Deuteronomy 4:2

American Standard Version (1901)

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of Jehovah your God which I command you.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

לֹ֣א תֹסִ֗פוּ עַל־הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אָנֹכִי֙ מְצַוֶּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תִגְרְע֖וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ לִשְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶֽם

Transliteration

Not tōsipû upon-the-dābār which ʾānōkî mᵉṣawweh ʾetkhem, and-not tigrᵉʿû from-it; to-lishmōr ʾet-miṣwōt YHWH your-ʾĕlōhêkem which ʾānōkî mᵉṣawweh ʾetkhem

Grammar Details

• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *tōsipû*: verb, hiphil imperfect, second person masculine plural - you shall add
• *ʿal*: preposition - upon/to
• *dābār*: noun, masculine singular - word/thing/matter
• *ʾānōkî*: pronoun, first person singular - I
• *mᵉṣawweh*: participle, piel, masculine singular - commanding
• *ʾetkhem*: direct object marker with second person masculine plural suffix - you
• *tigrᵉʿû*: verb, qal imperfect, second person masculine plural - you shall diminish/subtract
• *mimmenû*: preposition with third person masculine singular suffix - from it
• *lishmōr*: preposition with infinitive construct, qal - to keep/observe
• *miṣwōt*: noun, feminine plural construct - commandments of
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the divine name
• *ʾĕlōhêkem*: noun, masculine plural with second person masculine plural suffix - your God

Word Meanings

• *tōsipû*: you shall add/increase/supplement
• *dābār*: word/thing/matter/command
• *mᵉṣawweh*: commanding/ordering/instructing
• *tigrᵉʿû*: you shall diminish/subtract/reduce/take away
• *lishmōr*: to keep/observe/guard/preserve
• *miṣwōt*: commandments/precepts/orders

Referenced Verses

• Deut 12:32 : 32 What thing soever I command you, that shall ye observe to do: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
• Prov 30:6 : 6 Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
• Josh 1:7 : 7 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest.
• Rev 22:18-19 : 18 I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.
• Gal 3:15 : 15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.
• Eccl 12:13 : 13 [This is] the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty] of man.
• Matt 5:18 : 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.
• Matt 5:43 : 43 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:
• Matt 15:2-9 : 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given [to God] ; 6 he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men.
• Mark 7:1-9 : 1 And there are gathered together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, 2 and had seen that some of his disciples ate their bread with defiled, that is, unwashen, hands. 3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders; 4 and [when they come] from the marketplace, except they bathe themselves, they eat not; and many other things there are, which they have received to hold, washings of cups, and pots, and brasen vessels .) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with defiled hands? 6 And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. 7 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men. 8 Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men. 9 And he said unto them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death: 11 but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is Corban, that is to say, Given [to God] ; 12 ye no longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his mother; 13 making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.