Habakkuk 1:13

טְהֹ֤ור עֵינַ֨יִם֙ מֵרְאֹ֣ות רָ֔ע וְהַבִּ֥יט אֶל־עָמָ֖ל לֹ֣א תוּכָ֑ל לָ֤מָּה תַבִּיט֙ בֹּֽוגְדִ֔ים תַּחֲרִ֕ישׁ בְּבַלַּ֥ע רָשָׁ֖ע צַדִּ֥יק מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Purer are Your eyes than to see evil, and You are not able to look at trouble. Why do You look at traitors, and why do You remain silent when the wicked swallows one more righteous than he?

Morphology

1. טְהוֹר (tehor) – Root: טהר (tahar); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “pure”; Notes: Describes the moral purity attributed to YHWH’s eyes.
2. עֵינַיִם (einayim) – Root: עין (ayin); Form: Noun feminine dual; Translation: “eyes”; Notes: Dual form referring metaphorically to divine perception.
3. מֵרְאֹות (me-reʾot) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Preposition מִן + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “than to see”; Notes: Comparative construction expressing what YHWH’s pure eyes cannot tolerate.
4. רָע (raʿ) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Refers to moral corruption or wickedness.
5. וְהַבִּיט (ve-habbit) – Root: נבט (nabat); Form: Conjunction + Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “and to look”; Notes: Hifil intensifies: to gaze or regard attentively.
6. אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition; Translation: “at”; Notes: Marks the object of perception.
7. עָמָל (ʿamal) – Root: עמל (ʿamal); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “trouble”; Notes: Refers to injustice, suffering, or wrongdoing.
8. לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
9. תוּכָל (tukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Qal imperfect 2ms; Translation: “you are able”; Notes: Indicates moral impossibility, not lack of power.
10. לָמָּה (lammah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “why”; Notes: Introduces the prophet’s perplexity.
11. תַבִּיט (tabbit) – Root: נבט (nabat); Form: Hifil imperfect 2ms; Translation: “do you look”; Notes: Suggests active, attentive perception.
12. בֹּוגְדִים (bogedim) – Root: בגד (bagad); Form: Participle masculine plural; Translation: “traitors”; Notes: Those who act treacherously or faithlessly.
13. תַּחֲרִישׁ (taḥarish) – Root: חרשׁ (ḥarash); Form: Hifil imperfect 2ms; Translation: “do you remain silent”; Notes: Silence implies delayed or withheld intervention.
14. בְּבַלַּע (be-vallaʿ) – Root: בלע (balaʿ); Form: Preposition בְּ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “when swallowing”; Notes: Describes the predatory act of consuming or destroying.
15. רָשָׁע (rashaʿ) – Root: רשע (rashaʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “the wicked”; Notes: The oppressor who devours the righteous.
16. צַדִּיק (tzaddiq) – Root: צדק (tzadak); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the righteous”; Notes: Victim of the wicked man’s violence.
17. מִמֶּנּוּ (mi-mennu) – Root: מן (man); Form: Preposition מִן + suffix 3ms; Translation: “than he”; Notes: Comparative phrase: the wicked devours someone more righteous than himself.