כִּֽי־קָרֹ֣וב יֹ֔ום וְקָרֹ֥וב יֹ֖ום לַֽיהוָ֑ה יֹ֣ום עָנָ֔ן עֵ֥ת גֹּויִ֖ם יִֽהְיֶֽה׃
For near is the day, yes, near is the day of YHWH; a day of cloud; it shall be the time of the nations.
Morphology
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason or explanation for the lamentation commanded in the previous verse.
- קָרֹוב (qarov) – Root: קרב (qarav); Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “near”; Notes: Expresses imminence; often used in eschatological contexts referring to divine intervention.
- יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “day”; Notes: Refers here to a specific prophetic “day of YHWH,” a time of judgment or reckoning.
- וְקָרֹוב (ve-qarov) – Root: קרב (qarav); Form: Adjective masculine singular with conjunction וְ; Translation: “and near”; Notes: The repetition intensifies the urgency of the message—immediate fulfillment expected.
- יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “day”; Notes: Repetition reinforces prophetic focus on the “day” as a moment of divine intervention.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun (Tetragrammaton); Translation: “for YHWH”; Notes: Denotes possession—“the day belonging to YHWH,” emphasizing His control over coming judgment.
- יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a day”; Notes: Continues the poetic repetition, building the solemn rhythm of the oracle.
- עָנָן (ʿanan) – Root: ענן (ʿanan); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “cloud”; Notes: Symbolic of darkness and divine presence in judgment; evokes the imagery of storm and destruction.
- עֵת (ʿet) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “time”; Notes: Denotes a specific appointed season or epoch.
- גֹּויִם (goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Refers to Gentile peoples—here, those destined to experience divine judgment.
- יִהְיֶה (yihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “it shall be”; Notes: Predictive verb expressing certainty—marks the unfolding of divine decree.