כֹּה֮ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֒ כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יַצִּ֨יל הָרֹעֶ֜ה מִפִּ֧י הָאֲרִ֛י שְׁתֵּ֥י כְרָעַ֖יִם אֹ֣ו בְדַל־אֹ֑זֶן כֵּ֣ן יִנָּצְל֞וּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְרֹ֔ון בִּפְאַ֥ת מִטָּ֖ה וּבִדְמֶ֥שֶׁק עָֽרֶשׂ׃
Thus says YHWH: “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so shall the sons of Yisraʾel be rescued, those who dwell in Shomeron, in the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch.
Morphology
- כֹּה֮ (koh) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces a prophetic oracle formula, emphasizing direct divine speech.
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Standard verb introducing divine proclamation.
- יְהוָה֒ (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of Israel’s God, source of the prophetic declaration.
- כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ (kaʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction with prefix כְּ; Translation: “as” or “just as”; Notes: Introduces a simile comparing the shepherd’s act to YHWH’s deliverance.
- יַצִּ֨יל (yatsil) – Root: נצל (natsal); Form: Hiphil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “rescues” or “shall rescue”; Notes: Causative stem expressing deliverance—“cause to be saved.”
- הָרֹעֶ֜ה (ha-roʿeh) – Root: רעה (raʿah); Form: Definite article הַ + participle Qal masculine singular; Translation: “the shepherd”; Notes: Subject of the simile, representing one who tries to recover what is lost.
- מִפִּ֧י (mi-pi) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular construct + suffix 1st person singular (here with 3rd); Translation: “from the mouth of”; Notes: Indicates source or location of danger.
- הָאֲרִ֛י (ha-ari) – Root: ארה (ʾarah); Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the lion”; Notes: Symbol of destructive force, here representing calamity or enemy invasion.
- שְׁתֵּ֥י (shtei) – Root: שׁנים (shenayim); Form: Numeral feminine dual construct; Translation: “two”; Notes: Refers to a small remnant, emphasizing incompleteness.
- כְרָעַ֖יִם (kerayim) – Root: כרע (karaʿ); Form: Noun feminine dual; Translation: “legs”; Notes: Represents fragments of what was once whole—symbolizing the remnant of Yisraʾel.
- אֹ֣ו (ʾo) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Introduces an alternative in the simile.
- בְדַל־ (vedal) – Root: בדל (badal); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “a piece of”; Notes: Denotes a small fragment, reinforcing the image of minimal rescue.
- אֹ֑זֶן (ozen) – Root: אזן (ʾazen); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “an ear”; Notes: Paired with “two legs” as imagery of incomplete deliverance.
- כֵּ֣ן (ken) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Connects the analogy to the main statement, signifying correspondence.
- יִנָּצְל֞וּ (yinnatzlu) – Root: נצל (natsal); Form: Niphal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall be rescued”; Notes: Passive form indicating divine intervention or partial survival.
- בְּנֵ֣י (be-nei) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Construct plural; Translation: “sons of”; Notes: Refers to descendants or inhabitants.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the northern kingdom, the object of YHWH’s impending judgment.
- הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ (ha-yoshvim) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Definite article הַ + Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “who dwell”; Notes: Describes ongoing residence—those complacent in luxury.
- בְּשֹׁ֣מְרֹ֔ון (be-Shomeron) – Root: שׁמרון (Shomeron); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “in Shomeron”; Notes: Capital of the northern kingdom; seat of political and moral corruption.
- בִּפְאַ֥ת (bi-feʾat) – Root: פאה (peʾah); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “in the corner of”; Notes: Indicates partial location—metaphor for the few survivors clinging to comfort.
- מִטָּ֖ה (mittah) – Root: מטה (mittah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a bed”; Notes: Symbol of luxury and indulgence, highlighting complacency of the wealthy.
- וּבִדְמֶ֥שֶׁק (u-vi-dmesheq) – Root: דמשׂק (Dammaseq); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “and on the edge of a couch”; Notes: Possibly a loanword phrase meaning “damask” or luxurious fabric, emphasizing opulence rather than geography.
- עָֽרֶשׂ׃ (ʿares) – Root: ערשׂ (ʿeres); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a couch”; Notes: Concludes the image of decadence—those resting in comfort will scarcely survive the coming destruction.