הִכְעִ֥יס אֶפְרַ֖יִם תַּמְרוּרִ֑ים וְדָמָיו֙ עָלָ֣יו יִטֹּ֔ושׁ וְחֶ֨רְפָּתֹ֔ו יָשִׁ֥יב לֹ֖ו אֲדֹנָֽיו׃
Efrayim provoked bitterly; his blood shall be cast upon him, and his reproach his Lord shall return unto him.
Morphology
- הִכְעִיס (hikʿis) – Root: כעס (kaʿas); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has provoked” or “caused anger”; Notes: The causative stem expresses deliberate provocation—Efrayim’s actions have kindled YHWH’s righteous wrath.
- אֶפְרַיִם (Efrayim) – Root: אפרים (Efrayim); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Efrayim”; Notes: Represents the northern kingdom of Yisraʾel; a metonym for its idolatrous leadership and spiritual rebellion.
- תַּמְרוּרִים (tamrurim) – Root: מרר (marar); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “bitterness,” “grievous acts,” or “bitter provocation”; Notes: Conveys intense spiritual pain and rebellion—Efrayim’s sin is not mild but deeply offensive to YHWH.
- וְדָמָיו (ve-damayv) – Root: דם (dam); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural + suffix 3ms; Translation: “and his blood”; Notes: Refers to guilt for bloodshed, likely metaphorical for moral corruption and violent injustice.
- עָלָיו (ʿalayv) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + suffix 3ms; Translation: “upon him”; Notes: Indicates that guilt and punishment will fall directly upon Efrayim—divine retribution is personal and inescapable.
- יִטֹּושׁ (yittosh) – Root: נטשׁ (natash); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall be cast” or “shall be left”; Notes: May imply abandonment or expulsion—his own blood (guilt) will cling to him as his judgment.
- וְחֶרְפָּתֹו (ve-ḥerpatō) – Root: חרף (ḥaraf); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “and his reproach”; Notes: Denotes shame or disgrace; Efrayim’s dishonor will be publicly exposed by divine justice.
- יָשִׁיב (yashiv) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Hiphil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall return” or “shall bring back”; Notes: Causative stem shows that YHWH will actively restore the reproach upon its source—Efrayim will reap what he has sown.
- לֹו (lō) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition + suffix 3ms; Translation: “to him” or “unto him”; Notes: Marks the recipient of the returned shame and guilt—Efrayim himself.
- אֲדֹנָיו (adonayv) – Root: אדון (adon); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his Lord”; Notes: May refer to YHWH as the sovereign judge who reclaims honor through justice, or ironically to the foreign overlord who will humiliate Efrayim as divine punishment.