כֹּ֤תּוּ אִתֵּיכֶם֙ לַֽחֲרָבֹ֔ות וּמַזְמְרֹֽתֵיכֶ֖ם לִרְמָחִ֑ים הַֽחַלָּ֔שׁ יֹאמַ֖ר גִּבֹּ֥ור אָֽנִי׃
Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a mighty one.”
Morphology
- כֹּ֤תּוּ (kottu) – Root: כתת (katat); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Beat”; Notes: A command calling for the transformation of peaceful tools into weapons of war.
- אִתֵּיכֶם (itteikhem) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Noun feminine plural construct + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “your plowshares”; Notes: Refers to plow blades used in farming, symbolizing agricultural peace before conversion to instruments of battle.
- לַֽחֲרָבֹ֔ות (laḥaravot) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “into swords”; Notes: The preposition לְ marks direction or transformation into something new.
- וּמַזְמְרֹֽתֵיכֶ֖ם (u-mazmeroteikhem) – Root: מזמרה (mazmerah); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine plural construct + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and your pruning hooks”; Notes: Agricultural tools used for trimming vines, repurposed here for warfare imagery.
- לִרְמָחִ֑ים (lirmaḥim) – Root: רמח (romaḥ); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “into spears”; Notes: The preposition לְ again indicates transformation; spears represent active readiness for battle.
- הַֽחַלָּ֔שׁ (ha-ḥalash) – Root: חלשׁ (ḥalash); Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the weak”; Notes: Describes those lacking strength, figuratively invited to see themselves as strong in this prophetic vision.
- יֹאמַ֖ר (yomar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall say”; Notes: Indicates a verbal declaration expected of the weak in response to the divine command.
- גִּבֹּ֥ור (gibbor) – Root: גבר (gavar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a mighty one”; Notes: A term denoting strength and valor, often applied to warriors or heroes.
- אָֽנִי (ʾani) – Root: —; Form: Independent personal pronoun 1st person common singular; Translation: “I am”; Notes: Expresses self-identification; completes the statement of inner transformation and confidence.