לָכֵ֣ן חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ אִם־לֹ֗א יַ֚עַן אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁ֣י טִמֵּ֔את בְּכָל־שִׁקּוּצַ֖יִךְ וּבְכָל־תֹּועֲבֹתָ֑יִךְ וְגַם־אֲנִ֤י אֶגְרַע֙ וְלֹא־תָחֹ֣וס עֵינִ֔י וְגַם־אֲנִ֖י לֹ֥א אֶחְמֹֽול׃
‘Therefore, as I live,’ declares the Lord YHWH, ‘surely because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, I also will diminish, and my eye shall not spare, and I also will not have compassion.
Morphology
- לָכֵן (lakhen) – Root: כן; Form: Conjunction/adverb; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Introduces solemn divine declaration of judgment.
- חַי (ḥai) – Root: חי; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “live”; Notes: Forms part of an oath formula “as I live.”
- אָנִי (ʾani) – Root: אני; Form: Independent pronoun 1cs; Translation: “I”; Notes: Subject of the oath.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם; Form: Noun masculine singular in construct; Translation: “utterance / declaration”; Notes: Prophetic formula marking divine speech.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun masculine plural of majesty; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Title of sovereignty.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Divine covenant name.
- אִם־לֹא (im-lo) – Root: אם + לא; Form: Conditional particle + negative; Translation: “surely”; Notes: Idiomatic oath construction: “surely because.”
- יַעַן (yaʿan) – Root: ען; Form: Preposition/conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces reason for judgment.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Marks “my sanctuary” as direct object.
- מִקְדָּשִׁי (mikdashi) – Root: קדשׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular + 1cs suffix; Translation: “my sanctuary”; Notes: Refers to the temple in Yerushalayim.
- טִמֵּאת (timmeʾt) – Root: טמא; Form: Piel perfect 2fs; Translation: “you have defiled”; Notes: Addressed to Yerushalayim as feminine.
- בְּכָל־ (be-khol) – Root: כל; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “with all of”; Notes: Emphasizes totality of offenses.
- שִׁקּוּצַיִךְ (shiqqutzayikh) – Root: שׁקץ; Form: Noun masculine plural + 2fs suffix; Translation: “your detestable things”; Notes: Refers to idolatrous practices.
- וּבְכָל־ (u-ve-khol) – Root: כל; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun construct; Translation: “and with all of.”
- תֹּועֲבֹתָיִךְ (toʿavotayikh) – Root: תעב; Form: Noun feminine plural + 2fs suffix; Translation: “your abominations”; Notes: Refers to abominable, defiling acts.
- וְגַם־אֲנִי (ve-gam-ani) – Root: גם; Form: Conjunction + adverb + pronoun 1cs; Translation: “and I also”; Notes: Parallel repetition stressing reciprocity of judgment.
- אֶגְרַע (egraʿ) – Root: גרע; Form: Qal imperfect 1cs; Translation: “I will diminish / cut back”; Notes: Refers to reducing prosperity or cutting down the people.
- וְלֹא־תָחֹוס (ve-lo-taḥos) – Root: חוס; Form: Qal imperfect 3fs with negative; Translation: “and my eye shall not spare”; Notes: Eye personified as withholding pity.
- עֵינִי (ʿeini) – Root: עין; Form: Noun feminine singular + 1cs suffix; Translation: “my eye”; Notes: Anthropomorphic expression of divine mercy withheld.
- וְגַם־אֲנִי (ve-gam-ani) – Root: גם; Form: Conjunction + adverb + pronoun 1cs (repeated); Translation: “and I also”; Notes: Emphasizes certainty of YHWH’s resolve.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not.”
- אֶחְמֹול (eḥmol) – Root: חמל; Form: Qal imperfect 1cs; Translation: “I will have compassion”; Notes: Denial of divine mercy toward Yerushalayim.