לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל

   loh-to-KHAL

   not eat
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם

   loh-to-KHAL LE-khem

   not eat bread
3. clause🔊 כִּֽי־כֵ֣ן צִוָּ֣ה אֹתִ֗י בִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁתֶּה־מָּ֑יִם

   kee-KEHN tsi-WA oh-TEE bid-VAR ye-ho-VAH leh-MOR loh-to-KHAL LE-khem veh-LO tish-teh-MAA-yim

   for thus commanded me by the word of LORD saying not eat bread and not drink water
4. sentence🔊 כִּֽי־כֵ֣ן צִוָּ֣ה אֹתִ֗י בִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁתֶּה־מָּ֑יִם וְלֹ֣א תָשׁ֔וּב בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽכְתָּ׃

   kee-KEHN tsi-WA oh-TEE bid-VAR ye-ho-VAH leh-MOR loh-to-KHAL LE-khem veh-LO tish-teh-MAA-yim veh-LO ta-SHUV bah-DE-rekh a-SHER ha-lakh-TA

   for thus commanded me by the word of LORD saying not eat bread and not drink water and not return by the way which went

Exegesis

The infinitive לֵאמֹ֔ר {לֵאמֹר | lēʾmōr} introduces direct speech, after which three negated imperfects—לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל {לֹא־תֹאכַל | lōʾ-tōʾḵal}, וְלֹא תִשְׁתֶּה־מָּ֑יִם {וְלֹא תִשְׁתֶּה־מָּיִם | wə-lōʾ tiš-teh-mā-yim}, וְלֹ֣א תָשׁ֔וּב {וְלֹא תָשׁוּב | wə-lōʾ tāšûḇ}—create a rhythmic triad of prohibitions.

Root and etymology

ʾ-k-l🔊 א־כ־לaleph–kaph–lamed

“to eat, consume”

• 🔊 מְאכַלmə-ʾă-khalfoodPsalm 119:103