized adverb)→ object specificationπλησίον: originally an adverb 'near'; used substantivally as 'neighbor / fellow'; renders רֵעַ / עָמִית; the same word becomes the object of love in v. 18 (τὸν πλησίον σου), binding this cluster to the chapter's ethical climax.
12
καὶ οὐκ ὀμεῖσθε τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπ᾿ ἀδίκῳ καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσετε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
And you shall not swear by my name unjustly, and you shall not profane the name of your God; I am the LORD your God.
The Decalogue's prohibition against misusing the divine name (Exod 20:7) is recast: swearing falsely (ἐπ᾽ ἀδίκῳ, 'over an injustice/falsehood') by YHWH's name profanes that name. The refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν is especially pointed here, since the offense is precisely against the name now reasserted.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegation (with ὀμεῖσθε)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
ὀμεῖσθεyou shall swearFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · ὄμνυμιmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ὄμνυμι (fut. mid. ὀμοῦμαι): 'swear / take an oath'; renders שָׁבַע (Niphal); the prohibition is not against oaths as such but against false/unjust swearing by the divine name; cf. Jesus' radicalization at Matt 5:33–37.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὀνόματίnameDativedative (of that by which one swears)→ sphere or referenceὄνομα: 'name'; renders שֵׁם; to swear 'by my name' invokes the divine name as guarantor; the name represents YHWH's very person and reputation.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with ὀνόματι)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive pronoun; 'my name' — YHWH speaks of his own name.
ἐπ᾿for / overpreposition + dative (basis/occasion: 'over a falsehood')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dat.: here 'on the basis of / in the matter of'; the phrase ἐπ᾽ ἀδίκῳ ('over an unjust thing') renders לַשָּׁקֶר ('falsely'), marking the oath as sworn in support of injustice or falsehood.
ἀδίκῳan unjust thing / falselyDativesubstantized adjective (object of ἐπί: 'over a falsehood')→ sphere or referenceἄδικος: 'unjust / wrongful'; the neuter substantive ἐπ᾽ ἀδίκῳ functions adverbially, 'unjustly / falsely'; the false oath weaponizes the holy name in the service of wrong.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the consequence)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegation (with βεβηλώσετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
βεβηλώσετεyou shall profaneFut Act Indic 2 Pl · βεβηλόωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)βεβηλόω: 'profane / desecrate'; renders חִלֵּל; the false oath profanes the divine name, dragging the holy down into the service of falsehood; the same verb governed the profaned offering at v. 8, linking cultic and ethical desecration.
τὸtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄνομαnameAccusativedirect object of βεβηλώσετε→ object specificationὄνομα: 'name'; the holy name profaned by the false oath; cf. the petition ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου (Matt 6:9), the positive counterpart of this prohibition.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitivegenitive of possession (the name of your God)→ relational specificationθεός: 'God'; the name belongs to God himself; to profane the name is to profane God.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεοῦ)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; 'your God'.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה; here the self-naming is pointed — the very name that may not be profaned is reasserted.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the prohibition of false oaths.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
13
οὐκ ἀδικήσεις τὸν πλησίον καὶ οὐχ ἁρπάσεις καὶ οὐ μὴ κοιμηθήσεται ὁ μισθὸς τοῦ μισθωτοῦ παρὰ σοὶ ἕως πρωί
You shall not wrong your neighbor, and you shall not rob him; and the wage of the hired laborer shall not remain with you until morning.
The economic ethic sharpens: no wronging or robbing the neighbor, and — emphatically (οὐ μή + future) — the day-laborer's wage must not be held back overnight. This wage-statute (cf. Deut 24:14–15) lies behind James' indictment of defrauding employers (Jas 5:4): the withheld wage cries out to the Lord of hosts.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
οὐκnotnegation (with ἀδικήσεις)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
ἀδικήσειςyou shall wrongFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἀδικέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ἀδικέω: 'wrong / treat unjustly / injure'; renders עָשַׁק ('oppress / defraud'); the cognate of ἄδικος (v. 12); a general prohibition of injury to the neighbor, specified in what follows.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πλησίονneighborAccusativedirect object of ἀδικήσεις→ object specificationπλησίον: 'neighbor / fellow'; renders רֵעַ; the recurring object of the chapter's social ethic.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐχnotnegation (with ἁρπάσεις; rough-breathing form before aspirate)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ (form οὐχ before a rough breathing): objective negation.
ἁρπάσειςyou shall rob / seizeFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἁρπάζωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ἁρπάζω: 'snatch / seize / plunder / rob by force'; renders גָּזַל ('rob / tear away'); intensifies ἀδικήσεις — not merely covert fraud but open, violent seizure of another's property.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the wage-statute)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegation (first member of emphatic οὐ μή)→ participant referenceοὐ μή: the doubled negative with the future indicative expresses emphatic prohibition ('shall certainly not').
μὴnotnegation (second member of emphatic οὐ μή)→ clausal qualification or emphasisμή: subjective negation; combined with οὐ it strengthens the prohibition to the highest degree.
κοιμηθήσεταιshall remain overnight / lieFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · κοιμάωmain verb (emphatically prohibited future)→ emphatic prohibitive future (with οὐ μή)κοιμάω (pass. 'lie down / sleep / lodge'): here idiomatic, 'spend the night / remain overnight'; renders לִין ('lodge / stay the night'); the wage personified must not 'sleep' (be retained) at the employer's house — it must be paid the same day.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μισθὸςwageNominativesubject of κοιμηθήσεται→ participant prominenceμισθός: 'wage / pay / reward'; renders פְּעֻלָּה / שָׂכָר; the daily wage of a hired worker, whose subsistence depends on prompt payment; cf. the cry of the withheld μισθός at Jas 5:4.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μισθωτοῦhired laborerGenitivegenitive of possession (the laborer's wage)→ relational specificationμισθωτός: 'hired man / day-laborer / hireling'; renders שָׂכִיר; the wage-earner without land, dependent on each day's pay; the same word (with negative connotation) describes the 'hireling' shepherd of John 10:12–13.
παρὰwith / besidepreposition + dative (in someone's keeping)→ spatial or relational framingπαρά + dat.: 'with / at the side of / in the keeping of'; the wage must not stay 'with you' (in your possession) overnight.
σοὶyouDativeobject of παρά (the employer)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. sg. σοί): personal pronoun; 'with you', i.e. retained in the employer's hands.
ἕωςuntilpreposition/conjunction (temporal limit)→ spatial or relational framingἕως: 'until'; marks the temporal limit that may not be reached — daybreak.
πρωίmorningadverb (temporal: 'until morning')→ clausal contributionπρωΐ: 'early / in the morning'; an indeclinable adverb here functioning as the temporal terminus; renders עַד־בֹּקֶר; the wage must be paid before the next dawn.
14
οὐ κακῶς ἐρεῖς κωφὸν καὶ ἀπέναντι τυφλοῦ οὐ προσθήσεις σκάνδαλον καὶ φοβηθήσῃ κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
You shall not speak evil of the deaf, and before the blind you shall not put a stumbling-block, and you shall fear the LORD your God; I am the LORD your God.
Two prohibitions against exploiting those who cannot defend themselves — cursing the deaf who cannot hear, tripping the blind who cannot see — are grounded in the fear of God: the helpless have no human recourse, but God sees what no one else witnesses. The clause καὶ φοβηθήσῃ κύριον moves the sanction from social to theological, anticipating the refrain.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
οὐnotnegation (with ἐρεῖς)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
κακῶςevilly / badlyadverb of manner (with ἐρεῖς: 'speak ill')→ clausal contributionκακῶς: 'badly / wrongly / abusively'; the idiom κακῶς ἐρεῖν ('speak evil of / curse') renders קָלַל ('curse / treat with contempt'); cf. its use in the citation of Exod 21:17 at Matt 15:4 / Mark 7:10 (ὁ κακολογῶν).
ἐρεῖςyou shall speakFut Act Indic 2 Sg · λέγωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)λέγω (fut. ἐρῶ): 'say / speak'; with κακῶς, 'speak evil of / revile'; the prohibition targets the verbal abuse of one who cannot hear to defend himself.
κωφὸνthe deafAccusativedirect object of ἐρεῖς (substantivized adjective)→ object specificationκωφός: 'deaf / mute / dull'; renders חֵרֵשׁ ('deaf'); the substantive 'the deaf person' — defenseless because unable to hear the curse uttered against him.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπέναντιbefore / in front ofpreposition + genitive (spatial: 'in front of')→ spatial or relational framingἀπέναντι: 'opposite / before / in front of'; renders לִפְנֵי; locates the stumbling-block directly in the blind person's path.
τυφλοῦthe blindGenitiveobject of ἀπέναντι (substantivized adjective)→ relational specificationτυφλός: 'blind'; renders עִוֵּר; the substantive 'the blind person' — defenseless because unable to see the obstacle; the metaphor of leading/tripping the blind recurs in Jesus' teaching (Matt 15:14).
οὐnotnegation (with προσθήσεις)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
προσθήσειςyou shall put / setFut Act Indic 2 Sg · προστίθημιmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)προστίθημι: 'add / place / put before'; renders נָתַן ('set / put'); here 'set down in front of' — to place an obstacle deliberately in the blind person's way.
σκάνδαλονstumbling-blockAccusativedirect object of προσθήσεις→ object specificationσκάνδαλον: 'trap-trigger / snare / stumbling-block / cause of offense'; renders מִכְשׁוֹל; originally the bait-stick of a trap; the literal obstacle here becomes a rich NT metaphor for moral entrapment (Rom 14:13, where Paul invokes precisely this image: μὴ τιθέναι σκάνδαλον τῷ ἀδελφῷ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the theological ground)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φοβηθήσῃyou shall fearFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · φοβέομαιmain verb (imperatival future, positive command)→ imperatival future (covenant obligation grounding the prohibitions)φοβέομαι: 'fear / reverence'; renders יָרֵא; the fear of God is the motive-clause: precisely because the wronged are defenseless before humans, the offender is reminded that God sees and will requite — the same verb used of reverence for parents (v. 3).
κύριονthe LORDAccusativedirect object of φοβηθήσῃ→ object specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the object of reverent fear; the construction φοβηθήσῃ κύριον τὸν θεόν σου renders וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόνGodAccusativeaccusative in apposition (τὸν θεόν σου)→ object specificationθεός: 'God'; 'the LORD your God' as object of fear.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεόν)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your God'.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the protection of the vulnerable.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
15
οὐ ποιήσετε ἄδικον ἐν κρίσει οὐ λήμψῃ πρόσωπον πτωχοῦ οὐδὲ θαυμάσεις πρόσωπον δυνάστου ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ κρινεῖς τὸν πλησίον σου
You shall not do injustice in judgment; you shall not show partiality to the poor, nor admire the face of the mighty; in righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
Justice must be blind to social standing in both directions: neither favoring the poor (out of misplaced sympathy) nor deferring to the powerful. The idiom λαμβάνειν πρόσωπον ('receive the face' = show partiality) is the Hebraism נָשָׂא פָנִים, the root of NT προσωπολημψία ('partiality', Rom 2:11; Jas 2:1). The positive command ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ κρινεῖς caps the cluster.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
οὐnotnegation (with ποιήσετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
ποιήσετεyou shall doFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ποιέω: 'do / make / commit'; renders עָשָׂה; here 'commit injustice'; the same opening formula recurs at v. 35 (just measures), framing both judicial and commercial justice.
ἄδικονinjusticeAccusativedirect object of ποιήσετε (substantivized adjective)→ object specificationἄδικος: 'unjust'; neuter substantive ἄδικον ('an unjust thing / injustice'); renders עָוֶל ('iniquity / unrighteousness'); the abstract object of the prohibited 'doing'.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere: 'in judgment')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; marks the sphere — the judicial process.
