Amos 7:16

וְעַתָּ֖ה שְׁמַ֣ע דְּבַר־יְהוָ֑ה אַתָּ֣ה אֹמֵ֗ר לֹ֤א תִנָּבֵא֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹ֥א תַטִּ֖יף עַל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂחָֽק׃

And now, hear the word of YHWH: You are saying, ‘Do not prophesy against Yisraʾel, and do not preach against the house of Yitsḥaq.’

Morphology

1. וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Conjunction וְ + adverb; Translation: “and now”; Notes: Marks transition to divine pronouncement following Amos’s defense—an emphatic shift from narrative to oracle.
2. שְׁמַע (shemaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “hear”; Notes: A divine summons, commonly used in prophetic literature, demanding attentive obedience.
3. דְּבַר־יְהוָה (devar-YHWH) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “the word of YHWH”; Notes: Formulaic expression introducing an oracle; emphasizes divine authority over human objections.
4. אַתָּה (attah) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers directly to Amatsyah, contrasting divine command with human resistance.
5. אֹמֵר (ʾomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “are saying”; Notes: Continuous aspect—Amatsyah repeatedly instructs Amos not to prophesy, showing ongoing opposition.
6. לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Used here to express direct prohibition against prophetic activity.
7. תִנָּבֵא (tinnave) – Root: נבא (navaʾ); Form: Nifal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “prophesy”; Notes: Reflexive stem meaning “to act as a prophet.” The phrase expresses Amatsyah’s command forbidding Amos’s divine commission.
8. עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל (ʿal-Yisraʾel) – Root: על (ʿal) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Preposition עַל + proper noun; Translation: “against Yisraʾel”; Notes: Denotes direction of prophecy—Amos’s oracles are viewed as adversarial criticism of the northern kingdom.
9. וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and do not”; Notes: Parallel negation intensifying the prohibition.
10. תַטִּיף (tattif) – Root: נטף (nataf); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “preach” or “drop words”; Notes: Literally “to drip” or “to pour forth,” metaphorically used for prophetic speech; often conveys disdain from the listener’s perspective.
11. עַל־בֵּית (ʿal-beit) – Root: על (ʿal) + בית (bayit); Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “against the house of”; Notes: Introduces the target of the oracle.
12. יִשְׂחָק (Yitsḥaq) – Root: צחק (tsachaq); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yitsḥaq”; Notes: Used synecdochically for the northern tribes descended from Yitsḥaq, paralleling “Yisraʾel.” Highlights familial covenant lineage.