הָאֹמֵ֞ר לְאָבִ֤יו וּלְאִמֹּו֙ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִ֔יו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו֙ לֹ֣א הִכִּ֔יר וְאֶת־בְּנֹ֖ו לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְרוּ֙ אִמְרָתֶ֔ךָ וּבְרִֽיתְךָ֖ יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃
(Deuteronomy 33:9)
Who says to his father and to his mother, ‘I have not seen him,’ and he does not recognize his brothers, and his sons he does not know, for they have kept Your word and guarded Your covenant.
Prophetic Identity: הָאֹמֵר לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא רְאִיתִיו
הָאֹמֵר — Qal participle ms from אָמַר, “the one who says.” This participial form functions substantivally, referring to a specific group (the Levites) characterized by their verbal disavowal.
לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ — “to his father and to his mother.”
- אָבִיו and אִמּוֹ — nouns with 3ms suffixes
This phrase highlights familial relationships, which are rejected in favor of a higher loyalty.
לֹא רְאִיתִיו — “I have not seen him.”
- רְאִיתִיו — Qal perfect 1cs + 3ms suffix, “I saw him”
- Negated with לֹא to express a deliberate distancing
This construction creates a poetic figure of speech: refusal to acknowledge or aid close kin when it conflicts with covenantal fidelity.
Fraternal and Parental Disavowal: וְאֶת־אֶחָיו לֹא הִכִּיר וְאֶת־בְּנוֹ לֹא יָדָע
וְאֶת־אֶחָיו — “and his brothers.”
- אֶת marks the direct object; אֶחָיו — “his brothers,” with 3ms suffix
לֹא הִכִּיר — Hifil perfect 3ms of נ־כ־ר, “to recognize.” In Hifil: “he did not acknowledge.”
וְאֶת־בְּנוֹ — “and his son.” Again, direct object with possessive suffix.
לֹא יָדָע — Qal perfect 3ms of י־ד־ע, “to know.”
The repetition of “did not see,” “did not recognize,” “did not know” strengthens the depiction of zealous impartiality — no exceptions, even for family.
Covenantal Justification: כִּי שָׁמְרוּ אִמְרָתֶךָ וּבְרִיתְךָ יִנְצֹרוּ
כִּי — “Because” — introducing the reason for such radical devotion.
שָׁמְרוּ — Qal perfect 3mp of ש־מ־ר, “to guard, keep.”
“They have kept…” — refers to the Levites’ obedience.
אִמְרָתֶךָ — “your word.”
- אִמְרָה — “utterance, word” + 2ms suffix
וּבְרִיתְךָ — “and your covenant” — another noun + 2ms suffix
יִנְצֹרוּ — Qal imperfect 3mp of נ־צ־ר, “to guard, watch over.”
A parallel to שָׁמְרוּ, reinforcing their faithful stewardship of divine revelation and law.
Parsing Table: Key Forms in Deuteronomy 33:9
| Hebrew Word | Root | Form | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| הָאֹמֵר | א־מ־ר | Qal participle ms | “The one who says” — characterizes the subject (Levite) |
| רְאִיתִיו | ר־א־ה | Qal perfect 1cs + 3ms suffix | “I saw him” — negated expression of disassociation |
| הִכִּיר | נ־כ־ר | Hifil perfect 3ms | “He recognized” — used with object “brothers” |
| שָׁמְרוּ | ש־מ־ר | Qal perfect 3mp | “They kept” — loyalty to YHWH’s word |
| יִנְצֹרוּ | נ־צ־ר | Qal imperfect 3mp | “They shall guard” — parallel to שָׁמְרוּ |
When Zeal Silences Kinship
Deuteronomy 33:9 compresses the dramatic moral devotion of the Levites into a chain of perfect and participial verbs. The familial pronouns and direct objects intensify the tension between natural affection and covenant loyalty. Hebrew syntax conveys the stark decisiveness: they saw not, knew not, recognized not — because they guarded the divine word. The result is a grammar of holy exclusion — where love of YHWH transcends even blood.
