לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת

   le-tsal-MA-vet

   into deep darkness
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וְשָׂמָ֣הּ לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת

   ve-sa-MAH le-tsal-MA-vet

   and he makes it into deep darkness
3. clause🔊 וְקִוִּיתֶ֤ם לְאוֹר֙ וְשָׂמָ֣הּ לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת ישית וְשִׁ֖ית לַעֲרָפֶֽל׃

   ve-ki-vi-TEM le-OR ve-sa-MAH le-tsal-MA-vet ya-SHIT ve-SHIT la-a-ra-FEL

   and you look for for light and he makes it into deep darkness he sets and he makes into gloom
4. sentence🔊 תְּנוּ֩ לַיהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֤ם כָּבוֹד֙ בְּטֶ֣רֶם יַחְשִׁ֔ךְ וּבְטֶ֛רֶם יִֽתְנַגְּפ֥וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־הָ֣רֵי נָ֑שֶׁף וְקִוִּיתֶ֤ם לְאוֹר֙ וְשָׂמָ֣הּ לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת ישית וְשִׁ֖ית לַעֲרָפֶֽל׃

   te-NU la-Ye-ho-VAH e-lo-HE-khem ka-VOD be-TE-rem ya-kh-SHIKH u-ve-TE-rem yit-na-ge-FU rag-le-KHEM al-ha-RE NA-shef ve-ki-vi-TEM le-OR ve-sa-MAH le-tsal-MA-vet ya-SHIT ve-SHIT la-a-ra-FEL

   give to the LORD your God glory before he brings darkness and before they stumble your feet on the mountains of twilight and you look for for light and he makes it into deep darkness he sets and he makes into gloom

Exegesis

The juxtaposition of hoping for light (və-qiv-vî-tem lə-ʾōr {וְקִוִּיתֶם לְאוֹר | və-qiv-vî-tem lə-ʾōr}) with vesamah letsalmavet {וְשָׂמָהּ לְצַלְמָוֶת | və-sa-māh lə-tsal-mā-vet} “He has made it into the shadow of death” highlights a dramatic reversal through a series of perfect and imperfect forms.

Root and etymology

ts-l-m🔊 צ־ל־מtsade–lamed–mem

“shadow of death”

• 🔊 צֵלtsēlshadowPsalm 17:8
• 🔊 מָוֶתmā-vetdeathPsalm 23:4