וְהֵ֗מָּה לֹ֤א יָֽדְעוּ֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ות יְהוָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א הֵבִ֖ינוּ עֲצָתֹ֑ו כִּ֥י קִבְּצָ֖ם כֶּעָמִ֥יר גֹּֽרְנָה׃
But they do not know the thoughts of YHWH and they do not understand His counsel for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
Morphology
- וְהֵמָּה (ve-hemmah) — Root: הם (hem); Form: Conjunction וְ + independent pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “but they”; Notes: Refers to the hostile nations gathered against Tsiyyon.
- לֹא (lo) — Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Absolute negation of awareness.
- יָדְעוּ (yadʿu) — Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they knew / they know”; Notes: Perfect used with present sense: they are ignorant.
- מַחְשְׁבוֹת (maḥshevot) — Root: חשב (ḥashav); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “thoughts / plans”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s hidden intentions.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) — Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The One whose purposes remain concealed from the nations.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) — Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Continues the description of ignorance.
- הֵבִינוּ (hevinu) — Root: בין (bin); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they understood”; Notes: Hifil expresses caused understanding—here, its absence.
- עֲצָתוֹ (ʿatsato) — Root: עץ / עצה (ʿatsah); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “His counsel”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s sovereign plan regarding the nations.
- כִּי (ki) — Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for their ignorance.
- קִבְּצָם (qibbetsam) — Root: קבץ (qavats); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular + suffix 3mp; Translation: “He has gathered them”; Notes: Piel intensifies: God intentionally amasses them.
- כֶּעָמִיר (ke-ʿamir) — Root: עמיר (ʿamir); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like sheaves”; Notes: Agricultural metaphor for heaps of nations.
- גֹּרְנָה (gorenah) — Root: גרן (goren); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “the threshing floor”; Notes: Symbol of judgment: gathered nations await divine threshing.