לֹ֤א יָשׁוּב֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וְאַשּׁ֖וּר ה֣וּא מַלְכֹּ֑ו כִּ֥י מֵאֲנ֖וּ לָשֽׁוּב׃
He shall not return to the land of Mitsrayim, but Ashshur shall be his king, because they refused to return.
Morphology
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies the following verb—YHWH declares that Yisraʾel will not return to physical Mitsrayim, though metaphorically they return to bondage.
- יָשׁוּב (yashuv) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall return”; Notes: The verb carries a dual meaning of physical and spiritual return—here implying refusal of repentance and restoration.
- אֶל־אֶרֶץ (el-erets) – Root: אל (ʾel) + ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition אֶל + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “to the land of”; Notes: Introduces the object of return—Mitsrayim, the symbolic place of servitude.
- מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim (Egypt)”; Notes: Represents both literal Egypt and metaphorical oppression; Yisraʾel’s bondage is now spiritual, not geographic.
- וְאַשּׁוּר (ve-Ashshur) – Root: אשור (Ashshur); Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun; Translation: “but Ashshur”; Notes: Refers to Assyria, the rising imperial power used by YHWH as an instrument of judgment against Yisraʾel.
- הוּא (hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Functions here as an emphatic subject marker—emphasizing that Assyria, not Egypt, will dominate Yisraʾel.
- מַלְכּוֹ (malko) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his king”; Notes: Indicates subjugation—Assyria will rule over Yisraʾel, reversing the intended divine kingship of YHWH.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for YHWH’s judgment—Israel’s obstinate rebellion.
- מֵאֲנוּ (meʾanu) – Root: מאן (maʾan); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they refused”; Notes: Expresses deliberate rejection or obstinacy—Yisraʾel’s willful defiance against returning to YHWH.
- לָשׁוּב (lashuv) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to return”; Notes: The infinitive defines the object of refusal—spiritual repentance and reconciliation with YHWH.