וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח אֲמַצְיָה֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל אֶל־יָרָבְעָ֥ם מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר קָשַׁ֨ר עָלֶ֜יךָ עָמֹ֗וס בְּקֶ֨רֶב֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹא־תוּכַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ לְהָכִ֖יל אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרָֽיו׃
And Amatsya, the priest of Beit-el, sent to Yarovʿam king of Yisraʾel, saying, “ʿAmos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Yisraʾel; the land is not able to bear all his words.”
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁלַח (va-yishlaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he sent”; Notes: Marks the beginning of Amatsyah’s political action against Amos.
- אֲמַצְיָה (ʾAmatsyah) – Root: אמץ (ʾamats); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Amatsyah”; Notes: The priest at Beit-El who opposed the prophet Amos.
- כֹּהֵן (kohen) – Root: כהן (kohen); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “priest”; Notes: Refers to a religious functionary at the royal sanctuary of Beit-El, associated with the northern cult.
- בֵּית־אֵל (beit-ʾEl) – Root: בית (bayit) + אל (ʾel); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “Beit-El”; Notes: The main cultic center of the northern kingdom, corrupted by idolatry.
- אֶל־יָרָבְעָם (el-Yarovʿam) – Root: ירבעם (Yarovʿam); Form: Preposition אֶל + proper noun; Translation: “to Yarovʿam”; Notes: Denotes the addressee, the reigning king of Yisraʾel.
- מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל (melekh-Yisraʾel) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “king of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Specifies Yarovʿam’s royal title.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of the message delivered by Amatsyah.
- קָשַׁר (qashar) – Root: קשר (qashar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has conspired”; Notes: Political term meaning to plot or form a rebellion against the king.
- עָלֶיךָ (ʿalekha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “against you”; Notes: Identifies Yarovʿam as the target of the alleged conspiracy.
- עָמֹוס (ʿAmos) – Root: עמס (ʿamas); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “ʿAmos”; Notes: The prophet whose message of judgment provoked political opposition.
- בְּקֶרֶב (be-qerev) – Root: קרב (qerev); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the midst of”; Notes: Refers to the heart of the nation where Amos’s words were spreading.
- בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל (beit-Yisraʾel) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “the house of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the northern kingdom collectively.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Introduces a statement of impossibility or incapacity.
- תוּכַל (tukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “is able”; Notes: Refers to the land (feminine) being unable to tolerate the prophet’s words.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Represents the nation or its inhabitants collectively.
- לְהָכִיל (le-hakhil) – Root: כול (kul); Form: Preposition לְ + Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to bear” or “to contain”; Notes: Describes the incapacity to endure the prophet’s message of judgment.
- אֶת־כָּל (et-kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular; Translation: “all”; Notes: Introduces the object of endurance—Amos’s words.
- דְּבָרָיו (devarav) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his words”; Notes: Refers to Amos’s prophetic utterances, viewed as subversive to royal authority.