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Raw Hebrew Parser Output

Exodus 20:4

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  Exodus 20:4
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  לֹֽ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה־לְךָ֥֣ פֶ֣֨סֶל֙׀ וְכָל־תְּמוּנָ֡֔ה אֲשֶׁ֤֣ר בַּשָּׁמַ֣֨יִם֙׀ מִמַּ֡֔עַל וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר֩ בָּאָ֖֨רֶץ מִתַָּ֑֜חַת וַאֲשֶׁ֥֣ר בַּמַּ֖֣יִם׀ מִתַּ֥֣חַת לָאָֽ֗רֶץ׃

  Hebrew          Lemma        Parsing                   Gloss
  --------------- ------------ ------------------------- --------------------
  לֹֽ֣א           לא           Neg.+NAN                  not
  תַֽעֲשֶׂ֨ה      עשׂה         Verb.Qal.Impf.2ms         make
  לְךָ֥֣          ל            Prep.+2ms                 to
  פֶ֣֨סֶל֙        פסל          Noun.ms.Abs               idol
  וְ              ו            Conj.+NAN                 and
  כָל             כל           Noun.ms.Cst               whole
  תְּמוּנָ֡֔ה     תמונה        Noun.fs.Abs               form
  אֲשֶׁ֤֣ר        אשׁר         Conj.+NAN                 <relative>
  בַּ             ב            Prep                      in
                  ה            Art.+NAN                  the
  שָּׁמַ֣֨יִם֙    שׁמים        Noun.mp.Abs               heavens
  מִ              מן           Prep                      from
  מַּ֡֔עַל        מעל          Noun.s.Abs                top
  וַֽ             ו            Conj.+NAN                 and
  אֲשֶׁ֥ר֩        אשׁר         Conj.+NAN                 <relative>
  בָּ             ב            Prep                      in
                  ה            Art.+NAN                  the
  אָ֖֨רֶץ         ארץ          Noun.s.Abs                earth
  מִ              מן           Prep                      from
  תַָּ֑֜חַת       תחת          Noun.ms.Abs               under part
  וַ              ו            Conj.+NAN                 and
  אֲשֶׁ֥֣ר        אשׁר         Conj.+NAN                 <relative>
  בַּ             ב            Prep                      in
                  ה            Art.+NAN                  the
  מַּ֖֣יִם        מים          Noun.mp.Abs               water
  מִ              מן           Prep                      from
  תַּ֥֣חַת        תחת          Noun.ms.Abs               under part
  לָ              ל            Prep                      to
                  ה            Art.+NAN                  the
  אָֽ֗רֶץ         ארץ          Noun.s.Abs                earth

Grammatical Observations for Exo 20:4

  1. lo ta'aseh (לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה) -- Qal Imperfect 2ms with negative particle lo. This is the standard apodictic prohibition form in Hebrew law (the "thou shalt not" form). The imperfect indicates an ongoing, permanent prohibition.
  2. pesel (פֶסֶל) -- Masculine singular noun in absolute state, from the root פסל meaning "to hew/carve." The word specifically denotes a carved or sculpted image.
  3. temunah (תְּמוּנָה) -- Feminine singular noun, glossed as "form." Combined with כָל (kol, "whole/any"), the phrase "any form" (kol-temunah) extends the prohibition beyond carved images to any representational form.
  4. Three-zone cosmology -- The verse uses a tripartite description: heavens above, earth beneath, waters under the earth, encompassing the entire created order. The asher (אֲשֶׁר, relative pronoun) introduces each zone.

Exodus 20:5

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  Exodus 20:5
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  לֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּחְוֶ֥֣ה לָהֶ֖ם֮ וְלֹ֣א תָעָבְדֵ֑ם֒ כִּ֣י אָֽנֹכִ֞י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵד עֲוֹ֨ן אָבֹ֧ת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֹׂנְאָֽ֑י׃

  Hebrew          Lemma        Parsing                   Gloss
  --------------- ------------ ------------------------- --------------------
  לֹֽא            לא           Neg.+NAN                  not
  תִשְׁתַּחְוֶ֥֣ה חוה          Verb.hsht.Impf.2ms        bow down
  לָהֶ֖ם֮         ל            Prep.+3mp                 to
  וְ              ו            Conj.+NAN                 and
  לֹ֣א            לא           Neg.+NAN                  not
  תָעָבְדֵ֑ם֒     עבד          Verb.Hophal.Impf.2ms.+3mp work, serve
  כִּ֣י           כי           Conj.+NAN                 that
  אָֽנֹכִ֞י       אנכי         PersPron.1s.+NAN          i
  יְהוָ֤ה         יהוה         PropN.ms.Abs.+NAN         YHWH
  אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙     אלהים        Noun.mp.Abs.+2ms          god(s)
  אֵ֣ל            אל           Noun.ms.Abs               god
  קַנָּ֔א         קנא          Adj.ms.Abs                jealous
  פֹּ֠קֵד         פקד          Verb.Qal.Ptcp.unknownms.Abs miss
  עֲוֹ֨ן          עון          Noun.ms.Cst               sin
  אָבֹ֧ת          אב           Noun.mp.Abs               father
  עַל             על           Prep                      upon
  בָּנִ֛ים        בן           Noun.mp.Abs               son
  עַל             על           Prep                      upon
  שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים    שׁלשׁים      Noun.mp.Abs               grandsons
  וְ              ו            Conj.+NAN                 and
  עַל             על           Prep                      upon
  רִבֵּעִ֖ים      רבע          Noun.mp.Abs               of fourth generation
  לְ              ל            Prep                      to
  שֹׂנְאָֽ֑י      שׂנא         Verb.Qal.Ptcp.unknownmp.Abs.+1us hate

