וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הֲיִפְּל֖וּ וְלֹ֣א יָק֑וּמוּ אִם־יָשׁ֖וּב וְלֹ֥א יָשֽׁוּב׃
“And you shall say to them, ‘Thus says YHWH: “Shall they fall and not rise? If one turns back, shall he not return?”
Morphology
- וְאָמַרְתָּ (veʾamarta) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with prefixed conjunction; Translation: “And you shall say”; Notes: Wayyiqtol form expressing direct divine instruction to the prophet.
- אֲלֵיהֶם (ʾaleihem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the people of Yisraʾel being addressed.
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Common prophetic formula introducing a divine message.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Used in formulaic speech to attribute the message to YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal name of the God of Yisraʾel, rendered in capital letters as per convention.
- הֲיִפְּלוּ (ha-yippelu) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with interrogative prefix; Translation: “Shall they fall”; Notes: Interrogative particle “הֲ” indicates a rhetorical question.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Negates the subsequent verb; continuation of the rhetorical question.
- יָקוּמוּ (yaqumu) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall they rise”; Notes: Parallels “fall,” forming a contrasting pair in the rhetorical structure.
- אִם (ʾim) – Root: אם (ʾim); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “if”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- יָשׁוּב (yashuv) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he turns back”; Notes: Verb of motion often connoting repentance or return.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Parallel negation as above.
- יָשׁוּב (yashuv) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall he return”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes the illogical nature of the people’s failure to return.