who saysהָאֹמֵרof his fatherלְאָבִיוand of his mother,וּלְאִמּוֹ‘I have notלֹאseen him’;רְאִיתִיוand his brothersוְ אֶחָיוhe did notלֹאacknowledge,הִכִּירand his sonsוְ בָּנָיוhe did notלֹאknow,יָדָעforכִּיthey keptשָׁמְרוּyour wordאִמְרָתֶךָand guardוּ יִנְצֹרוּyour covenant.בְרִיתְךָ
Deuteronomy 33:9
Study it in the app“who says of his father and of his mother, ‘I have not seen him’; and his brothers he did not acknowledge, and his sons he did not know, for they kept your word and guard your covenant.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Deuteronomy 33:9, word by word
- who saysאֹמֵרomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “omer” appears- of his fatherאָבִיavi
father
The man who begets a child and heads his household.
Where else “avi” appears- and of his motherאִמּim
mother
The woman who gives birth to and raises her children, and who is owed honor.
Where else “im” appears- seen him’רְאִיתִיreiti
see
To see with one's eyes.
Where else “reiti” appears- and his brothersאֶחָיechay
brother
A son of the same father or the same mother.
Where else “echay” appears- acknowledgeהִכִּירhikir
recognize
To realize who someone is, or notice them.
Where else “hikir” appears- and his sonsבָּנָיbanay
son
The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.
Where else “banay” appears- knowיָדָעyada
know
To know something, realize.
Where else “yada” appears- they keptשָׁמְרוּshamru
keep
To obey the covenant or the commands.
Where else “shamru” appears- your wordאִמְרָתֶimrate
word, saying
Saying, spoken word.
Where else “imrate” appears- and guardיִנְצֹרוּyintsoru
observe
To put into practice what is commanded and guard it like a treasure.
Where else “yintsoru” appears- your covenantבְרִיתְverit
covenant
The commitment God makes with his people, with promises and commands.
Where else “verit” appears
Translation note
It can be understood as recalling what happened after the golden calf, when the Levites took the side of YHWH (Exodus 32:26-29).
The context
8And of Levi he said, “Your Thummim and your Urim belong to your faithful man, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah;
9 · This verse (above)
10They shall teach your rules to Jacob and your instruction to Israel; they shall put incense before you and whole burnt offering on your altar.