וְכָשַׁלְתָּ֣ הַיֹּ֔ום וְכָשַׁ֧ל גַּם־נָבִ֛יא עִמְּךָ֖ לָ֑יְלָה וְדָמִ֖יתִי אִמֶּֽךָ׃
You shall stumble by day, and the prophet also shall stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.
Morphology
- וְכָשַׁלְתָּ (ve-khashalta) – Root: כשל (k-š-l); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 2ms; Translation: “and you shall stumble”; Notes: A prophetic perfect describing certain future downfall; addressed to Israel’s priests or people symbolizing spiritual and moral collapse.
- הַיֹּום (hayyom) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “by day”; Notes: Temporal adverbial usage — daylight symbolizes apparent security and clarity, now lost due to divine judgment.
- וְכָשַׁל (ve-khashal) – Root: כשל (k-š-l); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “and shall stumble”; Notes: Repetition reinforces parallel collapse; this time referring to the prophet, showing that even spiritual guides will fall.
- גַּם־נָבִיא (gam-naviʾ) – Root: נבא (n-b-ʾ); Form: Adverb גַּם + noun masculine singular; Translation: “also the prophet”; Notes: Irony in Hosea’s usage — those expected to see clearly (prophets) stumble in spiritual darkness alongside the people.
- עִמְּךָ (ʿimmekha) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Preposition עִם + second ms suffix; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Expresses solidarity in judgment — leadership and followers share the same fate.
- לָיְלָה (laylah) – Root: ליל (l-y-l); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “by night”; Notes: Complements “by day”; together they imply continuous ruin — neither daylight nor night offers refuge from collapse.
- וְדָמִיתִי (ve-damiti) – Root: דמה (d-m-h); Form: Conjunction וְ + Hiphil perfect 1cs; Translation: “and I will destroy”; Notes: Literally “I will silence” or “bring to an end.” A strong prophetic idiom expressing divine judgment — cessation of existence or influence.
- אִמֶּךָ (immekha) – Root: אם (ʾ-m); Form: Noun feminine singular + 2ms suffix; Translation: “your mother”; Notes: Figuratively denotes the nation or religious establishment — the “mother” of Israel’s identity, which will perish because of spiritual infidelity.