כִּ֣י כֹ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהוָ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל דִּרְשׁ֖וּנִי וִֽחְיֽוּ׃
For thus says YHWH to the house of Yisraʾel, “Seek Me and live.
Morphology
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the divine statement that follows, providing explanation or reason.
- כֹה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Prophetic introduction formula indicating direct divine speech.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has said”; Notes: Marks the declarative act of YHWH as the speaker.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God, here issuing a call for repentance and life.
- לְבֵית (le-beit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “to the house of”; Notes: Indicates the addressee of the message—collective Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the northern kingdom as the audience of YHWH’s command.
- דִּרְשׁוּנִי (dirshuni) – Root: דרשׁ (darash); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “Seek Me”; Notes: Command calling for active pursuit or devotion toward YHWH Himself.
- וִחְיוּ (viḥyu) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and live”; Notes: The promised result of seeking YHWH—restoration and continued existence.