κρίσειjudgmentDativedative of sphere (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceκρίσις: 'judgment / legal decision / trial'; renders מִשְׁפָּט; the courtroom or legal verdict in which justice must be impartial.
οὐnotnegation (with λήμψῃ)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
λήμψῃyou shall receive / regardFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (prohibitive future; idiom 'show partiality')→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)λαμβάνω: 'take / receive'; the idiom λαμβάνειν πρόσωπον ('receive the face') renders נָשָׂא פָנִים ('lift up/regard the face'), i.e. show partiality; the source of NT προσωπολημψία (Rom 2:11; Eph 6:9; Jas 2:1, 9).
πρόσωπονfaceAccusativedirect object of λήμψῃ (in the partiality idiom)→ object specificationπρόσωπον: 'face / person / presence'; renders פָּנִים; in the idiom 'receive the face' it denotes outward status; impartiality means judging the case, not the person's rank.
πτωχοῦof the poorGenitivegenitive (whose face/person: the poor)→ relational specificationπτωχός: 'poor'; renders דָּל ('poor / weak'); strikingly, partiality toward the poor is also forbidden — sympathy must not distort the verdict any more than fear of the powerful.
οὐδὲnorcoordinating negative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐδέ: 'and not / nor'; extends the prohibition to the opposite partiality.
θαυμάσειςyou shall admire / show deferenceFut Act Indic 2 Sg · θαυμάζωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)θαυμάζω: 'wonder at / admire / hold in awe'; here in the idiom θαυμάζειν πρόσωπον ('be impressed by the face/person'), rendering הָדַר ('honor / defer to'); the prohibition against being overawed by the powerful.
πρόσωπονfaceAccusativedirect object of θαυμάσεις (partiality idiom)→ object specificationπρόσωπον: 'face / person'; the status of the mighty must not sway the judge.
δυνάστουof the mighty oneGenitivegenitive (whose face/person: the powerful)→ relational specificationδυνάστης: 'ruler / potentate / man of power'; renders גָּדוֹל ('great one'); the socially powerful litigant whose status might intimidate a judge; cf. δυνάστης of God (1 Tim 6:15) and of the Ethiopian official (Acts 8:27).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (manner: 'in righteousness')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in / with'; here of manner — the standard by which judgment is to be rendered.
δικαιοσύνῃrighteousnessDativedative of manner (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceδικαιοσύνη: 'righteousness / justice'; renders צֶדֶק; the positive norm — verdicts measured by the case's true rights, not the parties' status.
κρινεῖςyou shall judgeFut Act Indic 2 Sg · κρίνωmain verb (imperatival future, positive command)→ imperatival future (positive obligation)κρίνω: 'judge / decide / render a verdict'; renders שָׁפַט; the positive command capping the cluster — judge the neighbor by righteousness alone.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πλησίονneighborAccusativedirect object of κρινεῖς→ object specificationπλησίον: 'neighbor / fellow'; the litigant is again the πλησίον, knitting impartial justice into the chapter's neighbor-ethic that culminates in v. 18.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with πλησίον)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your neighbor'.
16
οὐ πορεύσῃ δόλῳ ἐν τῷ ἔθνει σου οὐκ ἐπισυστήσῃ ἐφ᾿ αἷμα τοῦ πλησίον σου ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
You shall not go about with deceit among your people; you shall not stand up against the blood of your neighbor; I am the LORD your God.
Two prohibitions against the lethal misuse of speech and influence: going about as a slanderer/talebearer (πορεύσῃ δόλῳ, rendering the Hebrew 'go as a רָכִיל, slanderer') and conspiring against a neighbor's life (ἐπισυστήσῃ ἐφ᾽ αἷμα). The connection between slander and bloodshed is direct — the false word can become judicial murder. The refrain seals the prohibition.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
οὐnotnegation (with πορεύσῃ)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
πορεύσῃyou shall go aboutFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · πορεύομαιmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)πορεύομαι: 'go / walk / travel about'; renders הָלַךְ; the idiom πορεύσῃ δόλῳ ('go about with deceit') renders לֹא־תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל ('you shall not go about as a slanderer/talebearer'); the slanderer is pictured circulating through the community spreading ruinous reports.
δόλῳwith deceitDativedative of manner (how one goes about)→ sphere or referenceδόλος: 'deceit / treachery / guile'; renders רָכִיל ('slander') by sense; the dative of manner characterizes the slanderer's conduct; cf. the Servant in whose mouth was no δόλος (Isa 53:9, cited 1 Pet 2:22).
ἐνamongpreposition + dative (sphere: 'among your people')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in / among'; locates the slander within the covenant community.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔθνειnation / peopleDativedative of place (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceἔθνος: 'nation / people'; here of Israel itself (rendering עַם), 'your people'; though ἔθνος more often denotes the Gentile nations, the possessive σου shows the in-group is meant.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with ἔθνει)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your people'.
οὐκnotnegation (with ἐπισυστήσῃ)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation.
ἐπισυστήσῃyou shall stand up / conspire againstFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · ἐπισυνίστημιmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ἐπισυνίστημι: 'set oneself up against / band together against / rise up in hostility'; the double compound renders עָמַד עַל ('stand against'); to take a hostile legal/violent stand that endangers a neighbor's life; the LXX renders the obscure Hebrew clause (lit. 'stand against the blood of your neighbor') by this verb of conspiratorial opposition.
ἐφ᾿againstpreposition + accusative (hostile direction; elided before aspirate)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + acc.: 'against / upon'; here in hostile sense, 'against the blood/life of'.
αἷμαbloodAccusativeobject of ἐπί (the neighbor's life)→ object specificationαἷμα: 'blood'; renders דָּם; metonymy for life and especially for shed/imperiled life; to stand 'against the blood' is to threaten the neighbor's very life (e.g. by false testimony in a capital case).
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πλησίονneighborGenitivegenitive of possession (whose blood/life)→ relational specificationπλησίον: 'neighbor / fellow'; the endangered party is again the πλησίον, the chapter's keyword.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with πλησίον)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your neighbor'.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the prohibition of slander and bloodguilt.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
17
οὐ μισήσεις τὸν ἀδελφόν σου τῇ διανοίᾳ σου ἐλεγμῷ ἐλέγξεις τὸν πλησίον σου καὶ οὐ λήμψῃ δι᾿ αὐτὸν ἁμαρτίαν
You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and you shall not incur sin because of him.
The chapter's ethical summit begins here and culminates in v. 18. Hatred is located τῇ διανοίᾳ ('in the heart/mind') — the law reaches the interior disposition, not merely the act. The remedy is open reproof (ἐλεγμῷ ἐλέγξεις, an emphatic cognate construction), so that one does not 'incur sin because of him' by letting resentment fester into guilt or by failing the brother through silence.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
οὐnotnegation (with μισήσεις)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
μισήσειςyou shall hateFut Act Indic 2 Sg · μισέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition reaching the interior)μισέω: 'hate / detest'; renders שָׂנֵא; the prohibition is the negative pole whose positive antithesis is ἀγαπήσεις (v. 18); cf. 1 John 3:15, where hating the brother is equated with murder, drawing directly on this Levitical logic.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀδελφόνbrotherAccusativedirect object of μισήσεις→ object specificationἀδελφός: 'brother / kinsman / fellow Israelite'; renders אָח; here in the covenantal sense of fellow member of the community, parallel to πλησίον in the next clause; the brother-language is taken up in NT love-ethics (1 John 2–4).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with ἀδελφόν)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your brother'.
τῇtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
διανοίᾳheart / mindDativedative of place/sphere (the locus of forbidden hatred)→ sphere or referenceδιάνοια: 'mind / understanding / inner disposition'; renders לֵבָב ('heart'); the location of the prohibited hatred makes the law penetrate the inner life — it is not enough to refrain from hostile acts; the very disposition is forbidden (cf. Matt 5:21–22).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with διανοίᾳ)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your heart'.
ἐλεγμῷwith reproofDativecognate dative (Hebraism, intensifying ἐλέγξεις)→ sphere or referenceἐλεγμός: 'reproof / rebuke / correction'; the cognate dative ἐλεγμῷ ἐλέγξεις renders the Hebrew infinitive absolute הוֹכֵחַ תּוֹכִיחַ ('you shall surely reprove'), expressing emphasis: candid correction is the prescribed alternative to nursing hidden hatred.
ἐλέγξειςyou shall reproveFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐλέγχωmain verb (imperatival future, positive command)→ imperatival future (positive obligation, intensified by cognate dative)ἐλέγχω: 'reprove / convict / expose / bring to light'; renders יָכַח (Hiphil); open, honest confrontation of a wrong is commanded as the antidote to concealed resentment; the verb underlies the church-discipline procedure of Matt 18:15 (ἔλεγξον αὐτόν).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πλησίονneighborAccusativedirect object of ἐλέγξεις→ object specificationπλησίον: 'neighbor / fellow'; in parallel with ἀδελφόν, preparing the τὸν πλησίον σου of the love-command in v. 18.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with πλησίον)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your neighbor'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the purpose/result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegation (with λήμψῃ)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
λήμψῃyou shall incurFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (consequence: 'so that you not bear sin')→ prohibitive/consequential futureλαμβάνω: 'take / bear / incur'; in the idiom ἁμαρτίαν λαμβάνειν ('bear sin / incur guilt', as in v. 8) the sense is that by hating in silence — or by failing to reprove — one becomes complicit in the brother's wrong and so shares his guilt.
δι᾿because ofpreposition + accusative (cause; elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + acc.: 'because of / on account of'; 'on his account', i.e. through one's stance toward the brother.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeobject of διά (the brother/neighbor)→ participant referenceαὐτός: personal pronoun; refers to the brother/neighbor; the guilt arises in connection with him — whether by harboring hatred or by withholding correction.
ἁμαρτίανsinAccusativedirect object of λήμψῃ→ object specificationἁμαρτία: 'sin / guilt'; renders חֵטְא; in the idiom 'bear sin because of him' — to become guilty in relation to the neighbor through unresolved hatred.
18
καὶ οὐκ ἐκδικᾶταί σου ἡ χείρ καὶ οὐ μηνιεῖς τοῖς υἱοῖς τοῦ λαοῦ σου καὶ ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος
And your hand shall not take vengeance, and you shall not bear a grudge against the sons of your people; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.
The headline crux of the chapter. Vengeance and grudge-bearing are forbidden as the active forms of the hatred named in v. 17; the positive command ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν ('you shall love your neighbor as yourself') is the summit. It is cited verbatim in the LXX form by Jesus as the second great commandment (Matt 22:39; Mark 12:31; cf. Luke 10:27) and by the apostles as the summary of the whole law (Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14; Jas 2:8, 'the royal law'). The unusually short refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος (without ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν) seals it with stark divine authority.
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegation (with ἐκδικᾶται)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation; with the present indicative here it has prohibitive force (a Hebraism rendering the negated imperfect/jussive).
ἐκδικᾶταίshall take vengeancePres Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐκδικάωmain verb (prohibitive present indicative)→ prohibitive present (standing prohibition: 'is not to avenge')ἐκδικάω: 'avenge / take vengeance / exact justice'; renders נָקַם; the subject is 'your hand' (a vivid metonymy); private vengeance is barred — judgment belongs to God (cf. Rom 12:19, ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, citing Deut 32:35).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἡ χείρ)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your hand'.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with χείρ)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χείρhandNominativesubject of ἐκδικᾶται→ participant prominenceχείρ: 'hand'; renders יָד; the metonymy 'your hand shall not avenge' personifies the instrument of retaliation; the LXX construes the Hebrew (which has no 'hand') by supplying the vivid agent of vengeance.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐnotnegation (with μηνιεῖς)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
μηνιεῖςyou shall bear a grudgeFut Act Indic 2 Sg · μηνίωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)μηνίω: 'cherish wrath / bear a grudge / nurse anger'; renders נָטַר ('keep / retain [anger]'); the prohibition against the slow inward festering of resentment that outlasts the offense — the seedbed of vengeance.
τοῖςtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοῖςsonsDativedative object of μηνιεῖς (against whom one would bear a grudge)→ sphere or referenceυἱός: 'son'; the idiom οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ λαοῦ σου ('the sons of your people') = one's fellow countrymen; renders בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ; the grudge is forbidden specifically toward covenant kin.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαοῦpeopleGenitivegenitive (the sons belonging to your people)→ relational specificationλαός: 'people'; renders עַם; the covenant community; here defining the 'sons' as fellow members.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with λαοῦ)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your people'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the positive climax)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀγαπήσειςyou shall loveFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἀγαπάωmain verb (imperatival future: THE great commandment)→ imperatival future (the supreme covenant obligation, stated as binding destiny)ἀγαπάω: 'love'; renders אָהַב; the imperatival future ἀγαπήσεις is the positive summit toward which the whole cluster (vv. 17–18) drives. Cited in this exact LXX form at Matt 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14; Jas 2:8; the NT treats it as the love-command that, with Deut 6:5, sums up the entire law.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πλησίονneighborAccusativedirect object of ἀγαπήσεις→ object specificationπλησίον: 'neighbor / fellow'; renders רֵעַ; the keyword of the chapter's social ethic here becomes the object of love; Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37) answers the question 'who is my πλησίον?' by radically widening its scope (cf. the love for the προσήλυτος in v. 34).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with πλησίον)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your neighbor'.
ὡςascomparative particle (the measure of love)→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / like'; renders כָּמוֹךָ ('as yourself'); the comparison sets the measure of neighbor-love at the instinctive, total self-regard every person already exercises.
σεαυτόνyourselfAccusativereflexive pronoun (standard of comparison: 'as yourself')→ participant referenceσεαυτοῦ: reflexive pronoun, 'yourself'; the accusative ὡς σεαυτόν supplies the implied object of an understood verb ('as [you love] yourself'); self-love is presupposed as the natural measure to which love of neighbor is to be raised.
ἐγώINominativesubject (abbreviated self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun; here the shorter refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος (without ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν) seals the love-command with bare, weighty divine authority.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה; the abbreviated form, lacking 'your God', gives the seal of the supreme command a terse solemnity.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the love-command rests on the authority of YHWH himself, whose own character it images.
19
τὸν νόμον μου φυλάξεσθε τὰ κτήνη σου οὐ κατοχεύσεις ἑτεροζύγῳ καὶ τὸν ἀμπελῶνά σου οὐ κατασπερεῖς διάφορον καὶ ἱμάτιον ἐκ δύο ὑφασμένον κίβδηλον οὐκ ἐπιβαλεῖς σεαυτῷ
You shall keep my law. You shall not breed your cattle with a different kind, and you shall not sow your vineyard with different seed, and you shall not put on yourself a garment woven adulterated of two kinds.
A fresh heading (τὸν νόμον μου φυλάξεσθε) opens a block on prohibited mixtures (kilʾayim): no cross-breeding of cattle, no sowing of two seeds, no wearing of cloth woven of two materials. The laws enact, at the level of the everyday, the holiness-principle of keeping distinct what God has made distinct — separation as a lived theology of order.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νόμονlawAccusativedirect object of φυλάξεσθε (fronted for emphasis)→ object specificationνόμος: 'law / statute / Torah'; renders חֻקָּה / תּוֹרָה; the comprehensive heading for the legislation that follows; the fronted position stresses obedience to the whole divine ordinance.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with νόμον)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive pronoun; 'my law' — the law belongs to YHWH himself.
φυλάξεσθεyou shall keepFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · φυλάσσωmain verb (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (covenant obligation)φυλάσσω: 'guard / keep / observe'; renders שָׁמַר; the same verb as the Sabbath-command (v. 3) and the closing charge (v. 37), framing the whole code.
τὰtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κτήνηcattle / livestockAccusativedirect object of κατοχεύσεις→ object specificationκτῆνος (pl. κτήνη): 'beast / domestic animal / livestock'; renders בְּהֵמָה; the domestic herds that may not be cross-bred.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with κτήνη)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your cattle'.
οὐnotnegation (with κατοχεύσεις)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
κατοχεύσειςyou shall breed / cross-breedFut Act Indic 2 Sg · κατοχεύωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)κατοχεύω: 'cause to mate / breed (animals)'; renders רָבַע (Hiphil, 'cause to mate'); the prohibition against producing hybrids by mating different species — a violation of the created order of kinds (cf. Gen 1:24, κατὰ γένος).
ἑτεροζύγῳwith a different kindDativedative (with what the animal is mated: a different species)→ sphere or referenceἑτερόζυγος: 'of a different yoke/kind, unevenly matched'; the dative ἑτεροζύγῳ marks the disparate partner; the cognate verb ἑτεροζυγέω appears at 2 Cor 6:14 (μὴ γίνεσθε ἑτεροζυγοῦντες ἀπίστοις, 'do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers'), where Paul spiritualizes this very law of unmixed kinds.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀμπελῶνάvineyardAccusativedirect object of κατασπερεῖς→ object specificationἀμπελών: 'vineyard'; here the field/vineyard that may not be sown with mixed seed; the Hebrew (שָׂדֶה, 'field') is rendered specifically by 'vineyard' in the LXX.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἀμπελῶνα)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your vineyard'.
οὐnotnegation (with κατασπερεῖς)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
κατασπερεῖςyou shall sowFut Act Indic 2 Sg · κατασπείρωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)κατασπείρω: 'sow (down) / plant thoroughly'; renders זָרַע; the prohibition against sowing two kinds of seed together in one plot — again, the keeping of kinds distinct.
διάφορονdifferent seedAccusativedirect object of κατασπερεῖς (substantivized adjective: a second, different kind)→ object specificationδιάφορος: 'different / diverse'; the neuter substantive διάφορον denotes 'a different (seed)', rendering כִּלְאַיִם ('two kinds / mixture'); the heterogeneous second crop forbidden in one field.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἱμάτιονgarmentAccusativedirect object of ἐπιβαλεῖς (fronted)→ object specificationἱμάτιον: 'garment / cloak / outer robe'; renders בֶּגֶד; the clothing whose mixed weave is forbidden (the Hebrew specifies שַׁעַטְנֵז, wool-and-linen mixture).
ἐκof / frompreposition + genitive (material/composition)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: 'out of / from'; here of composition — 'woven from two (materials)'.
δύοtwoindeclinable numeral (two kinds of material)→ measure or countδύο: 'two'; indeclinable numeral; 'of two (kinds)', i.e. two different fibers woven together.
ὑφασμένονwovenPerf Pass Part Acc Neut Sg · ὑφαίνωattributive participle (modifying ἱμάτιον)→ perfect participle (resultant state: 'having been woven')ὑφαίνω: 'weave'; the perfect passive participle ὑφασμένον describes the finished, woven state of the garment; the perfect aspect underlines the abiding mixed condition of the cloth.
κίβδηλονadulterated / mixedAccusativeattributive/predicate adjective (characterizing the garment)→ object specificationκίβδηλος: 'adulterated / counterfeit / impure (of mixed metal or material)'; originally of debased coinage; the LXX uses it for the impermissibly mixed weave — the garment is, as it were, a 'counterfeit' of pure cloth, a category-violation.
οὐκnotnegation (with ἐπιβαλεῖς)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
ἐπιβαλεῖςyou shall put onFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἐπιβάλλωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ἐπιβάλλω: 'throw upon / put on / lay over'; renders עָלָה (Hiphil, 'bring up upon'); here of donning the mixed garment; the reflexive σεαυτῷ underlines that one is not to clothe oneself in the category-violating cloth.
σεαυτῷon yourselfDativereflexive dative (the one clothed)→ sphere or referenceσεαυτοῦ (dat. σεαυτῷ): reflexive pronoun, 'yourself'; dative of the person upon whom the garment would be placed.
20
καὶ ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς κοίτην σπέρματος καὶ αὐτὴ οἰκέτις διαπεφυλαγμένη ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ αὐτὴ λύτροις οὐ λελύτρωται ἢ ἐλευθερία οὐκ ἐδόθη αὐτῇ ἐπισκοπὴ ἔσται αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἀποθανοῦνται ὅτι οὐκ ἀπηλευθερώθη
And if a man lies with a woman, an emission of seed, and she is a household servant kept for a man, and she has not been ransomed with a ransom nor has freedom been given to her, there shall be an inquiry for them; they shall not die, because she had not been set free.
A casuistic statute interrupts the apodictic series: intercourse with a slave-woman betrothed (διαπεφυλαγμένη, 'reserved/kept') to a man but not yet redeemed or freed. Because her unfree status removes the case from ordinary adultery (which is capital), there is to be ἐπισκοπή ('an inquiry / investigation') rather than death. The legal point turns on her not yet having been set free (ἀπηλευθερώθη).
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing case-law)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐάνifconditional conjunction (+ subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; opens the casuistic protasis.
τιςsomeone / a manNominativesubject of κοιμηθῇ (indefinite pronoun)→ participant referenceτις: 'someone / anyone'; indefinite pronoun; renders אִישׁ in casuistic formulation ('if a man...').
κοιμηθῇlies / sleepsAor Pass Subj 3 Sg · κοιμάωverb of the protasis→ aorist subjunctive (contingent condition)κοιμάω (pass. 'lie down'): here the euphemism for sexual intercourse, 'lie with'; renders שָׁכַב; the passive-deponent subjunctive in the conditional.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + gen.: 'with'; marks the partner of the act.
γυναικὸςa womanGenitiveobject of μετά→ relational specificationγυνή: 'woman'; renders אִשָּׁה; the partner in the case, further defined as a bondwoman.
κοίτηνan emission / lyingAccusativeaccusative of inner content/respect (κοίτην σπέρματος)→ object specificationκοίτη: 'bed / lying / intercourse'; the phrase κοίτην σπέρματος ('a lying of seed / emission of seed') renders שִׁכְבַת־זֶרַע, a fixed idiom for sexual intercourse with emission; the accusative functions as an internal/adverbial accusative defining the manner of the act.
σπέρματοςof seedGenitivegenitive of definition (with κοίτην)→ relational specificationσπέρμα: 'seed / offspring'; renders זֶרַע; in the idiom κοίτη σπέρματος it denotes seminal emission, marking the act as consummated intercourse.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (adding the woman's status)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
αὐτὴsheNominativesubject (resumptive: 'and she')→ participant referenceαὐτός (fem. αὐτή): personal pronoun; here in subject position, 'and she (is)', introducing her legal status.
οἰκέτιςhousehold servantNominativepredicate nominative (her status)→ participant prominenceοἰκέτις: 'female house-slave / servant'; feminine of οἰκέτης; renders שִׁפְחָה; her servile status is the legal pivot — an unfree woman, not a free betrothed bride, so the case falls outside capital adultery.
διαπεφυλαγμένηkept / reservedPerf Pass Part Nom Fem Sg · διαφυλάσσωattributive/predicate participle (modifying οἰκέτις)→ perfect participle (resultant state: 'having been reserved')διαφυλάσσω: 'guard carefully / reserve / keep set apart'; the perfect passive participle describes her as having been earmarked/betrothed to a particular man; renders נֶחֱרֶפֶת ('designated / betrothed'); the perfect marks the abiding state of reservation.
ἀνθρώπῳfor a manDativedative of advantage/reference (the man for whom she is reserved)→ sphere or referenceἄνθρωπος: 'man / person'; the dative marks the man to whom she has been designated; renders לְאִישׁ.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
αὐτὴsheNominativesubject (resumptive: 'and she')→ participant referenceαὐτός (fem.): personal pronoun, 'and she'.
