ק֠וּם לֵ֧ךְ אֶל־נִֽינְוֵ֛ה הָעִ֥יר הַגְּדֹולָ֖ה וּקְרָ֣א עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּֽי־עָלְתָ֥ה רָעָתָ֖ם לְפָנָֽי׃
“Rise, go to Nineve the great city, and call against it, for their evil has come up before Me.”
Morphology
- ק֠וּם (qum) – Root: קום (q-w-m); Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “Rise”; Notes: Command initiating prophetic mission.
- לֵ֧ךְ (lekh) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “go”; Notes: Common verb of movement in divine missions.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition אֶל; Translation: “to”; Notes: Marks direction toward the city.
- נִֽינְוֵ֛ה (Ninveh) – Root: נינוה (n-y-n-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Nineveh”; Notes: Capital of Assyria, target of the prophetic call.
- הָעִ֥יר (ha-ʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿ-y-r); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the city”; Notes: Apposition emphasizing its significance.
- הַגְּדֹולָ֖ה (ha-gedolah) – Root: גדל (g-d-l); Form: Definite adjective feminine singular; Translation: “the great”; Notes: Describes Nineveh’s size or prominence.
- וּקְרָ֣א (u-qera) – Root: קרא (q-r-ʾ); Form: Conjunction וּ + Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “and call”; Notes: Summons Yonah to proclaim judgment.
- עָלֶ֑יהָ (ʿaleha) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 3fs; Translation: “against it”; Notes: Indicates proclamation directed toward Nineveh.
- כִּֽי־עָלְתָ֥ה (ki-ʿaltah) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Particle + Qal perfect 3fs; Translation: “for has come up”; Notes: “Her evil” is the implicit feminine subject.
- רָעָתָ֖ם (raʿatam) – Root: רעע (r-ʿ-ʿ); Form: Noun feminine singular construct + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their evil”; Notes: Refers to the collective wickedness of Nineveh.
- לְפָנָֽי (lefanay) – Root: פן (p-n); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural with 1cs suffix; Translation: “before Me”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s awareness of their deeds.