לָכֵן֙ הָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׁמְע֖וּ דְּבַר־אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְ֠הוִה לֶהָרִ֨ים וְלַגְּבָעֹ֜ות לָאֲפִיקִ֣ים וְלַגֵּאָיֹ֗ות וְלֶחֳרָבֹ֤ות הַשֹּֽׁמְמֹות֙ וְלֶעָרִ֣ים הַנֶּעֱזָבֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָי֤וּ לְבַז֙ וּלְלַ֔עַג לִשְׁאֵרִ֥ית הַגֹּויִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִסָּבִֽיב׃ ס
“Therefore, mountains of Yisraʾel, hear the word of the Lord YHWH: ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a spoil and a mockery to the remnant of the nations that are round about.
Morphology
- לָכֵן (lakhen) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Introduces a divine pronouncement or consequence.
- הָרֵי (harei) – Root: הר (har); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “mountains of”; Notes: Construct form connecting to “Yisraʾel.”
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the land and people of Yisraʾel collectively.
- שִׁמְעוּ (shimʿu) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “hear”; Notes: A direct command to the mountains, personifying them as witnesses.
- דְּבַר־ (devar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “word of”; Notes: In construct relationship with “Adonai YHWH.”
- אֲדֹנָי (Adonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural of majesty; Translation: “my Lord”; Notes: Title expressing divine sovereignty, often used with YHWH.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God, rendered as LORD in most English Bibles.
- כֹּה־אָמַר (koh-ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Particle “thus” + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “thus says”; Notes: Standard prophetic introduction formula.
- אֲדֹנָי (Adonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural of majesty; Translation: “my Lord”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis of divine authority.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal covenantal name of Israel’s God.
- לֶהָרִים (le-harim) – Root: הר (har); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “to the mountains”; Notes: Marks the indirect object of YHWH’s address.
- וְלַגְּבָעֹות (ve-la-gevʿot) – Root: גבעה (givʿah); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition לְ + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “and to the hills”; Notes: Adds parallel terrain elements in the divine address.
- לָאֲפִיקִים (la-afiqim) – Root: אפיק (afiq); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “to the ravines”; Notes: Refers to channels or valleys carved by water.
- וְלַגֵּאָיֹות (ve-la-geʾayot) – Root: גיא (gayʾ); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition לְ + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “and to the valleys”; Notes: Continues the geographical imagery of Yisraʾel’s land.
- וְלֶחֳרָבֹות (ve-le-ḥoravot) – Root: חרבה (ḥorvah); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition לְ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “and to the ruins”; Notes: Describes desolate or destroyed sites.
- הַשֹּׁמְמֹות (ha-shomemot) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Definite adjective feminine plural; Translation: “the desolate”; Notes: Describes the state of devastation.
- וְלֶעָרִים (ve-le-ʿarim) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition לְ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “and to the cities”; Notes: Extends the divine address to urban centers.
- הַנֶּעֱזָבֹות (ha-neʿezavot) – Root: עזב (ʿazav); Form: Definite passive participle feminine plural; Translation: “that are forsaken”; Notes: Refers to cities abandoned after invasion or desolation.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause describing the condition of these places.
- הָיוּ (hayu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they became”; Notes: Describes a completed state of transformation or result.
- לְבַז (le-vaz) – Root: בז (baz); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a spoil”; Notes: Indicates purpose or result, becoming plunder.
- וּלְלַעַג (u-le-laʿag) – Root: לעג (laʿag); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and for a mockery”; Notes: Signifies humiliation before surrounding nations.
- לִשְׁאֵרִית (li-sheʾerit) – Root: שׁאר (shaʾar); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “to the remnant of”; Notes: Refers to the surviving portion of the nations.
- הַגֹּויִם (ha-goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the nations”; Notes: Denotes Gentile peoples around Yisraʾel.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Links the clause describing the nations’ surrounding position.
- מִסָּבִיב (mi-saviv) – Root: סבב (savav); Form: Preposition מִן + adverb/noun; Translation: “around”; Notes: Denotes spatial encirclement or proximity.