Deuteronomy 5:18

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

ולא וְלֹא

and not

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

לא

lôʼ

Definition

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

Root

or לוא; or לה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle;

Exhaustive

or לוא; or לה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles; [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3808

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

לֹא

negative particle • Root אל • Strongs / High • Page 759

A negative particle; not, no. It functions as an absolute negative, a negative answer to a question, or a refusal. Used with verbs in various tenses and moods to express negation or prohibition.

לֹא

particle • Strongs / High • Page 761

A K'ri reading for לוֹ.

לֹא

adverb / particle • Strongs / High • Page 760

Not; No; Nothing (substantive use); Before (cognate sense to טֶרֶם).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

לֹא

adverb • Page 338

A primitive adverb of negation (more rarely לוֹא). 1. not. 2. no (Gen. 19:2). 3. nothing (Job 6:21). 4. without (1 Chr. 2:30). 5. interrogative, nonne? (Jon. 4:11). 6. lest, that not (Ex. 28:32). 7. In combination with adjectives/substantives it gives a negative signification (e.g., לֹא עֹז without strength).

Conjunction, Particle negative

LXX: οὐκ οὐ μὴ οὐδὲ οὐχ

LXX Usage Statistics

H3808:

οὐκ 1137× (34.5%)

οὐ 797× (24.2%)

μὴ 184× (5.6%)

οὐδὲ 150× (4.5%)

οὐχ 127× (3.9%)

οὐχὶ 120× (3.6%)

--- 98× (3.0%)

'' 94× (2.4%)

---% 62× (1.5%)

οὐκέτι 50× (1.4%)

תנאףס תִּֿנְאָף׃ס

yourself is going astray

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

נאף

nâʼaph

Definition

to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize; adulterer(-ess), commit(-ing) adultery, woman that breaketh wedlock.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5003

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

נָאַף

verb • Root נאף • Strongs / High • Page 932

To go astray, to be faithless in married life, to commit adultery. Figuratively, to worship rebelliously.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

נָאַף

verb / and pi. נִאֵף • Page 420

to commit adultery, spoken both of the man and woman. Often applied figuratively to the unfaithfulness of the Israelites towards Jehovah (Ex. 20:14, Lev. 20:10, Prov. 6:32, Jer. 29:23, Jer. 3:8, 5:7, 9:1, 23:14).

Verb Qal imperfect second person masculine singular

LXX: ἐμοιχῶντο μοιχαλίδοσ μοιχῶν μοιχεύσηται

LXX Usage Statistics

H5003:

ἐμοιχῶντο 4× (13.5%)

μοιχαλίδοσ 3× (10.9%)

μοιχῶν 2× (7.3%)

μοιχεύσηται 2× (7.3%)

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
and thou shalt not commit adultery,

LITV Translation:
And you shall not commit adultery.

Brenton Septuagint Translation:
Thou shalt not commit adultery.