Hosea 5:14

כִּ֣י אָנֹכִ֤י כַשַּׁ֨חַל֙ לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם וְכַכְּפִ֖יר לְבֵ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה אֲנִ֨י אֲנִ֤י אֶטְרֹף֙ וְאֵלֵ֔ךְ אֶשָּׂ֖א וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל׃

For I am like a lion to Efrayim, and like a young lion to the house of Yehuda; I, even I, will tear and go; I will carry off, and none will rescue.

Morphology

1. כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the reason for divine judgment.
2. אָנֹכִי (ʾanokhi) – Root: אנכי (ʾanokhi); Form: Independent pronoun 1st person common singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Stresses the divine speaker’s agency—YHWH Himself.
3. כַשַּׁחַל (ka-shaḥal) – Root: שׁחל (shaḥal); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a lion”; Notes: The lion symbolizes fierce and irresistible strength.
4. לְאֶפְרַיִם (le-ʾEfrayim) – Root: אפרים (ʾEfrayim); Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “to Ephrayim”; Notes: Represents the northern kingdom of Yisraʾel.
5. וְכַכְּפִיר (ve-kha-kefir) – Root: כפיר (kefir); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and like a young lion”; Notes: The young lion intensifies the image of ferocity and sudden attack.
6. לְבֵית (le-beit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “to the house of”; Notes: Forms a construct chain with “Yehudah.”
7. יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the southern kingdom, paired with Ephrayim in judgment.
8. אֲנִי (ʾani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Independent pronoun 1st person common singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Repetition underscores YHWH’s direct involvement.
9. אֲנִי (ʾani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Independent pronoun 1st person common singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: The duplication intensifies divine emphasis and authority.
10. אֶטְרֹף (ʾetrof) – Root: טרף (ṭaraf); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will tear”; Notes: Portrays violent judgment; same verb used for tearing prey.
11. וְאֵלֵךְ (ve-ʾelekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “and I will go”; Notes: Indicates proceeding after the act of destruction.
12. אֶשָּׂא (ʾessa) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will carry off”; Notes: Implies taking away or removing the victim.
13. וְאֵין (ve-ʾein) – Root: אין (ʾein); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative existential particle; Translation: “and none”; Notes: Denotes absence or lack of something—in this case, a rescuer.
14. מַצִּיל (matsil) – Root: נצל (natsal); Form: Hifil participle masculine singular; Translation: “rescuer”; Notes: From the causative stem meaning “to deliver” or “to save”; emphasizes that no one can deliver from YHWH’s grasp.