שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֣י רִ֤יב לַֽיהוָה֙ עִם־יֹושְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֠י אֵין־אֱמֶ֧ת וְֽאֵין־חֶ֛סֶד וְאֵֽין־דַּ֥עַת אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
Hear the word of YHWH, O sons of Yisraʾel, for YHWH has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor lovingkindness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
Morphology
- שִׁמְעוּ (shimʿu) – Root: שׁמע (š-m-ʿ); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Hear!”; Notes: A prophetic summons — calls the nation to listen to YHWH’s judicial declaration, establishing the tone of divine indictment.
- דְבַר־יְהוָה (devar-YHWH) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “the word of YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the authoritative prophetic message — YHWH’s legal charge against His people.
- בְּנֵי (bene) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “sons of”; Notes: Denotes national identity — the covenant descendants of Yisraʾel addressed collectively.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: שרָה (ś-r-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the entire nation, especially the northern kingdom, now standing under divine judgment.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” or “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the command to hear — the coming judicial case of YHWH against His people.
- רִיב (riv) – Root: ריב (r-y-b); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “case,” “lawsuit”; Notes: A technical legal term in prophetic language; depicts YHWH as a plaintiff bringing charges against His covenant people.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: הוה (h-w-h); Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “for YHWH”; Notes: Marks the possessor of the lawsuit — “YHWH has a case.” The preposition signifies agency or ownership of the dispute.
- עִם־יֹושְׁבֵי (ʿim-yoshvei) – Root: ישׁב (y-š-b); Form: Preposition עִם + Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “against the inhabitants of”; Notes: Describes the opposing party in YHWH’s lawsuit — the residents of the land are defendants in the covenant breach.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-ʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel’s territory — the covenant land polluted by moral and religious corruption.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the grounds for YHWH’s grievance — moral and spiritual decay.
- אֵין (ʾen) – Root: —; Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “there is no”; Notes: Used thrice for emphatic parallelism — stresses complete absence of covenantal virtues.
- אֱמֶת (ʾemet) – Root: אמן (ʾ-m-n); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “truth,” “faithfulness”; Notes: Represents covenant reliability — the moral integrity that should characterize YHWH’s people.
- וְאֵין (veʾen) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + negative existential; Translation: “and there is no”; Notes: Continues the parallel sequence of moral lacks.
- חֶסֶד (ḥesed) – Root: חסד (ḥ-s-d); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “lovingkindness,” “loyalty”; Notes: Refers to covenantal love and mercy — the relational devotion central to YHWH’s covenant expectations.
- וְאֵין (veʾen) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + negative existential; Translation: “and there is no”; Notes: Continues the triple absence formula — heightening the sense of moral void.
- דַּעַת (daʿat) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “knowledge”; Notes: Refers to relational knowledge of God, not mere intellect — denotes intimate awareness of His will and covenant.
- אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun masculine plural (plural of majesty); Translation: “God”; Notes: Denotes YHWH as the object of true knowledge and worship, absent in the land due to idolatry.
- בָּאָרֶץ (baʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun; Translation: “in the land”; Notes: Concludes the verse emphasizing total national and geographic corruption — even the promised land lacks the divine virtues once established by covenant.