דִּרְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה וִֽחְי֑וּ פֶּן־יִצְלַ֤ח כָּאֵשׁ֙ בֵּ֣ית יֹוסֵ֔ף וְאָכְלָ֥ה וְאֵין־מְכַבֶּ֖ה לְבֵֽית־אֵֽל׃
Seek YHWH and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Yosef and devour, and there be none to quench it for Beit-el.
Morphology
- דִּרְשׁוּ (dirshu) – Root: דרשׁ (darash); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Seek”; Notes: A call to turn to YHWH through devotion and obedience, a repeated prophetic exhortation.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: —; Form: Definite direct object marker; Translation: “—”; Notes: Marks YHWH as the direct object of the verb “seek.”
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel, the object of the call to seek.
- וִחְיוּ (viḥyu) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and live”; Notes: Promise of life as the result of seeking YHWH, in contrast to impending destruction.
- פֶּן (pen) – Root: פן (pen); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “lest”; Notes: Warns of the consequences of failing to heed the command.
- יִצְלַח (yitslaḥ) – Root: צלח (tsalaḥ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He break out” or “burst forth”; Notes: Describes YHWH’s wrath spreading like consuming fire.
- כָּאֵשׁ (ka-ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ (ʾesh); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “like fire”; Notes: Simile depicting divine judgment as an uncontrollable flame.
- בֵּית (beit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “house of”; Notes: Introduces the recipient of divine judgment, “the house of Yosef.”
- יֹוסֵף (Yosef) – Root: יסף (yasaf); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yosef”; Notes: Represents the northern tribes of Yisraʾel descended from Yosef, especially Ephraim.
- וְאָכְלָה (ve-ʾakhlah) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and it devour”; Notes: Refers to the consuming nature of the divine fire once unleashed.
- וְאֵין (ve-ʾein) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + particle of nonexistence; Translation: “and there is none”; Notes: Denies the existence of any one capable of quenching the fire.
- מְכַבֶּה (mekhabbeh) – Root: כבה (kavah); Form: Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “to quench”; Notes: Describes an extinguisher; no force can stop YHWH’s burning judgment.
- לְבֵית־אֵל (le-beit-El) – Root: בית (bayit) + אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun in construct; Translation: “for Beit-El”; Notes: The cultic center becomes the focus of YHWH’s unquenchable wrath.