וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִ֗י גַּפְנָהּ֙ וּתְאֵ֣נָתָ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמְרָ֗ה אֶתְנָ֥ה הֵ֨מָּה֙ לִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתְנוּ־לִ֖י מְאַֽהֲבָ֑י וְשַׂמְתִּ֣ים לְיַ֔עַר וַאֲכָלָ֖תַם חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
And I will make her vine and her fig tree a desolation, of which she has said, ‘They are my wages that my lovers have given me,’ and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.
Morphology
- וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִי (va-hashimoti) – Root: שׁמם (š-m-m); Form: Hifil perfect 1cs with conjunctive וַ (wayyiqtol meaning “and I will make desolate”); Translation: “and I will make desolate”; Notes: YHWH declares He will transform the land’s fertility into ruin as punishment for idolatry.
- גַּפְנָהּ (gafnah) – Root: גפן (g-p-n); Form: Noun feminine singular + 3fs suffix; Translation: “her vine”; Notes: Symbol of agricultural prosperity and joy, now doomed to destruction.
- וּתְאֵנָתָהּ (u-teʾenatah) – Root: תאנה (t-ʾ-n-h); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular + 3fs suffix; Translation: “and her fig tree”; Notes: Another key produce of the land; paired with the vine as emblem of peace and blessing.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative particle; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the clause identifying the source of Israel’s idolatrous boasting.
- אָמְרָה (ʾamrah) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal perfect 3fs; Translation: “she said”; Notes: Refers to unfaithful Israel personified as a woman claiming credit for her blessings.
- אֶתְנָה (etnah) – Root: אתן (ʾ-t-n); Form: Noun feminine plural + 3fs suffix; Translation: “my wages”; Notes: Refers to harlot’s pay—symbol of Israel’s idolatrous reasoning that her prosperity came from her lovers (foreign gods or nations).
- הֵמָּה (hemmah) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Used for emphasis, identifying the “wages” as the very objects now being judged.
- לִי (li) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + first cs suffix; Translation: “for me”; Notes: Indicates possession—Israel attributes her blessings to herself rather than to YHWH.
- אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ־לִי (ʾasher natnu-li) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Relative particle + Qal perfect 3mp + preposition לְ + first cs suffix; Translation: “that my lovers gave me”; Notes: Reflects Israel’s misplaced credit—attributing divine provision to idolaters or allies.
- מְאַהֲבָי (meʾahavay) – Root: אהב (ʾ-h-v); Form: Participle masculine plural + 1cs suffix; Translation: “my lovers”; Notes: Symbolic of Israel’s political and spiritual infidelity with other nations and gods.
- וְשַׂמְתִּים (ve-samtiym) – Root: שׂים (ś-y-m); Form: Qal perfect 1cs + suffix 3mp + conjunction וְ; Translation: “and I will make them”; Notes: Refers to transforming her fertile land into wilderness.
- לְיַעַר (le-yaʿar) – Root: יער (y-ʿ-r); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “a forest”; Notes: Indicates desolation—the once-cultivated vineyard becomes overgrown wilderness.
- וַאֲכָלָתַם (va-akhalatam) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Qal perfect 3fs + suffix 3mp with conjunctive וַ; Translation: “and the beasts shall eat them”; Notes: The feminine verb matches the subject “the land” implied; conveys the reversal of blessing into curse.
- חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה (ḥayat ha-sadeh) – Root: חי (ḥ-y) / שׂדה (ś-d-h); Form: Construct chain: noun feminine singular construct + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the beasts of the field”; Notes: Symbolic agents of desolation—nature itself overtakes the land once dedicated to YHWH.