Malachi 1:2

אָהַ֤בְתִּי אֶתְכֶם֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמָּ֣ה אֲהַבְתָּ֑נוּ הֲלֹוא־אָ֨ח עֵשָׂ֤ו לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וָאֹהַ֖ב אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹֽב׃

“I have loved you,” said YHWH, and you have said, “In what have You loved us?” “Is not ʿEsav a brother to Yaʿaqov,” declares YHWH, “yet I loved Yaʿaqov.

Morphology

1. אָהַבְתִּי (ʾahavti) – Root: אהב (ʾahav); Form: Qal Perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have loved”; Notes: Perfect form expressing completed action with present covenantal force.
2. אֶתְכֶם (ʾetkhem) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Marks definite direct object with pronominal suffix.
3. אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal Perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Introduces the divine utterance.
4. יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: — (YHWH); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel.
5. וַאֲמַרְתֶּם (vaʾamartem) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal Perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and you have said”; Notes: וַ links the response of the people to YHWH’s declaration.
6. בַּמָּה (bammah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Preposition בְּ + interrogative pronoun מָה; Translation: “in what”; Notes: The בְּ expresses basis or means of action.
7. אֲהַבְתָּנוּ (ʾahavtanu) – Root: אהב (ʾahav); Form: Qal Perfect 2nd person masculine singular + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “You have loved us”; Notes: Direct address to YHWH with attached object suffix.
8. הֲלֹוא (haloʾ) – Root: — (loʾ); Form: Interrogative particle הֲ + negative particle לֹא; Translation: “Is not”; Notes: Rhetorical question expecting affirmation.
9. אָח (ʾaḥ) – Root: אח (ʾaḥ); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a brother”; Notes: Denotes kinship relationship.
10. עֵשָׂו (ʿEsaw) – Root: — (ʿEsaw); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “ʿEsav”; Notes: Elder twin of Yaʿaqov.
11. לְיַעֲקֹב (le-Yaʿaqov) – Root: יעקב (Yaʿaqov); Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “to Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Indicates relational reference or connection.
12. נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “declaration”; Notes: Prophetic formula introducing divine speech.
13. יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: — (YHWH); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Repetition intensifies divine authority of the statement.
14. וָאֹהַב (vaʾohav) – Root: אהב (ʾahav); Form: Conjunction וָ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 1st person common singular; Translation: “and I loved”; Notes: Wayyiqtol expresses decisive historical action.
15. אֶת (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Marks the following noun as definite direct object.
16. יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: יעקב (Yaʿaqov); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Patriarch whose name becomes synonymous with Yisraʾel.