כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָֽמַר־יְהוָ֣ה אֵלַ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶהְגֶּה֩ הָאַרְיֵ֨ה וְהַכְּפִ֜יר עַל־טַרְפֹּ֗ו אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקָּרֵ֤א עָלָיו֙ מְלֹ֣א רֹעִ֔ים מִקֹּולָם֙ לֹ֣א יֵחָ֔ת וּמֵֽהֲמֹונָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲנֶ֑ה כֵּ֗ן יֵרֵד֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות לִצְבֹּ֥א עַל־הַר־צִיֹּ֖ון וְעַל־גִּבְעָתָֽהּ׃
For thus said YHWH to me, “As the lion or the young lion growls over its prey, though a full number of shepherds be called out against him, he will not be terrified at their voice, nor be humbled by their noise. So shall YHWH of hosts come down to wage war upon Mount Tsiyyon and upon its hill.
Morphology
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces a causal or explanatory clause.
- כֹ֣ה (koh) – Root: כה; Form: Adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Commonly introduces prophetic declarations.
- אָמַר־יְהוָ֣ה (amar-YHWH) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “said YHWH”; Notes: Prophetic formula attributing speech to the LORD.
- אֵלַ֡י (elai) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates personal communication to the prophet.
- כַאֲשֶׁ֣ר (ka-asher) – Root: אשר; Form: Comparative preposition + relative particle; Translation: “as”; Notes: Introduces a simile.
- יֶהְגֶּה֩ (yehgeh) – Root: הגה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he growls”; Notes: Used of low, continuous sound animals make.
- הָאַרְיֵ֨ה (ha-aryeh) – Root: אריה; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the lion”; Notes: Image of power and sovereignty.
- וְהַכְּפִ֜יר (ve-ha-kefir) – Root: כפר; Form: Conjunction + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the young lion”; Notes: Juvenile but fierce lion; strengthens the simile.
- עַל־טַרְפֹּ֗ו (ʿal-tarpov) – Root: טרף; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “over its prey”; Notes: Describes possession and posture of dominance.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (asher) – Root: אשר; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which” or “though”; Notes: Introduces a subordinate clause.
- יִקָּרֵ֤א (yiqqare) – Root: קרא; Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “be called”; Notes: Passive form—others are calling out against him.
- עָלָיו֙ (ʿalav) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against him”; Notes: Describes the object of opposition.
- מְלֹ֣א (melo) – Root: מלא; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “a full number of”; Notes: Construct form modifying the following noun.
- רֹעִ֔ים (roʿim) – Root: רעה; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “shepherds”; Notes: Possibly metaphor for rulers or armies.
- מִקֹּולָם֙ (mi-qolam) – Root: קול; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “at their voice”; Notes: Their shouting or commands.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies the following action.
- יֵחָ֔ת (yeḥat) – Root: חתת; Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “be terrified”; Notes: Used of emotional or physical fear.
- וּמֵֽהֲמֹונָ֖ם (u-mehamonam) – Root: המון; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and at their noise”; Notes: Their tumult or uproar.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Further negation parallel to the previous clause.
- יַֽעֲנֶ֑ה (yaʿaneh) – Root: ענה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “be humbled” or “respond”; Notes: Could imply submission or reaction.
- כֵּ֗ן (ken) – Root: כן; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Signals the application of the simile to the divine action.
- יֵרֵד֙ (yered) – Root: ירד; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall come down”; Notes: Describes divine descent or intervention.
- יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות (YHWH Tsevaʾot) – Root: יהוה + צבא; Form: Proper noun + construct plural noun; Translation: “YHWH of hosts”; Notes: A military title of God indicating command over heavenly armies.
- לִצְבֹּ֥א (li-tsbo) – Root: צבא; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to wage war”; Notes: Used in a military or judicial sense.
- עַל־הַר־צִיֹּ֖ון (ʿal-har-Tsiyon) – Root: הר + ציון; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “upon Mount Tsiyon”; Notes: The sacred mountain of YHWH’s dwelling.
- וְעַל־גִּבְעָתָֽהּ (ve-ʿal-givʿatah) – Root: גבעה; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and upon its hill”; Notes: Refers to the elevation on which Tsiyon stands.