הַגִּ֨ידוּ֙ הָאֹתִיֹּ֣ות לְאָחֹ֔ור וְנֵ֣דְעָ֔ה כִּ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים אַתֶּ֑ם אַף־תֵּיטִ֣יבוּ וְתָרֵ֔עוּ וְנִשְׁתָּ֖עָה וְנִרְאֶ֥ה יַחְדָּֽו׃
Declare the former signs, that we may know that you are gods. Indeed, do good or do evil, that we may gaze and see together.
Morphology
- הַגִּידוּ (haggidu) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hifil imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Declare”; Notes: A command to proclaim or explain something publicly.
- הָאֹתִיּוֹת (ha-ʾotiyyot) – Root: אות (ʾot); Form: Definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “the signs”; Notes: Refers to miraculous or prophetic signs that validate divine power.
- לְאָחֹור (le-ʾaḥor) – Root: אחור (ʾaḥor); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the past” or “backward”; Notes: Calls for the declaration of past events or causes.
- וְנֵדְעָה (ve-nedʿah) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and let us know”; Notes: Expresses desire for understanding based on revealed signs.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a content clause explaining what is to be known.
- אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim) – Root: אלה (ʾeloha); Form: Noun masculine plural (plural of majesty); Translation: “gods”; Notes: Here addressed sarcastically to idols or false gods.
- אַתֶּם (atem) – Root: אתם (atem); Form: Independent pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “you (are)”; Notes: Emphatic subject of the clause.
- אַף (af) – Root: אף (ʾaf); Form: Adverb/conjunction; Translation: “indeed” or “even”; Notes: Introduces a challenge or alternative test.
- תֵּיטִיבוּ (tetivu) – Root: יטב (yatav); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “do good”; Notes: Causative form, demanding demonstration of power through benefit.
- וְתָרֵעוּ (ve-tareʿu) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “or do evil”; Notes: Completes the challenge—either benefit or harm.
- וְנִשְׁתָּעָה (ve-nishtaʿah) – Root: שׁעה (shaʿah); Form: Nifal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and let us gaze” or “be amazed”; Notes: Rare verb; likely expresses wonder or attention.
- וְנִרְאֶה (ve-nirʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and let us see”; Notes: Reinforces the desire to witness visible proof.
- יַחְדָּו (yaḥdav) – Root: יחד (yaḥad); Form: Adverb; Translation: “together”; Notes: Emphasizes shared observation or judgment.