הֶחָפֹ֤ץ אֶחְפֹּץ֙ מֹ֣ות רָשָׁ֔ע נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה הֲלֹ֛וא בְּשׁוּבֹ֥ו מִדְּרָכָ֖יו וְחָיָֽה׃ ס
Do I indeed desire the death of the wicked?” declares the Lord YHWH, “is it not in his turning back from his ways that he may live?
Morphology
- הֶחָפֹץ (he-ḥafots) – Root: חפץ; Form: Interrogative particle + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “do I indeed desire?”; Notes: Rhetorical question form, expressing divine intent.
- אֶחְפֹּץ (eḥpots) – Root: חפץ; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “do I desire?”; Notes: Reinforces the interrogative nuance.
- מֹות (mot) – Root: מות; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “death”; Notes: Refers to the end of life, here in context of punishment.
- רָשָׁע (rashaʿ) – Root: רשע; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “wicked”; Notes: Designates a morally guilty person.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “utterance”; Notes: Technical prophetic formula introducing YHWH’s speech.
- אֲדֹנָי (Adonai) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun masculine plural of majesty; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Title used in reverence for God.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: היה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of God.
- הֲלֹוא (halo) – Root: לא; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “is it not?”; Notes: Introduces an emphatic rhetorical question.
- בְּשׁוּבֹו (be-shuvo) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in his turning back”; Notes: Indicates repentance or returning from evil ways.
- מִדְּרָכָיו (mi-derakhav) – Root: דרך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from his ways”; Notes: Refers to habitual actions or conduct.
- וְחָיָה (ve-ḥayah) – Root: חיה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with prefixed conjunction; Translation: “and he may live”; Notes: Expresses the result of repentance—life instead of death.