לָכֵ֛ן הִנְנִי־שָׂ֥ךְ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּ֖ךְ בַּסִּירִ֑ים וְגָֽדַרְתִּי֙ אֶת־גְּדֵרָ֔הּ וּנְתִיבֹותֶ֖יהָ לֹ֥א תִמְצָֽא׃
Therefore, behold, I am hedging your way with thorns, and I will wall up her wall, so that her paths she shall not find.
Morphology
- לָכֵן (laken) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Introduces divine response or judgment based on Israel’s prior unfaithfulness.
- הִנְנִי (hineni) – Root: הנה (h-n-h); Form: Interjection + 1cs suffix; Translation: “behold, I”; Notes: Marks a solemn divine declaration—YHWH personally intervening in judgment.
- שָׂךְ (sakh) – Root: שׂוךְ (ś-w-k); Form: Qal perfect 1cs; Translation: “I will hedge”; Notes: From a verb meaning “to fence in” or “to cover with thorns.” A metaphor for restriction or discipline.
- אֶת־דַּרְכֵּךְ (et-darkekh) – Root: דרך (d-r-k); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular construct + 2fs suffix; Translation: “your way”; Notes: Symbolizes Israel’s course of life or spiritual path toward idolatry.
- בַּסִּירִים (ba-sirim) – Root: סיר (s-y-r); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “with thorns”; Notes: Figurative of painful obstacles—YHWH’s measures to prevent continued pursuit of sin.
- וְגָדַרְתִּי (ve-gadarti) – Root: גדר (g-d-r); Form: Qal perfect 1cs with conjunctive וְ; Translation: “and I will wall up”; Notes: Suggests divine enclosure or confinement—limiting Israel’s freedom to stray.
- אֶת־גְּדֵרָהּ (et-gederah) – Root: גדר (g-d-r); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular + 3fs suffix; Translation: “her wall”; Notes: A protective or restrictive boundary symbolizing YHWH’s sovereign control.
- וּנְתִיבֹותֶיהָ (u-netivoteyha) – Root: נתב (n-t-b); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine plural + 3fs suffix; Translation: “and her paths”; Notes: Represents her habitual routes or lifestyle—blocked to prevent further sin.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the subsequent verb, denoting total inability or prevention.
- תִמְצָא (timtsa) – Root: מצא (m-ts-ʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3fs; Translation: “she shall find”; Notes: Indicates that the unfaithful nation (feminine subject) will no longer discover her former paths of pleasure and idolatry.