הָפַ֣כְתִּי בָכֶ֗ם כְּמַהְפֵּכַ֤ת אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־סְדֹ֣ם וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה וַתִּהְי֕וּ כְּא֖וּד מֻצָּ֣ל מִשְּׂרֵפָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם עָדַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס
“I overthrew among you as Elohim overthrew Sedom and ʿAmora, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; yet you did not return to Me,” declares YHWH.
Morphology
- הָפַ֣כְתִּי (hafakhti) – Root: הפך (hafakh); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I overthrew”; Notes: Indicates complete devastation—used elsewhere for YHWH’s destruction of Sedom and ʿAmorah.
- בָכֶ֗ם (bakhem) – Root: —; Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “among you”; Notes: Denotes that the divine overthrow occurred within the people, not merely around them.
- כְּמַהְפֵּכַ֤ת (ke-mahpekhath) – Root: הפך (hafakh); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “like the overthrow of”; Notes: Introduces a simile comparing the destruction of Yisraʾel to that of Sedom and ʿAmorah.
- אֱלֹהִים֙ (Elohim) – Root: אלה (ʾalah); Form: Noun masculine plural (with singular sense); Translation: “Elohim”; Notes: Here refers to YHWH as the divine agent of judgment.
- אֶת־סְדֹ֣ם (ʾet-Sedom) – Root: סדם (Sedom); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + proper noun; Translation: “Sedom”; Notes: Refers to the city of Sodom—symbol of total ruin and divine wrath.
- וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה (ve-ʾet-ʿAmorah) – Root: עמר (ʿamar); Form: Conjunction וְ + direct object marker אֶת + proper noun; Translation: “and ʿAmorah”; Notes: Companion city to Sedom—both destroyed by fire from heaven (Genesis 19).
- וַתִּהְי֕וּ (va-tihyu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural (converted); Translation: “and you were”; Notes: Sequential action—Israel became like a remnant spared from total destruction.
- כְּא֖וּד (ke-ʾud) – Root: אוד (ʾud); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a firebrand”; Notes: A metaphor for something barely rescued from fire—symbolizing Yisraʾel’s near annihilation.
- מֻצָּ֣ל (mutsal) – Root: נצל (natsal); Form: Pual participle masculine singular; Translation: “plucked” or “rescued”; Notes: Passive form emphasizing deliverance granted by another (YHWH).
- מִשְּׂרֵפָ֑ה (mi-srefah) – Root: שרף (saraf); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the burning”; Notes: Indicates extraction from a fiery destruction, paralleling the image of Sedom’s fate.
- וְלֹֽא־ (ve-lo) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “yet not”; Notes: Contrasts divine mercy with human obstinacy—Israel remained unrepentant.
- שַׁבְתֶּ֥ם (shavtem) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you returned”; Notes: Common prophetic verb for repentance; shows continued rejection of YHWH’s call.
- עָדַ֖י (ʿaday) – Root: עד (ʿad); Form: Preposition עַד + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “to Me”; Notes: Expresses direction of repentance toward YHWH.
- נְאֻם־ (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular (prophetic formula); Translation: “declares”; Notes: Marks the divine voice as the source of the pronouncement.
- יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God—His declaration affirms both justice and mercy.