λύτροιςwith a ransomDativedative of means (cognate with λελύτρωται)→ sphere or referenceλύτρον (pl. λύτροις): 'ransom / redemption-price'; renders פִּדְיוֹן; the cognate dative with λελύτρωται intensifies — 'she has not been ransomed with a ransom'; λύτρον is the key NT redemption-term (Mark 10:45, λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν).
οὐnotnegation (with λελύτρωται)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
λελύτρωταιshe has been ransomedPerf Pass Indic 3 Sg · λυτρόωverb of the protasis (her unredeemed condition)→ perfect (abiding state: she stands unransomed)λυτρόω: 'ransom / redeem / release on payment'; renders פָּדָה; the perfect with οὐ marks her abiding unredeemed status; the redemption word-group (λύτρον, λυτρόω, ἀπολύτρωσις) is foundational to NT soteriology (Luke 24:21; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet 1:18).
ἢordisjunctive conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastἤ: 'or'; introduces the alternative route to free status — manumission.
ἐλευθερίαfreedomNominativesubject of ἐδόθη→ participant prominenceἐλευθερία: 'freedom / liberty'; renders חֻפְשָׁה; manumission would have removed her from servile status; the NT exalts ἐλευθερία as the gospel condition (Gal 5:1, 13; 2 Cor 3:17).
οὐκnotnegation (with ἐδόθη)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation.
ἐδόθηwas givenAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιverb of the protasis (freedom not granted)→ constative aorist (the fact that no manumission occurred)δίδωμι (aor. pass.): 'be given'; renders נָתַן; the passive ἐδόθη with negation establishes that no grant of freedom had been made — she remains a slave, which determines the verdict.
αὐτῇto herDativedative indirect object (recipient of the would-be freedom)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (fem. dat.): personal pronoun; 'to her'.
ἐπισκοπὴinquiry / visitationNominativesubject of ἔσται (the prescribed legal response)→ participant prominenceἐπισκοπή: 'inspection / visitation / inquiry / investigation'; renders בִּקֹּרֶת ('investigation / due inquiry'); here a judicial inquiry rather than the death-penalty of ordinary adultery; the word elsewhere bears the sense of divine 'visitation' (Luke 19:44; 1 Pet 2:12) and of the 'office' of overseer (1 Tim 3:1).
ἔσταιthere shall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (the legal outcome prescribed)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be / there shall be'; introduces the prescribed disposition of the case — an inquiry is to take place.
αὐτοῖςfor themDativedative of reference (the two parties)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (masc./common dat. pl.): personal pronoun; 'for them', the man and the woman whose case is under inquiry.
οὐκnotnegation (with ἀποθανοῦνται)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation.
ἀποθανοῦνταιthey shall dieFut Mid Indic 3 Pl · ἀποθνῄσκωmain verb (declarative future, negated)→ declarative future (the death-penalty is excluded)ἀποθνῄσκω (fut. mid. ἀποθανοῦνται): 'die / be put to death'; renders מוּת (Hophal); the negation lifts the case out of capital adultery — because of her servile, unredeemed status the partners are not executed.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (grounds the non-execution)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because'; gives the legal reason for the reduced penalty.
οὐκnotnegation (with ἀπηλευθερώθη)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation.
ἀπηλευθερώθηshe was set freeAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀπελευθερόωverb of the causal clause (the decisive legal fact)→ constative aorist (the determinative fact: no manumission)ἀπελευθερόω: 'set free / emancipate / manumit'; the compound ἀπ- emphasizes release from bondage; renders the sense of חֻפְשָׁה לֹא־נִתַּן ('she had not been freed'); her continuing slave-status is precisely why the act is not treated as capital adultery; the cognate ἀπελεύθερος ('freedman') appears at 1 Cor 7:22 (ἀπελεύθερος κυρίου).
21
καὶ προσάξει τῆς πλημμελείας αὐτοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ παρὰ τὴν θύραν τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου κριὸν πλημμελείας
And he shall bring for his trespass to the LORD, at the door of the tent of testimony, a ram of trespass.
Though the death-penalty is waived (v. 20), the offense is not without remedy: the man must bring a κριὸς πλημμελείας ('ram of trespass', the ʾāšām guilt-offering) to the door of the tent of testimony. The cultic satisfaction underscores that the act remains a real wrong against God requiring atonement, even where the civil penalty is reduced.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσάξειhe shall bringFut Act Indic 3 Sg · προσάγωmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (cultic obligation)προσάγω: 'bring to / present / offer'; renders הִקְרִיב (Hiphil of קרב); the technical term for presenting a sacrifice at the sanctuary; the offending man must bring his guilt-offering.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πλημμελείαςof trespass / guiltGenitivegenitive (for/as his trespass-offering)→ relational specificationπλημμέλεια: 'fault / error / trespass / guilt-offering'; renders אָשָׁם; the term denotes both the guilt incurred and the offering that remedies it; the genitive τῆς πλημμελείας αὐτοῦ marks the purpose ('for his trespass').
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with πλημμελείας)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen.): possessive pronoun; 'his trespass'.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳto the LORDDativedative indirect object (recipient of the offering)→ sphere or referenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the offering is presented to YHWH at his sanctuary.
παρὰat / besidepreposition + accusative (location of presentation)→ spatial or relational framingπαρά + acc.: 'beside / at'; locates the presentation at the sanctuary entrance.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θύρανdoorAccusativeobject of παρά (the place of offering)→ object specificationθύρα: 'door / entrance'; renders פֶּתַח; the door of the tent of meeting is the prescribed place of sacrifice (Lev 1:3; 3:2).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σκηνῆςtentGenitivegenitive (the door of the tent)→ relational specificationσκηνή: 'tent / tabernacle / dwelling'; renders אֹהֶל; the dwelling-place of YHWH's presence; cf. its theological use at John 1:14 (ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν) and Heb 8–9.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μαρτυρίουof testimonyGenitivegenitive of definition (the tent of testimony)→ relational specificationμαρτύριον: 'testimony / witness'; the phrase ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ μαρτυρίου ('tent of testimony/meeting') renders אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד; the LXX construes מוֹעֵד ('meeting') via the related notion of the 'testimony' (the covenant tablets) housed within.
κριὸνramAccusativedirect object of προσάξει→ object specificationκριός: 'ram'; renders אַיִל; the male sheep prescribed for the guilt-offering (Lev 5:15); the costlier animal befits the gravity of trespass against the holy.
πλημμελείαςof trespassGenitivegenitive of definition (the trespass-ram)→ relational specificationπλημμέλεια: 'trespass / guilt-offering'; the phrase κριὸς πλημμελείας ('ram of the guilt-offering') is the technical designation of the ʾāšām animal (cf. Lev 5:15–16).
22
καὶ ἐξιλάσεται περὶ αὐτοῦ ὁ ἱερεὺς ἐν τῷ κριῷ τῆς πλημμελείας ἔναντι κυρίου περὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἧς ἥμαρτεν καὶ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἣν ἥμαρτεν
And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of trespass before the LORD for his sin which he committed, and the sin which he committed shall be forgiven him.
The priest enacts ἐξιλασμός ('atonement / propitiation') with the trespass-ram, and the result is ἀφεθήσεται ('it shall be forgiven'). The atonement-and-forgiveness formula (ἐξιλάσεται ... καὶ ἀφεθήσεται) is the standard Levitical absolution-pattern; both verbs are central to NT soteriology (ἱλασμός, 1 John 2:2; ἄφεσις, Eph 1:7).
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξιλάσεταιshall make atonementFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐξιλάσκομαιmain verb (prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (cultic act of atonement)ἐξιλάσκομαι: 'make atonement / propitiate / expiate'; renders כִּפֶּר (Piel of כפר); the standard LXX term for priestly atonement; the cognate noun-group ἱλασμός / ἱλαστήριον is taken up at Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10.
περὶforpreposition + genitive (on behalf of)→ spatial or relational framingπερί + gen.: 'concerning / on behalf of'; marks the beneficiary of the atonement.
αὐτοῦhimGenitiveobject of περί (the man atoned for)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen.): personal pronoun; 'for him', the offender.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερεὺςpriestNominativesubject of ἐξιλάσεται→ participant prominenceἱερεύς: 'priest'; renders כֹּהֵן; the mediator who performs the atoning rite; the priestly function is fulfilled and transcended in Christ the great ἀρχιερεύς (Heb 4:14).
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (instrumental)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: here instrumental, 'by means of / with' the ram.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κριῷramDativedative of means (instrument of atonement)→ sphere or referenceκριός: 'ram'; the trespass-ram is the means through which atonement is effected.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πλημμελείαςof trespassGenitivegenitive of definition (the trespass-ram)→ relational specificationπλημμέλεια: 'trespass / guilt-offering'; defining the ram as the ʾāšām animal.
ἔναντιbeforepreposition + genitive (in the presence of)→ spatial or relational framingἔναντι: 'before / in the presence of'; renders לִפְנֵי; the atonement is enacted in the divine presence.
κυρίουthe LORDGenitiveobject of ἔναντι→ relational specificationκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the atonement is transacted coram Deo, before the LORD himself.
περὶforpreposition + genitive (concerning the sin)→ spatial or relational framingπερί + gen.: 'concerning / for'; marks the object of atonement — the specific sin.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἁμαρτίαςsinGenitiveobject of περί (the sin atoned for)→ relational specificationἁμαρτία: 'sin'; renders חַטָּאת / חֵטְא; the specific offense for which atonement is made.
ἧςwhichGenitiverelative pronoun (object of ἥμαρτεν, attracted to genitive antecedent)→ relational specificationὅς (rel. pron., fem. gen. sg.): 'which'; the genitive ἧς results from attraction to its antecedent ἁμαρτίας (a cognate-accusative object 'drawn' into the case of the antecedent — a common Greek idiom).
ἥμαρτενhe committed / sinnedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἁμαρτάνωverb of relative clause→ constative aorist (the committed sin)ἁμαρτάνω: 'sin / miss the mark / err'; renders חָטָא; cognate with ἁμαρτία; the figura etymologica 'the sin which he sinned' renders the Hebrew internal-accusative construction.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀφεθήσεταιit shall be forgivenFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀφίημιmain verb (declarative future: the absolution)→ declarative future (divine forgiveness pronounced)ἀφίημι (fut. pass. ἀφεθήσεται): 'release / remit / forgive'; renders סָלַח (Niphal); the standard Levitical absolution-formula; the noun ἄφεσις ('forgiveness / release') is central to the gospel (Mark 1:4; Luke 24:47; Eph 1:7).
αὐτῷhimDativedative of advantage (the one forgiven)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat.): personal pronoun; 'to/for him', the recipient of forgiveness.
ἡtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἁμαρτίαsinNominativesubject of ἀφεθήσεται→ participant prominenceἁμαρτία: 'sin'; the sin itself is the grammatical subject of the passive 'shall be forgiven'.
ἣνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἥμαρτεν)→ participant referenceὅς (rel. pron., fem. acc. sg.): 'which'; here the unattracted accusative as object of the cognate ἥμαρτεν.
ἥμαρτενhe committed / sinnedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἁμαρτάνωverb of relative clause→ constative aorist (the committed sin)ἁμαρτάνω: 'sin'; the repeated figura etymologica ('the sin which he sinned') again reflects the Hebrew internal accusative, emphasizing the concrete offense now forgiven.
