Deuteronomy 16:20

“Righteousness, righteousness you shall pursue, so that you may live and possess the land that YHWH your Elohim is giving you.”

Deuteronomy 16:20 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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20

Deuteronomy 16:20, word by word

Righteousnessצֶדֶקtsedek

righteousness

Living uprightly before God.

Where else “tsedek” appears
you shall pursueתִּרְדֹּףtirdof

seek

To pursue something eagerly, like peace.

Where else “tirdof” appears
you may liveתִּחְיֶהtichye

live

To have breath and remain in this world, not die.

Where else “tichye” appears
and possessיָרַשְׁתָּyarashta

possess

To occupy a land and make it one's own.

Where else “yarashta” appears
the landאָרֶץarets

land

A region or nation, above all Israel's.

Where else “arets” appears
YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
your Elohimאֱלֹהֶיelohe

Elohim

The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.

Where else “elohe” appears
is givingנֹתֵןnoten

give

To hand something over to someone: a gift, a payment, a charge or a land.

Where else “noten” appears

The context

19You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, and you shall not take a bribe, for the bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

20 · This verse (above)

21You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah, any tree, beside the altar of YHWH your Elohim that you make for yourself.

Read all of Deuteronomy 16

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