Tag Archives: Deuteronomy

“Forty Stripes He May Give Him, He Shall Not Add”: Legal Limits and Syntactic Boundaries in Deuteronomy 25:3

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Biblical Hebrew
אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יַכֶּ֖נּוּ לֹ֣א יֹסִ֑יף פֶּן־יֹסִ֨יף לְהַכֹּתֹ֤ו עַל־אֵ֨לֶּה֙ מַכָּ֣ה רַבָּ֔ה וְנִקְלָ֥ה אָחִ֖יךָ לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (Deuteronomy 25:3) He shall strike him forty times; he shall not add more, lest he continue to strike him with many blows beyond these, and your brother be degraded in your eyes. Justice, Mercy, and the Limits of Punishment Deuteronomy 25:3 addresses the punishment of a guilty person by flogging, setting a maximum number of lashes to prevent public degradation. This law encapsulates the Torah’s unique combination of justice and compassion, and the Hebrew syntax reflects this balance.… Learn Hebrew
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“He May Not Take Her Again”: Modal Syntax and Moral Defilement in Deuteronomy 24:4

Posted on March 24, 2025 by Biblical Hebrew
לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל בַּעְלָ֣הּ הָרִאשֹׁ֣ון אֲשֶֽׁר־֠שִׁלְּחָהּ לָשׁ֨וּב לְקַחְתָּ֜הּ לִהְיֹ֧ות לֹ֣ו לְאִשָּׁ֗ה אַחֲרֵי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֻטַּמָּ֔אָה כִּֽי־תֹועֵבָ֥ה הִ֖וא לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א תַחֲטִיא֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַחֲלָֽה׃ (Deuteronomy 24:4) Her first husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before YHWH. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that YHWH your God is giving you as an inheritance. Legal Ethics and the Sanctity of the Land Deuteronomy 24:4 presents one of the Torah’s more intricate marital laws, prohibiting a man from remarrying his former wife after she has married another man and become defiled.… Learn Hebrew
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Verb Study: אִיֵּם — “to threaten”

Posted on March 24, 2025 by Biblical Hebrew
The Hebrew verb אִיֵּם (ʾiyyēm) means “to threaten” and is used in the Piel stem. It conveys the act of menacing, intimidating, or making a threat. The root is א־י־ם, and the verb appears in several biblical contexts, especially in poetic and prophetic passages. This verb does not appear frequently, but when it does, it emphasizes a declaration of harm or warning against disobedience. Below is a full conjugation chart for this verb in the Piel binyan, including past, present, future, and imperative forms.… Learn Hebrew
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“Lacked Nothing in the Wilderness”: Divine Sufficiency and the Verb חָסַר in Deuteronomy 2:7

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Biblical Hebrew
כִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ בֵּֽרַכְךָ֗ בְּכֹל֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֔ךָ יָדַ֣ע לֶכְתְּךָ֔ אֶת־הַמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה זֶ֣ה אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א חָסַ֖רְתָּ דָּבָֽר׃ (Deuteronomy 2:7) For YHWH your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has known your journey through this great wilderness. These forty years, YHWH your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing. YHWH’s Provision Over Forty Years As Moshe reflects on the long journey through the wilderness, he emphasizes not just the hardships but also the unrelenting provision of YHWH.… Learn Hebrew
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“How Can I Bear Alone?”: Analyzing אֵיכָ֥ה אֶשָּׂ֖א לְבַדִּ֑י in Deuteronomy 1:12

Posted on January 1, 2022 by Biblical Hebrew
אֵיכָ֥ה אֶשָּׂ֖א לְבַדִּ֑י טָרְחֲכֶ֥ם וּמַשַּׂאֲכֶ֖ם וְרִֽיבְכֶֽם׃ (Deuteronomy 1:12) How can I bear alone your trouble and your burden and your strife? Introduction to Deuteronomy 1:12: Moses’ Burden of Leadership In Deuteronomy 1:12, Moses recounts to the new generation of Israelites the difficulties he experienced in leading the people alone. The key rhetorical expression אֵיכָ֥ה אֶשָּׂ֖א לְבַדִּ֑י—“How can I bear [it] alone?”—employs interrogative and infinitive syntax to express the overwhelming weight of leadership. This verse sets the stage for the appointment of judges and officials, as Moses highlights the strain caused by the people’s size and conflicts.… Learn Hebrew
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“To Do in the Land”: Analyzing לַעֲשֹׂות in Deuteronomy 12:1

