לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הִנְנִ֛י מֵבִ֥יא עָלַ֖יִךְ חָ֑רֶב וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י מִמֵּ֖ךְ אָדָ֥ם וּבְהֵמָֽה׃
Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: “Behold, I am bringing a sword upon you, and I will cut off from you man and beast.
Morphology
- לָכֵן (lakhen) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Introduces a conclusion or consequence drawn from the preceding divine indictment.
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Used in prophetic discourse to introduce a solemn divine declaration.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Common prophetic formula introducing the direct speech of YHWH.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun plural of majesty; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Denotes sovereign authority; joined with YHWH as a compound title.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel, emphasizing divine action and being.
- הִנְנִי (hineni) – Root: הן (hen); Form: Interjection + 1st person common singular pronominal suffix; Translation: “Behold, I”; Notes: Marks divine readiness and immediacy of action.
- מֵבִיא (meviʾ) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Hifil participle masculine singular; Translation: “am bringing”; Notes: Causative form expressing YHWH’s active role in introducing judgment.
- עָלַיִךְ (ʿalayikh) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל + second person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “upon you”; Notes: Feminine suffix identifies the addressee—Mitsrayim (Egypt)—as the target of judgment.
- חָרֶב (ḥerev) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “sword”; Notes: Symbol of war and divine retribution; often used metaphorically for invading armies.
- וְהִכְרַתִּי (ve-hikhratti) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Conjunction וְ + Hifil perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “and I will cut off”; Notes: Causative form denoting extermination or destruction, often divine judgment formula.
- מִמֵּךְ (mimmekh) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition מִן (assimilated to מִמְּ) + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “from you”; Notes: Indicates the removal or eradication of life from Egypt.
- אָדָם (ʾadam) – Root: אדם (ʾadam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “man”; Notes: Refers generically to human beings within Egypt’s population.
- וּבְהֵמָה (u-vehemah) – Root: בהמה (behemah); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and beast”; Notes: Indicates comprehensive devastation—both human and animal life will perish under divine judgment.