לִ֠שְׁמֹר (liš·mōr) in Deuteronomy 6:2: Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
לִ֠שְׁמֹר (liš·mōr) in Deuteronomy 6:2
Source Word
The Deuteronomy 6:2 BSB+ word-table row 12 anchors לִ֠שְׁמֹר as H8104, Prep-l | V-Qal-Inf, for the rendering "by keeping."
How The Form Affects Interpretation
By keeping shows how reverent fear takes visible shape and ties the infinitive's unnamed actors to the three generations already named in the clause. By keeping represents the infinitive as the practiced means or manner of fearing, while the direct objects come from the statutes and commands that follow.
How To Communicate It
Name the three generations first, then connect fearing to keeping so the form serves a lifelong pattern of covenant instruction rather than isolated compliance.
What Not To Say
- Grammatical form should serve context, not override it.
- Do not make the infinitive teach salvation by rule keeping or turn prolonged days into an automatic reward.
- The infinitive has no suffix, so its participants come from the clause.
- The construction does not reduce fear to rule keeping alone or make prolonged life a mechanical payment.
What Does The Label Mean?
Hebrew-verb
Verb
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Qal
Inf
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Lamed preposition
None
The lamed-prefixed Qal infinitive explains how covenant fear is practiced: by keeping the statutes and commandments. Its participants come from you, children, and grandchildren in the clause.
The infinitive gives covenant fear an obedient expression across the three generations named in the verse.
What The Form Does In This Verse
The multigenerational call to fear the Lord throughout the days lived in the land
The purpose of learning the commands so the hearer, children, and grandchildren practice enduring covenant faithfulness
The infinitive gives covenant fear an obedient expression across the three generations named in the verse.
The construction does not reduce fear to rule keeping alone or make prolonged life a mechanical payment.
How Much The Form Matters Here
High: The form links reverent fear to concrete obedience within a multigenerational horizon.
The lamed-prefixed Qal infinitive explains how covenant fear is practiced: by keeping the statutes and commandments. Its participants come from you, children, and grandchildren in the clause.. The infinitive gives covenant fear an obedient expression across the three generations named in the verse.. Attached to the multigenerational call to fear the Lord throughout the days lived in the land. Governed by the purpose of learning the commands so the hearer, children, and grandchildren practice enduring covenant faithfulness. The construction does not reduce fear to rule keeping alone or make prolonged life a mechanical payment.
What relationship does by keeping establish in Deuteronomy 6:2? It presents obedience as the practiced expression of lifelong covenant fear across generations.
Direct: By keeping represents the infinitive as the practiced means or manner of fearing, while the direct objects come from the statutes and commands that follow.
The infinitive has no suffix, so its participants come from the clause. By keeping expresses the dependent manner of covenant fear here.
Prep-l | V-Qal-Inf at Deuteronomy 6:2 treated as the whole interpretation: Do not make the infinitive teach salvation by rule keeping or turn prolonged days into an automatic reward. the English rendering "by keeping" detached from its Hebrew form: Keep "by keeping" connected to לִ֠שְׁמֹר, row 12, and the full Deuteronomy 6:2 clause.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
The Deuteronomy 6:2 BSB+ word-table row 12 anchors לִ֠שְׁמֹר as H8104, Prep-l | V-Qal-Inf, for the rendering "by keeping."
For h8104-deuteronomy-6-2-prep-l-v-qal-inf, שָׁמַר is the lemma behind "by keeping" at row 12; this exact token keeps H8104 tied to Deuteronomy 6:2.
The lamed-prefixed Qal infinitive explains how covenant fear is practiced: by keeping the statutes and commandments. Its participants come from you, children, and grandchildren in the clause.
Deuteronomy 6:2 envisions parents, children, and grandchildren fearing the Lord through lifelong attention to his commands.
The verse places obedience within Israel's received covenant instruction and intergenerational life; it does not offer a detached formula for earning divine acceptance.
Name the three generations first, then connect fearing to keeping so the form serves a lifelong pattern of covenant instruction rather than isolated compliance.
Do not make the infinitive teach salvation by rule keeping or turn prolonged days into an automatic reward.