הֲכַיֹּוצֵ֨ר הַזֶּ֜ה לֹא־אוּכַ֨ל לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות לָכֶ֛ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה כַחֹ֨מֶר֙ בְּיַ֣ד הַיֹּוצֵ֔ר כֵּן־אַתֶּ֥ם בְּיָדִ֖י בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס
“Can I not do to you like this potter, O house of Yisraʾel?” declares YHWH. “Behold, like the clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand, O house of Yisraʾel.
Morphology
- הֲכַיֹּוצֵר (ha-ka-yotser) – Root: יצר; Form: Interrogative prefix הֲ + comparative prefix כְּ + Hifil participle masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “like this potter?”; Notes: Rhetorical question comparing YHWH’s power to that of the potter.
- הַזֶּה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the potter just observed in the metaphor.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Introduces the rhetorical negative question.
- אוּכַל (ʾukhal) – Root: יכל; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person masculine singular; Translation: “can I”; Notes: Expresses ability or possibility.
- לַעֲשֹׂות (laʿasot) – Root: עשׂה; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Complements the verb of ability.
- לָכֶם (lakhem) – Root: לְ + אתם; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to the people of Yisraʾel.
- בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל (beit Yisraʾel) – Root: בית + ישראל; Form: Construct noun masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “house of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Designation for the nation as a collective body.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָה (neʾum-YHWH) – Root: נאם; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “declares YHWH”; Notes: Prophetic formula marking divine authority.
- הִנֵּה (hinneh) – Root: הן; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Introduces a vivid image or comparison.
- כַחֹמֶר (ka-ḥomer) – Root: חמר; Form: Preposition כְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “like the clay”; Notes: Emphasizes the metaphor of malleability under divine hand.
- בְּיַד (be-yad) – Root: יד; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “in the hand of”; Notes: Denotes control or possession.
- הַיֹּוצֵר (ha-yotser) – Root: יצר; Form: Hifil participle masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the potter”; Notes: Human artisan representing divine sovereignty.
- כֵּן (ken) – Root: כן; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Establishes the comparison between clay and Yisraʾel.
- אַתֶּם (atem) – Root: אתם; Form: Independent pronoun 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Subject of the comparison.
- בְּיָדִי (be-yadi) – Root: יד; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “in My hand”; Notes: YHWH claiming sovereign control over Yisraʾel’s destiny.
- בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל (beit Yisraʾel) – Root: בית + ישראל; Form: Construct noun masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “house of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Repeated for rhetorical emphasis and covenantal identity.