הֲלֹ֣וא זֶה֮ צֹ֣ום אֶבְחָרֵהוּ֒ פַּתֵּ֨חַ֙ חַרְצֻבֹּ֣ות רֶ֔שַׁע הַתֵּ֖ר אֲגֻדֹּ֣ות מֹוטָ֑ה וְשַׁלַּ֤ח רְצוּצִים֙ חָפְשִׁ֔ים וְכָל־מֹוטָ֖ה תְּנַתֵּֽקוּ׃
Is not this the fast that I will choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
Morphology
- הֲלֹוא (halo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Interrogative + negative particle; Translation: “Is not”; Notes: Rhetorical question implying affirmation.
- זֶה (zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the true fast pleasing to YHWH.
- צֹום (tzom) – Root: צום (tzum); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “fast”; Notes: Religious abstention being redefined by the prophet.
- אֶבְחָרֵהוּ (evḥarehu) – Root: בחר (baḥar); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I will choose it”; Notes: Divine choice—YHWH’s definition of a righteous fast.
- פַּתֵּחַ (patteaḥ) – Root: פתח (pataḥ); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “to loose”; Notes: Command to release from oppression.
- חַרְצֻבּוֹת (ḥartzubbot) – Root: חרצב (ḥartzav); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “bonds” or “chains”; Notes: Rare word meaning restrictive fetters.
- רֶשַׁע (reshaʿ) – Root: רשע (reshaʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular in construct; Translation: “of wickedness”; Notes: Describes the type of bondage—moral and social injustice.
- הַתֵּר (hatter) – Root: תר (tar); Form: Hiphil imperative masculine singular; Translation: “to undo”; Notes: Call to unbind or remove burdening ties.
- אֲגֻדוֹת (agudot) – Root: אגד (agad); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “straps” or “bindings”; Notes: Metaphorical for oppressive structures.
- מוֹטָה (motah) – Root: מות (mot); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “yoke”; Notes: Refers to instruments of forced labor or bondage.
- וְשַׁלַּח (ve-shallaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Piel imperative masculine singular; Translation: “send forth” or “let go”; Notes: Stronger form of release, often used for freeing captives.
- רְצוּצִים (retsutsim) – Root: רצץ (ratsats); Form: Pual participle masculine plural; Translation: “the oppressed” or “crushed ones”; Notes: Victims of violence or systemic injustice.
- חָפְשִׁים (ḥofshim) – Root: חפשׁ (ḥafash); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “free”; Notes: Liberation as the goal of true fasting.
- וְכָל־מוֹטָה (ve-khol-motah) – Root: מות (mot); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular in construct; Translation: “and every yoke”; Notes: Generalization of the command to abolish all oppression.
- תְּנַתֵּקוּ (tenattequ) – Root: נתק (nataq); Form: Piel imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you shall break”; Notes: Call to action against injustice—complete severance.