שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֣את בֵּֽית־יַעֲקֹ֗ב הַנִּקְרָאִים֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִמֵּ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה יָצָ֑אוּ הַֽנִּשְׁבָּעִ֣ים בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֗ה וּבֵאלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יַזְכִּ֔ירוּ לֹ֥א בֶאֱמֶ֖ת וְלֹ֥א בִצְדָקָֽה׃
Hear this, house of Yaʿaqov, who are called by the name of Yisraʾel and from the waters of Yehudah they came out, who swear by the name of YHWH and make mention of the God of Yisraʾel, not in truth and not in righteousness.
Morphology
- שִׁמְעוּ (shimʿu) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Hear”; Notes: A direct command addressing the people of Yaʿaqov.
- זֹאת (zot) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to what follows or is to be heard.
- בֵּית־יַעֲקֹב (beit-Yaʿaqov) – Root: בית, יעקב; Form: Construct noun masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “house of Yaʿaqov”; Notes: A collective term for the people descended from Yaʿaqov.
- הַנִּקְרָאִים (ha-niqraʾim) – Root: קרא; Form: Nifal participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “who are called”; Notes: Passive form describing their identity designation.
- בְּשֵׁם (be-shem) – Root: שם; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “by the name”; Notes: Denotes authority or identification.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: National name used in covenantal and ethnic sense.
- וּמִמֵּי (u-mimmei) – Root: מים; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “and from the waters of”; Notes: Possibly referring metaphorically to origin or descent.
- יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the southern kingdom or tribe.
- יָצָאוּ (yatzaʾu) – Root: יצא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they came out”; Notes: Describes origin or descent.
- הַנִּשְׁבָּעִים (ha-nishbaʿim) – Root: שׁבע; Form: Nifal participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “who swear”; Notes: Refers to oath-taking in YHWH’s name.
- בְּשֵׁם (be-shem) – Root: שם; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “by the name”; Notes: As above.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton—name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- וּבֵאלֹהֵי (u-ve-Elohei) – Root: אלה; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine plural construct with pronominal suffix (1st person plural implied in construct); Translation: “and of the God of”; Notes: Refers to the deity of Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: As above.
- יַזְכִּירוּ (yazkiru) – Root: זכר; Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they make mention”; Notes: Causative form indicating public invocation or remembrance.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the manner of their mention.
- בֶאֱמֶת (veʾemet) – Root: אמת; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in truth”; Notes: Sincerity or faithfulness lacking in their oaths.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Further negation added for emphasis.
- בִצְדָקָה (vi-tsedaqah) – Root: צדק; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in righteousness”; Notes: Indicates absence of justice or upright conduct in their claims.