הַשְּׂמֵחִ֖ים לְלֹ֣א דָבָ֑ר הָאֹ֣מְרִ֔ים הֲלֹ֣וא בְחָזְקֵ֔נוּ לָקַ֥חְנוּ לָ֖נוּ קַרְנָֽיִם׃
Those who rejoice over a thing of nothing, who say, “Have we not taken horns for ourselves by our own strength?”
Morphology
- הַשְּׂמֵחִים (ha-semeḥim) – Root: שׂמח (sameaḥ); Form: Definite article הַ + Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “those who rejoice”; Notes: Describes the arrogant rejoicing of the complacent in Yisraʾel, finding joy in emptiness or delusion.
- לְלֹא (le-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Preposition לְ + negative particle; Translation: “over nothing”; Notes: Expresses the futility of their rejoicing—celebrating vain achievements.
- דָבָר (davar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “thing” or “matter”; Notes: Refers to something insignificant—used here ironically to emphasize their emptiness of purpose.
- הָאֹמְרִים (ha-ʾomrim) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Definite article הַ + Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “who say”; Notes: Introduces the boastful declaration of self-reliance that follows.
- הֲלֹוא (halo) – Root: —; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “Have we not”; Notes: Used rhetorically to assert prideful confidence in their own power.
- בְחָזְקֵנוּ (be-ḥozqenu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Preposition בְ + noun feminine singular construct + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “by our strength”; Notes: Expression of self-sufficiency—crediting success to human might rather than YHWH.
- לָקַחְנוּ (laqachnu) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common plural; Translation: “we have taken”; Notes: Indicates the act of claiming or seizing, often with prideful implication.
- לָנוּ (lanu) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “for ourselves”; Notes: Emphasizes self-interest and self-glorification in contrast to divine dependence.
- קַרְנָיִם (qarnayim) – Root: קרן (qeren); Form: Noun feminine dual; Translation: “horns”; Notes: Symbol of power and victory; their boast shows misplaced trust in human strength instead of YHWH’s might.