כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה לִמְשִׁיחֹו לְכֹרֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱזַקְתִּי בִימִינֹו לְרַד־לְפָנָיו גֹּויִם וּמָתְנֵי מְלָכִים אֲפַתֵּחַ לִפְתֹּחַ לְפָנָיו דְּלָתַיִם וּשְׁעָרִים לֹא יִסָּגֵרוּ׃
Thus said YHWH to His anointed, to Koresh, whom I have grasped by his right hand, to subdue nations before him, and I will ungird the loins of kings, to open doors before him, and gates shall not be shut.
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: כה; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: A prophetic formula introducing divine speech.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Refers to a completed act of speaking.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, the personal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- לִמְשִׁיחֹו (li-meshiḥo) – Root: משׁח; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to His anointed”; Notes: Refers to Koresh as divinely appointed for a task.
- לְכֹרֶשׁ (le-Koresh) – Root: כֹרֶשׁ; Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “to Koresh”; Notes: Persian ruler identified as YHWH’s instrument.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause referring to Koresh.
- הֶחֱזַקְתִּי (heḥezaqti) – Root: חזק; Form: Hifil perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have grasped”; Notes: Indicates divine strengthening or control.
- בִימִינֹו (bi-yemino) – Root: ימין; Form: Preposition בְ + noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “by his right hand”; Notes: Symbol of power or authority.
- לְרַד (le-rad) – Root: רדד; Form: Preposition לְ + verb Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to subdue”; Notes: Expresses purpose or intent.
- לְפָנָיו (le-fanav) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before him”; Notes: Indicates presence or precedence.
- גֹּויִם (goyim) – Root: גוי; Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Often refers to foreign peoples.
- וּמָתְנֵי (u-motnei) – Root: מתן; Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “and loins of”; Notes: Loins symbolize strength or readiness.
- מְלָכִים (melakhim) – Root: מלך; Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “kings”; Notes: Royal figures opposed or subjected.
- אֲפַתֵּחַ (ʾafatteaḥ) – Root: פתח; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will open”; Notes: Future action of enabling access or removing obstacles.
- לִפְתֹּחַ (liftoaḥ) – Root: פתח; Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to open”; Notes: Reinforces the preceding finite verb with its purpose.
- לְפָנָיו (le-fanav) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before him”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes YHWH’s action in Koresh’s path.
- דְּלָתַיִם (delatayim) – Root: דלת; Form: Noun feminine dual absolute; Translation: “doors”; Notes: Indicates double doors or gates.
- וּשְׁעָרִים (u-sheʿarim) – Root: שער; Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and gates”; Notes: Symbolizes entryways to cities or strongholds.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies the verb’s action.
- יִסָּגֵרוּ (yissageru) – Root: סגר; Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall be shut”; Notes: Passive construction, expressing YHWH’s divine enabling of access.