23
ὅταν δὲ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν δίδωσιν ὑμῖν καὶ καταφυτεύσετε πᾶν ξύλον βρώσιμον καὶ περικαθαριεῖτε τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν αὐτοῦ ὁ καρπὸς αὐτοῦ τρία ἔτη ἔσται ὑμῖν ἀπερικάθαρτος οὐ βρωθήσεται
But when you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, and you plant any tree that is edible, then you shall purge away its uncleanness; its fruit for three years shall be uncleansed for you; it shall not be eaten.
The horizon shifts to the future land (ὅταν εἰσέλθητε). Newly planted fruit trees are subject to a three-year prohibition: their fruit is ἀπερικάθαρτος ('uncleansed', LXX for ʿărēlîm, lit. 'uncircumcised') and inedible. The law sets a probationary period before the produce is fit for use, with the fourth-year fruit consecrated (v. 24) and the fifth freely eaten (v. 25).
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
ὅτανwhentemporal conjunction (+ subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅταν: 'when(ever)'; with the aorist subjunctive marks a future, certain-but-undated condition — the entry into the land.
δὲbut / andtransitional particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the shift to a new, land-oriented sub-section.
εἰσέλθητεyou enterAor Act Subj 2 Pl · εἰσέρχομαιverb of temporal clause→ aorist subjunctive (future entry)εἰσέρχομαι: 'enter / go into'; renders בּוֹא; the entry into the promised land as the horizon for this agricultural law.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: 'into'; direction of entry.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνlandAccusativeobject of εἰς→ object specificationγῆ: 'land / earth'; renders אֶרֶץ; the promised land, the gift of YHWH.
ἣνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of δίδωσιν)→ participant referenceὅς (rel. pron., fem. acc. sg.): 'which'; introduces the relative clause describing the land as gift.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of δίδωσιν→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the giver of the land.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; 'your God'.
δίδωσινgivesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · δίδωμιverb of relative clause→ futuristic/customary present (the certain gift of the land)δίδωμι: 'give'; renders נָתַן; the present tense presents the land-gift as a settled, sure reality even before entry — the land is YHWH's to bestow.
ὑμῖνto youDativedative indirect object (recipients of the land)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. pl.): personal pronoun; 'to you'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (continuing the temporal protasis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
καταφυτεύσετεyou plantFut Act Indic 2 Pl · καταφυτεύωverb continuing the temporal condition→ future (within the temporal protasis)καταφυτεύω: 'plant down / plant out'; renders נָטַע; the establishing of orchards in the new land sets up the case for the fruit-prohibition.
πᾶνany / everyAccusativeadjective (modifying ξύλον)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all / any / every'; the neuter πᾶν agrees with ξύλον; 'any (edible) tree'.
ξύλονtreeAccusativedirect object of καταφυτεύσετε→ object specificationξύλον: 'wood / tree'; renders עֵץ; here the fruit-tree; the same word denotes the tree of life and (in NT) the cross (Acts 5:30; 1 Pet 2:24).
βρώσιμονedibleAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying ξύλον)→ object specificationβρώσιμος: 'edible / good for food'; renders מַאֲכָל ('food'); restricts the law to fruit-bearing (food) trees.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
περικαθαριεῖτεyou shall purge awayFut Act Indic 2 Pl · περικαθαρίζωmain verb (apodosis, prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (cultic-agricultural command)περικαθαρίζω: 'cleanse all around / purge away'; the LXX renders עָרַל ('treat as uncircumcised/forbidden') by the imagery of removing impurity; the fruit's early yield is to be treated as 'uncleanness' to be purged, not consumed.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀκαθαρσίανuncleannessAccusativedirect object of περικαθαριεῖτε→ object specificationἀκαθαρσία: 'uncleanness / impurity'; the early fruit is categorized as ritually 'unclean' (rendering the 'foreskin'/ʿorlâ imagery of the Hebrew); not literally dirty but cultically not-yet-permitted.
αὐτοῦitsGenitivegenitive of possession (the tree's uncleanness)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen.): possessive pronoun; 'its', referring to the tree.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρπὸςfruitNominativesubject of ἔσται→ participant prominenceκαρπός: 'fruit / produce'; renders פְּרִי; the tree's yield, subject to the three-year prohibition; the word is rich in NT metaphor (Matt 7:16; John 15:2; Gal 5:22).
αὐτοῦitsGenitivegenitive of possession (with καρπός)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen.): possessive pronoun; 'its fruit'.
τρίαthreeAccusativenumeral adjective (accusative of duration with ἔτη)→ measure or countτρεῖς (neut. τρία): 'three'; with ἔτη forms the accusative of extent of time, 'for three years'; renders שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים.
ἔτηyearsAccusativeaccusative of duration of time→ object specificationἔτος (pl. ἔτη): 'year'; renders שָׁנָה; the three-year probationary span.
ἔσταιshall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (copula, prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (the fruit's prescribed status)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; declares the status of the early fruit for the duration.
ὑμῖνfor youDativedative of reference/advantage→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. pl.): personal pronoun; 'for you' — the fruit's status with respect to the Israelite cultivators.
ἀπερικάθαρτοςuncleansed / unpurifiedNominativepredicate adjective (with ἔσται)→ participant prominenceἀπερικάθαρτος: 'not purified / uncleansed'; alpha-privative formation; the LXX's rendering of עֲרֵלִים (lit. 'uncircumcised') applied to fruit — the early produce is, as it were, 'uncircumcised' and so unfit for consumption or offering.
οὐnotnegation (with βρωθήσεται)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
βρωθήσεταιit shall be eatenFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ἐσθίω (fut. pass. βρωθήσεται): 'be eaten'; renders the Niphal of אָכַל; the early fruit may not be consumed during the three-year period.
24
καὶ τῷ ἔτει τῷ τετάρτῳ ἔσται πᾶς ὁ καρπὸς αὐτοῦ ἅγιος αἰνετὸς τῷ κυρίῳ
And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD.
After the three prohibited years, the fourth-year fruit is wholly ἅγιος ('holy') and αἰνετός ('an object of praise / praise-offering') to the LORD — the firstfruits of the orchard are consecrated to God before the produce becomes available for common use in the fifth year (v. 25).
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῷtheDativearticle (dative of time)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔτειyearDativedative of time (when)→ sphere or referenceἔτος: 'year'; renders שָׁנָה; dative of time, 'in the fourth year'.
τῷtheDativearticle (second attributive position)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τετάρτῳfourthDativeattributive ordinal adjective (modifying ἔτει)→ sphere or referenceτέταρτος: 'fourth'; ordinal renders רְבִיעִי; the year of consecration of the firstfruits.
ἔσταιshall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (copula, prescriptive future)→ prescriptive future (the fruit's consecrated status)εἰμί (fut.): 'be'; declares the fourth-year fruit's holy status.
πᾶςallNominativeadjective (modifying καρπός)→ participant prominenceπᾶς: 'all / the whole'; the entire fourth-year yield, without remainder, is consecrated.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρπὸςfruitNominativesubject of ἔσται→ participant prominenceκαρπός: 'fruit / produce'; the fourth-year crop now declared holy.
αὐτοῦitsGenitivegenitive of possession (with καρπός)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen.): possessive pronoun; 'its fruit'.
ἅγιοςholyNominativepredicate adjective (with ἔσται)→ participant prominenceἅγιος: 'holy / set apart'; renders קֹדֶשׁ; the fourth-year fruit is wholly God's, set apart from common use — a firstfruits consecration.
αἰνετὸςof praise / praiseworthyNominativepredicate adjective (further qualifying the fruit)→ participant prominenceαἰνετός: 'praiseworthy / for praise'; the phrase ἅγιος αἰνετὸς τῷ κυρίῳ renders הִלּוּלִים ('an offering of praise/jubilation'); the consecrated fruit is dedicated as a praise-gift to YHWH.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κυρίῳto the LORDDativedative of advantage (to whom the praise-offering is dedicated)→ sphere or referenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the recipient of the consecrated firstfruits-of-praise.
25
ἐν δὲ τῷ ἔτει τῷ πέμπτῳ φάγεσθε τὸν καρπόν πρόσθεμα ὑμῖν τὰ γενήματα αὐτοῦ ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
But in the fifth year you shall eat the fruit; its produce is an increase for you; I am the LORD your God.
From the fifth year the fruit is freely available, and its yield becomes a πρόσθεμα ('increase / addition') for the owner — the deferred reward of the three-year restraint and fourth-year consecration. The refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν seals the whole orchard-law.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
ἐνinpreposition + dative (temporal)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; temporal, 'in the fifth year'.
δὲbuttransitional/contrastive particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the contrast with the prohibited and consecrated years.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἔτειyearDativedative of time (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceἔτος: 'year'; the fifth year of the orchard's life.
τῷtheDativearticle (second attributive position)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πέμπτῳfifthDativeattributive ordinal adjective (modifying ἔτει)→ sphere or referenceπέμπτος: 'fifth'; ordinal renders חֲמִישִׁי; the year of full release of the fruit.
φάγεσθεyou shall eatFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · ἐσθίωmain verb (permissive future)→ permissive future (now allowed)ἐσθίω (fut. mid. φάγεσθε): 'eat'; renders אָכַל; the suppletive future of ἐσθίω; the fruit is now permitted for ordinary consumption.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρπόνfruitAccusativedirect object of φάγεσθε→ object specificationκαρπός: 'fruit / produce'; now freely eaten.
πρόσθεμαincrease / additionNominativepredicate nominative (in the explanatory clause)→ participant prominenceπρόσθεμα: 'something added / increase / surplus'; from προστίθημι; the yield becomes an added gain — the abundance that rewards the years of restraint; renders the sense of לְהוֹסִיף ('to increase its yield').
ὑμῖνfor youDativedative of advantage→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. pl.): personal pronoun; 'for you' — the increase accrues to the cultivators.
τὰtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γενήματαproduce / yieldNominativesubject of the explanatory clause (in apposition with πρόσθεμα)→ participant prominenceγένημα (pl. γενήματα): 'produce / yield / fruit of the earth'; renders תְּבוּאָה; the agricultural produce of the now-mature trees; cf. γένημα τῆς ἀμπέλου (Matt 26:29).
αὐτοῦitsGenitivegenitive of possession (with γενήματα)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen.): possessive pronoun; 'its produce', of the tree.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the orchard-law.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
26
μὴ ἔσθετε ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων καὶ οὐκ οἰωνιεῖσθε οὐδὲ ὀρνιθοσκοπήσεσθε
You shall not eat upon the mountains, and you shall not practice augury nor observe omens by birds.
A block of prohibitions against Canaanite-style rites begins. 'Eating upon the mountains' (the LXX rendering of 'eating with the blood') evokes pagan high-place sacrificial feasts; οἰωνίζομαι ('augury') and ὀρνιθοσκοπέομαι ('bird-omen reading') name forms of divination forbidden because they seek hidden knowledge from sources other than YHWH (cf. Deut 18:10–14).
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
μὴnotnegation (with the imperative ἔσθετε)→ clausal qualification or emphasisμή: the negative used with the imperative for prohibition.
ἔσθετεeatPres Act Impv 2 Pl · ἔσθωmain verb (present prohibitive imperative)→ present imperative with μή (prohibition of an ongoing practice)ἔσθω (= ἐσθίω): 'eat'; the present imperative with μή forbids the continuance of a practice — the LXX renders the Hebrew 'you shall not eat with/over the blood' (עַל־הַדָּם) by 'upon the mountains' (reading עַל־הֶהָרִים or interpreting the rite as high-place feasting).
ἐπὶuponpreposition + genitive (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + gen.: 'upon / on'; locates the forbidden feasting on the mountains (high places).
τῶνtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὀρέωνmountainsGenitiveobject of ἐπί→ relational specificationὄρος (pl. ὀρέων): 'mountain'; the mountains/high places were sites of pagan sacrificial meals; the LXX's 'eating upon the mountains' interprets the blood-feast as a high-place rite to be shunned.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegation (with οἰωνιεῖσθε)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
οἰωνιεῖσθεyou shall practice auguryFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · οἰωνίζομαιmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)οἰωνίζομαι: 'take auguries / divine by omens'; renders נָחַשׁ ('practice divination'); the seeking of hidden knowledge through omens, forbidden because it bypasses the revelation of YHWH (Deut 18:10).
οὐδὲnorcoordinating negative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐδέ: 'and not / nor'; extends the prohibition to a second form of divination.
ὀρνιθοσκοπήσεσθεyou shall observe bird-omensFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · ὀρνιθοσκοπέομαιmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ὀρνιθοσκοπέομαι: 'observe birds (for omens) / practice ornithomancy'; the compound (ὄρνις 'bird' + σκοπέω 'observe') renders עָנַן ('practice soothsaying'); the reading of bird-flight and bird-behavior as omens, a classic Greco-Near-Eastern divinatory art here forbidden to Israel.
27
οὐ ποιήσετε σισόην ἐκ τῆς κόμης τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν οὐδὲ φθερεῖτε τὴν ὄψιν τοῦ πώγωνος ὑμῶν
You shall not make a rounded cutting from the hair of your head, nor shall you mar the appearance of your beard.
Prohibitions of pagan grooming-rites: the rounding of the hair (σισόη, a ritual lock or rounded tonsure) and the marring of the beard. These were associated with mourning customs and Canaanite cult; the prohibition (continued in v. 28 on cutting and tattooing) marks Israel's bodily distinctiveness from the death-cult practices of the nations.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
οὐnotnegation (with ποιήσετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
ποιήσετεyou shall makeFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ποιέω: 'make / do'; here of fashioning the forbidden hairstyle.
σισόηνa rounded lock / tonsureAccusativedirect object of ποιήσετε→ object specificationσισόη: 'a curled/rounded lock of hair, a sidelock or ritual tonsure'; a rare term; the LXX uses it for the Hebrew פְּאַת רֹאשׁ ('corner/edge of the head'), i.e. the rounding off of the hair at the temples — a pagan mourning or cultic grooming-rite.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source/material)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: 'out of / from'; 'from the hair', the material acted upon.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κόμηςhairGenitiveobject of ἐκ (source)→ relational specificationκόμη: 'hair (of the head) / locks'; the head-hair from which the forbidden rounding would be made; cf. 1 Cor 11:15 (κόμη as a woman's glory).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κεφαλῆςheadGenitivegenitive (the hair of the head)→ relational specificationκεφαλή: 'head'; renders רֹאשׁ; defining the hair as that of the head.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with κεφαλῆς)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; 'your head'.
οὐδὲnorcoordinating negative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐδέ: 'and not / nor'; extends the prohibition to the beard.
φθερεῖτεyou shall mar / spoilFut Act Indic 2 Pl · φθείρωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)φθείρω: 'destroy / corrupt / mar / spoil'; renders שָׁחַת ('mar / ruin'); here of disfiguring the beard by the pagan trimming-rite; the verb is elsewhere used of moral corruption (1 Cor 15:33; 2 Cor 11:3).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄψινappearanceAccusativedirect object of φθερεῖτε→ object specificationὄψις: 'appearance / look / face'; renders פְּאַת ('edge / corner'), construed by the LXX as the beard's 'appearance / form'; the disfiguring trim that mars the natural look of the beard is forbidden.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πώγωνοςbeardGenitivegenitive (the appearance of the beard)→ relational specificationπώγων: 'beard'; renders זָקָן; the beard whose ritual marring (associated with mourning/pagan cult) is prohibited.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with πώγωνος)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; 'your beard'.
28
καὶ ἐντομίδας ἐπὶ ψυχῇ οὐ ποιήσετε ἐν τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν καὶ γράμματα στικτὰ οὐ ποιήσετε ἐν ὑμῖν ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
And you shall not make cuttings on your body for a dead soul, and you shall not make tattooed marks on yourselves; I am the LORD your God.
The mourning/death-cult prohibitions reach their climax: no ἐντομίδες ('incisions / cuttings') in the flesh ἐπὶ ψυχῇ ('for a soul', i.e. for a dead person), and no γράμματα στικτά ('tattooed marks'). These self-mutilation rites, characteristic of pagan grief and devotion (cf. the prophets of Baal, 1 Kgs 18:28), are forbidden; the body itself is to bear the holiness-distinction. The refrain seals the cluster.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐντομίδαςcuttings / incisionsAccusativedirect object of ποιήσετε (fronted)→ object specificationἐντομίς (pl. ἐντομίδας): 'incision / cut / gash'; from ἐντέμνω ('cut into'); renders שֶׂרֶט ('incision'); the ritual gashing of the flesh in mourning for the dead, a pagan grief-rite forbidden to Israel.
ἐπὶfor / on account ofpreposition + dative (occasion: 'for a [dead] soul')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dat.: 'on account of / for'; the cuttings made 'for a soul', i.e. on the occasion of a death; renders עַל־נֶפֶשׁ ('for the dead').
ψυχῇa (dead) soul / personDativeobject of ἐπί (the deceased)→ sphere or referenceψυχή: 'soul / life / person'; here נֶפֶשׁ in the sense of 'a dead person' (the body/corpse); the idiom ἐπὶ ψυχῇ denotes mourning rites for the dead.
οὐnotnegation (with ποιήσετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
ποιήσετεyou shall makeFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ποιέω: 'make / do'; here of inflicting the mourning-incisions.
ἐνon / inpreposition + dative (locative: on the body)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in / on'; locates the cuttings on the flesh.
τῷtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σώματιbodyDativedative of place (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceσῶμα: 'body'; renders בָּשָׂר ('flesh'); the body that is not to be ritually mutilated; cf. the NT theology of the body as God's temple (1 Cor 6:19–20).
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with σώματι)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; 'your body'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
γράμματαmarks / lettersAccusativedirect object of ποιήσετε (fronted)→ object specificationγράμμα (pl. γράμματα): 'written mark / letter / inscription'; with στικτά, 'tattoo-marks'; renders כְּתֹבֶת ('incised writing / tattoo').
στικτὰtattooed / puncturedAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying γράμματα)→ object specificationστικτός: 'pricked / punctured / tattooed'; verbal adjective from στίζω ('prick / tattoo'); γράμματα στικτά = 'tattooed marks', renders קַעֲקַע ('tattoo'); the puncturing of the skin with permanent marks, a pagan devotional/mourning practice forbidden to Israel.
οὐnotnegation (with the second ποιήσετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
ποιήσετεyou shall makeFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ποιέω: 'make'; here of inscribing the tattoo-marks; the repetition οὐ ποιήσετε binds the two body-prohibitions together.
ἐνon / inpreposition + dative (locative: on yourselves)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in / on / among'; 'on yourselves', the persons marked.
ὑμῖνyourselvesDativedative of place/reference (the persons tattooed)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. pl.): personal pronoun; 'on/among yourselves' — the tattoos are not to be borne in your own bodies.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the body-marking prohibitions.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
29
οὐ βεβηλώσεις τὴν θυγατέρα σου ἐκπορνεῦσαι αὐτήν καὶ οὐκ ἐκπορνεύσει ἡ γῆ καὶ ἡ γῆ πλησθήσεται ἀνομίας
You shall not profane your daughter by prostituting her, and the land shall not play the harlot, and the land shall not be filled with lawlessness.
The prohibition of prostituting one's daughter (likely cult-prostitution) is grounded in a corporate consequence: such defilement causes the land itself to 'play the harlot' (ἐκπορνεύσει ἡ γῆ) and to be 'filled with lawlessness' (ἀνομίας). The personification of the land as morally defiled anticipates the Holiness Code's later warning that the land 'vomits out' its defilers (Lev 18:25, 28; 20:22).
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
οὐnotnegation (with βεβηλώσεις)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
βεβηλώσειςyou shall profaneFut Act Indic 2 Sg · βεβηλόωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)βεβηλόω: 'profane / desecrate'; renders חִלֵּל; the same verb as the profaned offering (v. 8) and name (v. 12); to prostitute the daughter is to drag a person made for holiness into defilement.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυγατέραdaughterAccusativedirect object of βεβηλώσεις→ object specificationθυγάτηρ: 'daughter'; renders בַּת; the daughter whom the father is forbidden to prostitute.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θυγατέρα)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your daughter'.
ἐκπορνεῦσαιto prostituteAor Act Inf · ἐκπορνεύωinfinitive of purpose/means (how the profanation occurs)→ aorist infinitive (the act of prostituting)ἐκπορνεύω: 'prostitute / give over to fornication'; the intensive compound ἐκ- ('utterly') renders הִזְנָה (Hiphil of זנה); the infinitive expresses the means by which the daughter is profaned — handing her over to prostitution, very likely the cult-prostitution of Canaanite religion.
αὐτήνherAccusativedirect object of ἐκπορνεῦσαι→ participant referenceαὐτός (fem. acc.): personal pronoun; 'her', the daughter.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the consequence)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegation (with ἐκπορνεύσει)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation; here in a result/purpose sense — 'lest the land...'.
ἐκπορνεύσειshall play the harlotFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐκπορνεύωmain verb (consequential future, subject 'the land')→ consequential future (the corporate defilement that must not ensue)ἐκπορνεύω: 'commit fornication / play the harlot'; here applied figuratively to the land — individual sexual defilement corporately pollutes the land; the verb (and its noun πορνεία) carries the prophetic metaphor of spiritual harlotry (Hos 1–3; Jude 7, where ἐκπορνεύσασαι describes Sodom).
ἡtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆlandNominativesubject of ἐκπορνεύσει (personified)→ participant prominenceγῆ: 'land / earth'; renders אֶרֶץ; the land is personified as capable of moral defilement — a key Holiness-Code theme (the polluted land 'vomits out' its inhabitants, Lev 18:28).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἡtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆlandNominativesubject of πλησθήσεται→ participant prominenceγῆ: 'land'; the repeated subject intensifies the warning of corporate pollution.
πλησθήσεταιshall be filledFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · πίμπλημιmain verb (consequential future)→ consequential future (the result of unchecked defilement)πίμπλημι (fut. pass. πλησθήσεται): 'fill / be filled'; renders מָלֵא; the land 'filled with lawlessness' images total moral saturation — the cumulative effect of tolerated defilement.
ἀνομίαςwith lawlessnessGenitivegenitive of content (what the land is filled with)→ relational specificationἀνομία: 'lawlessness / iniquity'; renders זִמָּה ('depravity') here; the genitive of content with πλησθήσεται; ἀνομία is the comprehensive NT term for sin as lawbreaking (Matt 7:23; 1 John 3:4, ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία).
30
τὰ σάββατά μου φυλάξεσθε καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁγίων μου φοβηθήσεσθε ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος
You shall keep my Sabbaths, and you shall reverence my sanctuary; I am the LORD.
The command of v. 3 (keep my Sabbaths) returns, now joined to reverence for the sanctuary (τὰ ἅγιά μου, 'my holy things/place'). Together they form the twin pillars of sacred time and sacred space, framing the surrounding ethical legislation. The short refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος seals it.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
τὰtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σάββατάSabbathsAccusativedirect object of φυλάξεσθε (fronted)→ object specificationσάββατον (pl. σάββατα): 'sabbath / rest'; loanword from שַׁבָּת; 'my Sabbaths' as God's own institution, echoing v. 3 in an inclusio of sacred time.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with σάββατα)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive pronoun; 'my Sabbaths'.
