לְכוּ֩ דִרְשׁ֨וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֜ה בַּעֲדִ֣י וּבְעַד־הָעָ֗ם וּבְעַד֙ כָּל־יְהוּדָ֔ה עַל־דִּבְרֵ֛י הַסֵּ֥פֶר הַנִּמְצָ֖א הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־גְדֹולָ֞ה חֲמַ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר־הִיא֙ נִצְּתָ֣ה בָ֔נוּ עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֜וּ אֲבֹתֵ֗ינוּ עַל־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֔ה לַעֲשֹׂ֖ות כְּכָל־הַכָּת֥וּב עָלֵֽינוּ׃
“Go, inquire of YHWH for me and for the people and for all Yehuda concerning the words of this scroll that is found, for great is the wrath of YHWH that is kindled against us, because our fathers did not listen to the words of this scroll, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”
Morphology
- לְכוּ֩ (lekhu) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Go”; Notes: Command to a group of messengers.
- דִרְשׁ֨וּ (dirshu) – Root: דרשׁ (darash); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “inquire”; Notes: Often means seeking divine guidance through a prophet or oracle.
- אֶת־יְהוָ֜ה (et-YHWH) – Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “of YHWH”; Notes: Direct object of “inquire.”
- בַּעֲדִ֣י (baʿadi) – Root: בעד (baʿad); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for me”; Notes: Indicates on whose behalf the inquiry is made.
- וּבְעַד־הָעָ֗ם (u-veʿad ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Conjunction + preposition + definite noun; Translation: “and for the people”; Notes: Includes the general population of the kingdom.
- וּבְעַד֙ כָּל־יְהוּדָ֔ה (u-veʿad kol-Yehudah) – Root: יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun in construct + proper noun; Translation: “and for all Yehudah”; Notes: The entire kingdom of Yehudah is included.
- עַל־דִּבְרֵ֛י (ʿal-divrei) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Preposition + masculine plural construct noun; Translation: “concerning the words of”; Notes: Introduces the object of concern.
- הַסֵּ֥פֶר הַנִּמְצָ֖א הַזֶּ֑ה (ha-sefer ha-nimtza ha-zeh) – Root: ספר (sefer), מצא (matza); Form: Definite noun + Nifal participle + demonstrative; Translation: “this scroll that is found”; Notes: Refers to the rediscovered scroll in the Temple.
- כִּֽי־גְדֹולָ֞ה (ki-gedolah) – Root: גדל (gadol); Form: Conjunction + adjective feminine singular; Translation: “for great is”; Notes: Introduces the reason for urgency.
- חֲמַ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה (ḥamat YHWH) – Root: חמה (ḥemah); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the wrath of YHWH”; Notes: Refers to divine anger provoked by covenant violation.
- אֲשֶׁר־הִיא֙ נִצְּתָ֣ה בָ֔נוּ (asher hi nitzetah vanu) – Root: נצה (natsah); Form: Relative pronoun + pronoun + Nifal perfect 3rd person feminine singular + preposition; Translation: “that is kindled against us”; Notes: The wrath is already burning due to disobedience.
- עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֜וּ (ʿal asher lo-shamʿu) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Preposition + relative + negative + Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “because they did not listen”; Notes: Refers to past disobedience of the ancestors.
- אֲבֹתֵ֗ינוּ (avoteinu) – Root: אב (av); Form: Masculine plural construct noun + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our fathers”; Notes: Refers to the ancestors of the nation.
- עַל־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֔ה (ʿal-divrei ha-sefer ha-zeh) – Root: דבר (davar), ספר (sefer); Form: Preposition + construct noun + definite noun + demonstrative; Translation: “to the words of this scroll”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis on the Torah’s importance.
- לַעֲשֹׂ֖ות (laʿasot) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Purpose clause—what was neglected.
- כְּכָל־הַכָּת֥וּב (ke-khol ha-katuv) – Root: כתב (katav); Form: Preposition + noun + passive participle; Translation: “according to all that is written”; Notes: Refers to the commands recorded in the Torah scroll.
- עָלֵֽינוּ (ʿaleinu) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “concerning us”; Notes: Specifies that the obligations and consequences apply directly to the people.