כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאֹות֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הָלֹ֤ךְ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ לְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה וּלְיֹֽושְׁבֵ֖י יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הֲלֹ֨וא תִקְח֥וּ מוּסָ֛ר לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ אֶל־דְּבָרַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
“Thus said YHWH of Hosts, the God of Yisraʾel: ‘Go and say to the man of Yehuda and to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, “Will you not take instruction to listen to My words?” declares YHWH.
Morphology
- כֹּה־אָמַר (koh-ʾāmar) – Root: אמר; Form: Adverb “thus” + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Thus said”; Notes: Standard prophetic formula introducing divine speech.
- יְהוָה צְבָאֹות (YHWH Tsevaʾot) – Root: יהוה + צבא; Form: Proper noun + plural noun in construct; Translation: “YHWH of Hosts”; Notes: Title expressing YHWH’s rule over heavenly armies.
- אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (ʾĕlōhē Yisraʾel) – Root: אלהים + ישראל; Form: Construct plural noun + proper noun; Translation: “God of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Identifies the covenantal deity.
- הָלֹךְ (hālōkh) – Root: הלך; Form: Infinitive absolute used imperatively; Translation: “Go”; Notes: Strong imperative, often used in prophetic missions.
- וְאָמַרְתָּ (ve-ʾāmarta) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and say”; Notes: Coordinated with the preceding imperative action.
- לְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה (le-ʾīsh Yehūdāh) – Root: איש + יהודה; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “to the man of Yehudah”; Notes: Represents the people of the southern kingdom.
- וּלְיֹושְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִָם (u-le-yoshəvē Yerushaláyim) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Conjunction + preposition + participle masculine plural in construct + proper noun; Translation: “and to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim”; Notes: Addresses the capital’s population.
- הֲלֹוא (haloʾ) – Root: לא; Form: Interrogative particle with negation; Translation: “Will you not…?”; Notes: Rhetorical question expecting affirmation or conviction.
- תִקְחוּ (tiqḥū) – Root: לקח; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “take”; Notes: Refers to receiving or accepting instruction.
- מוּסָר (mūsār) – Root: יסר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “discipline” / “instruction”; Notes: Moral correction or ethical teaching.
- לִשְׁמֹעַ (lishmōaʿ) – Root: שמע; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “to listen”; Notes: Purpose clause indicating the goal of receiving instruction.
- אֶל־דְּבָרַי (el-dəvarai) – Root: דבר; Form: Preposition + plural noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to My words”; Notes: Emphasizes divine speech as the source of instruction.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָה (nəʾum-YHWH) – Root: נאם; Form: Noun masculine singular in construct + proper noun; Translation: “declares YHWH”; Notes: Prophetic declaration formula marking divine authority.