Deuteronomy 4:2

Bible in Basic English (1941)

Make no addition to the orders which I give you, and take nothing from them, but keep the orders of the Lord your God which I give 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 You are to keep with care all the words I give you, making no addition to them and taking nothing from them.
• Prov 30:6 : 6 Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.
• Josh 1:7 : 7 Only take heart and be very strong; take care to do all the law which Moses my servant gave you, not turning from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may do well in all your undertakings.
• Rev 22:18-19 : 18 For I say to every man to whose ears have come the words of this prophet's book, If any man makes an addition to them, God will put on him the punishments which are in this book: 19 And if any man takes away from the words of this book, God will take away from him his part in the tree of life and the holy town, even the things which are in this book.
• Gal 3:15 : 15 Brothers, as men would say, even a man's agreement, when it has been made certain, may not be put on one side, or have additions made to it.
• Eccl 12:13 : 13 This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.
• Matt 5:18 : 18 Truly I say to you, Till heaven and earth come to an end, not the smallest letter or part of a letter will in any way be taken from the law, till all things are done.
• Matt 5:43 : 43 You have knowledge that it was said, Have love for your neighbour, and hate for him who is against you:
• Matt 15:2-9 : 2 Why do your disciples go against the teaching of the fathers? for they take food with unwashed hands. 3 And in answer he said to them, Why do you, yourselves, go against the word of God on account of the teaching which has been handed down to you? 4 For God said, Give honour to your father and mother: and, He who says evil of father or mother will be put to death. 5 But you say, If a man says to his father or his mother, That by which you might have had profit from me is given to God; 6 There is no need for him to give honour to his father. And you have made the word of God without effect because of your teaching. 7 You false ones, well did Isaiah say of you, 8 These people give me honour with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 9 But their worship is to no purpose, while they give as their teaching the rules of men.
• Mark 7:1-9 : 1 And there came together to him the Pharisees and certain of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 And had seen that some of his disciples took their bread with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. 3 Now the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not take food without washing their hands with care, keeping the old rule which has been handed down to them: 4 And when they come from the market-place, they take no food till their hands are washed; and a number of other orders there are, which have been handed down to them to keep--washings of cups and pots and brass vessels. 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes put the question to him, Why do your disciples not keep the rules of the fathers, but take their bread with unwashed hands? 6 And he said, Well did Isaiah say of you, you false ones: These people give me honour with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 But their worship is to no purpose, while they give as their teaching the rules of men. 8 For, turning away from the law of God, you keep the rules of men. 9 And he said to them, Truly you put on one side the law of God, so that you may keep the rules which have been handed down to you. 10 For Moses said, Give honour to your father and mother, and, He who says evil of father or mother, let him have the punishment of death: 11 But you say, If a man says to his father or his mother, That by which you might have had profit from me is Corban, that is to say, Given to God, 12 You no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of no effect by your rule, which you have given: and a number of other such things you do.