Grammatical Observations for Exo 20:5

  1. tishtachaveh (תִשְׁתַּחְוֶה) -- Hishtaphel (reflexive/causative) Imperfect 2ms of חוה. This stem form implies prostrating oneself in reverence -- it is a self-abasing action directed toward another.
  2. ta'avdem (תָעָבְדֵם) -- The parsing shows Hophal but this is likely Qal with object suffix (serve them). The root עבד covers work, service, and worship -- the same word used for serving God and for servile labor.
  3. Two prohibitions in one verse: "not bow down" + "not serve" -- covering both ritual worship and ongoing religious service.
  4. el qanna (אֵל קַנָּא) -- "a jealous God." The adjective qanna (ms.Abs) is in predicate position, describing God's essential character, not merely an occasional emotion.
  5. poqed (פֹּקֵד) -- Qal Active Participle masculine singular. The participle form is significant: it describes God's ongoing, habitual action rather than a single past or future event. God is "one who visits" iniquity -- this is a characteristic attribute.
  6. avon (עֲוֹן) -- Masculine singular construct ("iniquity of"), linking the sin to its source (the fathers).
  7. le-son'ay (לְשֹׂנְאָי) -- "to those hating me." Qal Active Participle masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix. This is a critical qualifier: the visiting of iniquity is specifically upon those who hate God, not indiscriminately upon all descendants.

Exodus 20:6

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  Exodus 20:6
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  וְעֹ֥֤שֶׂה חֶ֖֨סֶד֙ לַאֲלָפִ֑֔ים לְאֹהֲבַ֖י וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֹתָֽי׃ ס

  Hebrew          Lemma        Parsing                   Gloss
  --------------- ------------ ------------------------- --------------------
  וְ              ו            Conj.+NAN                 and
  עֹ֥֤שֶׂה        עשׂה         Verb.Qal.Ptcp.unknownms.Abs make
  חֶ֖֨סֶד֙        חסד          Noun.ms.Abs               loyalty
  לַ              ל            Prep                      to
  אֲלָפִ֑֔ים      אלף          Noun.mp.Abs               thousand
  לְ              ל            Prep                      to
  אֹהֲבַ֖י        אהב          Verb.Qal.Ptcp.unknownmp.Abs.+1us love
  וּ              ו            Conj.+NAN                 and
  לְ              ל            Prep                      to
  שֹׁמְרֵ֥י       שׁמר         Verb.Qal.Ptcp.unknownmp.Cst keep
  מִצְוֹתָֽי      מצוה         Noun.fp.Abs.+1us          commandment

Grammatical Observations for Exo 20:6

  1. oseh (עֹשֶׂה) -- Qal Active Participle masculine singular, same form as poqed in v.5. God is "one who makes/does" hesed -- it is His habitual, characteristic action, matching the participial form of "visiting" iniquity.
  2. hesed (חֶסֶד) -- Masculine singular noun, glossed as "loyalty" (also translated "mercy," "lovingkindness," "steadfast love"). This is covenant faithfulness -- God's loyal love to His covenant partners.
  3. la-alaphim (לַאֲלָפִים) -- "to thousands." The contrast with "third and fourth generation" (v.5) is dramatic: judgment extends 3-4 generations; mercy extends to thousands. The asymmetry reveals God's character as weighted overwhelmingly toward mercy.
  4. le-ohavay (לְאֹהֲבַי) -- "to those loving me." Qal Active Participle masculine plural with 1cs suffix, mirroring le-son'ay (to those hating me) in v.5. The two groups are defined by their relationship to God: those who love Him vs. those who hate Him.
  5. u-le-shomrey mitsvotay (וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָי) -- "and to those keeping my commandments." The participle shomrey (construct plural) defines love for God in practical terms: keeping His commandments. This connects to 1 John 5:3 ("this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments").
  6. Structural symmetry: v.5 and v.6 form a contrasting pair:
  7. Hating God -> visiting iniquity -> 3rd-4th generation
  8. Loving God + keeping commandments -> doing hesed -> thousands