מיכיה הַמֹּ֣ורַשְׁתִּ֔י הָיָ֣ה נִבָּ֔א בִּימֵ֖י חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־כָּל־עַם֩ יְהוּדָ֨ה לֵאמֹ֜ר כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֗ות צִיֹּ֞ון שָׂדֶ֤ה תֵֽחָרֵשׁ֙ וִירוּשָׁלַ֨יִם֙ עִיִּ֣ים תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וְהַ֥ר הַבַּ֖יִת לְבָמֹ֥ות יָֽעַר׃
* כ: מיכיה
* ק: מִיכָיה֙
“Mikhaya the Morashtite was prophesying in the days of Ḥizqiyahu king of Yehuda, and he said to all the people of Yehuda, saying, ‘Thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Tsiyon shall be plowed as a field, and Yerushalayim shall become ruins, and the mountain of the House shall be for the high places of a forest.”’
Morphology
- מיכיה (Mikhayah) – Root: מיכיה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mikhayah”; Notes: Refers to the prophet Mikhayah (Micah), a known prophet from Moreshet.
- הַמֹּ֣ורַשְׁתִּ֔י (ha-morashti) – Root: מורשת (Moreshet); Form: Definite noun with gentilic adjective form; Translation: “the Morashtite”; Notes: Denotes origin from Moreshet-Gat in Yehudah.
- הָיָ֣ה (hayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was”; Notes: Marks a past state or identity.
- נִבָּ֔א (nibba) – Root: נבא (n-b-ʾ); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine singular (passive-reflexive); Translation: “prophesied”; Notes: Describes prophetic activity.
- בִּימֵ֖י (bi-ymei) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition + masculine plural construct; Translation: “in the days of”; Notes: Indicates the time period during which the action occurred.
- חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ (Ḥizqiyahu) – Root: חזק (ḥ-z-q); Form: Proper noun with divine suffix; Translation: “Ḥizqiyahu”; Notes: King of Yehudah during Micah’s prophetic activity.
- מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה (melekh-Yehudah) – Roots: מלך (melekh), יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “king of Yehudah”; Notes: Genitive construction identifying rule.
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces the prophet’s speech.
- אֶל־כָּל־עַם֩ (el-kol-ʿam) – Roots: אל (ʾel), כל (kol), עם (ʿam); Form: Preposition + noun + construct noun; Translation: “to all the people of”; Notes: Introduces the audience of the prophecy.
- יְהוּדָ֨ה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: The southern kingdom of Yisraʾel.
- לֵאמֹ֜ר (leʾmor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Marks the content of speech.
- כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר (koh-amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Adverb + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Thus said”; Notes: Formula introducing divine speech.
- יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (h-v-h); Form: Proper noun (Tetragrammaton); Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- צְבָאֹ֗ות (tsevaʾot) – Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “of Hosts”; Notes: Military term denoting divine armies or heavenly forces.
- צִיֹּ֞ון (Tsiyon) – Root: ציון (Tsiyon); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Tsiyon”; Notes: A poetic name for Yerushalayim, often symbolizing the entire nation.
- שָׂדֶ֤ה (sadeh) – Root: שדה (sadeh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “field”; Notes: Indicates land suitable for plowing.
- תֵֽחָרֵשׁ֙ (teḥareish) – Root: חרשׁ (ḥarash); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall be plowed”; Notes: Passive voice indicating destruction or desolation.
- וִירוּשָׁלַ֨יִם (vi-Yerushalayim) – Root: ירושלם (Yerushalayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “and Yerushalayim”; Notes: The capital city of Yehudah.
- עִיִּ֣ים (ʿiyyim) – Root: עי (ʿi); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “ruins”; Notes: Conveys imagery of devastation and abandonment.
- תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall become”; Notes: Predicts a future state of ruin.
- וְהַ֥ר (ve-har) – Root: הר (har); Form: Conjunction + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the mountain”; Notes: Refers to the Temple Mount.
- הַבַּ֖יִת (ha-bayit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “of the House”; Notes: Refers to the House of YHWH, the Temple.
- לְבָמֹ֥ות (le-vamot) – Root: במה (bamah); Form: Preposition + noun feminine plural; Translation: “for high places”; Notes: Pagan or illicit worship sites, here symbolizing desecration.
- יָֽעַר (yaʿar) – Root: יער (yaʿar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “of a forest”; Notes: Evokes overgrowth and neglect, replacing sacred ground with wild nature.