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew
אֵ֠לֶּה הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַעֲשֹׂות֒ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֧י אֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ כָּל־הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם חַיִּ֖ים עַל־הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ (Deuteronomy 12:1) These are the statutes and the judgments that you shall carefully do in the land that YHWH, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth. Obedience and Covenant Geography Deuteronomy 12:1 serves as a formal introduction to a new legal section in the book, transitioning from general covenant exhortations to specific cultic and social regulations.… Learn Hebrew
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“And You Shall Love”: Analyzing וְאָהַבְתָּ in Deuteronomy 11:1

Posted on November 1, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew
וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ מִשְׁמַרְתֹּ֗ו וְחֻקֹּתָ֧יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֛יו וּמִצְוֹתָ֖יו כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ (Deuteronomy 11:1) “And you shall love YHWH your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always. Love as Covenant Loyalty Deuteronomy 11:1 opens with a profound imperative: וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ – “And you shall love the LORD your God.” This verse sets the tone for the entire chapter by linking covenant obedience with affectionate devotion. The verb אָהַב in this context carries deep theological and relational significance—it is not merely emotional love, but a commitment of loyalty, fidelity, and action.… Learn Hebrew
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“Carve for Yourself”: Analyzing פְסָל in Deuteronomy 10:1

Posted on October 1, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew
בָּעֵ֨ת הַהִ֜וא אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י פְּסָל־לְךָ֞ שְׁנֵֽי־לוּחֹ֤ת אֲבָנִים֙ כָּרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים וַעֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֖י הָהָ֑רָה וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לְּךָ֖ אֲרֹ֥ון עֵֽץ׃ (Deuteronomy 10:1) At that time, YHWH said to me, “Carve for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make for yourself an ark of wood.” Covenant Renewal and Divine Instruction Deuteronomy 10:1 opens a pivotal moment in Israel’s story—after the breaking of the first tablets, YHWH commands Mosheh to ascend the mountain again and receive a renewed copy of the covenant law.… Learn Hebrew
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“You Are Crossing Today”: Analyzing עֹבֵר in Deuteronomy 9:1

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew
שְׁמַ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אַתָּ֨ה עֹבֵ֤ר הַיֹּום֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָבֹא֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת גֹּויִ֔ם גְּדֹלִ֥ים וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים מִמֶּ֑ךָּ עָרִ֛ים גְּדֹלֹ֥ת וּבְצֻרֹ֖ת בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (Deuteronomy 9:1) Hear, Israel. Today you are crossing the Jordan to enter and dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified in the heavens. Threshold of Conquest Deuteronomy 9:1 opens with a solemn charge to Israel as they stand poised to cross the Jordan and enter the promised land. The participle עֹבֵר (“you are crossing”) appears in the expression אַתָּ֨ה עֹבֵ֤ר הַיֹּום – “You are crossing today” – conveying not just an action but a moment of theological and national significance.… Learn Hebrew
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“The Whole Commandment”: Analyzing כָּל־הַמִּצְוָה in Deuteronomy 8:1

Posted on August 1, 2020 by Biblical Hebrew
כָּל־הַמִּצְוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיֹּ֖ום תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַעֲשֹׂ֑ות לְמַ֨עַן תִּֽחְי֜וּן וּרְבִיתֶ֗ם וּבָאתֶם֙ וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ (Deuteronomy 8:1) All the commandment that I am commanding you today, you shall keep to do, so that you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land that YHWH swore to your fathers. Total Obedience and Covenant Continuity Deuteronomy 8:1 begins with a striking phrase: כָּל־הַמִּצְוָה, literally “all the commandment.” This phrase captures the heart of the Mosaic theology of obedience: the call to complete and undivided commitment to YHWH’s instruction.… Learn Hebrew
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