אֵ֞יךְ אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ אֶפְרַ֗יִם אֲמַגֶּנְךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֚יךְ אֶתֶּנְךָ֣ כְאַדְמָ֔ה אֲשִֽׂימְךָ֖ כִּצְבֹאיִ֑ם נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ עָלַי֙ לִבִּ֔י יַ֖חַד נִכְמְר֥וּ נִחוּמָֽי׃
How shall I give you up, Efrayim? How shall I hand you over, Yisraʾel? How shall I make you as Adma? How shall I set you as Tsevoʾyim? My heart is turned within Me; together My compassions are kindled.
Morphology
- אֵיךְ (ʾeikh) – Root: איך (ʾeikh); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “How”; Notes: Expresses divine anguish and rhetorical questioning; introduces YHWH’s internal conflict over judgment and mercy.
- אֶתֶּנְךָ (ʾettenkha) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 1cs + suffix 2ms; Translation: “I give you up”; Notes: Indicates surrender or delivering over to destruction—YHWH questions His own readiness to abandon Ephrayim.
- אֶפְרַיִם (Efrayim) – Root: אפרים (Efrayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Ephrayim”; Notes: Represents the northern kingdom of Yisraʾel, often symbolizing the whole nation in prophetic literature.
- אֲמַגֶּנְךָ (ʾamagenkha) – Root: מגן (magen); Form: Hiphil imperfect 1cs + suffix 2ms; Translation: “I deliver you up” or “I hand you over”; Notes: Parallels the first verb; expresses divine reluctance to give Yisraʾel into the hands of its enemies.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the covenant people collectively; used poetically in parallel with Ephrayim.
- אֵיךְ (ʾeikh) – Root: איך (ʾeikh); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “How”; Notes: Repeated for rhetorical emphasis—YHWH’s emotional struggle is intensified through poetic repetition.
- אֶתֶּנְךָ (ʾettenkha) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 1cs + suffix 2ms; Translation: “I make you”; Notes: Parallel construction reinforces the tone of divine lament; the same verb pattern heightens emotional intensity.
- כְאַדְמָה (ke-ʾadmah) – Root: אדמה (ʾAdmah); Form: Preposition כְ + proper noun; Translation: “as Admah”; Notes: Admah, one of the cities destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah (Deut. 29:22), symbolizes total annihilation.
- אֲשִׂימְךָ (ʾasimkha) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Qal imperfect 1cs + suffix 2ms; Translation: “I set you”; Notes: Indicates deliberate placement or fate—used here to express the potential of divine retribution.
- כִּצְבֹאיִם (ki-tsevoʾyim) – Root: צביים (Tsevoʾyim); Form: Preposition כְ + proper noun; Translation: “as Tsevoʾyim”; Notes: Tsevoʾyim, another of the cities destroyed with Sodom; the reference heightens the seriousness of YHWH’s contemplated judgment.
- נֶהְפַּךְ (nehpakh) – Root: הפך (hafakh); Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is turned”; Notes: Describes inner reversal or turmoil—YHWH’s heart turns from wrath toward mercy.
- עָלַי (ʿalay) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 1cs; Translation: “within Me”; Notes: Literally “upon Me,” an idiom expressing internal emotional movement or turmoil.
- לִבִּי (libbi) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 1cs; Translation: “My heart”; Notes: Symbol of divine emotion and will; portrays the deep compassion of YHWH struggling against the necessity of judgment.
- יַחַד (yaḥad) – Root: יחד (yaḥad); Form: Adverb; Translation: “together”; Notes: Indicates simultaneity—YHWH’s merciful feelings surge in unison, reflecting divine emotional wholeness.
- נִכְמְרוּ (nikmeru) – Root: כמר (kamar); Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “are kindled” or “are stirred”; Notes: Evokes imagery of warmth or burning compassion; conveys deep emotional tenderness.
- נִחוּמָי (niḥumai) – Root: נחם (naḥam); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1cs; Translation: “My compassions”; Notes: Refers to divine consolations or mercies—YHWH’s tender compassion overcomes His anger, revealing His covenantal faithfulness.