עַל־זֹאת֙ תֶּאֱבַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ וְקָדְר֥וּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם מִמָּ֑עַל עַ֤ל כִּי־דִבַּ֨רְתִּי֙ זַמֹּ֔תִי וְלֹ֥א נִחַ֖מְתִּי וְלֹא־אָשׁ֥וּב מִמֶּֽנָּה׃
Because of this the land shall mourn, and the heavens above shall be darkened, because I have spoken, I have purposed, and I have not relented, and I will not turn back from it.
Morphology
- עַל־זֹאת (ʿal-zot) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Preposition + demonstrative feminine singular; Translation: “because of this”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the coming judgment.
- תֶּאֱבַ֣ל (teʾeval) – Root: אבל (ʾaval); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall mourn”; Notes: Refers to the land’s lamentation in response to devastation.
- הָאָ֔רֶץ (ha-ʾaretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Represents the physical land of Yisraʾel.
- וְקָדְר֥וּ (ve-qadru) – Root: קדר (qadar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “shall be darkened”; Notes: Refers to cosmic or symbolic mourning.
- הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם (ha-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Definite noun masculine plural (dual in form); Translation: “the heavens”; Notes: Refers to the skies above as reacting to divine judgment.
- מִמָּ֑עַל (mi-maʿal) – Root: מעל (maʿal); Form: Preposition with directional noun; Translation: “from above”; Notes: Indicates the source of darkness—heavenly or atmospheric.
- עַל (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “because”; Notes: Begins the reason clause for the previous actions.
- כִּי־דִבַּ֨רְתִּי (ki-dibbarti) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Conjunction + Piel perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “because I have spoken”; Notes: Piel intensifies the declaration of YHWH’s word.
- זַמֹּ֔תִי (zammoti) – Root: זמם (zamam); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have purposed”; Notes: Indicates deliberate divine intention or plan.
- וְלֹ֥א (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Negates the following verb, emphasizing divine resolve.
- נִחַ֖מְתִּי (niḥamti) – Root: נחם (naḥam); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have relented”; Notes: Nifal often conveys reflexive or passive meaning—here, lack of change of mind.
- וְלֹא־אָשׁ֥וּב (ve-lo-ʾashuv) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “and I will not turn back”; Notes: Expresses unwavering determination to carry out judgment.
- מִמֶּֽנָּה (mi-mennah) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition + 3rd person feminine singular pronominal suffix; Translation: “from it”; Notes: Refers back to the divine word or decree.