וְגַם־עַתָּה֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה שֻׁ֥בוּ עָדַ֖י בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וּבְצֹ֥ום וּבְבְכִ֖י וּבְמִסְפֵּֽד׃
“And even now,” declares YHWH, “return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”
Morphology
- וְגַם־ (ve-gam) – Root: גם (gam); Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “and also” or “and even”; Notes: Introduces continuation or intensification of the previous thought—divine invitation despite judgment.
- עַתָּה֙ (ʿattah) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Adverb; Translation: “now”; Notes: Marks urgency and immediacy of repentance.
- נְאֻם־ (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “declaration of”; Notes: Common prophetic formula introducing a direct oracle from YHWH.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God, underscoring divine authority and mercy.
- שֻׁ֥בוּ (shuvu) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “return”; Notes: A call to repentance, denoting both physical and spiritual turning back.
- עָדַ֖י (ʿaday) – Root: עד (ʿad); Form: Preposition עַד + suffix 1cs; Translation: “to Me”; Notes: Indicates direction toward YHWH personally, emphasizing relationship restoration.
- בְּכָל־ (be-khol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “with all”; Notes: Expresses totality or completeness.
- לְבַבְכֶ֑ם (levavkhem) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 2mp; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: Symbolizes inner being—mind, will, and emotion—calling for wholehearted repentance.
- וּבְצֹ֥ום (u-ve-tzom) – Root: צום (tzom); Form: Conjunction + preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and with fasting”; Notes: External expression of penitence and humility before YHWH.
- וּבְבְכִ֖י (u-ve-vechi) – Root: בכה (bakha); Form: Conjunction + preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and with weeping”; Notes: Indicates emotional grief and contrition over sin.
- וּבְמִסְפֵּֽד (u-ve-misped) – Root: ספד (sapad); Form: Conjunction + preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and with mourning”; Notes: Expresses lamentation, often associated with funerary sorrow, signifying deep repentance.