כִּ֣י אִם־בְּזֹ֞את יִתְהַלֵּ֣ל הַמִּתְהַלֵּ֗ל הַשְׂכֵּל֮ וְיָדֹ֣עַ אֹותִי֒ כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה עֹ֥שֶׂה חֶ֛סֶד מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה בָּאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־בְאֵ֥לֶּה חָפַ֖צְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס
But in this let the one who boasts boast: that he understands and knows Me, that I am YHWH, doing kindness, justice, and righteousness in the land; for in these I delight,” declares YHWH.
Morphology
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “But”; Notes: Contrasts with the previous verse’s prohibitions.
- אִם (ʾim) – Root: אם (ʾim); Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “if”; Notes: Introduces the correct basis for boasting.
- בְּזֹאת (be-zot) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Preposition + demonstrative feminine singular; Translation: “in this”; Notes: Refers to what follows—true grounds for boasting.
- יִתְהַלֵּל (yitḥallel) – Root: הלל (halal); Form: Hitpael imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “let [him] boast”; Notes: Reflexive verb indicating personal glorying.
- הַמִּתְהַלֵּל (ha-mitḥallel) – Root: הלל (halal); Form: Hitpael participle masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the one who boasts”; Notes: Describes the type of person being addressed.
- הַשְׂכֵּל (haskel) – Root: שׂכל (sakal); Form: Hifil infinitive absolute or imperative; Translation: “to understand” or “let him understand”; Notes: May imply wise reflection or comprehension.
- וְיָדֹעַ (ve-yadoaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal infinitive construct or imperfect with vav; Translation: “and to know”; Notes: Paired with “understand” to indicate intimate knowledge.
- אֹותִי (oti) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Object marker + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “Me”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the object of true knowledge.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the content of divine identity.
- אֲנִי (ani) – Root: Pronoun; Form: Independent 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphatic subject marker.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal God known by His acts.
- עֹשֶׂה (ʿoseh) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “doing”; Notes: Continuous action—defining character of YHWH.
- חֶסֶד (ḥesed) – Root: חסד (ḥesed); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “kindness”; Notes: Loyal love, covenantal faithfulness.
- מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) – Root: שׁפט (shafat); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “justice”; Notes: Proper judgment or legal equity.
- וּצְדָקָה (utsdaqah) – Root: צדק (tsadaq); Form: Noun feminine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and righteousness”; Notes: Ethical behavior and uprightness.
- בָּאָרֶץ (ba-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾaretz); Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the land”; Notes: Refers to the arena of YHWH’s activity.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Gives the reason for YHWH’s commendation of these virtues.
- בְאֵלֶּה (be-elleh) – Root: זה (ʾelleh); Form: Preposition + demonstrative plural; Translation: “in these”; Notes: Refers to ḥesed, mishpat, and tsdaqah.
- חָפַצְתִּי (ḥafatzti) – Root: חפץ (ḥafatz); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I delight”; Notes: Indicates divine pleasure or will.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָה (neʾum-YHWH) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Construct noun + divine name; Translation: “declares YHWH”; Notes: Formulaic expression of prophetic authority.