כִּי־כֹ֣ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה לַסָּֽרִיסִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁמְרוּ֙ אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹותַ֔י וּבָֽחֲר֖וּ בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑צְתִּי וּמַחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי׃
For thus said YHWH, “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths and choose what I delight in and hold fast to My covenant,
Morphology
- כִּי־כֹ֣ה (ki-koh) – Root: כי, כה; Form: Conjunction + demonstrative adverb; Translation: “For thus”; Notes: Introduces a divine declaration and grounds what follows in YHWH’s word.
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Standard verb introducing divine speech.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- לַסָּֽרִיסִים֙ (la-sarisim) – Root: סריס; Form: Preposition לְ + definite plural noun masculine; Translation: “to the eunuchs”; Notes: Refers to castrated men or court officials, often excluded under Torah law.
- אֲשֶׁ֤ר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause describing the eunuchs.
- יִשְׁמְרוּ֙ (yishmeru) – Root: שמר; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “keep”; Notes: Describes their continued covenantal faithfulness.
- אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹותַ֔י (et-shabbtotaʾy) – Root: שבת; Form: Definite plural noun feminine + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My Sabbaths”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s appointed holy days.
- וּבָֽחֲר֖וּ (u-vaḥaru) – Root: בחר; Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and chose”; Notes: Describes voluntary delight or alignment with YHWH’s will.
- בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (baʾasher) – Root: אשר; Form: Preposition בְ + relative pronoun; Translation: “in what”; Notes: Expresses the object of delight or choice.
- חָפָ֑צְתִּי (ḥafatsti) – Root: חפץ; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I delight in”; Notes: Emphasizes YHWH’s personal pleasure or desire.
- וּמַחֲזִיקִ֖ים (u-maḥaziqim) – Root: חזק; Form: Conjunction + Hifil participle masculine plural; Translation: “and who hold fast”; Notes: The causative form implies a strong, intentional grasp.
- בִּבְרִיתִֽי (bi-veriti) – Root: ברית; Form: Preposition בְ + noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to My covenant”; Notes: Refers to the binding agreement between YHWH and His people.