הִנֵּה־קֹ֞ול שַֽׁוְעַ֣ת בַּת־עַמִּ֗י מֵאֶ֨רֶץ֙ מַרְחַקִּ֔ים הַֽיהוָה֙ אֵ֣ין בְּצִיֹּ֔ון אִם־מַלְכָּ֖הּ אֵ֣ין בָּ֑הּ מַדּ֗וּעַ הִכְעִס֛וּנִי בִּפְסִלֵיהֶ֖ם בְּהַבְלֵ֥י נֵכָֽר׃
Behold, the sound of the cry of the daughter of My people from a distant land: “Is YHWH not in Tsiyyon? Is her King not in her?” Why have they provoked Me with their carved images, with foreign vanities?
Morphology
- הִנֵּה (hinneh) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative particle; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Introduces vivid or sudden perception.
- קֹול (qol) – Root: קול (qol); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “the sound” or “voice”; Notes: Emphasizes audible wailing or outcry.
- שַׁוְעַת (shavʿat) – Root: שׁוע (shaʿa); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “the cry of”; Notes: A cry for help or distress.
- בַּת־עַמִּי (bat-ʿammi) – Root: בת (bat), עם (ʿam); Form: Construct phrase + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “the daughter of My people”; Notes: Personification of the nation of Yisraʾel.
- מֵאֶרֶץ (meʾerets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from a land”; Notes: Introduces the origin of the cry.
- מַרְחַקִּים (marḥaqim) – Root: רחק (raḥaq); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “distances” or “far places”; Notes: Suggests exile or dispersion.
- הַיהוָה (ha-YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun with definite article (interrogative); Translation: “Is YHWH [not there]?”; Notes: Implied question reflecting theological confusion or lament.
- אֵין (ʾein) – Root: —; Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “is not”; Notes: Expresses absence.
- בְּצִיֹּון (be-Tsiyon) – Root: ציון (Tsiyon); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “in Tsiyon”; Notes: Refers to Jerusalem or the temple mount.
- אִם (ʾim) – Root: —; Form: Conditional/interrogative particle; Translation: “is it that?” or “if?”; Notes: Introduces the second rhetorical question.
- מַלְכָּהּ (malkah) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Noun masculine singular + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her King”; Notes: May refer to YHWH as sovereign of Tsiyon.
- אֵין (ʾein) – Root: —; Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “is not”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.
- בָּהּ (bah) – Root: —; Form: Preposition + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in her”; Notes: Refers again to Tsiyon.
- מַדּוּעַ (madduaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Introduces the divine question of accusation.
- הִכְעִסוּנִי (hikhʿisuni) – Root: כעס (kaʿas); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “have they provoked Me”; Notes: Intensifies the offense against YHWH.
- בִּפְסִילֵיהֶם (bifsilayhem) – Root: פסל (pesel); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “with their carved images”; Notes: Refers to idolatrous worship.
- בְּהַבְלֵי (behavlei) – Root: הבל (hevel); Form: Preposition + plural construct noun; Translation: “with the vanities of”; Notes: Used derogatorily for false gods.
- נֵכָר (nekar) – Root: נכר (nekar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “foreigners” or “foreignness”; Notes: Refers to foreign nations and their deities.