לֹֽא־תַחְמֹ֞ד

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 לֹֽא־תַחְמֹ֞ד

   lo-takh-MOD

   do not covet
2. clause🔊 לֹֽא־תַחְמֹ֞ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֗ךָ וְעַבְדּ֤וֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ֙ וְשׁוֹר֣וֹ וַחֲמֹר֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְרֵעֶֽךָ׃

   lo-takh-MOD E-shet re-E-kha ve-av-DO va-a-ma-TO ve-sho-RO va-kha-mo-RO ve-KHOL a-SHER le-re-E-kha

   do not covet wife of your neighbor and his male servant and his female servant and his ox and his donkey and all that to your neighbor
3. sentence🔊 לֹ֥א תַחְמֹ֖ד בֵּ֣ית רֵעֶ֑ךָ לֹֽא־תַחְמֹ֞ד אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֶ֗ךָ וְעַבְדּ֤וֹ וַאֲמָתוֹ֙ וְשׁוֹר֣וֹ וַחֲמֹר֔וֹ וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְרֵעֶֽךָ׃

   LO takh-MOD BEIT re-E-kha lo-takh-MOD E-shet re-E-kha ve-av-DO va-a-ma-TO ve-sho-RO va-kha-mo-RO ve-KHOL a-SHER le-re-E-kha

   not covet house of your neighbor do not covet wife of your neighbor and his male servant and his female servant and his ox and his donkey and all that to your neighbor

Exegesis

The verse presents a single apodictic prohibition marked by lo {לֹא | lōʾ} ‘not’ followed by the imperfect of tachmod {תַחְמֹד | taḥ-mōḏ} ‘to covet,’ indicating an ongoing injunction.

Root and etymology

ḥ-m-d🔊 ח־מ־דheth–mem–dalet

“to desire, take pleasure in”

• 🔊 חֶמְדָּהchemdahprecious thingPsalm 19:11