אוּלַ֞י תִּפֹּ֤ל תְּחִנָּתָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְיָשֻׁ֕בוּ אִ֖ישׁ מִדַּרְכֹּ֣ו הָרָעָ֑ה כִּֽי־גָדֹ֤ול הָאַף֙ וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה׃
Perhaps their supplication will fall before YHWH, and each man will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that YHWH has spoken against this people.”
Morphology
- אוּלַי (ʾulay) – Root: אלל (uncertain); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Perhaps”; Notes: Introduces a hopeful possibility or plea.
- תִּפֹּל (tippol) – Root: נפל; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “will fall”; Notes: Refers to the act of supplication being accepted or brought down.
- תְּחִנָּתָם (teḥinnatam) – Root: חנן; Form: Feminine singular noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their supplication”; Notes: Refers to their earnest plea for mercy.
- לִפְנֵי (lifnei) – Root: פן; Form: Preposition + construct; Translation: “before”; Notes: Refers to the presence of YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal name of Israel’s God.
- וְיָשֻׁבוּ (ve-yashuvu) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they will turn”; Notes: Describes hoped-for repentance as a consequence of supplication.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “each man”; Notes: Highlights individual responsibility.
- מִדַּרְכּוֹ (mi-darko) – Root: דרך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from his way”; Notes: Refers to personal conduct or behavior.
- הָרָעָה (ha-raʿah) – Root: רעע; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Qualifies “way” as morally wrong.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason or explanation.
- גָדֹול (gadol) – Root: גדל; Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “great”; Notes: Describes the intensity of YHWH’s anger.
- הָאַף (ha-af) – Root: אף; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the anger”; Notes: Often denotes divine wrath.
- וְהַחֵמָה (ve-ha-ḥemah) – Root: חמה; Form: Conjunction + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the wrath”; Notes: Reinforces the severity of judgment alongside “anger.”
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces relative clause modifying “anger and wrath.”
- דִּבֶּר (dibber) – Root: דבר; Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He spoke”; Notes: Emphasizes intensity and deliberateness of the divine message.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the verb “spoke.”
- אֶל (el) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Introduces the recipient of YHWH’s declaration.
- הָעָם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to the people of Yisraʾel or Yehudah.
- הַזֶּה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative adjective masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies which people—those currently being addressed or judged.