φυλάξεσθεyou shall keepFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · φυλάσσωmain verb (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (covenant obligation)φυλάσσω: 'guard / keep / observe'; renders שָׁמַר; the same verb as vv. 3, 19, 37, knitting the chapter together.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπὸof / beforepreposition + genitive (object of reverent fear, with φοβέομαι)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: 'from'; the construction φοβέομαι ἀπό ('fear before / stand in awe of') is a Hebraism (יָרֵא מִן) marking the object of reverent fear.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἁγίωνsanctuary / holy thingsGenitiveobject of ἀπό (substantivized adjective)→ relational specificationἅγιος (neut. pl. substantive τὰ ἅγια): 'holy things / sanctuary'; renders מִקְדָּשׁ ('sanctuary'); the sacred space toward which reverence is due, paired with sacred time (Sabbath).
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with ἁγίων)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive pronoun; 'my sanctuary'.
φοβηθήσεσθεyou shall reverenceFut Pass Indic 2 Pl · φοβέομαιmain verb (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (covenant obligation of reverence)φοβέομαι: 'fear / reverence / hold in awe'; renders יָרֵא; reverence for the sanctuary is reverence for the God who dwells there; the same verb governs reverence for parents (v. 3) and the aged (v. 32).
ἐγώINominativesubject (abbreviated self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the shorter refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the Sabbath-and-sanctuary command.
31
οὐκ ἐπακολουθήσετε ἐγγαστριμύθοις καὶ τοῖς ἐπαοιδοῖς οὐ προσκολληθήσεσθε ἐκμιανθῆναι ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
You shall not follow after mediums, and you shall not attach yourselves to enchanters, to be defiled by them; I am the LORD your God.
The verb ἐπακολουθέω ('follow after') deliberately echoes v. 4 (no following after idols): consulting ἐγγαστρίμυθοι ('ventriloquist-mediums / necromancers') and ἐπαοιδοί ('enchanters') is a form of idolatry, defiling (ἐκμιανθῆναι) those who attach themselves to it. The refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν grounds the prohibition in exclusive devotion to YHWH.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
οὐκnotnegation (with ἐπακολουθήσετε)→ clausal qualification or emphasisοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
ἐπακολουθήσετεyou shall follow afterFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ἐπακολουθέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ἐπακολουθέω: 'follow after / go after'; the same verb as v. 4 (idols); consulting mediums is thereby framed as a species of idolatry — the pursuit of supernatural aid apart from YHWH.
ἐγγαστριμύθοιςmediums / ventriloquistsDativedative object of ἐπακολουθέω→ sphere or referenceἐγγαστρίμυθος: 'one who speaks from the belly, a ventriloquist-medium / necromancer'; renders אוֹב ('necromancer / spirit-medium'); the LXX term reflects the belief that the consulting spirit spoke from the medium's belly (cf. the medium of Endor, 1 Sam 28:7–8 LXX).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τοῖςtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐπαοιδοῖςenchantersDativedative object of προσκολληθήσεσθε→ sphere or referenceἐπαοιδός: 'enchanter / charmer / one who chants spells'; renders יִדְּעֹנִי ('familiar spirit / wizard'); from ἐπ-ᾴδω ('sing/chant over'); practitioners of incantation forbidden alongside the mediums.
οὐnotnegation (with προσκολληθήσεσθε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation.
προσκολληθήσεσθεyou shall attach yourselvesFut Pass Indic 2 Pl · προσκολλάωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)προσκολλάω: 'glue to / join closely / cleave to'; renders בָּקַשׁ / פָּנָה ('seek / turn to'); the passive 'be joined / cleave' implies devoted attachment; the same verb describes the marital one-flesh union (Gen 2:24, cited Matt 19:5; Eph 5:31) — here misdirected toward forbidden powers.
ἐκμιανθῆναιto be defiledAor Pass Inf · ἐκμιαίνωinfinitive of result/purpose (the defiling outcome)→ aorist infinitive (the resultant defilement)ἐκμιαίνω: 'defile utterly / pollute'; the intensive compound ἐκ- strengthens μιαίνω ('stain / defile'); renders טָמֵא (Niphal); attachment to mediums results in ritual-moral defilement, the opposite of the holiness to which Israel is called (v. 2).
ἐνby / inpreposition + dative (means/agency)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: here instrumental, 'by them' — the mediums/enchanters as the means of defilement.
αὐτοῖςthemDativeobject of ἐν (the forbidden practitioners)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. pl.): personal pronoun; 'by them', the mediums and enchanters.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the prohibition of necromancy.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
32
ἀπὸ προσώπου πολιοῦ ἐξαναστήσῃ καὶ τιμήσεις πρόσωπον πρεσβυτέρου καὶ φοβηθήσῃ τὸν θεόν σου ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
You shall rise up before the gray-headed and honor the face of the elder, and you shall fear your God; I am the LORD your God.
A positive command of reverence: rise in the presence of the gray-headed and honor the elder. As with care for the deaf and blind (v. 14), the duty is grounded in the fear of God (καὶ φοβηθήσῃ τὸν θεόν σου) — honoring the vulnerable and the venerable is an expression of reverence toward God himself. The refrain seals it.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
ἀπὸbeforepreposition + genitive (in the presence of)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: 'from / before'; the idiom ἐξανίστασθαι ἀπὸ προσώπου ('rise up from before [the face of]') renders מִפְּנֵי תָּקוּם ('you shall rise before'), the gesture of respect.
προσώπουface / presenceGenitiveobject of ἀπό (the presence of the aged)→ relational specificationπρόσωπον: 'face / presence'; renders פָּנִים; 'before the face/presence of' the gray-headed.
πολιοῦthe gray-headedGenitivegenitive (whose presence: the gray-haired)→ relational specificationπολιός: 'gray / hoary (-haired)'; substantivized, 'the gray-headed (old) person'; renders שֵׂיבָה ('gray hair / old age'); the aged are to be shown deference.
ἐξαναστήσῃyou shall rise upFut Mid Indic 2 Sg · ἐξανίστημιmain verb (imperatival future, positive command)→ imperatival future (positive obligation)ἐξανίστημι (mid. 'rise up / stand up'): renders קוּם ('arise'); the bodily act of rising to one's feet in the presence of an elder, an enacted sign of honor.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τιμήσειςyou shall honorFut Act Indic 2 Sg · τιμάωmain verb (imperatival future, positive command)→ imperatival future (positive obligation)τιμάω: 'honor / value / hold in esteem'; renders הָדַר ('honor / defer to'); the verb of the fifth commandment (Exod 20:12, τίμα); here directed to the elder, extending family-honor to the aged in the community.
πρόσωπονfaceAccusativedirect object of τιμήσεις→ object specificationπρόσωπον: 'face / person'; 'honor the face/person of the elder' — but here, unlike v. 15, the deference is commanded, since age rightly merits honor.
πρεσβυτέρουelderGenitivegenitive (whose face/person: the elder)→ relational specificationπρεσβύτερος: 'elder / older man'; renders זָקֵן; the comparative of πρέσβυς; both the aged generally and, by extension, the office-bearing 'elder'; the term becomes a church office in the NT (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim 5:17).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the theological ground)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φοβηθήσῃyou shall fearFut Pass Indic 2 Sg · φοβέομαιmain verb (imperatival future, theological ground)→ imperatival future (covenant obligation grounding the honor)φοβέομαι: 'fear / reverence'; renders יָרֵא; as in v. 14, the fear of God is the motive of social reverence — honoring the aged is rooted in reverence toward God.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόνGodAccusativedirect object of φοβηθήσῃ→ object specificationθεός: 'God'; the object of reverent fear; 'fear your God'.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of relationship (with θεόν)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. sg.): possessive pronoun; 'your God'.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the command to honor the aged.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
33
ἐὰν δέ τις προσέλθῃ προσήλυτος ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ γῇ ὑμῶν οὐ θλίψετε αὐτόν
And if a sojourner comes to you in your land, you shall not oppress him.
The chapter returns to the προσήλυτος ('sojourner/resident alien'), already named as a beneficiary of the gleaning law (v. 10). The first command is purely protective: do not oppress (θλίψετε) the alien. This sets up the extraordinary positive command of v. 34 — to love the sojourner as oneself.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
ἐὰνifconditional conjunction (+ subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: 'if'; opens the case of a sojourner's arrival.
δέandtransitional particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: marks the new sub-section on the resident alien.
τιςsomeone / aNominativesubject of προσέλθῃ (indefinite pronoun)→ participant referenceτις: 'someone / a certain one'; indefinite pronoun; here qualifying προσήλυτος ('a certain sojourner / any sojourner').
προσέλθῃcomes / approachesAor Act Subj 3 Sg · προσέρχομαιverb of the protasis→ aorist subjunctive (prospective condition)προσέρχομαι: 'come to / approach / draw near'; renders גּוּר ('sojourn / dwell as an alien'); the sojourner's coming to dwell among Israel.
προσήλυτοςsojournerNominativesubject in apposition to τις→ participant prominenceπροσήλυτος: 'newcomer / resident alien / sojourner'; renders גֵּר; the landless immigrant living within Israel, vulnerable and dependent — and so the special object of covenant compassion (cf. v. 10; later 'proselyte').
ὑμῖνto youDativedative (with whom the sojourner comes to dwell)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. pl.): personal pronoun; 'to/among you'.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; locates the sojourning within the land.
τῇtheDativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῇlandDativedative of place (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceγῆ: 'land'; renders אֶרֶץ; 'your land' — Israel's land, in which the alien dwells without ancestral inheritance.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with γῇ)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; 'your land'.
οὐnotnegation (with θλίψετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
θλίψετεyou shall oppressFut Act Indic 2 Pl · θλίβωmain verb (apodosis, prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)θλίβω: 'press / afflict / oppress'; renders יָנָה ('oppress / wrong'); the cognate noun θλῖψις ('affliction / tribulation') is a major NT term (John 16:33; Rom 5:3); the landless alien must not be ground down by those holding power over him.
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object of θλίψετε→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc.): personal pronoun; 'him', the sojourner.
34
ὡς ὁ αὐτόχθων ἐν ὑμῖν ἔσται ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ προσπορευόμενος πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ ἀγαπήσεις αὐτὸν ὡς σεαυτόν ὅτι προσήλυτοι ἐγενήθητε ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
The sojourner who comes to you shall be among you as the native, and you shall love him as yourself, because you were sojourners in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.
The companion crux to v. 18. The alien is to be treated ὡς ὁ αὐτόχθων ('as the native-born') and — strikingly — καὶ ἀγαπήσεις αὐτὸν ὡς σεαυτόν ('you shall love him as yourself'), the love-command of v. 18 now explicitly extended beyond the in-group to the foreigner. The ground is empathy rooted in memory: 'you were sojourners in Egypt.' This verse widens the scope of neighbor-love and anticipates Jesus' redefinition of 'neighbor' (Luke 10:29–37).
Word-by-word analysis· 29 words
ὡςascomparative particle (introducing the standard of treatment)→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / like'; sets the native-born as the measure for treating the alien.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
αὐτόχθωνnative / native-bornNominativepredicate-comparative nominative (the standard)→ participant prominenceαὐτόχθων: 'native / indigenous / sprung from the land itself'; renders אֶזְרָח ('native-born'); the full-status member of the community; the alien is to enjoy the same standing.
ἐνamongpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in / among'; the alien dwells among the people.
ὑμῖνyouDativeobject of ἐν (the community)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. pl.): personal pronoun; 'among you'.
ἔσταιshall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (prescriptive future, copula)→ prescriptive future (the alien's prescribed status)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; the sojourner shall be (have the standing of) the native-born among you.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
προσήλυτοςsojournerNominativesubject of ἔσται→ participant prominenceπροσήλυτος: 'resident alien / sojourner'; renders גֵּר; the immigrant who is to be given native-level standing and love.
