Amos 3:6

אִם־יִתָּקַ֤ע שֹׁופָר֙ בְּעִ֔יר וְעָ֖ם לֹ֣א יֶחֱרָ֑דוּ אִם־תִּהְיֶ֤ה רָעָה֙ בְּעִ֔יר וַיהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א עָשָֽׂה׃

If a shofar is blown in a city, will the people not tremble? If there is calamity in a city, has not YHWH done it?

Morphology

1. אִם־ (ʾim) – Root: —; Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “If”; Notes: Introduces a conditional rhetorical question emphasizing cause and consequence.
2. יִתָּקַ֤ע (yittaqaʿ) – Root: תקע (taqaʿ); Form: Niphal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is blown”; Notes: The passive form—“be sounded”—indicates an alarm signal commonly used in warfare or danger.
3. שֹׁופָר֙ (shofar) – Root: שׁפר (shafar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “shofar”; Notes: A ram’s horn used for warnings or ceremonial announcements, symbolizing divine alarm or judgment.
4. בְּעִ֔יר (be-ʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in a city”; Notes: Specifies the setting of communal life, where the trumpet call evokes fear or response.
5. וְעָ֖ם (ve-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the people”; Notes: Refers to the inhabitants collectively, the ones expected to react.
6. לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies the expected response to the sounding of alarm.
7. יֶחֱרָ֑דוּ (yekheradu) – Root: חרד (ḥarad); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “tremble”; Notes: Conveys physical fear or awe—implying that divine warnings naturally provoke dread among people.
8. אִם־ (ʾim) – Root: —; Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “If”; Notes: Introduces a second conditional clause parallel to the first, reinforcing the argument through repetition.
9. תִּהְיֶ֤ה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “there is” or “shall be”; Notes: Marks the occurrence of an event, here a “calamity” or “evil.”
10. רָעָה֙ (raʿah) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “calamity” or “evil”; Notes: May denote disaster or misfortune; used here of divinely permitted judgment rather than moral evil.
11. בְּעִ֔יר (be-ʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in a city”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes that both alarm and disaster occur within the human community under divine governance.
12. וַיהוָ֖ה (va-YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun, divine name; Translation: “and YHWH”; Notes: The conjunction ties the event directly to divine agency or sovereignty.
13. לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the rhetorical question to assert YHWH’s active role in the world’s events.
14. עָשָֽׂה׃ (ʿasah) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has done”; Notes: Asserts divine causation—YHWH’s sovereignty encompasses both prosperity and calamity; nothing occurs apart from His will.