כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י עַזָּ֔ה וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַל־הַגְלֹותָ֛ם גָּל֥וּת שְׁלֵמָ֖ה לְהַסְגִּ֥יר לֶאֱדֹֽום׃
Thus says YHWH: “For three transgressions of ʿAzza, and for four, I will not turn it back, because they carried away a complete exile to deliver them up to ʾEdom.
Morphology
- כֹּ֚ה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Standard prophetic introduction marking the authority of YHWH’s speech.
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has said”; Notes: Indicates a solemn prophetic declaration directly from YHWH.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of Israel’s God, asserting divine authorship of the judgment oracle.
- עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ (ʿal-sheloshah) – Root: שלשׁ (shalosh); Form: Preposition עַל + cardinal number masculine singular; Translation: “for three”; Notes: Begins the idiomatic expression “for three … and for four,” signifying repeated and intensified offenses.
- פִּשְׁעֵ֣י (pishʿei) – Root: פשע (pashaʿ); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “transgressions of”; Notes: Denotes rebellion or deliberate sin against divine or moral law.
- עַזָּ֔ה (ʿAzzah) – Root: עז (ʿaz); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “ʿAzzah” (Gaza); Notes: Major Philistine city; represents the collective sin of the Philistines in prophetic judgment.
- וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה (ve-ʿal-arbaʿah) – Root: ארבע (arbaʿ); Form: Conjunction + preposition עַל + cardinal number masculine singular; Translation: “and for four”; Notes: Completes the Hebrew idiom, meaning “for many or repeated transgressions.”
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb, emphasizing YHWH’s resolve to execute justice without reversal.
- אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ (ʾashivennu) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Hiphil imperfect 1st person singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “I will not turn it back”; Notes: Means YHWH will not retract or relent from His declared punishment.
- עַל־הַגְלֹותָ֛ם (ʿal-haglotam) – Root: גלה (galah); Form: Preposition עַל + Hiphil infinitive construct + suffix 3mp; Translation: “because of their carrying away”; Notes: Expresses the cause for judgment—the act of deporting captives.
- גָּל֥וּת (galut) – Root: גלה (galah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “exile” or “captivity”; Notes: Denotes the state of being exiled; paired with “complete” for emphasis.
- שְׁלֵמָ֖ה (shelemah) – Root: שלם (shalam); Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “complete” or “entire”; Notes: Indicates total deportation—no one was spared in the exile.
- לְהַסְגִּ֥יר (le-hasgīr) – Root: סגר (sagar); Form: Preposition לְ + Hiphil infinitive construct; Translation: “to deliver up”; Notes: Means to hand over or betray, implying collusion with enemies.
- לֶאֱדֹֽום׃ (le-ʾEdom) – Root: אדום (ʾEdom); Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “to ʾEdom”; Notes: Refers to the nation descended from Esau; symbolizes treacherous betrayal by turning over captives to hostile hands.