וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י מִשְׁפָּט֙ לְקָ֔ו וּצְדָקָ֖ה לְמִשְׁקָ֑לֶת וְיָעָ֤ה בָרָד֙ מַחְסֵ֣ה כָזָ֔ב וְסֵ֥תֶר מַ֖יִם יִשְׁטֹֽפוּ׃
And I will set justice for a measuring line and righteousness for a plumb line, and hail shall sweep away the refuge of falsehood, and waters shall overflow the hiding place.
Morphology
- וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י (ve-samti) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular with conjunction; Translation: “And I will set”; Notes: Refers to YHWH establishing standards of judgment.
- מִשְׁפָּט֙ (mishpat) – Root: שׁפט (shafat); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “justice”; Notes: Legal righteousness or divine judgment.
- לְקָ֔ו (le-qav) – Root: קו (qav); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a measuring line”; Notes: Symbol of divine precision in judgment.
- וּצְדָקָ֖ה (u-tsedaqah) – Root: צדק (tsadaq); Form: Noun feminine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and righteousness”; Notes: Moral and judicial uprightness.
- לְמִשְׁקָ֑לֶת (le-mishqelet) – Root: שׁקל (shaqal); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for a plumb line”; Notes: Tool for measuring verticality—symbol of justice.
- וְיָעָ֤ה (ve-yaʿah) – Root: יעה (yaʿah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and shall sweep away”; Notes: Refers to violent removal or cleansing.
- בָרָד֙ (barad) – Root: ברד (barad); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “hail”; Notes: Often a symbol of divine judgment or plague.
- מַחְסֵ֣ה (maḥseh) – Root: חסה (ḥasah); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “refuge”; Notes: Place or concept of safety, used ironically here.
- כָזָ֔ב (kazav) – Root: כזב (kazav); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “falsehood”; Notes: A deceptive or lying protection.
- וְסֵ֥תֶר (ve-seter) – Root: סתר (satar); Form: Noun masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and the hiding place”; Notes: False shelter contrasted with divine standards.
- מַ֖יִם (mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “waters”; Notes: Symbol of overwhelming judgment or chaos.
- יִשְׁטֹֽפוּ (yishtofu) – Root: שׁטף (shataf); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall overflow” or “shall sweep away”; Notes: Refers to overwhelming divine judgment consuming false security.