תֵּן־לָהֶ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה מַה־תִּתֵּ֑ן תֵּן־לָהֶם֙ רֶ֣חֶם מַשְׁכִּ֔יל וְשָׁדַ֖יִם צֹמְקִֽים׃
Give to them, O YHWH—what will You give? Give to them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
Morphology
- תֵּן (ten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “give”; Notes: A direct plea to YHWH, expressing desperation and resignation to divine judgment.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: ל (lamed); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3mp; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the people of Ephrayim — the recipients of the petition and the impending curse.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God, invoked here with both reverence and sorrow in a prayer of lament.
- מַה (mah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “what”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question—expressing uncertainty or despair over what form of punishment or mercy remains.
- תִּתֵּן (titten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “will You give?”; Notes: The repetition of “give” underscores the tension between divine justice and prophetic compassion.
- תֵּן־לָהֶם (ten-lahem) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular + preposition לְ + suffix 3mp; Translation: “Give to them”; Notes: The repetition creates emphasis—pleading for judgment consistent with their corruption.
- רֶחֶם (reḥem) – Root: רחם (raḥam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “womb”; Notes: Symbol of life and compassion—here transformed into an image of barrenness and divine judgment.
- מַשְׁכִּיל (mashkil) – Root: שׁכל (shakal); Form: Hiphil participle masculine singular; Translation: “causing miscarriage”; Notes: Derived from a root meaning “to bereave” or “to make childless”—a tragic image of fruitlessness.
- וְשָׁדַיִם (ve-shadayim) – Root: שׁד (shad); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine dual; Translation: “and breasts”; Notes: Represents nurture and sustenance—now to be withdrawn in divine judgment.
- צֹמְקִים (tsomqim) – Root: צמק (tsamq); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “dry” or “shrivelled”; Notes: Indicates the drying up of nourishment and compassion—symbolizing YHWH’s withdrawal of blessing and fertility from His people.