הִנֵּ֣ה יָמִ֣ים בָּאִ֗ים נְאֻ֙ם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ לֹֽא־רָעָ֤ב לַלֶּ֨חֶם֙ וְלֹֽא־צָמָ֣א לַמַּ֔יִם כִּ֣י אִם־לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord YHWH, “when I will send a famine in the land—not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of YHWH.
Morphology
- הִנֵּה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Draws emphatic attention to the coming prophetic announcement.
- יָמִים (yamim) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “days”; Notes: Refers to future times of significant divine intervention.
- בָּאִים (baʾim) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are coming”; Notes: Indicates inevitability—the days are already on their way.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “declaration”; Notes: A formal prophetic utterance formula introducing YHWH’s direct speech.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾAdonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural of majesty used as singular; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: A title of divine authority paired with YHWH.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּי (ve-hishlaḥti) – Root: שלח (shalach); Form: Conjunction וְ + Hifil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I will send”; Notes: Hifil expresses causation—YHWH actively sends the coming famine.
- רָעָב (raʿav) – Root: רעב (raʿav); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a famine”; Notes: Refers to a devastating absence, soon clarified as spiritual rather than physical.
- בָּאָרֶץ (ba-ʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾarets); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the land”; Notes: Refers to the land of Yisraʾel as the place where the famine occurs.
- לֹא־ (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Begins a strong negation clarifying the nature of the famine.
- רָעָב (raʿav) – Root: רעב (raʿav); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a famine”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis—specifying what the famine is *not*.
- לַלֶּחֶם (la-leḥem) – Root: לחם (leḥem); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “for the bread”; Notes: Indicates that physical food is not the cause of the famine.
- וְלֹא־ (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “nor”; Notes: Continues the negation by adding a second non-physical lack.
- צָמָא (tzama) – Root: צמא (tzamaʾ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a thirst”; Notes: Parallels “famine”—indicates not literal thirst.
- לַמַּיִם (la-mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural (dual form); Translation: “for the waters”; Notes: Refers to literal drinking water, which is *not* what is absent.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “but”; Notes: Introduces the contrast—the real type of famine.
- אִם־ (ʾim) – Root: אם (ʾim); Form: Particle of emphatic exception; Translation: “rather”; Notes: Means “but rather,” reinforcing the distinction.
- לִשְׁמֹעַ (lishmoaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to hear”; Notes: Indicates the true object of famine—the ability to hear YHWH’s words.
- אֵת (et) – Root: Particle; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: (untranslated); Notes: Marks “the words of YHWH” as the object of hearing.
- דִּבְרֵי (divrei) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the words of”; Notes: In construct with YHWH, referring to divine revelation.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Emphasizes the solemn nature of the coming spiritual famine.