אִם־טֹ֣וב וְאִם־רָ֔ע בְּקֹ֣ול יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנַחְנוּ שֹׁלְחִ֥ים אֹתְךָ֛ אֵלָ֖יו נִשְׁמָ֑ע לְמַ֨עַן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִֽיטַב־לָ֔נוּ כִּ֣י נִשְׁמַ֔ע בְּקֹ֖ול יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ ס
Whether good or whether evil, in the voice of YHWH our God to whom we are sending you, we will obey, in order that it may be well for us, because we will obey the voice of YHWH our God.”
Morphology
- אִם (ʾim) – Root: Particle; Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “if/whether”; Notes: Introduces condition.
- טֹוב (tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “good”; Notes: Refers to favorable commands.
- וְאִם (ve-ʾim) – Root: Particle; Form: Conjunction + conditional particle; Translation: “or if/whether”; Notes: Presents the alternative.
- רָע (raʿ) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Refers to unfavorable or difficult commands.
- בְּקֹול (be-qol) – Root: קול (qol); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the voice”; Notes: Denotes hearing and obeying the command.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Divine subject of obedience.
- אֱלֹהֵינוּ (ʾeloheinu) – Root: אלוה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our God”; Notes: Expresses covenantal relationship.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: Particle; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause.
- אָֽנַחְנוּ (ʾanachnu) – Root: Independent pronoun; Form: 1st person common plural; Translation: “we”; Notes: Subject marker emphasizing the people.
- שֹׁלְחִים (sholḥim) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “sending”; Notes: Ongoing action of commissioning the prophet.
- אֹתְךָ (ʾotkha) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to Yirmeyahu as the emissary.
- אֵלָיו (ʾelav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the recipient of their sending.
- נִשְׁמָע (nishmaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Nifal imperfect 1st person common plural; Translation: “we will obey”; Notes: Passive/reflexive sense: to be obedient, to listen submissively.
- לְמַעַן (le-maʿan) – Root: מען (maʿan); Form: Preposition; Translation: “in order that”; Notes: Purpose clause marker.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: Particle; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that/which”; Notes: Introduces the purpose clause.
- יִיטַב (yitav) – Root: יטב (yatav); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “it may be well”; Notes: Expresses benefit or prosperity.
- לָנוּ (lanu) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition + 1st person common plural suffix; Translation: “for us”; Notes: Benefit clause directed toward the people.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces reason for obedience.
- נִשְׁמַע (nishmaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Nifal imperfect 1st person common plural; Translation: “we will obey”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes covenant loyalty.
- בְּקֹול (be-qol) – Root: קול (qol); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the voice”; Notes: Reiterates obedience to God’s command.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Divine subject of the command.
- אֱלֹהֵינוּ (ʾeloheinu) – Root: אלוה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 1st person common plural suffix; Translation: “our God”; Notes: Stresses covenantal relationship again.