כִּ֣י כֹ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה מִצְרַ֛יִם יָֽרַד־עַמִּ֥י בָרִֽאשֹׁנָ֖ה לָג֣וּר שָׁ֑ם וְאַשּׁ֖וּר בְּאֶ֥פֶס עֲשָׁקֹֽו׃
For thus says the Lord YHWH: “My people went down to Mitsrayim at first to sojourn there, and Ashshur oppressed him without cause.
Morphology
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces an explanatory or causal clause.
- כֹ֤ה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Commonly used in prophetic speech formulas.
- אָמַר֙ (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Refers to a past divine speech act.
- אֲדֹנָ֣י (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix (used as singular title); Translation: “the Lord”; Notes: Reverential title for YHWH.
- יְהוִ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Personal covenant name of God.
- מִצְרַ֛יִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt.
- יָֽרַד־ (yarad) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “went down”; Notes: Refers to physical or metaphorical descent.
- עַמִּ֥י (ʿammī) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my people”; Notes: YHWH’s covenant people.
- בָרִֽאשֹׁנָ֖ה (va-rishonah) – Root: ראשׁ (rosh); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular (temporal adverbial); Translation: “at first”; Notes: Indicates the earlier historical period (time of Yosep and Yaʿaqov).
- לָג֣וּר (lagur) – Root: גור (gur); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to sojourn”; Notes: Implies temporary dwelling, not permanent residence.
- שָׁ֑ם (sham) – Root: שם (sham); Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers to Mitsrayim as the place of sojourning.
- וְאַשּׁ֖וּר (ve-ʾAshshur) – Root: אשׁור (Ashshur); Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “and Ashshur”; Notes: Refers to Assyria, symbol of later oppression.
- בְּאֶ֥פֶס (be-ʾefes) – Root: אפס (ʾefes); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “without”; Notes: Indicates absence or lack—here, no justification.
- עֲשָׁקֹֽו (ʿashaqo) – Root: עשׁק (ʿashaq); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular object suffix; Translation: “he oppressed him”; Notes: Refers to Ashshur’s unjust treatment of Yisraʾel.