וְקָרַבְתִּ֣י אֲלֵיכֶם֮ לַמִּשְׁפָּט֒ וְהָיִ֣יתִי עֵ֣ד מְמַהֵ֗ר בַּֽמְכַשְּׁפִים֙ וּבַמְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים וּבַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים לַשָּׁ֑קֶר וּבְעֹשְׁקֵ֣י שְׂכַר־֠שָׂכִיר אַלְמָנָ֨ה וְיָתֹ֤ום וּמַטֵּי־גֵר֙ וְלֹ֣א יְרֵא֔וּנִי אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות׃
And I will draw near to you for judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those swearing to falsehood and against oppressors of the wage of a hired worker, widow and orphan, and those turning aside a sojourner, and they do not fear Me,” says YHWH of Hosts.
Morphology
- וְקָרַבְתִּי (ve-qaravti) – Root: קרב (qarav); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 1st person common singular with future sense; Translation: “And I will draw near”; Notes: Prophetic perfect expressing certainty.
- אֲלֵיכֶם (ʾaleikhem) – Root: —; Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Indicates direction toward the audience.
- לַמִּשְׁפָּט (la-mishpat) – Root: שׁפט (shafat); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “for the judgment”; Notes: Purpose of drawing near.
- וְהָיִיתִי (ve-hayiti) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 1st person common singular with future sense; Translation: “and I will be”; Notes: Continues prophetic declaration.
- עֵד (ʿed) – Root: עוד (ʿud); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “witness”; Notes: Legal terminology.
- מְמַהֵר (memaher) – Root: מהר (mahar); Form: Piel active participle masculine singular; Translation: “swift”; Notes: Indicates prompt action.
- בַּמְכַשְּׁפִים (ba-mekhashshefim) – Root: כשׁף (kashaf); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “against the sorcerers”; Notes: Practitioners of occult arts.
- וּבַמְנָאֲפִים (u-va-menaʾafim) – Root: נאף (naʾaf); Form: Conjunction וּ + preposition בְּ + definite Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “and against the adulterers”; Notes: Those committing marital unfaithfulness.
- וּבַנִּשְׁבָּעִים (u-va-nishbaʿim) – Root: שׁבע (shavaʿ); Form: Conjunction וּ + preposition בְּ + definite Nifal participle masculine plural; Translation: “and against those swearing”; Notes: Passive-reflexive stem.
- לַשָּׁקֶר (la-shaqer) – Root: שׁקר (shaqer); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “to falsehood”; Notes: Specifies the content of oath.
- וּבְעֹשְׁקֵי (u-ve-ʿoshqei) – Root: עשׁק (ʿashaq); Form: Conjunction וּ + preposition בְּ + Qal active participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “and against oppressors of”; Notes: In construct with following noun.
- שְׂכַר־ (sekhar) – Root: שׂכר (sakhar); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “wage of”; Notes: Payment due.
- שָׂכִיר (sakhir) – Root: שׂכר (sakhar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “hired worker”; Notes: Laborer employed for pay.
- אַלְמָנָה (ʾalmanah) – Root: אלמן; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “widow”; Notes: Vulnerable social group.
- וְיָתֹום (ve-yatom) – Root: יתום; Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and orphan”; Notes: Another vulnerable group.
- וּמַטֵּי־ (u-matte) – Root: נטה (natah); Form: Conjunction וּ + Hifil participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “and those turning aside”; Notes: Causing injustice.
- גֵר (ger) – Root: גור; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “sojourner”; Notes: Resident alien.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces final charge.
- יְרֵאוּנִי (yereʾuni) – Root: ירא (yareʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “they fear Me”; Notes: Reverential fear lacking.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Prophetic formula.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of God.
- צְבָאֹות (Tsevaʾot) – Root: צבא (tsava); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “Hosts”; Notes: Emphasizes divine authority.