לְכוּ־נָ֛א וְנִוָּֽכְחָ֖ה יֹאמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה אִם־יִֽהְי֨וּ חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם כַּשָּׁנִים֙ כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ אִם־יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ כַתֹּולָ֖ע כַּצֶּ֥מֶר יִהְיֽוּ׃
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says YHWH. “Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.
Morphology
- לְכוּ־נָא (lechu-na) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal imperative masculine plural + particle of entreaty; Translation: “Come now”; Notes: An invitation to engage, softened by “na.”
- וְנִוָּכְחָה (ve-nivvaḵḥah) – Root: יכח; Form: Nifal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “let us reason together”; Notes: Legal or relational term implying dialogue or dispute resolution.
- יֹאמַר (yoʾmar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Common introductory formula for divine speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Speaker issuing gracious invitation.
- אִם (im) – Root: אם; Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “though” or “if”; Notes: Introduces parallel conditional clauses.
- יִהְיוּ (yihyu) – Root: היה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they be” or “they are”; Notes: Refers to the state of sins.
- חֲטָאֵיכֶם (ḥataʾeikhem) – Root: חטא; Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your sins”; Notes: The object of divine cleansing.
- כַּשָּׁנִים (ka-shanim) – Root: שני; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural; Translation: “like scarlet”; Notes: Refers to bright red dyed fabric; sign of guilt.
- כַּשֶּׁלֶג (ka-sheleg) – Root: שלג; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like snow”; Notes: Symbol of purity and cleansing.
- יַלְבִּינוּ (yalbinu) – Root: לבן; Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall be white”; Notes: Divine action of purification.
- יַאְדִּימוּ (yaʾdimu) – Root: אדם; Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they are red” or “they become red”; Notes: Contrasted with whiteness, indicating sin.
- כַתֹּולָע (ka-tolaʿ) – Root: תולע; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “like crimson” or “like worm-dye”; Notes: Scarlet color made from a worm—deep stain imagery.
- כַּצֶּמֶר (ka-tsemer) – Root: צמר; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like wool”; Notes: Clean, soft, and white—symbol of innocence.
- יִהְיוּ (yihyu) – Root: היה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall be”; Notes: Future transformation from guilt to purity.