לְכ֗וּ וְזַֽעֲקוּ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם בָּ֑ם הֵ֛מָּה יֹושִׁ֥יעוּ לָכֶ֖ם בְּעֵ֥ת צָרַתְכֶֽם׃
Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.”
Morphology
- לְכ֗וּ (leku) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Go”; Notes: A command directed at the people.
- וְזַֽעֲקוּ֙ (ve-zaʿaku) – Root: זעק (zaʿaq); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and cry out”; Notes: Parallel imperative reinforcing the command.
- אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים (el-haʾelohim) – Root: אלה (ʾlh); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine plural definite; Translation: “to the gods”; Notes: Refers to the false gods worshiped by Israel.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces the subordinate clause.
- בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם (baḥartem) – Root: בחר (baḥar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you have chosen”; Notes: Highlights Israel’s deliberate choice.
- בָּ֑ם (bam) – Root: בם (bam); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in them”; Notes: Refers back to the false gods.
- הֵ֛מָּה (hemmah) – Root: הם (hem); Form: Independent personal pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Emphatic subject pronoun.
- יֹושִׁ֥יעוּ (yoshiʿu) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “let them save”; Notes: Expresses irony or a challenge.
- לָכֶ֖ם (lakhem) – Root: לכם (lakhem); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Directs the statement at Israel.
- בְּעֵ֥ת (beʿet) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “in the time of”; Notes: Refers to the moment of distress.
- צָרַתְכֶֽם (tsaratkhem) – Root: צרה (tsarah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your distress”; Notes: Represents their suffering under oppression.