ὁtheNominativearticle (substantivizing the participle)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
προσπορευόμενοςwho comes / draws nearPres Mid Part Nom Masc Sg · προσπορεύομαιattributive participle (modifying ὁ προσήλυτος)→ present participle (characterizing: the one who comes to dwell)προσπορεύομαι: 'come/go toward / approach'; the articular participle ὁ προσπορευόμενος defines the sojourner as 'the one who comes to you' to take up residence; renders the sense of גּוּר ('sojourn among').
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + acc.: 'to / toward'; direction of the sojourner's coming.
ὑμᾶςyouAccusativeobject of πρός→ participant referenceσύ (acc. pl.): personal pronoun; 'to you'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the love-command)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀγαπήσειςyou shall loveFut Act Indic 2 Sg · ἀγαπάωmain verb (imperatival future: the love-command extended to the alien)→ imperatival future (covenant obligation, parallel to v. 18)ἀγαπάω: 'love'; renders אָהַב; the same verb and construction as v. 18 (ἀγαπήσεις ... ὡς σεαυτόν), here applied to the foreigner — a striking universalization of neighbor-love that the NT draws upon in defining love without ethnic limit.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of ἀγαπήσεις→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc.): personal pronoun; 'him', the sojourner — the object of love.
ὡςascomparative particle (the measure of love)→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as'; renders כָּמוֹךָ; the same measure of love as in v. 18.
σεαυτόνyourselfAccusativereflexive pronoun (standard of comparison)→ participant referenceσεαυτοῦ: reflexive pronoun, 'yourself'; the alien is to be loved by the same self-referential measure as the neighbor (v. 18).
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (grounds the command in memory)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because'; introduces the motivating memory — Israel's own experience as aliens.
προσήλυτοιsojournersNominativepredicate nominative (with ἐγενήθητε)→ participant prominenceπροσήλυτος (pl.): 'sojourners'; Israel itself was a community of resident aliens in Egypt — the memory of vulnerability grounds the duty of compassion.
ἐγενήθητεyou were / becameAor Pass Indic 2 Pl · γίνομαιverb of the causal clause→ constative aorist (Israel's historical status as aliens)γίνομαι (aor. pass. ἐγενήθητε): 'become / be'; renders הָיָה; recalls Israel's sojourn in Egypt as the empathetic ground of love for the alien (cf. Exod 22:21; 23:9; Deut 10:19).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; locates Israel's sojourn.
γῇlandDativedative of place (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceγῆ: 'land'; 'in the land of Egypt'.
ΑἰγύπτῳEgyptDativedative in apposition (land of Egypt)→ sphere or referenceΑἴγυπτος: standard LXX form of מִצְרַיִם; the place of Israel's own alien-bondage, the empathetic ground of the command.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the refrain seals the command to love the alien.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; part of the refrain.
35
οὐ ποιήσετε ἄδικον ἐν κρίσει ἐν μέτροις καὶ ἐν σταθμίοις καὶ ἐν ζυγοῖς
You shall not do injustice in judgment, in measures, and in weights, and in balances.
The opening formula οὐ ποιήσετε ἄδικον ἐν κρίσει repeats v. 15 verbatim, now applied to the marketplace: justice in μέτρα (dry/liquid measures), στάθμια (weights), and ζυγά (balances). Commerce is brought under the same standard of righteousness as the courtroom — honest scales are an act of covenant fidelity, not mere market ethics.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
οὐnotnegation (with ποιήσετε)→ participant referenceοὐ: objective negation forming a prohibition.
ποιήσετεyou shall doFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωmain verb (prohibitive future)→ prohibitive future (categorical prohibition)ποιέω: 'do / commit'; the deliberate verbatim repetition of v. 15 binds commercial fraud to judicial injustice as a single category of wrong.
ἄδικονinjusticeAccusativedirect object of ποιήσετε (substantivized adjective)→ object specificationἄδικος: 'unjust'; neuter substantive 'an unjust thing / injustice'; renders עָוֶל; the same object as v. 15.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; marks the sphere — judgment/litigation.
κρίσειjudgmentDativedative of sphere (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceκρίσις: 'judgment / decision'; renders מִשְׁפָּט; here broadened to include fair dealing/assessment in commerce.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; introduces the commercial instruments.
μέτροιςmeasuresDativedative of sphere (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceμέτρον (pl. μέτροις): 'measure (of length or capacity)'; renders מִדָּה; the measuring of length, area, or volume must be honest; cf. Jesus' 'with the measure (μέτρῳ) you use it will be measured to you' (Matt 7:2).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; with σταθμίοις.
σταθμίοιςweightsDativedative of sphere (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceστάθμιον (pl. σταθμίοις): 'weight (for a balance)'; renders מִשְׁקָל / אֶבֶן ('weighing-stone'); the weights used in trade must be true (cf. Prov 11:1; 20:10).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; with ζυγοῖς.
ζυγοῖςbalancesDativedative of sphere (object of ἐν)→ sphere or referenceζυγός (pl. ζυγοῖς): 'yoke / balance-beam / scales'; renders מֹאזְנַיִם ('balances'); the weighing-scales themselves; the just balance is a recurring wisdom-theme (Prov 16:11).
36
ζυγὰ δίκαια καὶ στάθμια δίκαια καὶ χοῦς δίκαιος ἔσται ὑμῖν ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου
Just balances, and just weights, and a just measure shall you have; I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
The positive complement to v. 35: balances, weights, and dry-measure (χοῦς) must all be δίκαια ('just / true'). The refrain is here expanded with the exodus self-predication — ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ('who brought you out of Egypt') — grounding even commercial honesty in the redeeming act that constituted Israel as YHWH's people.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
ζυγὰbalancesNominativesubject of ἔσται→ participant prominenceζυγόν (neut. pl. ζυγά): 'balance / scales'; the neuter plural alongside the masculine ζυγός (v. 35); the scales that must be just.
δίκαιαjustNominativeattributive adjective (modifying ζυγά)→ participant prominenceδίκαιος: 'just / righteous / true'; renders צֶדֶק ('just'); the weights-and-measures language uses the same root (δικ-) as judicial righteousness — honest scales are 'righteous' scales.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
στάθμιαweightsNominativesubject of ἔσται (coordinate)→ participant prominenceστάθμιον (pl. στάθμια): 'weight'; the weighing-stones that must be true.
δίκαιαjustNominativeattributive adjective (modifying στάθμια)→ participant prominenceδίκαιος: 'just / true'; the weights must be honest.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
χοῦςmeasure (a chous)Nominativesubject of ἔσται (coordinate)→ participant prominenceχοῦς: here a unit of dry/liquid measure (cf. the hin); renders הִין ('hin', a liquid measure); the measuring-vessel that must give true quantity.
δίκαιοςjustNominativeattributive adjective (modifying χοῦς)→ participant prominenceδίκαιος: 'just / true'; the measure must be honest; the threefold δίκαια/δίκαιος hammers the demand for integrity in every instrument of trade.
ἔσταιshall be / you shall haveFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (prescriptive future, copula)→ prescriptive future (the standard to be maintained)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be'; with the dative ὑμῖν, 'shall be to/for you', i.e. 'you shall have' just weights and measures.
ὑμῖνfor you / you shall haveDativedative of possession (with ἔσται)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. pl.): personal pronoun; the dative of possession, 'you shall have'.
ἐγώINominativesubject (self-identification refrain, expanded)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the refrain, here expanded with the exodus self-predication.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God'.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun.
ὁtheNominativearticle (substantivizing the participle ἐξαγαγών)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐξαγαγὼνwho brought outAor Act Part Nom Masc Sg · ἐξάγωattributive participle (in apposition to κύριος: the exodus predication)→ aorist participle (the completed redeeming act of the exodus)ἐξάγω: 'lead out / bring out'; the articular aorist participle ὁ ἐξαγαγών ('the one who brought [you] out') renders the standard exodus self-predication הַמּוֹצִיא; the redemption from Egypt is the foundational act on which the whole covenant ethic — even honest scales — rests (cf. the Decalogue prologue, Exod 20:2).
ὑμᾶςyouAccusativedirect object of ἐξαγαγών→ participant referenceσύ (acc. pl.): personal pronoun; 'you', the redeemed people.
ἐκout ofpreposition + genitive (separation/source)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: 'out of / from'; the exodus 'out of' Egypt.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive of separation (object of ἐκ)→ relational specificationγῆ: 'land'; 'out of the land of Egypt'.
ΑἰγύπτουEgyptGenitivegenitive in apposition (land of Egypt)→ relational specificationΑἴγυπτος: standard LXX form of מִצְרַיִם; the place of bondage from which YHWH redeemed Israel — the ground of all covenant obligation.
37
καὶ φυλάξεσθε πάντα τὸν νόμον μου καὶ πάντα τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτά ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν
And you shall keep all my law and all my ordinances and do them; I am the LORD your God.
The chapter closes as it has run, with φυλάσσω ('keep') and the totalizing πάντα ('all'): keep all the law and all the ordinances and do them. The pairing 'keep ... and do' (φυλάξεσθε ... καὶ ποιήσετε) insists that holiness is not mere assent but enacted obedience. The final refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν gives the whole Holiness-Code chapter its closing seal.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (closing summary)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φυλάξεσθεyou shall keepFut Mid Indic 2 Pl · φυλάσσωmain verb (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (the comprehensive covenant charge)φυλάσσω: 'guard / keep / observe'; renders שָׁמַר; the verb of vv. 3, 19, 30 returns in summary, forming an inclusio that frames the whole chapter under the duty of keeping.
πάνταallAccusativeadjective (modifying νόμον)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all / the whole'; the totalizing πάντα insists on comprehensive obedience — no command may be selectively dropped (cf. Jas 2:10, the unity of the law).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νόμονlawAccusativedirect object of φυλάξεσθε→ object specificationνόμος: 'law / Torah'; renders חֻקָּה; the same heading as v. 19, now in summary; the whole body of divine instruction.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with νόμον)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive pronoun; 'my law' — God's own.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πάνταallAccusativeadjective (modifying προστάγματα)→ object specificationπᾶς: 'all'; again totalizing — every ordinance, without exception.
τὰtheAccusativearticle→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
προστάγματάordinancesAccusativedirect object of φυλάξεσθε (coordinate with νόμον)→ object specificationπρόσταγμα (pl. προστάγματα): 'command / ordinance / decree'; renders מִשְׁפָּט ('judgment / ordinance'); the specific statutes alongside the comprehensive νόμος; the pairing covers the law in both its whole and its particulars.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with προστάγματα)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive pronoun; 'my ordinances'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining keeping to doing)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ποιήσετεyou shall doFut Act Indic 2 Pl · ποιέωmain verb (imperatival future)→ imperatival future (enacted obedience)ποιέω: 'do / perform / carry out'; renders עָשָׂה; the pairing φυλάξεσθε ... καὶ ποιήσετε ('keep ... and do') insists that holiness is enacted, not merely held — the law must be performed (cf. Matt 7:24; Jas 1:22, ποιηταὶ λόγου).
αὐτάthemAccusativedirect object of ποιήσετε→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. neut. pl.): personal pronoun; 'them', the law and ordinances to be enacted.
ἐγώINominativesubject (closing self-identification refrain)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic pronoun heading the final refrain ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν that seals the whole chapter.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula (self-identification)→ stative present (divine self-attestation)εἰμί: 'be'; ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος renders אֲנִי יהוה; the closing seal of the Holiness-Code chapter.
κύριοςLORDNominativepredicate nominative (self-identification)→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the final refrain anchors the comprehensive charge in YHWH's own lordship — the chapter ends where it began (v. 2), in the holiness and identity of God.
ὁtheNominativearticle→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεὸςGodNominativenominative in apposition (ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν)→ participant prominenceθεός: 'God'; the covenant formula 'your God', closing the chapter.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεός)→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl.): possessive pronoun; the final word of the chapter, sealing the whole code as the law of 'your God'.