הִמֹּ֣לוּ לַיהֹוָ֗ה וְהָסִ֨רוּ֙ עָרְלֹ֣ות לְבַבְכֶ֔ם אִ֥ישׁ יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם פֶּן־תֵּצֵ֨א כָאֵ֜שׁ חֲמָתִ֗י וּבָעֲרָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין מְכַבֶּ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶֽם׃
Circumcise yourselves to YHWH, and remove the foreskins of your heart, O man of Yehuda and inhabitant of Yerushalayim, lest My wrath go forth like fire and burn, and none shall quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”
Morphology
- הִמֹּ֣לוּ (himmolu) – Root: מול (mul); Form: Nifal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Circumcise yourselves”; Notes: Reflexive/command; a spiritual metaphor for repentance and internal purity.
- לַיהֹוָ֗ה (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Preposition לְ + divine name; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Indicates the purpose or recipient of the circumcision.
- וְהָסִ֨רוּ (ve-hasiru) – Root: סור (sur); Form: Hifil imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and remove”; Notes: Causative; commands removal of moral obstruction.
- עָרְלֹ֣ות (ʿorlot) – Root: ערל (ʿrl); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “the foreskins of”; Notes: Figurative language, symbolizing stubbornness or impurity.
- לְבַבְכֶ֔ם (levavkhem) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: Inner life or will; the target of spiritual transformation.
- אִ֥ישׁ (ish) – Root: איש; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “O man”; Notes: Addressing each individual male of Yehudah personally.
- יְהוּדָ֖ה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the kingdom or its male inhabitants.
- וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י (ve-yoshevei) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal active participle masculine plural construct with conjunction; Translation: “and inhabitant[s] of”; Notes: Refers to those dwelling in Yerushalayim.
- יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (Yerushalayim) – Root: ירושלים; Form: Proper noun feminine; Translation: “Yerushalayim”; Notes: The capital city, addressed alongside Yehudah.
- פֶּן (pen) – Root: פן; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “lest”; Notes: Introduces a warning or consequence.
- תֵּצֵ֨א (tetseʾ) – Root: יצא (yatzaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it go forth”; Notes: Refers to wrath personified as fire.
- כָאֵ֜שׁ (kaʾesh) – Root: אשׁ; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “like fire”; Notes: Simile describing the nature of divine wrath.
- חֲמָתִ֗י (ḥamati) – Root: חמה (ḥamah); Form: Noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My wrath”; Notes: A warning of YHWH’s burning anger.
- וּבָעֲרָה֙ (u-vaʿarah) – Root: בער (baʿar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and it burn”; Notes: Emphasizes the consuming nature of YHWH’s wrath.
- וְאֵ֣ין (ve-ein) – Root: אין; Form: Negative existential particle with conjunction; Translation: “and there is not”; Notes: Denies the existence of a quenching agent.
- מְכַבֶּ֔ה (mekhabbeh) – Root: כבה (kabah); Form: Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “one who quenches”; Notes: No one can extinguish this fire once it is kindled.
- מִפְּנֵ֖י (mi-penei) – Root: פנה (panim); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “because of” or “from before”; Notes: Indicates the cause or source of the wrath.
- רֹ֥עַ (roʿa) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Moral corruption or wickedness.
- מַעַלְלֵיכֶֽם (maʿalleikhem) – Root: עלל (ʿalal); Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your deeds”; Notes: Refers to their corrupt or treacherous actions that provoke divine judgment.