Isaiah 28:15

כִּ֣י אֲמַרְתֶּ֗ם כָּרַ֤תְנֽוּ בְרִית֙ אֶת־מָ֔וֶת וְעִם־שְׁאֹ֖ול עָשִׂ֣ינוּ חֹזֶ֑ה שֶׂיט שֹׁוטֵ֤ף כִּֽי־עָבַר לֹ֣א יְבֹואֵ֔נוּ כִּ֣י שַׂ֧מְנוּ כָזָ֛ב מַחְסֵ֖נוּ וּבַשֶּׁ֥קֶר נִסְתָּֽרְנוּ׃ ס

Because you have said, “We have cut a covenant with death, and with Sheʾol we have made a pact. The overflowing scourge, when it passes, it shall not come to us, for we have made falsehood our refuge, and in deception we have hidden ourselves.”

 

Morphology

  1. כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Because”; Notes: Introduces a causal clause giving the reason for judgment.
  2. אֲמַרְתֶּ֗ם (amartem) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you have said”; Notes: Refers to the leaders addressed previously.
  3. כָּרַ֤תְנֽוּ (karatnu) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have cut”; Notes: Common idiom for making a covenant.
  4. בְרִית֙ (berit) – Root: ברית (berit); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a covenant”; Notes: Bound agreement or pact, often with legal or theological force.
  5. אֶת־מָ֔וֶת (et-mavet) – Root: מות (mavet); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with death”; Notes: Death personified as a party to the covenant.
  6. וְעִם־שְׁאֹ֖ול (ve-ʿim-Sheʾol) – Root: שׁאל (Sheʾol); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition עִם + proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “and with Sheʾol”; Notes: Sheʾol represents the realm of the dead.
  7. עָשִׂ֣ינוּ (ʿasinu) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have made”; Notes: Refers to making a contract or arrangement.
  8. חֹזֶ֑ה (ḥozeh) – Root: חזה (ḥazah); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a pact”; Notes: Can mean a vision or agreement—here, a formal contract.
  9. שֶׁיט (sheit) – Root: שׁוט (shut); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “scourge” or “flood”; Notes: Possibly a verbal noun meaning something sweeping or destructive.
  10. שֹׁוטֵ֤ף (shoteif) – Root: שׁטף (shataf); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “overflowing”; Notes: Describes the destructive agent (e.g., judgment or invasion).
  11. כִּֽי־עָבַר (ki-ʿavar) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “when it passes”; Notes: Temporal phrase linked to the scourge.
  12. לֹ֣א יְבֹואֵ֔נוּ (lo yevoʾenu) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “it shall not come to us”; Notes: Denial of vulnerability or judgment.
  13. כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for their confidence.
  14. שַׂ֧מְנוּ (samnu) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have made” or “placed”; Notes: Introduces their supposed security.
  15. כָזָ֛ב (kazav) – Root: כזב (kazav); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “falsehood”; Notes: Here ironically named as their protection.
  16. מַחְסֵ֖נוּ (maḥsenu) – Root: חסה (ḥasah); Form: Noun masculine singular with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our refuge”; Notes: Metaphorical—what they trust for safety.
  17. וּבַשֶּׁ֥קֶר (uva-sheqer) – Root: שׁקר (sheqer); Form: Conjunction וּ + preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and in deception”; Notes: Continues the parallel structure with false security.
  18. נִסְתָּֽרְנוּ (nistarʾnu) – Root: סתר (satar); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have hidden ourselves”; Notes: Passive-reflexive form indicating self-deception or deluded protection.

 

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