אֶפְרַ֨יִם֙ לְשַׁמָּ֣ה תִֽהְיֶ֔ה בְּיֹ֖ום תֹּֽוכֵחָ֑ה בְּשִׁבְטֵי֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֹודַ֖עְתִּי נֶאֱמָנָֽה׃
Efrayim shall become a desolation in the day of rebuke; among the tribes of Yisraʾel I have made known what is sure.
Morphology
- אֶפְרַיִם (ʾEfrayim) – Root: אפר (ʾ-p-r); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Ephrayim”; Notes: Refers to the northern kingdom of Yisraʾel, representing its leadership and pride; often symbolizing the entire nation in prophetic literature.
- לְשַׁמָּה (leshammah) – Root: שׁמם (sh-m-m); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for desolation” or “to ruin”; Notes: Expresses purpose or result—Ephrayim’s destiny is devastation due to rebellion.
- תִהְיֶה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal imperfect 3fs; Translation: “she shall be” or “it shall become”; Notes: Verb agrees with the feminine subject “Ephrayim” (treated as a collective entity).
- בְּיֹום (beyom) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the day”; Notes: Temporal phrase marking the time of judgment—“in the day of rebuke.”
- תֹּוכֵחָה (tokheḥah) – Root: יכח (y-k-ḥ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “rebuke” or “reproof”; Notes: A judicial term describing divine correction, confrontation, or prophetic censure.
- בְּשִׁבְטֵי (beshivtei) – Root: שבט (sh-b-t); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “among the tribes of”; Notes: Denotes collective Israelite tribal units—emphasizes that the message extends beyond Ephrayim alone.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: שרה (s-r-h); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: The nation as a whole; the covenant people who will witness the consequences of Ephrayim’s apostasy.
- הֹודַעְתִּי (hodʿatti) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Hiphil perfect 1cs; Translation: “I have made known”; Notes: The Hiphil form expresses causative action—YHWH declares or reveals His certain judgment.
- נֶאֱמָנָה (neʾemanah) – Root: אמן (ʾ-m-n); Form: Niphal participle feminine singular; Translation: “sure” or “faithful”; Notes: Denotes something firm, reliable, or trustworthy—YHWH’s warning is faithful and unchanging.