לֹֽא־תָח֥וּ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 לֹֽא־תָח֥וּ

   LO-ta-KHUS

   not will pity
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 לֹֽא־תָח֥וּ עֵינָֽם׃

   LO-ta-KHUS e-NAM

   not will pity their eyes
3. clause🔊 וּפְרִי־בֶ֙טֶן֙ לֹ֣א יְרַחֵ֔מוּ עַל־בָּנִ֖ים לֹֽא־תָח֥וּ עֵינָֽם׃

   u-fe-RI-BE-ten LO ye-ra-KHE-MU al-BA-nim LO-ta-KHUS e-NAM

   and fruit of womb not they will have mercy on sons not will pity their eyes
4. sentence🔊 וּקְשָׁת֖וֹת נְעָרִ֣ים תְּרַטַּ֑שְׁנָה וּפְרִי־בֶ֙טֶן֙ לֹ֣א יְרַחֵ֔מוּ עַל־בָּנִ֖ים לֹֽא־תָח֥וּ עֵינָֽם׃

   u-ke-sha-TOT ne-a-RIM te-rat-TASH-ne-NA u-fe-RI-BE-ten LO ye-ra-KHE-MU al-BA-nim LO-ta-KHUS e-NAM

   and bows young men will dash to pieces and fruit of womb not they will have mercy on sons not will pity their eyes

Exegesis

Two successive negative particles lo {לֹא | lōʾ} introduce parallel clauses: the first denies compassion (verb יְרַחֵמוּ {yə-rā-ḥê-mû}) within the prepositional phrase ʿal-bā-nîm {עַל־בָּנִים | ʿal-bā-nîm} “upon children”; the second denies sparing (qal imperfect תָח֥וּס {tā-ḥûs}) linked to the subject einam {עֵינָם | ʿê-nām} “their eye.” The inversion of verb and subject in the closing clause heightens the pronouncement’s severity. This balanced parallelism and repeated negation underscore the total lack of mercy.