הֲיִנְטֹ֣ר לְעֹולָ֔ם אִם־יִשְׁמֹ֖ר לָנֶ֑צַח הִנֵּ֥ה דברתי וַתַּעֲשִׂ֥י הָרָעֹ֖ות וַתּוּכָֽל׃ פ
Will He keep watch forever? Will He keep it to eternity?’ Behold, you have spoken, and you have done evil things, and you have prevailed.”
Morphology
- הֲיִנְטֹ֣ר (ha-yintor) – Root: נטר (natar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with interrogative; Translation: “Will he keep watch?”; Notes: Often conveys the sense of guarding or bearing a grudge; rhetorical question implying expected mercy.
- לְעֹולָ֔ם (le-ʿolam) – Root: עולם (ʿolam); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “forever”; Notes: Indicates unending time.
- אִם־יִשְׁמֹ֖ר (im-yishmor) – Root: שמר (shamar); Form: Conditional particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Will he keep?”; Notes: Parallel structure to previous clause; carries connotation of guarding or retaining.
- לָנֶ֑צַח (la-netzaḥ) – Root: נצח (netzaḥ); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to eternity”; Notes: Strengthens the temporal scope—everlasting.
- הִנֵּ֥ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Draws attention to the action following.
- דברתי (dibarti) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have spoken”; Notes: Emphatic or forceful declaration; may also be understood as “you have said” in some readings.
- וַתַּעֲשִׂ֥י (va-taʿasi) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “and you did”; Notes: Refers to evil deeds committed by the addressee.
- הָרָעֹ֖ות (ha-raʿot) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “the evils”; Notes: Denotes harmful, wicked actions.
- וַתּוּכָֽל (va-tukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “and you prevailed”; Notes: Indicates successful execution or domination—doing evil and getting away with it.