Micah 7:18

מִי־אֵ֣ל כָּמֹ֗וךָ נֹשֵׂ֤א עָוֹן֙ וְעֹבֵ֣ר עַל־פֶּ֔שַׁע לִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית נַחֲלָתֹ֑ו לֹא־הֶחֱזִ֤יק לָעַד֙ אַפֹּ֔ו כִּֽי־חָפֵ֥ץ חֶ֖סֶד הֽוּא׃

Who is a God like You, bearing iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of His inheritance? He will not hold fast His anger forever, for He delights in steadfast love.

Morphology

1. מִי־ (mi) — Root: מי (m-y); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “who?”; Notes: Begins rhetorical question highlighting YHWH’s uniqueness.
2. אֵ֣ל (ʾel) — Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “God”; Notes: Title emphasizing might.
3. כָּמֹ֗וךָ (kamokha) — Root: כמו (k-m-w); Form: Preposition כְּ + pronoun 2ms; Translation: “like You”; Notes: Expresses incomparability.
4. נֹשֵׂ֤א (noseʾ) — Root: נשא (n-ś-ʾ); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “bearing”; Notes: Ongoing action of lifting/forgiving iniquity.
5. עָוֹן֙ (ʿavon) — Root: עון (ʿ-w-n); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “iniquity”; Notes: Moral guilt.
6. וְעֹבֵ֣ר (ve-ʿover) — Root: עבר (ʿ-v-r); Form: Conjunction ו + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “and passing over”; Notes: Forgiving or overlooking transgression.
7. עַל־פֶּ֔שַׁע (ʿal-peshaʿ) — Root: פשׁע (p-sh-ʿ); Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine singular; Translation: “over transgression”; Notes: Peshaʿ denotes rebellious sin.
8. לִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית (lishʾerit) — Root: שׁאר (sh-ʾ-r); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for the remnant of”; Notes: YHWH’s preserved people.
9. נַחֲלָתֹ֑ו (naḥalato) — Root: נחל (n-ḥ-l); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “His inheritance”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel as YHWH’s possession.
10. לֹא־ (lo) — Root: לא (l-ʾ); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
11. הֶחֱזִ֤יק (heḥezik) — Root: חזק (ḥ-z-q); Form: Hifil perfect 3ms; Translation: “He held fast”; Notes: Causative nuance—maintaining (anger).
12. לָעַד֙ (laʿad) — Root: עד (ʿ-d); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “forever”; Notes: Duration term.
13. אַפֹּ֔ו (appo) — Root: אף (ʾ-p); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “His anger”; Notes: Anger metaphorically tied to nose/face.
14. כִּֽי־ (ki) — Root: כי (k-y); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason.
15. חָפֵ֥ץ (ḥafets) — Root: חפץ (ḥ-p-ts); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “He delights”; Notes: Expresses divine preference.
16. חֶ֖סֶד (ḥesed) — Root: חסד (ḥ-s-d); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “steadfast love”; Notes: Covenant loyalty central to YHWH’s character.
17. הֽוּא (hu) — Root: הוא (h-w-ʾ); Form: Independent pronoun 3ms; Translation: “He”; Notes: Concluding emphasis on YHWH’s nature.