אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אִם־לֹ֥א שֶׂרותך לְטֹ֑וב אִם־לֹ֣וא הִפְגַּ֣עְתִּֽי בְךָ֗ בְּעֵ֥ת־רָעָ֛ה וּבְעֵ֥ת צָרָ֖ה אֶת־הָאֹיֵֽב׃
YHWH has said, “Surely I have set you free for good; surely I have afflicted you in the time of evil and in the time of distress the enemy.
Morphology
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has said”; Notes: Standard introduction to divine speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- אִם־לֹא (ʾim-lo) – Root: —; Form: Conditional particle + negation; Translation: “Surely” (emphatic); Notes: This form can imply an oath or strong affirmation when followed by a positive statement.
- שֶׂרותך (sherotekha) – Root: שׂרה (sarāh); Form: Noun (possibly infinitive or verbal noun) + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I have set you free” or “your release”; Notes: Rare form—interpreted as liberation, possibly from captivity.
- לְטֹוב (le-tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for good”; Notes: Indicates purpose or beneficial intent.
- אִם־לֹוא (ʾim-lo) – Root: —; Form: Conditional particle + negation (repeated); Translation: “Surely”; Notes: Introduces second affirmation in parallel with the first.
- הִפְגַּעְתִּי (hifgaʿti) – Root: פגע (pagaʿ); Form: Hiphil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I afflicted” or “I brought upon”; Notes: In the Hiphil, the verb can refer to striking or causing harm.
- בְךָ (vekha) – Root: ב (be); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against you”; Notes: Direct object of divine action.
- בְּעֵת־רָעָה (be-ʿet raʿah) – Root: עת / רעע; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the time of evil”; Notes: Refers to a period of calamity or judgment.
- וּבְעֵת צָרָה (u-veʿet tsarah) – Root: צרר (tsarar); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and in the time of distress”; Notes: Parallels the previous clause; expresses affliction and pressure.
- אֶת־הָאֹיֵב (et-ha-ʾoyev) – Root: איב (ʾayav); Form: Direct object marker + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the enemy”; Notes: Object of divine action or subject of the judgment, depending on reading.