1

Exodus 20

(20:1)

1אלהים

(20:2)

(20:3)

This has always been a bit of a problem. Literally “before me” (position) – על־פניso see text critical note.2

Grammatical note = Prohibitive imperfect (shall not) or non-perfective of prohibition = imperfect preceded by לא “not”. Subject may not perform action – permanent prohibition of general nature. {RW – not a jussive! לא not אל} See Williams §173b.

(20:4)

hew, hew into shape” under BDB“ = פסל .idol, image” under BDB 820b“ = פסל820b.

.likeness, form” under BDB 568a“ = תמונה

Grammatical note = Preposition תחת from noun “what is underneath”. See Williams §348.

(20:6)

(20:7)

.emptiness, vanity” under BD 996a“ = שוא

.Piel “hold innocent, acquit” under BDB 667ab = נקה

(20:8)1 “Septuagint (and Vulgate) has κυριος ‘Lord’”. 2 “Septuagint (with Syriac, Targum, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan) has πλην εμου ‘except me’” (grammatical use of πλην? see Arndt-Gingrich 669a.

2

used as imperative.3 זכר infinitive absolute – זכור

.rest, settle down and remain” under BDB 628a“ = וינח – נוח

(20:10)

Grammatical note - Alternative ו (or) used to connect alternatives. See Williams §433.

4ויום...לא־תעשה

(20:12)

Grammatical note –Location על (on, over, above, at, beside). See Williams §286.

(20:13)5

.murder, slay” under BDB 953b“ = רצח

(20:14)

.commit adultery” under BDB 610b“ = נאף

Grammatical note = לא of prohibition (must not, shall not) indicates that subject of imperfect verb is prohibited from doing action (or being in state) expressed by that verb. See Williams §396.

(20:15)

(20:16)

3 “SamPent has שמור ‘keep, guard’” (so not just ‘remember’).4 “Papyrus Nash has וביום... לא־תעשה בה ‘and in/on the day… you will not do in/on it’ (see also Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac)”. There are several such differences with Papyrus Nash in Exodus 20:1-17.5 “Order of commandments is 14, 15, 13 in Septuagint, and 14, 13, 15 in Papyrus Nash, Philo, Luke 18:20, Romans 13:9”.

3

deception, disappointment, falsehood” under BDB 1055a.6“ = שקר

.witness, testimony, evidence” under BDB 729b“ = עד

(20:17)

.desire, take pleasure in” under BDB 326a“ = חמד

7רעך

(20:18)

torch” under BDB 542a. One of my very first papers in graduate school“ = לפידwas on foreign loan-words in Biblical Hebrew. לפיד was probably borrowed from Hittite(? Greek?) lampiš. The ־יד may be an old grammatical ending.

root dubious. Akk שיפורא horn" (for blowing) under BDB 1051b. Arm" = שפרשפרšapparu(u) = (species of wild goat).

.”ascend, smoke“ = עשן smoking" under BDB 798b. Very rare. Root" = עשן

נועוינעו - = “quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter, stagger” under BDB 631a.

.distant, far” under BDB 935b“ = רחק

(20:19)

Interesting verse. We can handle Moses speaking to us. We cannot handle God speaking to us or we will die.

(20:20)

בעבור – עבורלבעבור = ל + ב + (only in this form) = “for the sake of, in order that, on account of” under BDB 721a. Note double preposition which is not unknown in West Semitic languages.

.Piel “test, try” under BDB 650a = נסה6 “Papyrus Nash reads שוא”.7 “Papyrus Nash, a few manuscripts, SamPent, Septuagint add שדהו ‘his field’”.

4

Oh so that is why God explains he is doing this. Helps –לעבור נסות אתכם illuminate the verb נסה.

which my לבלתי Another interesting explanation. Note syntax of – לבלתי תחטאוdissertation discusses briefly. What would the Late Biblical Hebrew equivalent be?