עָרֶ֨יךָ֙ חָרְבָּ֣ה אָשִׂ֔ים וְאַתָּ֖ה שְׁמָמָ֣ה תִֽהְיֶ֑ה וְיָדַעְתָּ֖ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
Your cities I will make desolate, and you shall be a waste, and you shall know that I am YHWH.
Morphology
- עָרֶיךָ (ʿareikha) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun feminine plural construct + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “your cities”; Notes: Refers to the inhabited towns or settlements belonging to the addressed nation, Mount Seʿir (Edom).
- חָרְבָּה (ḥarbah) – Root: חרב (ḥarab); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “desolation” or “ruin”; Notes: Denotes physical destruction, often as a result of divine judgment or warfare.
- אָשִׂים (ʾasim) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will make”; Notes: Expresses divine intent—YHWH’s active role in bringing about desolation.
- וְאַתָּה (veʾattah) – Root: אתה (ʾattah); Form: Conjunction וְ + independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and you”; Notes: The conjunction connects the previous clause to emphasize the consequence for Mount Seʿir itself.
- שְׁמָמָה (shemamah) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a waste” or “desolation”; Notes: Often used in prophetic literature to signify total devastation and abandonment.
- תִהְיֶה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you shall be”; Notes: Predictive verb describing the outcome decreed by YHWH for the addressed land.
- וְיָדַעְתָּ (ve-yadaʿta) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you shall know”; Notes: Indicates experiential acknowledgment—Edom will recognize YHWH’s power and sovereignty through judgment.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the reason or result of divine action—awareness of YHWH’s identity.
- אֲנִי (ʾani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Stresses divine self-revelation—YHWH Himself declares His role as the one bringing judgment.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God, here functioning as the ultimate affirmation of divine authorship and justice.