וְעַתָּה֙ הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה עָלִ֛יתִי עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לְהַשְׁחִיתָ֑הּ יְהוָה֙ אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י עֲלֵ֛ה אֶל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ׃
And now, have I come up against this land to destroy it without YHWH? YHWH said to me, “Go up against this land and destroy it.”’”
Morphology
- וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עת; Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Marks a transition or assertion.
- הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵי (ha-mi-valʿadei) – Root: בלע; Form: Interrogative + preposition + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “Have I, apart from”; Notes: Suggests exclusivity or acting without permission.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the God of Yisraʾel.
- עָלִיתִי (ʿalitī) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have come up”; Notes: Refers to a military campaign or advance.
- עַל־הָאָרֶץ (ʿal-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “against the land”; Notes: Refers to the land of Yehudah or Yisraʾel.
- הַזֹּאת (ha-zot) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Qualifies the specific land being discussed.
- לְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ (le-hashḥitah) – Root: שׁחת; Form: Hifil infinitive construct + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “to destroy it”; Notes: Purpose clause of the action taken.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the following quotation.
- אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Introduces direct divine speech.
- אֵלַי (elai) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Refers to the speaker as recipient of YHWH’s command.
- עֲלֵה (ʿaleh) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Go up”; Notes: Divine command initiating a military action.
- אֶל־הָאָרֶץ (el-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “against the land”; Notes: Repetition for rhetorical emphasis.
- הַזֹּאת (ha-zot) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the targeted land again.
- וְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ (ve-hashḥitah) – Root: שׁחת; Form: Hifil imperative + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and destroy it”; Notes: Final component of the divine instruction.