עַל־מָה֙ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ יֹֽשְׁבִ֔ים הֵֽאָסְפ֗וּ וְנָבֹ֛וא אֶל־עָרֵ֥י הַמִּבְצָ֖ר וְנִדְּמָה־שָּׁ֑ם כִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּ הֲדִמָּ֨נוּ֙ וַיַּשְׁקֵ֣נוּ מֵי־רֹ֔אשׁ כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לַיהוָֽה׃
Why are we sitting still? Gather yourselves and let us go into the fortified cities and let us be silent there, for YHWH our God has silenced us and has given us poisoned water to drink, for we have sinned against YHWH.
Morphology
- עַל־מָה (ʿal-mah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Preposition + interrogative pronoun; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question expressing despair or urgency.
- אֲנַחְנוּ (ʾanaḥnu) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun 1st person plural; Translation: “we”; Notes: Subject of the clause—emphatic.
- יֹשְׁבִים (yoshevim) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are sitting”; Notes: Describes the ongoing state of inactivity or helplessness.
- הֵאָסְפוּ (heʾasfu) – Root: אסף (ʾasaf); Form: Niphal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Gather yourselves”; Notes: Call to action; reflexive form.
- וְנָבֹוא (ve-navo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural with prefixed conjunction; Translation: “and let us go”; Notes: Volitional form expressing resolve.
- אֶל־עָרֵי (ʾel-ʿarei) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Preposition + plural construct form; Translation: “to the cities of”; Notes: Introduces the destination of movement.
- הַמִּבְצָר (ha-mivtsar) – Root: בצר (batsar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the fortress” or “fortification”; Notes: Refers to strongholds of defense.
- וְנִדְּמָה (ve-niddemah) – Root: דמם (damam); Form: Niphal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and let us be silent” or “let us perish”; Notes: Ambiguous—can mean silence or being cut off.
- שָּׁם (sham) – Root: —; Form: Adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers to the fortified cities.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces causal explanation.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of divine action.
- אֱלֹהֵינוּ (ʾEloheinu) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our God”; Notes: Reinforces covenant relationship.
- הֲדִמָּנוּ (haddimanu) – Root: דמם (damam); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “has silenced us”; Notes: May imply caused to perish or rendered helpless.
- וַיַּשְׁקֵנוּ (va-yashkenu) – Root: שׁקה (shaqah); Form: Hiphil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “and He gave us to drink”; Notes: Causative—inflicted with bitter experience.
- מֵי־רֹאשׁ (mei-roʾsh) – Root: רֹאשׁ (roʾsh); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “poisoned water”; Notes: “Roʾsh” is a bitter or poisonous plant—metaphor for suffering.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for divine punishment.
- חָטָאנוּ (ḥataʾnu) – Root: חטא (ḥataʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have sinned”; Notes: Confession of guilt—acknowledging cause of judgment.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition + divine name; Translation: “against YHWH”; Notes: Expresses sin as rebellion against the covenant God.