לָכֵ֣ן אֱמֹ֗ר כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ כִּ֤י הִרְחַקְתִּים֙ בַּגֹּויִ֔ם וְכִ֥י הֲפִֽיצֹותִ֖ים בָּאֲרָצֹ֑ות וָאֱהִ֤י לָהֶם֙ לְמִקְדָּ֣שׁ מְעַ֔ט בָּאֲרָצֹ֖ות אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אוּ שָֽׁם׃ ס
Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH: “Though I have removed them far off among the nations, and though I have scattered them among the lands, yet I have been to them as a sanctuary for a little while in the lands where they have come.”’
Morphology
- לָכֵן (lakhen) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Introduces the divine response.
- אֱמֹר (ʾemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “say”; Notes: Command to the prophet to declare YHWH’s word.
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Formula introducing divine speech.
- אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Part of the standard prophetic formula.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun “Lord”; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Title of authority, paired with YHWH.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “though/because”; Notes: Here concessive: “though.”
- הִרְחַקְתִּים (hirḥaqtim) – Root: רחק; Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “I have removed them far”; Notes: Causative action of dispersal.
- בַּגֹּויִם (ba-goyim) – Root: גוי; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “among the nations”; Notes: Refers to dispersion among foreign peoples.
- וְכִי (ve-ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and though”; Notes: Parallel concessive clause.
- הֲפִיצֹותִים (haphitsotim) – Root: פוץ; Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “I have scattered them”; Notes: Describes dispersion across the lands.
- בָּאֲרָצֹות (ba-aratsot) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “in the lands”; Notes: Indicates broad geographic dispersal.
- וָאֱהִי (va-ʾehi) – Root: היה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1st person singular; Translation: “yet I became”; Notes: Expresses YHWH’s continuing relationship.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to exiled Yisraʾel.
- לְמִקְדָּשׁ (le-miqdash) – Root: קדשׁ; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as a sanctuary”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s presence as their holy place in exile.
- מְעַט (meʿat) – Root: מעט; Form: Adjective/adverb masculine singular; Translation: “for a little (while)”; Notes: Suggests either limited time or measure of presence.
- בָּאֲרָצֹות (ba-aratsot) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “in the lands”; Notes: Repetition stresses dispersion context.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “where”; Notes: Introduces location clause.
- בָּאוּ (baʾu) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have come”; Notes: Arrival of the exiles in foreign lands.
- שָׁם (sham) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Marks the location of exile.