תְּחִלַּ֥ת דִּבֶּר־יְהוָ֖ה בְּהֹושֵׁ֑עַ פ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־הֹושֵׁ֗עַ לֵ֣ךְ קַח־לְךָ֞ אֵ֤שֶׁת זְנוּנִים֙ וְיַלְדֵ֣י זְנוּנִ֔ים כִּֽי־זָנֹ֤ה תִזְנֶה֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵֽאַחֲרֵ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
The beginning of the word of YHWH through Hoshea; and YHWH said to Hoshea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom, for the land surely plays the harlot, departing from YHWH.”
Morphology
- תְּחִלַּת (teḥillat) – Root: חלל (ḥ-l-l); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “beginning of”; Notes: Denotes the starting point or inception of prophetic activity.
- דִּבֶּר־ (dibber) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “speaking of”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s act of communicating through the prophet; Piel intensifies the verbal sense.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Proper noun (Tetragrammaton); Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel, signifying His eternal presence.
- בְּהֹושֵׁעַ (be-Hoshea) – Root: ישע (y-š-ʿ); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “through Hoshea”; Notes: Indicates the prophetic agent through whom YHWH’s word was delivered.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3ms; Translation: “and He said”; Notes: Introduces divine speech in narrative progression.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Proper noun (Tetragrammaton); Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Repetition marks divine authority over the prophetic command.
- אֶל־ (ʾel) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Marks the recipient of YHWH’s speech.
- הֹושֵׁעַ (Hoshea) – Root: ישע (y-š-ʿ); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Hoshea”; Notes: The prophet’s name means “salvation.”
- לֵךְ (lekh) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Go”; Notes: Command initiating prophetic symbolic action.
- קַח־ (qaḥ) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “take”; Notes: Directive to marry as a prophetic sign-act.
- לְךָ (lekha) – Root: אתה (ʾ-t-h); Form: Preposition לְ + pronominal suffix 2ms; Translation: “for yourself”; Notes: Emphasizes personal involvement in the commanded act.
- אֵשֶׁת (ʾeshet) – Root: אשה (ʾ-š-h); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “a wife of”; Notes: Marks the relationship of the woman to Hoshea.
- זְנוּנִים (zenunim) – Root: זנה (z-n-h); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “whoredom” or “harlotry”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to Israel’s unfaithfulness to YHWH.
- וְיַלְדֵי (ve-yaldei) – Root: ילד (y-l-d); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “and children of”; Notes: Extends the symbolic act to the offspring, representing Israel’s corruption.
- זְנוּנִים (zenunim) – Root: זנה (z-n-h); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “whoredom”; Notes: Repetition reinforces the moral and spiritual unfaithfulness motif.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (k-y); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces divine reasoning for the symbolic command.
- זָנֹה (zanoh) – Root: זנה (z-n-h); Form: Qal infinitive absolute; Translation: “surely play the harlot”; Notes: Infinitive absolute intensifies the verb’s meaning.
- תִזְנֶה (tizneh) – Root: זנה (z-n-h); Form: Qal imperfect 3fs; Translation: “she plays the harlot”; Notes: Refers to the land (feminine) symbolizing Israel’s spiritual infidelity.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-ʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Represents the people of Israel collectively.
- מֵאַחֲרֵי (me-aḥarei) – Root: אחר (ʾ-ḥ-r); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “from after” or “away from following”; Notes: Indicates departure or turning away from allegiance.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Proper noun (Tetragrammaton); Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The central divine figure whom Israel has forsaken; concludes the divine accusation.