כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י כְּחֶזְקַ֣ת הַיָּ֑ד וְיִסְּרֵ֕נִי מִלֶּ֛כֶת בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃
For thus said YHWH to me with a strong hand, and He instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,
Morphology
- כִּי֩ (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces a reason or explanation of prophetic authority.
- כֹ֨ה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Typical introductory word for a prophetic declaration.
- אָמַ֧ר (amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Main verb in the prophetic formula.
- יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The speaker of the command and instruction.
- אֵלַ֖י (elai) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Marks Yeshaʿyahu as the recipient of the prophetic word.
- כְּחֶזְקַ֣ת (ke-ḥezqat) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “with the strength of”; Notes: Indicates the intensity or pressure of divine influence.
- הַיָּ֑ד (ha-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the hand”; Notes: A metaphor for divine power or force.
- וְיִסְּרֵ֕נִי (ve-yissereni) – Root: יסר (yasar); Form: Piel imperfect with vav-consecutive + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and He instructed me”; Notes: May also imply discipline or correction in prophetic context.
- מִלֶּ֛כֶת (mi-lekhet) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “from walking”; Notes: Expresses prohibition against imitating the people’s conduct.
- בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ (be-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the way of”; Notes: Figurative expression for behavior or worldview.
- הָעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה (ha-ʿam ha-zeh) – Root: עם (ʿam), זה (zeh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular + demonstrative; Translation: “this people”; Notes: Refers to Yehudah as acting contrary to YHWH’s will.
- לֵאמֹֽר (lemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of YHWH’s instruction, to follow in the next verse.