כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות עֲשׁוּקִ֛ים בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל וּבְנֵי־יְהוּדָ֖ה יַחְדָּ֑ו וְכָל־שֹֽׁבֵיהֶם֙ הֶחֱזִ֣יקוּ בָ֔ם מֵאֲנ֖וּ שַׁלְּחָֽם׃
Thus says YHWH of Hosts: “Oppressed are the sons of Yisraʾel and the sons of Yehuda together, and all their captors hold them fast, they refuse to release them.
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces a prophetic declaration.
- אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “has said”; Notes: Prophetic speech formula.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Speaker of the declaration.
- צְבָאוֹת (tzevaʾot) – Root: צבא; Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “of hosts”; Notes: Title signifying YHWH’s command of heavenly armies.
- עֲשׁוּקִים (ʿashuqim) – Root: עשׁק; Form: Qal passive participle masculine plural; Translation: “oppressed”; Notes: Describes the condition of Yisraʾel and Yehudah.
- בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל (bene-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן + ישראל; Form: Construct plural + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the people of the northern kingdom.
- וּבְנֵי־יְהוּדָה (u-vnei-Yehudah) – Root: בן + יהודה; Form: Conjunction + construct plural + proper noun; Translation: “and the sons of Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the people of the southern kingdom.
- יַחְדָּו (yaḥdav) – Root: יחד; Form: Adverb; Translation: “together”; Notes: Emphasizes the shared condition of both kingdoms.
- וְכָל (ve-khol) – Root: כל; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and all”; Notes: Introduces the captors collectively.
- שֹׁבֵיהֶם (shoveihem) – Root: שׁבה; Form: Qal participle masculine plural + 3rd masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their captors”; Notes: Refers to Babylonian oppressors.
- הֶחֱזִיקוּ (heḥeziqu) – Root: חזק; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they held fast”; Notes: Denotes firm grasp or refusal to let go.
- בָּם (bam) – Root: —; Form: Preposition בְּ + third masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in/over them”; Notes: Object of the captors’ grip.
- מֵאֲנוּ (meʾanu) – Root: מאן; Form: Piel perfect 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they refused”; Notes: Expresses willful resistance.
- שַׁלְּחָם (shalleḥam) – Root: שלח; Form: Piel infinitive construct with 3rd masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to release them”; Notes: The captors reject the call to grant freedom.