הֲכָזֶ֗ה יִֽהְיֶה֙ צֹ֣ום אֶבְחָרֵ֔הוּ יֹ֛ום עַנֹּ֥ות אָדָ֖ם נַפְשֹׁ֑ו הֲלָכֹ֨ף כְּאַגְמֹ֜ן רֹאשֹׁ֗ו וְשַׂ֤ק וָאֵ֨פֶר֙ יַצִּ֔יעַ הֲלָזֶה֙ תִּקְרָא־צֹ֔ום וְיֹ֥ום רָצֹ֖ון לַיהוָֽה׃
Is this the fast that I will choose, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow his head like a reed and spread sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to YHWH?
Morphology
- הֲכָזֶה (ha-kazeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Interrogative prefix הֲ + demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “Is this”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- יִֽהְיֶה (yihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will be”; Notes: Describes the nature of the fast under discussion.
- צֹום (tzom) – Root: צום (tzum); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “fast”; Notes: Refers to a religious practice of abstaining from food.
- אֶבְחָרֵהוּ (evḥarehu) – Root: בחר (baḥar); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I will choose it”; Notes: YHWH speaking about acceptable religious behavior.
- יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a day”; Notes: Refers to a designated day of ritual practice.
- עַנֹּות (ʿannot) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Infinitive construct in Piel; Translation: “to afflict”; Notes: Refers to self-humbling or affliction of the soul.
- אָדָם (adam) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: General human being.
- נַפְשֹׁו (nafsho) – Root: נפשׁ (nefesh); Form: Noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his soul”; Notes: Represents inner being or life.
- הֲלָכֹף (ha-lakof) – Root: כפף (kafaf); Form: Interrogative + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “is it to bow down”; Notes: Begins a second rhetorical question.
- כְּאַגְמֹן (ke-agmon) – Root: אגם (agmon); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a reed”; Notes: Imagery of something easily bent or frail.
- רֹאשֹׁו (rosho) – Root: ראשׁ (rosh); Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his head”; Notes: Sign of humility or sorrow.
- וְשַׂק (ve-saq) – Root: שׂק (saq); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and sackcloth”; Notes: Garment of mourning or penitence.
- וָאֵפֶר (va-efer) – Root: אפר (efer); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and ashes”; Notes: Associated with mourning and repentance.
- יַצִּיעַ (yatziyaʿ) – Root: ציע (tsaʿa); Form: Hiphil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he spreads”; Notes: Refers to laying out sackcloth and ashes as bedding.
- הֲלָזֶה (ha-lazeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Interrogative + demonstrative; Translation: “is this”; Notes: Resumes rhetorical tone.
- תִּקְרָא (tikra) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you call”; Notes: Challenges human definition of true fasting.
- צֹום (tzom) – Root: צום (tzum); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a fast”; Notes: The subject of the dispute.
- וְיֹום רָצֹון (ve-yom ratzon) – Roots: יום (yom), רצה (ratza); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and a day of favor”; Notes: Refers to a day acceptable to YHWH.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Clarifies whose acceptance is sought.