כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ פִּשְׁעֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ עַֽל־מָאֳסָ֞ם אֶת־תֹּורַ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה וְחֻקָּיו֙ לֹ֣א שָׁמָ֔רוּ וַיַּתְעוּם֙ כִּזְבֵיהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הָלְכ֥וּ אֲבֹותָ֖ם אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃
Thus says YHWH: “For three transgressions of Yehuda, and for four, I will not turn it back, because they have despised the Torah of YHWH and have not kept His statutes; and their lies have led them astray, after which their fathers walked.
Morphology
- כֹּ֚ה (koh) – Root: כה; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Standard introductory formula in prophetic oracles marking divine speech.
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has said”; Notes: Introduces the declaration of YHWH.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- עַל־שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ (ʿal-sheloshah) – Root: שלשׁ; Form: Preposition עַל + cardinal number masculine singular; Translation: “for three”; Notes: Part of the idiomatic phrase “for three and for four,” expressing cumulative transgression.
- פִּשְׁעֵ֣י (pishʿei) – Root: פשע; Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “transgressions of”; Notes: Refers to deliberate rebellion against divine authority.
- יְהוּדָ֔ה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the southern kingdom, Judah, distinct from Yisraʾel in prophetic judgment.
- וְעַל־אַרְבָּעָ֖ה (ve-ʿal-arbaʿah) – Root: ארבע; Form: Conjunction + preposition עַל + cardinal number masculine singular; Translation: “and for four”; Notes: Completes the idiom of overflowing sinfulness.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb, indicating YHWH’s resolve not to revoke judgment.
- אֲשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ (ʾashivennu) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Hiphil imperfect 1st person singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “I will not turn it back”; Notes: Indicates irreversible divine retribution.
- עַֽל־מָאֳסָ֞ם (ʿal-maʾosam) – Root: מאס; Form: Preposition עַל + Qal infinitive construct with 3mp suffix; Translation: “because they have despised”; Notes: The verb conveys rejection or disdain for divine instruction.
- אֶת־תֹּורַ֣ת (ʾet-torat) – Root: תורה; Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “the Torah of”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s revealed instruction or law.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Emphasizes whose Torah was rejected — the covenant God Himself.
- וְחֻקָּיו֙ (ve-ḥuqqav) – Root: חקק; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural with 3ms suffix; Translation: “and His statutes”; Notes: Refers to binding decrees or fixed regulations established by YHWH.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Reiterates Judah’s disobedience.
- שָׁמָ֔רוּ (shamaru) – Root: שׁמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they kept”; Notes: Expresses the failure to observe or guard YHWH’s statutes.
- וַיַּתְעוּם֙ (va-yatʿum) – Root: תעה; Form: Conjunction + Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine plural + suffix 3mp; Translation: “and they led them astray”; Notes: Indicates deception by falsehood or idolatrous influences.
- כִּזְבֵיהֶ֔ם (kizveihem) – Root: כזב; Form: Noun masculine plural with 3mp suffix; Translation: “their lies”; Notes: Refers to false gods or deceptive beliefs that misled them.
- אֲשֶׁר־הָלְכ֥וּ (ʾasher-halkhu) – Root: הלך; Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “which they walked”; Notes: Refers to following the same idolatrous ways as their ancestors.
- אֲבֹותָ֖ם (ʾavotam) – Root: אב; Form: Noun masculine plural with 3mp suffix; Translation: “their fathers”; Notes: Refers to earlier generations who rejected divine truth.
- אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ (ʾaḥareihem) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition אַחַר + third mp suffix; Translation: “after them”; Notes: Describes imitation of ancestral wrongdoing, perpetuating rebellion through generations.