וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֲדַרְכִּי֙ לֹ֣א יִתָּכֵ֔ן הֲלֹ֥א דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵֽנוּ׃
And you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, house of Yisraʾel: Is My way not right? Are not your ways not right?
Morphology
- וַאֲמַרְתֶּם (va-amartem) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and you said”; Notes: Marks the speech of Yisraʾel against YHWH.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not.”
- יִתָּכֵן (yittakhen) – Root: כון; Form: Niphal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is right / is established”; Notes: Expresses the idea of being proper or fair.
- דֶּרֶךְ (derekh) – Root: דרך; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “way”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to manner of conduct.
- אֲדֹנָי (Adonai) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun masculine plural of majesty; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Refers to YHWH in prophetic address.
- שִׁמְעוּ־נָא (shimʿu-na) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural + particle of entreaty; Translation: “hear now”; Notes: Strong appeal to the house of Yisraʾel.
- בֵּית (beit) – Root: בית; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “house of”; Notes: Refers to the family or nation.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the covenant people.
- הֲדַרְכִּי (ha-darki) – Root: דרך; Form: Interrogative particle + noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “is My way?”; Notes: Rhetorical question challenging their accusation.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not.”
- יִתָּכֵן (yittakhen) – Root: כון; Form: Niphal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is right / is established.”
- הֲלֹוא (halo) – Root: לא; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “is it not?”; Notes: Emphasizes the corrective question.
- דַרְכֵיכֶם (darkeikhem) – Root: דרך; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your ways”; Notes: Refers to their conduct and choices.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not.”
- יִתָּכֵנוּ (yittakhenu) – Root: כון; Form: Niphal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “are right / are established”; Notes: Contrasts their unfair ways with YHWH’s just way.