וְאַל־תֵּחָֽת׃

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וְאַל־תֵּחָֽת׃

   ve-al-te-KHAT

   and do not be dismayed or shattered
2. clause🔊 חֲזַ֣ק וֶאֱמָ֔ץ אַל־תִּירָ֖א וְאַל־תֵּחָֽת׃

   kha-ZAK ve-e-MATS al-ti-RA ve-al-te-KHAT

   be strong and be courageous or firm do not fear and do not be dismayed or shattered
3. sentence🔊 אָ֣ז תַּצְלִ֔יחַ אִם־תִּשְׁמ֗וֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל חֲזַ֣ק וֶאֱמָ֔ץ אַל־תִּירָ֖א וְאַל־תֵּחָֽת׃

   AZ tats-li-AKH im-tish-MOR la-a-SOT et-ha-khu-KIM ve-et-ha-mish-pa-TIM a-SHER tsi-VA Ye-ho-VAH et-mo-SHE al-yis-ra-EL kha-ZAK ve-e-MATS al-ti-RA ve-al-te-KHAT

   then you will prosper if you keep or observe to do {direct object} the statutes and {direct object} the judgments or rules which he commanded the LORD {direct object} Moses upon Israel or for Israel be strong and be courageous or firm do not fear and do not be dismayed or shattered

Exegesis

The discourse then shifts to direct exhortation via the paired imperatives chazak {חֲזַק | ḥăzaq} ‘be strong’ and ve-ematz {וֶאֱמָץ | wə-ʾămāṣ} ‘be courageous’, followed by coordinated prohibitions introduced by al {אַל־ | ʾal} ‘do not’ and ve-al-techat {וְאַל־תֵּחָת | wə-ʾal-tēḥāt} ‘and do not’ before the verbs tira {תִּירָא | tīrāʾ} ‘fear’ and techat {תֵּחָת | tēḥāt} ‘be dismayed’. This progression from legal obligation to hortatory imperatives heightens the emotional and behavioral response expected of Israel.