כֹּ֣ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה יְגִ֨יעַ מִצְרַ֥יִם וּֽסְחַר־כּוּשׁ֮ וּסְבָאִים֮ אַנְשֵׁ֣י מִדָּה֒ עָלַ֤יִךְ יַעֲבֹ֨רוּ֙ וְלָ֣ךְ יִֽהְי֔וּ אַחֲרַ֣יִךְ יֵלֵ֔כוּ בַּזִּקִּ֖ים יַעֲבֹ֑רוּ וְאֵלַ֤יִךְ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ֙ אֵלַ֣יִךְ יִתְפַּלָּ֔לוּ אַ֣ךְ בָּ֥ךְ אֵ֛ל וְאֵ֥ין עֹ֖וד אֶ֥פֶס אֱלֹהִֽים׃
Thus said YHWH: “The labor of Mitsrayim, and the merchandise of Kush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall pass over to you and shall be yours. They shall walk behind you, in chains they shall pass over, and to you they shall bow down, to you they shall pray: ‘Surely God is in you, and there is none else, there is no other god.’”
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: כה; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces divine speech formula.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Marks the beginning of prophetic declaration.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of God.
- יְגִיעַ (yegiʿa) – Root: יגע; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “labor” or “gain”; Notes: Denotes wealth or produce acquired through toil.
- מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: מצר; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt.
- וּסְחַר־כּוּשׁ (u-sekhar-Kush) – Root: סחר; Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “and the merchandise of Kush”; Notes: Refers to wealth and trade goods of the African kingdom.
- וּסְבָאִים (u-sevaʾim) – Root: סבא; Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun plural; Translation: “and the Sabeans”; Notes: Ancient people of Arabia or Africa.
- אַנְשֵׁי מִדָּה (anshei middah) – Root: אישׁ, מדד; Form: Construct phrase: “men of stature”; Notes: Implies height, prominence, or importance.
- עָלַיִךְ יַעֲבֹרוּ (ʿalayikh yaʿavoru) – Root: עבר; Form: Preposition + 2nd person feminine singular suffix + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall pass over to you”; Notes: Directional transfer of people/wealth.
- וְלָךְ יִהְיוּ (ve-lakh yihyu) – Root: היה; Form: Conjunction + preposition + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and shall be yours”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- אַחֲרַיִךְ יֵלֵכוּ (aḥarayikh yelekhu) – Root: הלך; Form: Preposition + suffix + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall walk behind you”; Notes: Symbol of subjugation or loyalty.
- בַּזִּקִּים יַעֲבֹרוּ (ba-zikim yaʿavoru) – Root: זיק, עבר; Form: Preposition + noun plural + Qal imperfect; Translation: “in chains they shall pass over”; Notes: Implies captivity or submission.
- וְאֵלַיִךְ יִשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ (ve-ʾelayikh yishtakḥavu) – Root: חוה; Form: Conjunction + preposition + Hishtaphel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and to you they shall bow”; Notes: Sign of homage or worship.
- אֵלַיִךְ יִתְפַּלָּלוּ (ʾelayikh yitpallalu) – Root: פלל; Form: Preposition + Hitpael imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “to you they shall pray”; Notes: Implies seeking favor or intercession.
- אַךְ בָּךְ אֵל (ʾakh bakh ʾel) – Root: אך, בוא, אל; Form: Particle + preposition + noun; Translation: “Surely God is in you”; Notes: Declaration recognizing divine presence.
- וְאֵין עֹוד (ve-ʾein ʿod) – Root: אין, עוד; Form: Negative existential phrase; Translation: “and there is none else”; Notes: Affirmation of YHWH’s exclusivity.
- אֶפֶס אֱלֹהִים (ʾefes ʾelohim) – Root: אפס, אלה; Form: Noun phrase; Translation: “no other god”; Notes: Final statement of monotheistic truth.