הַדֹּ֗ור אַתֶּם֙ רְא֣וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֔ה הֲמִדְבָּ֤ר הָיִ֨יתִי֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֛ם אֶ֥רֶץ מַאְפֵּ֖לְיָ֑ה מַדּ֜וּעַ אָמְר֤וּ עַמִּי֙ רַ֔דְנוּ לֹֽוא־נָבֹ֥וא עֹ֖וד אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
You are the generation, see the word of YHWH! Have I been a wilderness to Yisraʾel, or a land of thick darkness? Why has my people said, ‘We have roamed; we will not come again to you’?
Morphology
- הַדֹּ֗ור (ha-dor) – Root: דור (dor); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the generation”; Notes: Addressed directly, emphasizing responsibility.
- אַתֶּם֙ (attem) – Root: אתם (atem); Form: Independent pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Emphatic direct address to the people.
- רְא֣וּ (reʾu) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “see”; Notes: A command to observe or pay attention.
- דְבַר־יְהוָ֔ה (devar-YHWH) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Construct noun masculine singular + proper name; Translation: “the word of YHWH”; Notes: Prophetic formula demanding attention.
- הֲמִדְבָּ֤ר (ha-midbar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Interrogative prefix הֲ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “Have [I been] a wilderness?”; Notes: Used metaphorically for barrenness or abandonment.
- הָיִ֨יתִי (hayiti) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “have I been”; Notes: Rhetorical self-question from YHWH.
- לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (le-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Yisraʾel”; Notes: Recipient of YHWH’s care being questioned.
- אִם (im) – Root: אם (im); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Connects parallel rhetorical question.
- אֶ֥רֶץ (ʾerets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a land”; Notes: Refers to terrain or spiritual condition.
- מַאְפֵּ֖לְיָה (maʾpelyah) – Root: אפל (ʾpl); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “thick darkness”; Notes: Symbolizes confusion, danger, or judgment.
- מַדּ֜וּעַ (madduaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why?”; Notes: Expresses divine bewilderment at human response.
- אָמְר֤וּ (amru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they said”; Notes: Introduces the people’s rebellious statement.
- עַמִּי֙ (ʿammi) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my people”; Notes: Indicates covenantal relationship.
- רַ֔דְנוּ (radnu) – Root: רוד (radad or rud); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common plural; Translation: “We have roamed”; Notes: Suggests self-direction and independence, possibly rebellion.
- לֹֽוא־נָבֹ֥וא (lo-navo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we will not come”; Notes: Emphatic refusal to return to YHWH.
- עֹ֖וד (ʿod) – Root: עוד (ʿod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “again”; Notes: Denotes ongoing refusal or finality of departure.
- אֵלֶֽיךָ (elekha) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, reinforcing the rebellion.